Hulu
Solar Opposites is a witty and fun new series by Justin Roiland that’s premiering on Hulu on Friday, May 8. Hulu gave Heavy screeners and I’ve seen the first five episodes so far. It’s a really fun series that you’ll enjoy. However, if you’re wanting Rick and Morty, this doesn’t quite scratch that itch. This is a spoiler-free review.
‘Solar Opposites’ Is Great, But It’s Not ‘Rick and Morty’
Solar Opposites is a lot of fun. It’s kind of like 3rd Rock from the Sun with a dash of Rick and Morty. I’ve heard that episodes seven and eight are the best in the series, so since I haven’t watched those yet, I might be missing out. This review might even change based on what happens at the end of the season.
The series is definitely worth watching. You might not feel the need to binge it like you would Rick and Morty, but you’ll enjoy sitting back and watching an episode when you need a break from all this pandemic craziness. The first episode is probably the “weakest” of the bunch. So if you’re not grabbed by the first episode, don’t despair. It really does improve quite a bit from the second episode on.
I think part of the disconnect I had watching is that it felt so much like Rick and Morty, I kept wanting it to be the same show. The cartoon effects are the same. The voices are the same. There’s even a cranky patriarch alien who sounds exactly like Rick who has special sci-fi devices that I’d expect Rick to carry around. And you have the two siblings who aren’t nearly as smart as Morty and Summer, but they give you the brother-and-sister vibe that you might enjoy from other shows. Even the end credits after every episode look exactly like Rick and Morty. I also spotted some jokes that I’m pretty sure I heard in the Rick and Morty series too (like a “truetrue” moment.)
I love Rick and Morty, so I didn’t mind all the callbacks to my favorite series. But when I watched Season 4 Episode 6 of Rick and Morty on Sunday and laughed really hard throughout the entire episode, I couldn’t help but compare it to my reactions to Solar Opposites so far. Unlike Rick and Morty‘s pilot episode, this show’s first episode didn’t grab me and leave me wanting to watch the rest immediately. I don’t laugh really hard at the jokes in Solar Opposites and immediately look for memes connected to them.
But I do enjoy the series. I chuckle at the jokes, I enjoy the animation, and the storyline is compelling. The voice acting is amazing. It’s an intelligent series with a storyline that I’m pretty sure is going to pay off. It has a compelling B plot that has its own set of characters and their own trials and tribulations. I care about what happens to the characters in the B plot too, which is sometimes tough to achieve.
The show may not be Rick and Morty, but not every animated series needs to be. Solar Opposites stands well on its own. I’d definitely suggest that anyone who enjoys Rick and Morty should certainly give this series a try.
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