Afrigather Rick and Morty places the enjoyable in dysfunctional. This animated Grownup Swim darling follows the mishaps of Rick, the neatest man within the universe, and his hapless grandson, Morty, on their interdimensional adventures whereas navigating home household life. The present’s irreverent humor, off-the-cuff model, and stunning emotional depth made it an instantaneous come across its premiere in 2013.
However the present was additionally touched by scandal. In January 2023, the community cut ties with and fired one of many present’s creators, Justin Roiland, after domestic violence charges towards him surfaced. The sequence continued manufacturing with out Roiland, who beforehand voiced Rick, Morty, and quite a few different characters who’re helmed by soundalike actors within the new seventh season.
Since Rick and Morty spans not simply house and time but in addition the multiverse, how do you select one of the best episodes in existence? The excellent news is you, expensive reader, do not need to! Listed below are EW’s picks for one of the best Rick and Morty episodes.
“Meeseeks and Destroy” (Season 1, episode 5)
When you’re new to the sequence and want an ideal starter episode, this could be it. Mixing sci-fi and fantasy with quippy chaos, Rick leaves the household with an annoying invention that conjures probably the most note-worthy of aspect characters, Mr. Meeseeks. The loyal, blue, bulb-headed humanoid exists to serve and represents the center of this sequence: loveable obnoxiousness and kinda good intentions gone awry. Jerry enlists the helper to unravel the “easy” activity of enhancing his golf recreation, just for issues to spiral uncontrolled and into colourful absurdity. At its core, this episode captures the comedic (and cosmic) madness that makes the present so satisfying. —Huntley Woods
“Rick Potion #9” (Season 1, episode 6)
The primary few episodes of Rick and Morty have been enjoyable little sci-fi adventures — in contrast, this David Cronenberg-inspired episode is the place issues actually received severe. Morty’s teenage need for a fairly woman to love him inadvertently transforms his complete world right into a horrorshow due to Rick’s shoddily-made potion. In contrast to different episodes, the place Rick may pull a deus ex machina out of his sleeve to repair every little thing, this time his resolution is actually abandoning their authentic dimension for an especially comparable one. Along with being a horror showcase in its personal proper, this episode has had far-reaching penalties all through the sequence: There have been occasional return visits to Cronenberg World, in addition to the ever-present menace that Rick and Morty’s enjoyable adventures may simply spell doom for these round them. —Christian Holub
“Rixty Minutes” (Season 1, episode 8)
Ever puzzled what it will be like to observe what looks like a very improvised cartoon? Introducing: Interdimensional Cable. This episode serves as a non secular equal of The Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror” sequence, whereby the present breaks its traditional mould and introduces some “what if” model storytelling. Tune in to see Rick and Morty devour eyegasms of multidimensional media whereas the remainder of the household takes turns glimpsing alternate variations of themselves. Juggling themes of abortion, divorce, and breakfast cereal mascot homicide, the Smiths be taught the dear lesson that everyone’s going to die, so they may as nicely watch TV. —H.W.
“One thing Ricked This Manner Comes” (Season 1, episode 9)
Tuck in for a supernatural tackle the age previous warning to watch out what you would like for. Whereas Rick offers with de-cursing haunted objects out of spite, Jerry’s curse of being an absolute flaccid human is on full show when he gaslights himself (and a few aliens) into believing that Pluto continues to be a planet. In the meantime, Rick’s scheme to outwit the Satan at his personal recreation is a first-rate instance of the present’s masterful meta use of parody to spoof Stephen King‘s Needful Things, which itself is a twist on Ray Bradbury‘s One thing Depraved This Manner Comes. —H.W.
“Shut Rick-counters of the Rick Form” (Season 1, episode 10)
One of the essential episodes of season 1 first launched the idea of the multiverse to Rick and Morty — almost a decade earlier than multiverses turned an inescapable component of films and TV, besides. Drawing inspiration from Jonathan Hickman‘s Unbelievable 4 comics and the Council of Reeds, the Council of Ricks gave a complete new dimension to the present’s storytelling and completely elevated the stakes — although the writers have been sensible to solely intermittently deploy their Large Dangerous, Evil Morty with the eyepatch, after first introducing him right here. —C.H.
“A Rickle in Time” (Season 2, episode 1)
Choosing up the place season 1 left off, Rick, Morty, and Summer time unfreeze time and expertise a majorly fractured f—up. Enjoying with chances and parallel timelines, Morty and Summer time’s sibling rivalry not solely causes a rift between them, but in addition within the space-time continuum. Whereas splitting alternate realities and actually splitting the display screen, this episode is notably formidable for its elaborate story and particularly spectacular animation. The sheer audacity of this endeavor is like watching Schrödinger’s cat get excessive on catnip. —H.W.
“Mortynight Run” (Season 2, episode 2)
One of the endearing issues about this present is how a lot followers can love a personality as pathetic as Jerry. Rick and Morty drop him off in a “Jerryboree” grownup daycare stuffed with different Jerrys with a view to spend a day at an intergalactic arcade. There, Morty grapples along with his personal morality and mortality whereas befriending an… interdimensional fart. This episode can also be notable for providing backstory on Rick’s feud with the Galactic Federation, nevertheless it’s value watching even only for the Jerrys’ timid story of studying to like themselves. —H.W.
“Auto Erotic Assimilation” (Season 2, episode 3)
It might have taught us greater than we ever wished to learn about Rick’s intercourse life, however this episode additionally options one of many present’s smartest deployments of a traditional sci-fi idea. On this case, a hive thoughts (just like the Borg from Star Trek, or the Annihilation Wave from Marvel comics) takes the type of a planet-wide society whose each inhabitant is voiced by Christina Hendricks. Whereas most popular culture examples of enforced conformity are portrayed as soul-destroying and evil, “Auto Erotic Assimilation” apparently makes the case that it may nonetheless be preferable to limitless civil battle. —C.H.
“Whole Rickall” (Season 2, episode 4)
If Mr. Meeseeks is the no. 1 fan favourite aspect character, then Mr. Poopy Butthole can be no. 2. (Get it?) Fortunately, all the bathroom humor is backed up with intelligent storytelling when reminiscence parasites infiltrate the Smith’s minds, leaving them not sure who to belief. Their locked down home is quickly full of supporting gamers like Mr. Beauregard, Sleepy Gary, and a mess of others that, in a universe of numerous dimensions, are something however one dimensional. This episode is a love letter to varied genres — specifically motion by way of Whole Recall, plus the same old sci-fi fare — that rapidly turns into a colourful orgy of animation and zany aspect characters, culminating in an absolute fever dream. —H.W.
“The Ricks Should Be Loopy” (Season 2, episode 6)
Whereas Rick and Morty is actually not the primary cartoon to do an episode about creating life inside a small object (see: The Simpsons, Futurama, and South Park), it undoubtedly takes the premise a number of steps additional. This time, we see the duo shrink down to go to the lifeforms inside Rick’s automobile battery and faux to be their gods. Why, you ask? Assume Inception however with a pyramid scheme to supply free power. All that is achieved in an effort to energy Rick’s spaceship, which is a talkative, sassy character unto herself, tasked with protecting Summer time protected in an alien car parking zone. —H.W.
“Large Hassle In Little Sanchez” (Season 2, episode 7)
Earlier than there was Child Yoda, there was Tiny Rick. Although not as cute, they share the identical penchant for mischief. In an effort to assist his grandkids rid their college of vampires, Rick possesses a youthful clone of himself and turns into a scholar. Whereas the brand new teen tackles the perils of highschool and recognition, Beth and Jerry go to off-planet marriage counseling to confront their codependent relationship points. However when alien manifestations of their perceptions of one another wreak havoc on the ability, Jerry tries to worm his approach out of issues — actually. It is an emotionally resonant episode that is brutally sincere concerning the issue of marriage and the lengths companions will go for one another. —H.W.
“Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Destiny” (Season 2, episode 8)
So good, they did it twice. This episode brings again the beloved interdimensional cable field from season 1’s “Rixty Minutes” for one more spherical of impromptu madness. Whereas Rick tinkers with the cable field on the alien hospital the place his son-in-law is in search of therapy, Jerry is caught between his penis and a tough place. His package deal may function a coronary heart transplant for the universe’s most essential civil rights chief, however does he have the center to surrender his heart-on? Discover out, however extra importantly, sit back, flip by the channels, and stuff your eye holes with extra non sequitur nonsense. —H.W.
“The Rickshank Rickdemption” (Season 3, episode 1)
The material of actuality is getting some new drapes. This season 3 opener is essential for uncovering Rick’s tortured previous of dropping his spouse and inventing the portal gun. Not solely did this episode take viewers inside Rick’s thoughts to fill us in concerning the Galactic Federation and Citadel of Ricks, nevertheless it additionally crammed hungry stomachs when it sparked a marketing campaign that efficiently introduced the return of the Szechuan McNugget sauce (which was initially a promo for Disney’s Mulan). —H.W.
“Pickle Rick” (Season 3, episode 3)
The one factor wilder than this turning into the one most iconic episode of Rick and Morty is that it wholly deserves that popularity. Rick’s goofiest escapade ever (reworking himself right into a pickle with a view to get out of household remedy) is balanced towards the human drama of the household remedy session, with Susan Sarandon‘s character providing an important rationalization of why counseling is definitely helpful in a very touching monologue. —C.H.
“The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy” (Season 3, episode 5)
When you’ve ever puzzled what the sequence can be like if it have been known as “Rick and Jerry,” you then’re in luck. When the neatest man within the universe embarks on an journey with the stupidest to an intergalactic immortality resort, turmoil is assured. It is the equal of shaking a type of balsamic French dressing salad dressing bottles and watching the oil and vinegar swirling in opposition — these two simply do not combine nicely collectively. Nonetheless, they are a taste combo that may’t be beat, and when an assassination try on Rick turns issues the other way up, we get to see a glimpse into Jerry’s true nature. —H.W.
“The Ricklantis Mixup” (Season 3, episode 7)
Even for those who aren’t at all times conversant in the references in Rick and Morty, most parodies nonetheless really feel acquainted. This Training Day spoof episode packs a punch with some main shake ups because the Citadel of Ricks undergoes a presidential election, in the meantime, a Cop Morty trains his new Rick associate and exposes the Citadel’s seedy underbelly. The storylines cut up into numerous iterations of the titular duo looking for their place within the universe. Although it largely omits the OG pair, this episode nonetheless gives important world-building that expands on the multiverse, teasing its many risks and connections to our essential heroes. —H.W.
“Morty’s Thoughts Blowers” (Season 3, episode 8)
Akin to a 3rd interdimensional cable episode, “Morty’s Thoughts Blowers” switches up the present format with a meta menagerie of recollections. As a substitute of random channel flipping, what follows is a twisted anthology of never-before-seen moments from Morty’s previous. He rewatches erased traumatic recollections that Rick beforehand eliminated in an effort to piece collectively the entire story, although he would not have all of the elements. However, after all, Morty’s try to face up for himself solely wipes each their recollections, which paradoxically makes for an episode that is actually unforgettable. —H.W.
“Fringe of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat” (Season 4, episode 1)
There are few issues funnier than listening to Jerry Smith pronounce “Akira.” The season 4 premiere demonstrates the hazard of peering into the longer term, as Morty’s need to die previous beside Jessica leads him on an escalating energy journey of violence that finally causes him to resemble the titular character from Katsuhiro Otomo’s iconic manga and anime. Premiering in late 2019, this episode was additionally the closest Rick and Morty got here to commenting on the ethos of the Trump period, with Rick discovering all of his backup dimensions overrun by fascists. —C.H.
“Rattlestar Ricklactica” (Season 4, episode 5)
Each planet in Rick & Morty has one thing distinctive to supply — even snake jazz. After unintentionally killing a snake astronaut throughout a spaceship pit-stop, Morty tried to make up for it by bringing a brand new one to the planet…which simply informs the house snakes of the existence of extraterrestrial life, inflicting their society to unite and invent house journey. What outcomes is a round riff on traditional sci-fi tales like The Terminator, however with nearly each character talking in indecipherable hisses. It is delightfully wacky and mind-blowingly sensible, similar to Rick and Morty ought to be. —C.H.
“By no means Ricking Morty” (Season 4, episode 6)
Even with so many stand-alone episodes, Rick and Morty has nonetheless managed to construct a sizeable canon of essential characters and memorable plot factors. Any common sci-fi present would milk these character beats for every little thing they’re with, however not Rick and Morty. On this episode, which takes the phrase “meta” to a complete new stage, climaxes that would’ve taken years to construct are as a substitute sped by in fast succession in order to make some extent concerning the higher significance of storytelling and pacing. Plus, Paul Giamatti makes a hilarious voice cameo as Story Lord. —C.H.
“Star Mort Rickturn of the Jerri” (Season 4, episode 10)
Even in a present with infinite universes and limitless variations of everybody, there’s nonetheless a way of gravity to every iteration of those characters. On this season 4 finale episode, Beth has an precise clone of herself dwelling within the similar timeline. The catch is neither is aware of which is the unique Beth, inflicting chaos to unfold on this Star Wars parody the place Rick is pressured to cease a megaweapon from destroying the Earth. It is an intimate take a look at what Beth’s life would have been like if she’d adopted in her father’s footsteps as an enemy of the New Galactic Federation, plus loads of fan service for lovers of that galaxy far, far-off. —H.W.
“Mortyplicity” (Season 5, episode 2)
Do not be coy, simply decoy. Rick and Morty has showcased nearly each skewed iteration of those characters underneath the solar, however this episode actually has enjoyable enjoying round with the multipliers between some artful demise scenes. When the Smiths are being hunted by mysterious squid creatures, Rick’s failsafe of faux households, designed to guard the “actual” them, begin getting killed. There’s only one drawback: The copies additionally made copies, which units off a sequence response of guessing who’s actual or counterfeit. It is an important instance of a stand-alone episode that’s actually a deal with irrespective of how nicely you already know the present. —H.W.
“Gotron Jerrysis Rickvangelion” (Season 5, episode 7)
At its core, Rick and Morty is admittedly about household, relationships, and coming collectively — and what comes collectively higher than big robots that mix into one mega robotic? Rick’s obsession with Voltron-esque ferret machines initially brings the household nearer as they crew as much as pilot them as a squad. Whereas combating big monsters is difficult, it is far more tough to battle the monsters inside, as their egos create a rift that splits the crew aside after they get too massive for their very own good. The Smiths have at all times been dysfunctional, however this episode demonstrates how we are able to nonetheless rely on them to kind a unified household, irrespective of how a lot they piss one another off. —H.W.
“Rick: A Mort Properly Lived” (Season 6, episode 2)
Roy, the online game during which customers play by the lifetime of a mean human man, was one of many funniest and most mind-bending innovations from season 2. However in its authentic look, the sport was simply used for a throwaway scene in an episode that was largely about one thing else. There was undoubtedly untapped potential left over, and this episode dives deep into the probabilities of Roy — in addition to doing a riff on Die Hard, as a result of why not? —C.H.
“Last DeSmithation” (Season 6, episode 5)
One other Rick & Morty episode constructed across the risks of predicting the longer term, this one enhances the silliness by specializing in Jerry’s terror of getting intercourse along with his mom — as predicted by an eerily correct fortune cookie firm. Teaming up with Rick to stop that catastrophic destiny, Jerry finally ends up in the midst of a hilariously over-the-top sci-fi battle within the fortune cookie manufacturing facility. Head-spinning and cringe-inducing in equal measure, “Last DeSmithation” represents the goofy highs of later-season Rick and Morty. —C.H.
