'Rick and Morty' Receives Emmy Nomination For "Pickle Rick" Episode

The 2018 Emmy Nominations were announced today, and geeks everywhere will probably be rejoicing over the news that Rick and Morty has scored an Emmy nomination for its now-infamous "Pickle Rick" episode.

"Pickle Rick" was nominated in the category of "Outstanding Animated Program", and is facing competition from the following shows:

• Big Hero 6: The Series - "Baymax Returns"
• Bob's Burgers - "V For Valentine-detta"
• South Park - "Put It Down"
• The Simpsons - "Gone Boy"
• Rick and Morty - "Pickle Rick"

Looking over that lineup, it's fair to assume that Rick and Morty has a pretty fair shot at taking home the Emmy; it's easily the episode that's made the biggest cultural impact out of all the nominees.

In case you don't know "Pickle Rick" tells the story how Beth Sanchez tries to take her family to a therapy session with the esteemed Dr. Wong (guest star Susan Sarandon), so that they can deal with Beth's recent divorce from her husband, Jerry. However, in order to avoid the therapy session, Rick conducts an experiment that transforms him into a living pickle, with a plan to restore himself after Beth has left for therapy. Beth sabotages that plan by taking the antidote Rick made, and what ensues is a batsh*t crazy odyssey, as "Pickle Rick" gets lost in the sewer, and must build himself a body to help fight off natural predators (rats) and escape back to the surface world. However, Pickle Rick's problems don't end there, as goes form the proverbial frying pan to the fire, emerging from the sewer into the stronghold of a local Russian crime syndicate, where a particularly vicious assassin (guest star Danny Trejo) gets released from confinement, in order to deal with Pickle Rick once and for all.

Since first airing, "Pickle Rick" has become a major highlight of the Rick and Morty fandom. The episode has spawned countless memes, quotables, and a massive set Pickle Rick-inspired merchandise. The episode is now a bonafide cult-classic for its irreverent premise, insane action scenes, and surprisingly touching subtext, about how families do or do not confront the real issues they're facing. In short: it's everything that a great episode of an animated series should be.

As of now, Rick and Morty is in production on season 4, which marks a significant turning point in the series. Creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon have settled a massive deal with Cartoon Network, which has given Rick and Morty a lengthy extension on its run (70 additional episodes). The infamously long waits between seasons are now done, as production has been ramped up to get the show back on air with quicker turnover than ever before.

Rick and Morty season 4 will premiere on a date TBA.