The long awaited return of animated show Rick and Morty returned on November 10th with the first episode “Edge of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat.” With the prior season airing more than two years ago, fans around the globe — myself included — are rejoicing. Despite the long wait, it was completely worth it. The first episode was incredible. I’m amazed Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, the writers of the show, have been able to maintain the momentum of the quality content. The episode’s intense plot kept me on the edge of my seat, and overall, the episode’s animation and storytelling was a drastic step up from past episodes.

I was personally disappointed in Season 3 and felt concerned about whether Roiland and Harmon were losing creative steam. But I was proven wrong. This first episode is probably better than the entirety of the last season. The premiere started off with the classic Rick and Morty expository scene: The Smith family sitting at the dining table eating breakfast. Fifteen-year-old Morty is scrolling through his social media feed, gazing dreamily at a selfie of his crush, Jessica. His older sister, Summer, teases him, and she’s subsequently scolded by their mother. But something is off: Rick sits quietly and picks at his food. The power dynamic of the Smith household has shifted — Rick is no longer the boss of the house, it’s Jerry. Morty’s father. This shift, a result from the finale of the third season, already sets the scene for more tense relationships within the Smith family. For instance, the mad-scientist-grandfather is now required to ask for permission from Beth, Morty’s mother, before he can take Morty out on an adventure. I won’t say more about the episode — all I’ll say is the episode ends with another one of Rick’s iconic harangues about “Rick and Morty for a hundred years!”