In a show that’s as chaotic as Rick and Morty, finding the episodes that are most relevant to the plot is almost impossible, but we’ve decided to settle for the next best thing.
In this article, we’re going to review the story’s most prominent and well-received episodes. These are episodes that not only give you a much-needed recap, but set the tone for the entire series, allowing newer fans to continue watching it from the ongoing season 7.
10. “Rickmurai Jack” — Season 5, Episode 10
It took the show five seasons to get there, but we finally learned the truth about C-137 in “Rickmurai Jack.” Of course, this was only one piece of the puzzle, and the protagonist’s hunt for the person who killed his wife and daughter still goes on. Yet thinking back on that sequence where we finally got the answers we had been searching for all these years gives us goosebumps.
9. “Total Rickall” — Season 2, Episode 4
The absurdity of not being able to trust your own memories, the Smith family going on the hunt, and the brilliant twist of Mr. Poopybutthole (which marked his first appearance in the series), all turn “Total Rickall” into one of the best Rick and Morty episodes to date. To many fans, this is among the top 3 in the show’s history, and it’s not difficult to see why.
8. “A Rickle in Time” — Season 2, Episode 1
If you somehow mistook Rick’s callous demeanor for anything other than a conscious defense mechanism to keep the pain away, then “A Rickle in Time” will prove to you once and for all that Rick, or at least this version of him, truly cares about his grandson. And yes, all the sci-fi shenanigans are utterly hilarious as well.
7. “The Old Man and the Seat” — Season 4, Episode 2
Out of all the Rick and Morty episodes that have come out over the years, this one is the most emotional to me personally. “The Old Man and the Seat” isn’t just about Rick and his usual insecurities, but a commentary on depression, self-loathing, and existential anxiety.
6. “Pickle Rick” — Season 3, Episode 3
I kid you not, he turned himself into a pickle; funniest thing I’ve ever seen. You’ve all heard the jokes. You’ve seen the memes. Well, this might just be the most famous Rick and Morty episode out there. It’s like The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda. You might know next to nothing about Star Wars, but you’ve heard of Baby Yoda, just as you’ve heard about Pickle Rick.
5. “The Vat of Acid Episode” — Season 4, Episode 8
“The Vat of Acid Episode” is one of those outings that reminds me exactly why I love Rick and Morty so much. The twist connecting the beginning of the episode to its end, and the rollercoaster of emotions you’re going to experience in this story is unmatched by any other absurdist sci-fi show. Sure, it might not stand out in Rick and Morty‘s own incredible roster, but it still deserves a shoutout for the perfect execution of an otherwise played-out joke.
4. “M. Night Shaym-Aliens!” — Season 1, Episode 4
Have you ever stopped to wonder how ridiculous the idea for stories like Inception truly is? Well, the producers of Rick and Morty certainly have, and they’re going to call it out with the perfect episode. This was very early in the Rick and Morty run, so a lot of people had yet to catch up with the series. Still, “M. Night Shaym-Aliens!” holds up as a brilliant episode after all these years.
3. “Morty’s Mind Blowers” — Season 3, Episode 8
“Morty’s Mind Blowers” is basically Rick and Morty at its most unhinged, throwing one idea after another at the viewers and hoping that they can keep up with the insane plot. Just when we thought there was no way the show could top interdimensional cable, it gave us an episode filled with the most random stuff imaginable.
2. “Rick Potion #9” — Season 1, Episode 8
Forget all the rapid-fire puns and comic scenes. Rick and Morty hits the hardest when it becomes existential, and there’s not a single episode in the show that’s as eerie in that regard as this one. Morty finally faces the truth about his life and the universe at large, ending on a somber note that still gives us chills a decade later.
1. “The Ricklantis Mixup” — Season 3, Episode 7
I think many fans would agree that “The Ricklantis Mixup” is the best Rick and Morty episode. Whether it’s the grim reality of the Citadel, the none-too-subtle nods to real-world politics, or even the return of Evil Morty, this episode has everything you’d want to see in Rick and Morty and then some. Those final moments in which Morty takes complete control over the Citadel — with “For the Damaged Coda” playing in the background — will be forever etched in our brains.