Celebrate the return of ‘Rick and Morty’ with the show’s best episodes
Wubba lubba dub dub! Let the cult uproar commence, because the Adult Swim comedy series Rick and Morty is set to return for season 5 on June 20th. The network is playing up the hype for the delayed ten-episode season, calling the premiere date “Rick and Morty Day” and throwing in a goody bag of behind the scenes footage and “special surprises across TV, digital and social”.
Adult Swim also released a trailer giving us a peek at what’s to come in Rick and Morty season 5. The adventures look just as wild as ever, and this time the whole family seems to be venturing into different timelines and worlds alongside the eccentric scientist Rick.
Hop aboard the hype spaceship by remembering the best-of-the-best Rick and Morty episodes. While we couldn’t fit in all of our iconic favorites from the last four seasons, these ones stand out the most (listed in no particular order.)
“Pilot” – season 1, episode 1
“Rick and Morty, a hundred years, Morty.” It doesn’t get much more iconic than the initial idea sketch. While Rick and Morty only gets funnier as the episodes progress, it sure starts out with a bang, introducing Rick in peek form and promising a long wacky trail of adventures to follow.
“The Old Man And The Seat” – season 4, episode 2
Who hasn’t dreamed of a safe, beautiful place of solitude where you can drop a deuce? “The Old Man And The Seat” is about how Rick made a special world just for him to take a relaxing poo. The episode takes us deeper into the tangled ball that is Rick’s psyche, and is deeply relatable for all of the shy poopers out there.
“The Ricklantis Mixup” – season 3, episode 7
This Rick and Morty episode had it all. Dark, quick, elegant, and cohesive, “The Ricklantis Mixup” exposed all the flaws of a world comprised entirely of Ricks and Morties. The episode is a complex and deeply gut-wrenching mirror into the inner workings of a world turning sour.
“Auto Erotic Assimilation” – season 2, episode 3
After responding to a distress call, Rick and Morty run into Rick’s old lover, a hive mind alien named Unity. Diving deep into Rick’s character sounds like too tall of an order, but this episode sped through his history of high highs and his low lows in a way that captured fans’ hearts forever.
“Night Shaym-Aliens!” – season 1, episode 4
Trapping Ricky and Morty in a simulation made by “intergalactic scammers”, this Rick and Morty episode is an expose on how to fool a viewer. Rather than a love letter to M. Night Shaymalan, “Night Shaym-Aliens” is more like a sternly worded letter scolding the entire industry on this trite movie-maker formula.
“Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind” – season 1, episode 10
As the first Expanded-lore style episode, this episode set the forums ablaze. Navigating a cabal-society of parallel Ricks is still one of the most addicting ideas ever presented on the show and led to some of the best content Rick and Morty has to offer.
“Lawnmower Dog” – season 1, episode 2
Meet Snuffles, Morty’s zero-brain dog for whom Rick develops an IQ-enhancing helmet. Starting with this premise, episode 2 events dive headlong into each supporting character, managing to make a short episode seem like it encompasses fifty years of story. The episode really shows off what the Ricky and Morty writer’s team does best.
“The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy” – season 3, episode 5
Oh Jerry. While Rick and Morty‘s kicking-post of a character doesn’t receive (or deserve) much love, an episode dedicated to letting his self-absorbed stupidity shine is more welcome. This episode earns points purely for being fresh, and really shows off Jerry and Rick’s eternal character foil.
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Of course, Rick and Morty is best experienced linearly so narrowing down the top episodes isn’t easy. Which episodes are your favorite? Are you excited for season 5? Let us know in the comments.
