"The Rickshank Rickdemption" | |
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Rick and Morty episode | |
Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 1 |
Directed by | Juan Meza-Leon |
Written by | Mike McMahan |
Original air date | April 1, 2017 |
Running time | 23 minutes |
Guest appearance | |
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"The Rickshank Rickdemption" is the first episode in the third season of the American animated television sitcom Rick and Morty, and the twenty-second episode overall in the series. It was written by Mike McMahan and directed by Juan Meza-Leon. The season three premiere first aired unannounced on Adult Swim in the United States on April 1, 2017 when it was watched by 676,000 American households in its initial airing. On the first day of its original broadcast, "The Rickshank Rickdemption" was replayed every half hour from 8pm to 12am ET with improved ratings, as a part of Adult Swim's annual April Fools' Day joke.
The episode follows the events surrounding Rick Sanchez's incarceration at the Galactic Federation's prison and high-stakes bid to escape, with revelations that both reveal his true motives and character. Following its initial airing, "The Rickshank Rickdemption" received positive reviews, which generally favored the episode's character development and its surprise turn of events.