The episode is a "clip show", with heavy use of flashback scenes to the parasite-implanted false memories; it was inspired by the introduction of Dawn Summers to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, whose sudden contradictory presence is initially unquestioned by the other characters.
In a post-credits scene, the Smith family watch Mr. Poopybutthole in physical therapy; he tells a nurse to pass the message onto Beth that he is sorry she had no negative memories of him.
According to writer Ryan Ridley, the episode is named after Total Recall (1990), a science fiction film that features false memory implantation, but was conceived by Mike McMahan with reference to the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
[3] One flashback shows Rick about to bulk purchase limited edition The Legend of Zelda-themed Nintendo 3DS consoles, with the plan to resell them at a higher price.
[8][9] A third version debuted for the next year's April Fools' Day as one of a series of altered shows with glitches related to Learning with Pibby, a proof-of-concept short produced by Cartoon Network Studios that was released on Adult Swim's YouTube channel in October 2021.
Corey Plante of Inverse wrote that the improvisational style resembled the episodes "Rixty Minutes" and "Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate", but that it was most similar to "Morty's Mind Blowers" because it is a clip show of flashbacks.
[2] Creator Dan Harmon proposed that Mr. Poopybutthole could be an advanced creature who survives by taking advantage of the holes in people's memories that the parasites leave, and that this could explain his ability to break the fourth wall.
In the season five episode "Mort Dinner Rick Andre", Jerry similarly expresses sexual interest in a male character—relishing the possibility of a threesome with his wife and Mr.
[17] Inverse's Corey Plante reviewed that the episode manages to incorporate each of the best aspects of Rick and Morty, particularly praising the cold opening and Sleepy Gary's character as humorous and Beth shooting Mr. Poopybutthole as "unforgettable".
Commenting on Morty's revelation that a character is real if he shares negative memories with them, Plante said that "this thoughtful commentary on the messiness of life and family is universally relatable".
[15] Jesse Schedeen of IGN rated the episode 8.3 out of 10, praising that the premise allowed each flashback to have plot relevance, and that watching the Smith family try to work out if each other was real was funny.
Schedeen approved of the large number of guest voice actors, particularly Keith David as Reverse Giraffe, but criticized the ending for not giving more significant focus to the "emotional fallout of having years of cherished memories revealed to be false and hollow".
[14] A number of critics found "Total Rickall" one of the strongest episodes of television in 2015, including David Sims of The Atlantic, Alec Bojalad of Den of Geek and Steve Greene of IndieWire.