In 2013, Adult Swim unleashed a behemoth of adult animated sitcoms onto the world. "Rick and Morty" was a profane exploration of nihilism and absurdity, filtered through the guise of Rick Sanchez (Justin Roiland, later Ian Cardoni) taking his grandson Morty (Roiland, later Harry Belden) on ridiculous adventures through the multiverse. Whereas other pop culture staples use the multiverse as an excuse for Easter eggs and cameos, "Rick and Morty" uses it to show just how meaningless life can be -- provided
you subscribe to Rick's mindset.
There was a period where "Rick and Morty" was inescapable. A single joke caused McDonald's to bring back its "Mulan" Szechuan sauce, and fans raged when there wasn't enough. "Pickle Rick" ascended to instant meme glory. But those events were a relatively long time ago. The show may not make headlines as often as it used to, but maybe that's for the best. It's gone from a hip new upstart to a cartoon legacy show, like "Family Guy" or "Bob's Burgers." The series is still cranking out great episodes, and when you look at the best "Rick and Morty" episodes of all time, you may be surprised how many later entries there are.
Read more: The 30 Best Sitcoms Of All Time, Ranked
Pickle Rick (Season 3, Episode 3)
It's easy to see why season 3's "Pickle Rick" became such a cultural phenomenon. It's a simple premise but quintessentially "Rick and Morty": Rick turns himself into a pickle to get out of family therapy. Despite his initial plan to revert back to being human, a series of unfortunate events cause him to go on a ridiculous adventure where he has to give himself limbs to fight an army of rats and mobsters.
The pickle jokes are great, but what takes the episode to the next level is the undercurrent of sadness and exploration of how Rick refuses to change. Rick endangers himself and basically endures an action movie's worth of explosions just so that he doesn't have to talk about his problems to a therapist. Maybe that's why the show's creators, Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, didn't think the episode would blow up as much as it did. Instead of screaming "I'm Pickle Rick," fans should've screamed at their television for Rick to just talk with his family.
Summer Of All Fears (Season 8, Episode 1)
Eight seasons in, and "Rick and Morty" still manages to find ways to explore simple sci-fi concepts with horrific implications. The show's explored simulations before but not to the degree of "Summer of All Fears" where Rick places Morty and Summer (Spencer Grammer) inside a simulation as punishment for taking his phone charger. However, he falls asleep and leaves them in there for the equivalent of 17 years, so when they emerge, they have the minds of jaded, world-weary adults.
Hardcore fans may appreciate how "Summer of All Fears" leans into the "Evil Summer" theory, but it also showcases exceptional dark humor. We have to watch Morty die repeatedly in a way over phone charges to reach a guy named Osama bin Chargen. The whole thing's stupid; it's all over using Rick's phone charger, for Pete's sake. But in the process, we get to see versions of Morty and Summer that are more than capable of outwitting Rick and showing him how he can take things too far.
Night Family (Season 6, Episode 4)
"Rick and Morty" regularly dabbles in cosmic horror, but "Night Family" sees the show paying homage to the great John Carpenter. Rick develops a device that allows his body to carry out boring tasks when he's sleeping so that he can get more done. He shares this with the rest of the family, and soon, the night versions rebel because they're tired of the waking family not rinsing their dishes.
What makes "Night Family" stand out is how it's genuinely unsettling. It plays like a horror movie similar to "Us," where the counterparts want just a basic amount of respect. Honestly, the car chase scene where family members continually get knocked out and woken back up so that they're constantly cycling through different iterations might be one of the funniest action scenes the show's ever done. And the resolution is a top-notch way of getting rid of the night family for good. It shows just how mileage the series can get out of taking one concept and running it into the ground by showing everything that could possibly go wrong with it.
The Old Man And The Seat (Season 4, Episode 2)
Rick is regularly his own worst enemy. The slightest inconvenience will cause him to find a workaround so convoluted he makes everything worse in the process. That's the case with "The Old Man and the Seat," where Rick has a special secluded toilet since he's a shy pooper, and discovers someone else using it. Rather than find solace in a kindred spirit, Rick pushes him away, leading to one of the most existentially depressing endings in "Rick and Morty" history.
The B plot doesn't slouch either, as Jerry (Chris Parnell) helps develop a new dating app, which is so good at finding matches that Summer goes on globe-trotting adventures to be with her myriad lovers. They may seem disconnected, but ultimately, this is an episode about finding connection. One end of the spectrum has Rick pushing everyone away. The other has Summer bouncing from partner to partner, becoming immediately disillusioned when she realizes someone isn't perfect (like taking their shoes off on a plane). It's easy to view "The Old Man and the Seat" as just having toilet humor, but it leads to some heartbreaking revelations.
Rick Potion #9 (Season 1, Episode 6)
"Rick Potion #9" represents a turning point for "Rick and Morty." The episode sees Rick designing a love potion for Morty so that his school crush Jessica (Kari Wahlgren) will like him. After interacting with a flu virus the concoction mutates and spreads, and when Rick tries to neutralize it, he turns all of humanity into David Cronenberg-esque monsters.
Up until this point, "Rick and Morty" was a fun sci-fi sitcom. The titular duo go on adventures, and by the end, they fix whatever problem they had. You expect Rick to find a solution to cure the planet, but instead, he and Morty hop realities. Everything's exactly the same as it was, except their alternate universe counterparts died, so they can effortlessly slot themselves into place and pretend like nothing ever happened. It's a superb deconstruction of sitcoms needing to revert to the status quo and also provides a haunting visual of Morty entering a world that's exactly like the one he knew -- except he had to bury his own corpse.
"Rick Potion #9" is the point where "Rick and Morty" throws down the gauntlet and shows that it's not going to be like other adult animated shows. And it demonstrates a level of creative freedom other shows simply can't get away with.
Fear No Mort (Season 7, Episode 10)
More than other sitcoms, the best "Rick and Morty" episodes know how to deliver one heck of a twist. The two are tired of never feeling scared until they encounter a hole where they can confront their deepest fears in "Fear No Mort." At the start, you realize the two must be in a hole when Rick's reunited with his dead wife, Diane (Kari Wahlgren). However, Rick doesn't seem to mind, withering away just so he can spend time with her.
"Rick and Morty" toys with serialization often. Going into "Fear No Mort," you might think the episode will somehow bring Diane back or at least instill in Rick a mission to bring her back to life. But the episode's not interested in that; instead, it wants to examine both Rick and Morty's demons. The Diane stuff largely makes up the first half, but then the story pivots to focus on Morty and what he fears most. "Fear No Mort" is a big swing that easily could've become too unwieldy for its own good, but in this case, "Rick and Morty" sticks the landing.
Mortyplicity (Season 5, Episode 2)
"Rick and Morty" can excel even when an episode isn't not focused on the main family. "Mortyplicity" reveals that Rick has developed decoy families for safety reasons; however, aliens have begun killing them. We then see how decoys have created their own decoys, becoming way more degraded the further down you go. It's a fast-paced episode that always keeps you on your toes since one family you follow will get killed and then you'll follow another for a while.
Amazingly, "Mortyplicity" is simple enough to comprehend despite decoys upon decoys upon decoys. The viewer could've become emotionally detached since there's no single family to hone in on, but these basic storytelling tenets almost don't matter. Even though we're not following our Smith family, we still get all the dynamics that get you invested, like Beth continually being disappointed in her father. In a show that barely has the regular Rick and Morty, we somehow learn more about them here than in many other episodes.
The Wedding Squanchers (Season 2, Episode 10)
"The Wedding Squanchers" is probably most responsible for "Rick and Morty" becoming the cultural juggernaut it was in the 2010s. The episode follows the Smiths attending Birdperson's (Dan Harmon) wedding, only for it to be revealed that his new wife, Tammy (Cassie Steele), is actually a Federation agent who kills Birdperson and hunts Rick. The Smiths can't return to Earth, so they travel to new worlds to find one to make their new home.
Eventually, Rick makes the uncharacteristically unselfish decision to turn himself in so that his family can go back to Earth. The episode ends with Rick in prison, and the show then went on an extended break. Fans didn't get closure for a while, leaving them to theorize wildly about what would happen next. This gave the show the momentum necessary to ascend to legendary status, so viewers immediately tuned back in for "The Rickshank Redemption," which also gave the world the Szechuan sauce meme. Talk about coming back in a big way.
Hot Rick (Season 8, Episode 10)
The later seasons of "Rick and Morty" really emphasize Rick's growth, and the season 8 finale did the unthinkable with Rick allowing himself (or at least the memory version of himself) to have a happy life. The plot sees Memory Rick (introduced seasons earlier) infiltrating Beth's (Sarah Chalke) mind. In the process, he uses her to access regular Rick's last memory of Diane, the last piece of her that remains in the multiverse. Beth's memories run amok and she loses her grip on reality, leading to an emotional embrace from Rick, finally being the father she always wanted him to be.
But it's the conclusion that really hits you in the feels. Rick takes the memories of himself and Diane and sends them into the unknown, so that a part of him can still be with his late wife somewhere. "Rick and Morty" has tried to give Rick some growth over the years, but usually, it feels like it gets undone by the end of an episode. In "Hot Rick," it really feels like he's turned a corner. He may still act jaded with his family, but he's starting to look out for others even when it's not in his own self interest to do so.
Unmortricken (Season 7, Episode 5)
"Rick and Morty" often feels at war with whether to pursue standalone episodes or lean more into serialized storytelling. When it comes to the latter, the show typically goes all in, and nowhere is that more evident than "Unmortricken." The episode sees the duo team up with Evil Morty, who has his own storyline of becoming president of the Citadel and then escaping the Central Finite Curve. He tags along as Rick finally locates Rick Prime, who killed Diane in every reality. At the end, Rick succeeds in killing Rick Prime.
It's an action-packed episode that fills in a ton of gaps concerning the overarching storyline. But the conclusion is where "Unmortricken" shines, as Rick is shell-shocked upon realizing that enacting revenge is hollow. Upon its initial release, the episode felt all the more monumental. One might expect it to be a season finale, but it comes at the midway point. Rick is left wondering what his purpose in life is, and so are we. Where does the show go from here? What else is there when one completes their mission in life? It's one of the most profound and therefore best "Rick and Morty" episodes as a result.
Meeseeks And Destroy (Season 1, Episode 5)
"Meeseeks and Destroy" functions as the sort of platonic ideal of what a good "Rick and Morty" episode should be. There's the central, sci-fi-laden plot where Rick introduces Meeseeks boxes to the family. They can summon a blue helper with one task and then it goes away, but when Jerry's unable to improve his golf game, the creatures go mad. Meanwhile, Morty is in charge of his adventure with Rick, going to a fantasy land that gets ... super dark, actually.
In addition to introducing one of the show's best side characters, "Meeseeks and Destroy" exemplifies how the show is willing to deconstruct tropes. You go in expecting Mr. Meeseeks to struggle with making Beth a more complete woman. Instead, they can't make Jerry better at golf. You expect Rick and Morty to undergo more fantasy tropes, but they go into a realistic trial a la "Law & Order." For diehard "Rick and Morty" fans, a comic contains an alternate ending for this episode if you want to see that.
The Vat Of Acid Episode (Season 4, Episode 8)
"The Vat of Acid Episode" immediately felt like an instant classic when it aired. Rick designs a fake vat of acid he can use to get out of jams, but Morty's unimpressed. Rick then designs a "save point" remote so that Morty save a spot in time, try something new/dangerous, and go back if he doesn't like it.
It's an episode that expertly weaves through comedic and tragic beats, especially with Morty's montage using his remote without a care in the world. The sudden turn to heartfelt drama where Morty and his new girlfriend are stuck in the mountains following a plane crash is genuinely devastating, and the reveal that all of this was Rick trying to get Morty to admit his vat of acid was cool all along is perfect. Given the intricate plot, it's easy to see why "The Vat of Acid Episode" won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program.
The Ricklantis Mixup (Season 3, Episode 7)
An episode dedicated to vignettes from the Citadel that Rick and Morty variants call home manages to tell one of the most thoughtful stories in the show's history. It homages everything from "The Wire" to "Stand by Me" while offering commentary on corrupt police forces and politicians manipulating the public for their own personal gain. But that's not to say the episode isn't also a ton of fun as it explores alternate Rick and Morty dynamics, like a rookie cop Rick being paired up with a jaded, experienced Morty cop.
"The Ricklantis Mixup" is already a great episode with its interconnected plots, but then it delivers the final blow to become one of the best "Rick and Morty" episodes ever. It turns out the Morty running for president is actually Evil Morty, returning for the first time since season 1. This isn't just a random one-off episode where we follow different Ricks and Mortys; it lays the groundwork for Evil Morty to unleash his ultimate plan later.
Rixty Minutes (Season 1, Episode 8)
"Rixty Minutes" manages to be one of the funniest and most philosophically prescient episodes of "Rick and Morty." Much of the episode is dedicated to Rick and Morty watching interdimensional cable, which in actuality are heavily improvised bits from Justin Roiland. But Jerry, Beth, and Summer become obsessed with checking out alternate realities where Jerry's famous, Beth is a famous human surgeon, and Summer doesn't exist.
It'd be easy to talk about how hilarious Ants in my Eyes Johnson and the Real Fake Doors commercial are. Those are great, no question. But then the show pivots with Morty revealing to Summer that he's not from this reality, concluding with one of the best lines from the show: "Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody's gonna die ... Come watch TV?" Yes, the multiverse lends itself to the idea that everything is meaningless, but rather than dwell on it, come enjoy some silly bits where an alien version of Garfield the cat berates Jon.
Total Rickall (Season 2, Episode 4)
"Rick and Morty" regularly tackles one of TV's most hated tropes: the clip show. But whereas clip shows are usually the most loathed part of any show's run, "Total Rickall" is the best "Rick and Morty" episode of all time. Parasites that implant themselves in their hosts' memories infiltrate the Smith household, so the Smiths can't recall who's real and who's a parasite. This manifests via various "flashbacks" that feel at home in a clip show but are wholly unique scenes.
"Total Rickall" is the best episode because it contains everything that makes the show work so well. There's absurdist humor with a gaggle of offbeat characters (R.I.P Pencilvester, you were too good for this world). The plot hones in on the family's dynamics, like Beth and Jerry both being perfectly willing to accept Sleepy Gary into both of their love lives. And there's a bittersweet message where the family realize who's real based on who they have bad memories with. Your family may annoy you, but you have to take the good with the bad when it comes to accepting your loved ones.
The episode also introduced Mr. Poopybutthole, who would go on to become one of the most troubled, yet still one of the funniest, side characters. Ultimately, if you're trying to convince a friend to watch more "Rick and Morty," show them "Total Rickall" first to get them hooked.
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