Rick And Morty has spent five seasons pitting Rick’s wits against Jerry’s lack thereof, but season 5 finally made the pair friends. In the world of anarchic animated comedy Rick And Morty, consistency is not an ever-present quality. The Adult Swim show often parodies sitcom tropes by bringing its characters back to where they started by the end of each outing but unlike most traditional family comedies, this return to the status quo is usually brought about by Rick and Morty abandoning one reality or engaging in other sci-fi shenanigans.
However, one thing that is consistent throughout Rick And Morty’s five seasons is Rick’s attitude toward son-in-law, Jerry. With Rick being a super-genius capable of solving almost any problem in an instant, any son-in-law would likely struggle to impress the show’s cynical antihero. However, Jerry has the misfortune of being a classic sitcom dad, a bumbling buffoon who constantly says and does the wrong thing at every conceivable juncture.
As a result, Rick spent most of the first four seasons either quietly resenting Jerry or openly dismissing him when his son-in-law makes the mistake of crossing his path. However, Rick And Morty’s recent Hellraiser spoof saw the show change this status quo and made Rick admit he might even be friends with Jerry - despite himself. “Amortycan Grickfitti” (season 5, episode 5) saw Rick deeply, begrudgingly admit he has an affinity for Jerry, and even forced the character to deliver a sincere monologue about liking his son-in-law despite his lameness.
Season 5 of Rick And Morty has upended a lot of the existing character dynamics, with Rick becoming less all-powerful and Morty more independent. As such, it was clear from the start of this season that the family’s new, more balanced dynamic would mean Rick had to admit he didn't truly hate his son-in-law sooner or later. Like Morty gaining a love interest with agency of her own, this development was a testament to season 5’s attempts to change the show’s formula.
To be clear, Rick still hates telling Jerry he loves him at the end of the episode and only does so under pain of potential death. However, although it is under duress, the confession must come from “an entirely sincere place” (thanks to a goofy plot contrivance), so he also clearly does mean it. The fact it isn’t a sarcastic or fake admission is why it works for Rick’s plan, meaning the moment is progress in their relationship even if it’s one that only really happens because Rick knows Beth cares about her husband. Despite Rick’s claims Beth’s love for Jerry doesn’t "transfer" to him, this classic horror-spoofing Rick And Morty proves otherwise in its closing scenes. Only time will tell whether this will cause a shift in Rick And Morty’s character dynamics for the remainder of the series, but it’s a surprise regardless.
