▁two ▁seasons . ▁C obb ▁stated ▁that ▁" Se ason ▁ 3 ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁Rick ▁and ▁Mort y ▁really ▁ ▁to ▁its ▁leading ▁ladies , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁hor r ifying ▁delight ." ▁Julia ▁Alexander ▁of ▁Pol ygon ▁ ▁highlight ed ▁the ▁philosoph ical ▁conflict ▁between ▁n ih il ist ▁real ism ▁and ▁life ▁in ▁ignor ant ▁bl iss ▁as ▁the ▁season ' s ▁main ▁theme , ▁and ▁noted ▁that ▁" after ▁an ▁intros pective ▁season ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁self - real ization ▁and ▁reflection , ▁Rick ▁and ▁Mort y ▁third ▁year ▁ended ▁on ▁a ▁total ▁reset ," ▁with ▁Beth ▁and ▁the ▁k ids ▁re unit ing ▁with ▁Jerry ▁in ▁the ▁season - fin ale , ▁as ▁they ▁seek ▁comfort ▁through ▁esc ap ism ▁and ▁ignore ▁the ▁real ities ▁of ▁their ▁lives . ▁Z ack ▁Hand len ▁considered ▁Jerry ' s ▁return ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁ant ic lim ax ▁and ▁" a ▁necessary ▁correct ive ▁to ▁an ▁arc ▁that ▁was ▁in ▁danger ▁of ▁going ▁off ▁the ▁rails ▁completely ". ▁Hand len ▁appeared ▁ske pt ical ▁about ▁Beth ' s ▁statement ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁episode , ▁that ▁from ▁this ▁point ▁things ▁will ▁be ▁like ▁season ▁one ▁again , ▁saying ▁that ▁" the ▁problem ▁with ▁going ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁season ▁three ▁went ▁is ▁that ▁brid ges ▁stay ▁burn ed ." ▁ ▁Rat ings ▁ ▁Rick ▁and ▁Mort y ▁completed ▁its ▁third ▁season ▁with ▁overall ▁view ership ▁numbers ▁increased ▁by ▁ 8 1 % ▁over ▁the ▁previous ▁season , ▁and ▁delivered