After kinda meh Episode 2 that felt more like filler content, episode 3 titled "Another Rick Up My Sleeve" finally brought back what makes a show like this worth watching and honestly I was starting to worry the entire thing was like the first two episodes of season 2, keep in mind I havent seen Season 1. This episode takes us three years back in time showing us Harcourt and Rick Flag Jr having this romantic thing going on which explains so much about why she keeps pushing Chris away even though they clearly have chemistry, the whole flashback sequence with Joel Kinnaman returning was brilliantly executed and gives us this emotional side that the show was missing. The alternate universe stuff with Chris discovering this other version of himself who seems to be some kind of celebrity hero but also appears to be a complete mess behind the scenes was something that felt very natural like the series forget the concequences once Chris on this other dimension, the contrast is big between Chris and this other version and creates this interesting situation where you start questioning which reality is actually better. The opening scene where someone breaks into Professor Aarons house while his wife sleeps was creepy and set the tone perfectly for what would become one of the most engaging episodes so far this season, James Gunn really knows how to put the foot to the floor with these different tones without making it feel jarring. Jennifer Holland absolutely kills it in this episode showing range, developing both versions of Harcourt with jsut enough differences that make you believe these are actually two seperate people from different realities, her performance alone makes this episode worth watching and shows why shes become such an important part of this universe.
- IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13146488/
- Platform: HULU
Source
The alternate dimension stuff really shines here with Chris waking up hungover in this fancy mansion where his brother Keith is alive and goes by Captain Triumph, David Denman does fantastic work showing this protective older brother who clearly loves Chris but also worries about his disappearing acts and drug use. The way they reveal that the Kardashians dont exist in this universe got me laught a bit and shows the attention to small details that make these alternate realities feel unique rather than just lazy copy paste, every little difference they show from the band posters to the way people react to Chris adds character and world build up. It also surprise me how dark this supposedly perfect dimension actually is when you look closer, everyone seems to love Chris but theres something unsettling about how fake their reactions feel, almost like an influencer putting up for the camera only, like they are all putting on some kind of performance rather than really caring about him. The Peace Cycle revelation was pretty cool giving Chris his own themed motorcycle with weapons and speakers that fits perfectly with his over the top personality, though I have to admit the whole thing feels a bit too convenient for the plot but I guess thats what makes it entertaining, the over the top stuff. The interaction between Chris and the alternate Rick Flag was awkward in every possible way making it look like two high school kids fighting for the same girl, seeing this dorkier version wearing yellow just like when OG Rick died adds guilt and trauma that John Cena's Chris and its so obvious but it works great, thats how he is suppose to feel.
The action sequence at the DMV with the Sons of Liberty terrorist attack was absolutely incredible and after watching Superman (2025) it does feel like the same type of setup, the choreography was tight and brutal and Chris using improvised weapons like pencils to take down bad guys felt both creative and totally in character. The way they built tension before the explosion with people running in the background was a nice touch because it keeps things moving and not paralize and the guy who falls and blew up caught me completely off guard even though I should have seen it coming since Chris and Harcourt were having such a nice time, thats the mark of good direction when you know something bad is about to happen but it still surprises you. Chris jumping from building to building in those ridiculous leather pants and dress shoes was both awesome and hilarious, I first notice them when he did the wheelie on The Peace Cycle. The bomb defusal scene with just thumbs up and thumbs down buttons was so stupid it became genius, again very Superman (2025), showing how this alternate reality operates on comic book logic rather than real world physics which makes everything feel more fun and less serious. Keith flying in with his jetpack to destroy the helicopter was visually stunning and out of nowhere, it also says this more comic version universe dont give a fuck about collateral damage and I think thats great for action and humor.
Back in the main dimension the supporting characters had some great moments even though they got less screen time than the alternate world stuff, Vigilante continues to be hit or miss with his animal facts running gag not landing so well to be honest, it was more anoying that funny but I guess that how is suppose to feel and make other character feel annoyed of him too. Economos getting grilled by Argus about Eagly was fun and Tim Meadows as Agent Fleury continues to be a cool addition to the cast even in smaller roles specially with his "bird blindness" lol, the way he calls Eagly a duck. Then there is the introduction of Michael Rooker as Red Saint Wild felt a bit forced but I guess James Gunn knows what hes doing with this new second characters, having him be the worlds greatest eagle hunter targeting Eagly either put up some cool fights or just more humor as Eagly fuck him up. Judo Master, a character that I know nothing about shows up munching on Flaming Hot Cheetos, working with Argus but thats it they dont say much about him so I suppose he is from Season 1 for sure, he only has this brief interaction with Economos calling him fatty. The whole Argus operation to shut down Chris pocket dimension feels like its going to create major problems for him getting back and forth between realities, it even makes me think that at some point he is going to get stuck on this second reality to escape the attack from Argus and then trying to find a way back, which sounds right so he get to appreciate more what he have / had.
The episode manage to keep all this characters with the proper amount of screentime without feeling rushed or overstuffed, the pacing felt much tighter than the previous two episodes and every scene had a purpose whether it was character development or plot development. The reveal that Chris alternate self has been cheating on Harcourt and has serious drug problems make things more difficult for OG Chris to what initially seemed like a perfect world, making you question whether this reality is actually better or just different in ways that might be worse. The way the episode ended with Argus rolling up to Chris house while hes still in the other dimension creates the perfect tension and cliffhanger about how hes going to get out of this situation, especially since they plan to destroy all the doorways between realities. Jennifer Holland really shines in her dual role showing how the same person can be completely different based on their circumstances, the alternate Harcourt is softer and more lovely over all while OG version is harder and more stubborn for reasons Im now starting to understand thanks to the Rick Flag flashback, I have to watch Season 1 once Season 2 is over. Overall this episode had this combination of great action with character development and humor that never felt forced, rushed or out of place, if they can maintain this quality for the rest of the season and James Gunn keeps coocking, this series going to turn better than I was expecting.
#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #peacemaker, #rickflag, #harcourt, #alternate, #dimension, #universe, #chris, #keith, #triumph, #action, #terrorist, #explosion, #dmv, #motorcycle, #cycle, #eagle, #argus, #vigilante, #economos, #judo, #master, #rooker, #holland, #kinneman, #gunn