Dan Harmon & Justin Roiland's insanely popular animated sitcom Rick And Morty (2013-Present) recently finished the airing of its fourth season. Therefore I figured I'd do what any normal person would do, and, y'know, rank all 41 episodes of the series. It really wasn't too big of a job, as I had made a ranking of the first season's episodes back in the day when I first watched them, and then have updated my list with each new season.
Semi-spoiler alert: I will discuss specific plot points fairly freely as the list is aimed at people who have seen the series, but I won't spoil any major twists or surprises in case you haven't caught the newest season yet.
41. Rickmancing The Stone (Season 3, Episode 2)
I'm pretty much always on board when Rick And Morty does expectation-subverting, barrier-breaking episodes that often polarize the fans. So, for me, the worst episodes of the series are the ones that are simply a bit forgettable and mundane. Such is the case with Rickmancing The Stone: doing a parody of the Mad Max movies is a fine enough idea, but the episode doesn't really go anywhere beyond having a Mad Max setting for a by-the-numbers adventure. It's quite boring, especially by Rick And Morty standards.
40. The Rickchurian Mortydate (Season 3, Episode 10)
This is a fine enough episode, but quite lame for a season finale - why end a mostly amazing season with such a basic and below-average episode? Main characters Rick (Justin Roiland) and Morty (also Justin Roiland) are summoned by the U.S. government to fight an alien threat, which leads to an adventure that is mildly entertaining but nothing special. The highlights include Keith David's guest performance as the President, as well as an admittedly hilarious off-the-cuff gag about Greek god Poseidon, but as a whole, this episode was quite a dud to end season 3 with.
39. The Old Man And The Seat (Season 4, Episode 2)
Both of the storylines in The Old Man And The Seat (one of the best episode titles in the series) are funny and entertaining, but neither is all that special. One is about Rick searching the galaxy for an alien who used his special toilet, which leads to a strangely emotional (but not especially powerful) conclusion. The other storyline starts off very amusingly with Morty's father Jerry (Chris Parnell) encountering the "Do not develop my app" -alien (voiced by the awesome Taika Waititi), but it falls a bit flat towards the end as it becomes more of a generic alien invasion plot.
38. Something Ricked This Way Comes (Season 1, Episode 9)
Even the least good episode from season 1 is quite solid, if definitely not a masterpiece. Rick and his granddaughter Summer (Spencer Grammer) share an adventure together as they encounter The Devil (Alfred Molina), which makes for quite a fascinating addition to the Rick And Morty universe and for the unforgettable training montage to the backdrop of DMX's X Gon Give It To You. Meanwhile, the subplot of Jerry helping Morty with a science project leads to an amusing trip to Pluto, making for some laughs while not being as funny as most of season 1.
37. Childrick Of Mort (Season 4, Episode 9)
So, this is an episode where Rick may have impregnated a planet, an entire alien population is created and evolves into a functioning society, and Rick fights a Zeus-like creature in space - and by Rick And Morty standards, it's considered a "basic adventure". That speaks volumes about what kind of a series it is. And while it is indeed a bit flat when compared to most of season 4, Childrick Of Mort is still a lot of fun: we get to see the whole Smith/Sanchez family interacting together for a change before they are split into subplots, and the storyline of Morty and Summer trying to save the day with their skills in video games and substance abuse is very amusing.
36. Raising Gazorpazorp (Season 1, Episode 7)
Morty becoming a father to an alien baby and trying to raise him is one of the early examples of one of the pillars of Rick And Morty's humor: taking a preposterous high-concept sci-fi idea, and having everyone react to it in a very casual manner. Morty's parents Jerry and Beth (Sarah Chalke) are hysterically calm and normal about the entire situation, and Morty's attempt of parenthood is quite hilarious. The subplot of Rick and Summer being trapped on an alien world with a matriarchal society also holds up quite well, making for an all-in-all fun episode.
35. Claw And Hoarder: Special Ricktim's Morty (Season 4, Episode 4)
Ah yes, the dragon sex episode. It is so very on-brand for Rick And Morty to specifically do one episode about the fantasy genre (instead the usual science fiction), but to focus pretty much entirely on the sexuality of dragons. While usual aspects of genre, such as wizards and spells, are brushed off, the main focus is in exploring the culture of the act of dragons "soul-bonding". Liam Cunningham from Game Of Thrones is great as the dragon Balthromar, as is Matthew Broderick as the talking cat in Jerry's subplot (which pales in comparison to the main plot, but still has some funny moments).
34. Rest And Ricklaxation (Season 3, Episode 6)
While not as memorable or hilarious as most season 3 episodes, Rest And Ricklaxation gets a whole lot of points for character development. The characters of Rick and Morty are very thoroughly explored in this episode, where they remove their toxins in an alien spa, and their de-toxified selves start to live a healthy lifestyle while their toxins take a form of their own and try to win their bodies back. A fascinating look at the show's two main characters, this episode is a showcase of the brilliant character writing in Rick And Morty, while also featuring the trademark creativity and dark humor of the series very prominently.
33. Promortyus (Season 4, Episode 7)
With an unconventional narrative structure and a bunch of funny moments, Promortyus is a fine enough episode even without its layered meaning. But when you look at this fresh season 4 episode as an allegory for human history, it becomes truly clever and worth re-watching. We follow an alien culture with primitive ways and short lifespans, and throughout the episode the presence of the main characters helps them form a society, form their own religion, and eventually descend into war while some individuals become enlightened and start to see themselves as individuals and not just members of their society. Many Rick And Morty episodes have double meanings and deeper messages, but this one has one of the less obvious yet most cool ones.
32. Look Who's Purging Now (Season 2, Episode 9)
It says a lot about season 2's quality that his hilarious adventure is the season's worst episode. Look Who's Purging Now tackles the Purge movies by having Rick and Morty visit a planet where an annual day of purge is held, as they explore this strange culture, leading to a series of dark and violent events. The definitive highlight of the episode is Morty's rant to an aspiring writer whose story opens with a flash-forward and then cuts to 3 weeks earlier. Morty's absurd amount of rage about this storytelling device being overused is clearly just writer Dan Harmon venting on his issues with certain gimmicks, as he has done multiple times on his other series Community (2009-2015).
31. Vindicators 3: The Return Of Worldender (Season 3, Episode 4)
This episode pokes fun at the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the overall popularity of the superhero genre, but that's not what makes the episode awesome - there are two other elements that accomplish that. First is the running joke of the episode being a "sequel" to adventures we never saw (the title is Vindicators 3 although we never saw parts 1 and 2, and the episode has multiple references to events we had no idea about), and second is Rick's role as a Jigsaw-type villain: it is a dark turn for the character even by his usual standards, but very entertaining to follow. The episode also has a bunch of memorable guest characters, including the archetype superhero Vance Maximus (Christian Slater), sidekick Supernova who is played by Community alumnus Gillian Jacobs (Dan Harmon has a long-standing habit of casting Community castmembers in Rick And Morty episodes), and of course the unforgettable Noob Noob (Justin Roiland).
30. Meeseeks And Destroy (Season 1, Episode 5)
Let's not discuss what went down with Mr. Jellybean. I'm a fan of dark humor, but that scene goes way over the line for my tastes, and pushes this episode back quite a bit in my rankings. But, once you get past that scene (as I hope most viewers have, for their own sake), everything else in this episode is such comedy gold that it still ranks this high on my list due to all its upsides. Morty choosing an adventure and Rick taking him to a stereotypical fantasy quest is very amusing, as is the episode's namesake plot, as Justin Roiland creates one of his greatest voice performances: Mr. Meeseeks. Between the goofy riffing on stories about epic and heroic quests and all of the hilarious moments in the Mr. Meeseeks storyline, I've found this episode to be worth re-watching multiple times despite that one scene always leaving a bad aftertaste amidst all of the good stuff.
29. Anatomy Park (Season 1, Episode 3)
The "shrinking yourself in order to take a spaceship-like vehicle inside of a person's body" story has been told to death in various sci-fi and comedy movies and shows, but very few have done it as hilariously as Rick And Morty. This is in part thanks to hilarious gags (such as Rick's obsession with his "Pirates Of The Pancreas" idea), and in part thanks to hilarious guest voice performances by comedy legend Dana Carvey as Jerry's father Leonard and talk-show host (as well as Community alumnus) John Oliver as Dr. Xenon Bloom. Also, the episode has one of the funniest lines in the entire series, when Rick asks Morty if he can get to the left nipple (of the body they're inside), and Morty, while making out with a girl, replies "Are you kidding? I'm hoping I can get to both of them, Rick!". Comedy gold.
28. Rattlestar Ricklactica (Season 4, Episode 5)
The season 4 midseason finale is just classic Rick And Morty. With an adventure equal parts creative, dark and hilarious (Morty interferes with the culture and history of a planet populated by highly evolved snakes), some awesome sci-fi (the series does a rare dive into time travel in this episode), a bunch of meta humor (the time travel storyline exists largely to make fun of of time travel stories), a subplot about Jerry being incompetent (this time an attempt to put up Christmas lights without dying leads him to a series of near-death situations) and some unforgettable gags ("Snake jazz" is a personal favorite of mine), you can't get much more Rick And Morty than this.
27. The ABC's Of Beth (Season 3, Episode 9)
What I really liked about this episode was the in-depth look that it gave of Beth's character. Morty's mother has been an interesting and funny supporting character throughout the series, but this was the first time the series really delved into her past and her motivations - largely through a trip into a colorful world that Rick created for her when she was young. Sarah Chalke's voice acting as Beth is at its absolute best in this psychologically complex episode - there's also bunch of laughs and some cool science fiction to go with all of that character development. The episode also gives birth to a clone-related storyline that gets an amazing follow-up in season 4.
26. A Rickle In Time (Season 2, Episode 1)
The season 2 premiere may not be among the show's funniest episodes, but it does have some of the absolute best sci-fi in the Rick And Morty universe. The cliffhanger ending of season 1 is followed up as the situation escalates: an uncertain existence during Rick's temporary freezing of time leads to multiple alternate timelines appearing. This is one of the show's coolest science fiction stories, and it also has some great (and surprisingly emotional) moments surrounding the main characters. Also, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele appear in a hilarious voice performance as two fourth-dimensional beings!
25. The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy (Season 3, Episode 5)
Ah, the Rick & Jerry episode. When I saw the promo for The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy before its release, where it was marketed as a rare Rick & Jerry adventure, I knew it was going to be good - and boy, was I right. The adversarial relationship between the two and their strange chemistry with one another is on fully display here, as the unlikely duo travels to a planet where one cannot die and various shenanigans ensue. The episode's highlight is undoubtedly Jerry's psychedelic wormhole trip, which is visually magnificent and very amusing.
24. Get Schwifty (Season 2, Episode 5)
Even by Rick And Morty standards, this one is bizarre. An alien race abducts Earth and transports the entire planet to an other region of space, making the planet participate in a twisted song competition. The sheer absurdity of the premise makes the episode very enjoyable, as does the delightfully weird nature of "Get Schwifty", the hit song Rick and Morty (along with Ice-T) write in an attempt to make Earth win. There are tons of memorable gags in the episodes, from the fantasy-like lore surrounding Ice-T's origin to Rick's classic line "Time to go the Pentagon. Well, not the Pentagon. The lame one, here on Earth", which really makes you wish that one day the series would explore what the Pentagon is in the show's imaginative universe.
23. Lawnmower Dog (Season 1, Episode 2)
This early episode is awesome. The A-story follows Dan Harmon's thinly veiled criticism of Inception's popularity, as Rick and Morty go into Morty's math teacher's dreams and various hijinks ensue while Rick criticizes the overall lack of logic in the story device - I love Inception, but it's still a lot of fun to see Rick And Morty making fun of it. The B-story is devoted to the Smith family's dog, Snuffles, as he gains sentience which leads to a full-on dog revolution. The episode even has time to poke fun at the Nightmare On Elm Street franchise in a wonderful way, as a Freddy Krueger -like figure chases Rick and Morty in one of the dream layers, giving birth to one of the first season's funniest moments (the monster saying "You can run but you can't hide", after which Morty realizes that he's lying and they actually can hide, followed by the two lead characters successfully hiding from the monster).
22. Edge Of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat (Season 4, Episode 1)
The most recent season sure opened with a bang. This eventful season premiere follows Morty as he gains access to a crystal that shows him his future based on what choices he makes, and as fans of the series may guess, this leads to a whole lot of humorous situations, outrageous dark comedy, and clever science fiction. In addition, the show's meta side makes some savage jabs at the show's fanbase (particularly those notorious fans who demand the series to meet their expectations loudly on the internet). Likening them to actual Nazis may be a bit much, but Rick And Morty never was one for subtlety, and this at least gets the showrunners' point across loud and clear.
21. Auto Erotic Assimilation (Season 2, Episode 3)
Rick having a romance with a collective hive mind, a hilarious Beth&Jerry subplot that ends with an unexpected payoff, a hilarious meta reference to Harmon's masterpiece Community, memorable guest voice performances by Christina Hendricks and Patton Oswalt, and a dark and surprisingly emotional ending scene - what more could you possibly ask from a Rick And Morty episode? Auto Erotic Assimilation is a classic, and the only reason for it not being higher on my list is that there are 20 even better episodes out there.
20. Big Trouble In Little Sanchez (Season 2, Episode 7)
What's not to love about a teenage version of Rick Sanchez? In this unforgettable episode, Rick turns himself into a teenager in order to infiltrate Morty and Summer's school and hunt down a vampire. Whether he's gleefully shouting "Tiny Rick!" for no particular reason or performing his hilarious "let me out" dance, everything Tiny Rick does causes many a laugh. The subplot is also very decent, as yet another Community castmember appears - this time it's the ever-hilarious Jim Rash as Glexo Slimslom, an alien therapist who tries to help Beth and Jerry sort out their toxic marriage.
19. Mortynight Run (Season 2, Episode 2)
There are just so many memorable gags in this classic season 2 episode. From the iconic scene where Morty plays Roy: A Life Well Lived at Blips & Chits and the world's most casual assassin Krombopulos Michael (Andy Daly) to the daycare for Jerrys of different dimensions and the Bowie-esque "Goodbye Moonman" music sequence, Mortynight Run may not have the strongest story of the series but is absolutely filled with hilarious and memorable individual moments, giving it pretty much infinite rewatch value.
18. Pilot (Season 1, Episode 1)
Rick And Morty is definitely one of those shows that had me hooked from the very first episode. I think it was the combination of Dan Harmon's meta humor and pop culture commentary and the actually well-written and creative science fiction that had me sold. The very first scene, where Rick drags Morty out of bed to go on an adventure, is hilarious with its shock value humor - it makes it clear that this is no ordinary animated series. What follows is an episode with a fascinating setting (the two main characters try to smuggle mega-seeds of mega-trees from another dimension) and some absolutely delicious dark comedy (I still burst out laughing every time I see the scene where Rick tells Morty to shoot an alien security guard saying that he's just a robot, and once it becomes clear that he was a living being with a family, Rick's excuse is "It's a figure of speech, Morty. They're bureaucrats, I don't respect them"). Classic.
17. One Crew Over The Crewcoo's Morty (Season 4, Episode 3)
This is a similar case to the first season's Inception parody: I really like heist films and don't mind most of the genre's tropes, yet it is extremely fun to see Rick And Morty making fun of them. When Rick says that his rival's heists are annoying and consist of "60% putting a crew together and 40% revealing that the robbery already happened" at the beginning of the episode, I thought it was just a hilarious throwaway line. Turns out, the entire is episode is dedicated to the cheesiest heists imaginable, until they become so cliché that they actually subvert the trope, as the acts of assembling a crew (I love it how every single character says "You son of a bitch! I'm in!" after being approached) and revealing the heist already happened (the amount of double-crosses are hard to keep up with) become mechanic and repetitive, to a very amusing degree.
16. Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate (Season 2, Episode 8)
Some people dislike this episode because it repeats the exact premise of the season 1 episode Rixty Minutes, and I can see how that could be annoying for fans wanting something new and fresh. I absolutely love this episode simply because the premise for Rixty Minutes made for so much fun that I was delighted to see more of it - with every other season 2 episode being very original, I definitely didn't mind this episode being a sequel that is pretty much just as hilarious as the original. There's nothing groundbreaking about Interdimensional Cable 2, but the episode consists almost entirely of very funny individual moments. Clips like "Jan Quadrant Vincent 16" and "Man Vs. Car" are so hysterically funny, that this ends up being one of the show's better episodes in my book.
15. The Ricks Must Be Crazy (Season 2, Episode 6)
"Quantum carburetor? Jesus Morty, you can't just add a sci-fi word to a car word and hope it means something. Huh. Looks like something's wrong with the micro-verse battery".
That line alone should earn this episode a spot in the comedy TV hall of fame. In addition to that moment of pure humor, the episode has a whole lot to offer: entertaining guest performances by Stephen Colbert and Alan Tudyk, the fascinating premise of an entire micro-universe existing to power Rick's car battery (as well as an other micro-verse existing within that one), and some classic dark comedy in the subplot where Rick's car is programmed to "keep Summer safe". No wonder this episode is such a fan favorite.
14. Rick Potion #9 (Season 1, Episode 6)
Perhaps the darkest episode of the series to date, Rick Potion #9 really made the series stand out from pretty much anything else ever made. What other animated comedy would use cleverly written sci-fi for something so very dark? Yet somehow, unlike the Mr. Jellybean scene in Meeseeks And Destroy, I'm very fine with this one - the resolution to the episode's storyline may be downright traumatizing to the characters and a lot to take for the viewer, yet it feels true to the show and boldly groundbreaking for the medium. The ending scene, where Mazzy Star's Look On Down From The Bridge plays hauntingly in the background as Morty tries to live with what happened, strikes a strange balance: on one level it's not even funny as the viewer becomes emotional and feels sorry for the character, but on another level, what happened was so norm-defying even for a dark comedy series that it plays into the show's outrageous dark humor on some extreme level. It's a gripping episode, but a great one.
13. Ricksy Business (Season 1, Episode 11)
And now for something lighter. The season 1 finale primarily follows a house party organized by Rick and Summer at the Smith house, with Morty being his usual self in the mix. While the subplot of Jerry and Beth having a reverse-Titanic experience is pretty hilarious, the best bits of the episode are definitely in the house party. Seeing Summer's crowd of stereotypical partying teenagers mix with Rick's crowd of colorful sci-fi aliens so casually is absolutely hilarious. Many absolutely immortal supporting characters are introduced here: Birdperson (voiced by Dan Harmon himself), Squanchy (Tom Kenny) and of course the chaotically neutral Abradolph Lincler (Maurice LaMarche) to name a few. In addition to all of the episode's wacky moments of fun, there's also a very cool cliffhanger ending that is brilliantly followed up in season 2.
12. Morty's Mind Blowers (Season 3, Episode 8)
To be honest, I would've been fine with a third Interdimensional Cable episode, but I get that I'm in a minority there. Therefore I very much appreciate Harmon and Roiland taking a turn to the different with the season 3 clip show episode, and boy is it hilarious. Blending zany hijinks with dark implications to a matter of perfection, Morty's Mind Blowers reveals that Rick can swipe Morty's memory and has done it for various reasons several times - and now we get to see those forgotten memories. Much like with the Interdimensional Cable episodes, the individual clips are beyond hilarious (my personal favorite being the one where Morty clicks the wrong light switch, leading to disastrous consequences) - but the scenes in between are pretty much equally awesome, as the interactions between the lead characters take many interesting turns.
11. M. Night Shaym-Aliens! (Season 1, Episode 4)
This is one those episodes that manages to parody a certain genre whilst simultaneously succeeding as a member of it - a tough line to walk. While the point of M. Night Shaym-Aliens! is to make fun of mystery films with an overwhelming amount of plot twists (hence the title's less-than-subtle jab at director M. Night Shyamalan), Harmon and Roiland are such skillful writers that the episode's plot twists (especially the final one) are actually really awesome in their own right. While the episode walks the tightrope of satirizing plot twists but also building good ones, there is plenty of room for a bunch of hilarious gags - Jerry being blissfully unaware of being in a simulation as he listens to "Human music" and the recurring simulated character saying "My man!" are favorites of mine.
10. Pickle Rick (Season 3, Episode 3)
I mean, Rick literally uses his scientific skills to turn himself into a pickle. Who the hell even comes up with this kind of stuff. It's perfect.
9. Star Mort: Rickturn Of The Jerri (Season 4, Episode 10)
The most recent episode to air, Rickturn Of The Jerri is a blast. The fourth season ends with a crazy amount of continuity and plot threads coming together that one wouldn't have expected from Rick And Morty: old questions are answered, old cliffhangers are followed up on, an old characters return, giving the episode a bombastic and climactic feel. Also, there's an invisibility belt that leads to all sorts of fun, a very intense and well-directed action sequence for an animated sitcom, and a fantastic Morty & Summer arch (that Morty hilariously keeps referring to as their arch, because meta). The whole episode is fan service, but with a twist - all in all, a great way to end the season. Can't wait for season 5!
8. The Vat Of Acid Episode (Season 4, Episode 8)
There are just so many elements that come together to make this episode into the masterpiece it is. The titular vat of acid -gag is beyond hilarious, and a great example of Harmon & Roiland's sheer creativity and strange brand of humor. The episode's main premise, a real-life version of the "save game" function that Morty begs Rick to create, is loads of fun - with a whole bunch of dark implications, as is standard for the series. While there's a lot to love in this episode - including the genius ending resolution - my favorite moment has to be Rick's Prestige (2006) -like twist (which is of course referred to as a Prestige twist), because of the sheer shock value and dark comedy as well as well-built storytelling that accompany it.
7. Total Rickall (Season 2, Episode 4)
This one is a fan favorite for a good reason. In the episode, the Smith house is infested with parasites that multiply through implanting themselves in false memories - the characters keep flashing back to memories that never really happened, and the people from those memories suddenly seem real whilst actually being parasites in disguise. The episode escalates in the most fantastic way, leading to the house being absolutely filled to the brim with zany characters such as Reverse Giraffe (Keith David), Sleepy Gary (Matt Walsh) and of course the beloved Mr. Poopybutthole (Justin Roiland). And then there's the montage of Rick's wacky catchphrases, including "Wubba lubba dub dub!", "Grass...tastes bad" and "No jumping in the sewer" - undoubtedly one of the funniest TV scenes of all time.
6. Close Rick-Counters Of The Rick Kind (Season 1, Episode 10)
This season 1 classic follows Rick and Morty as they become fugitives chased by the Interdimensional Council of Ricks. Featuring our first look at the Citadel Of Ricks, a bunch of zany sci-fi stuff (the escape route through different dimensions where pizzas, phones, chairs and humans have different functions is a big favorite of mine) and a well-written story with a dark and extremely memorable ending, this episode is absolute gold. Seeing various versions of the two main characters, such as Doofus Rick and Evil Morty, is loads of fun, and this episode's combination of pure fun and intriguing world-building puts it very high in my ranking.
5. The Rickshank Rickdemption (Season 3, Episode 1)
It had been a long wait after the cliffhanger ending of season 2. Then, on April Fools' Day 2017, with no previous indications of a release date, the season 3 premiere suddenly dropped as a total surprise. And what a surprise it was. The Rickshank Rickdemption is the defining episode of Rick And Morty, featuring absolutely outrageous humor that knows no barriers while also having a great story to it. The episode is 22 minutes of fast-paced plot twists, action sequences, sheer insanity and meta dialogue as the aftermath of the season 2 finale is followed in brilliant fashion. There are so many legendary moments, from Rick toppling an empire in a badass manner to the hilarious fourth-wall-shattering rant at the end. This is Rick And Morty in its most intense, adrenaline-fueled and norm-breaking form.
4. The Wedding Squanchers (Season 2, Episode 10)
In the first two seasons, Rick And Morty had tested the boundaries of their genre(s) multiple times with creative episodes that had various twists to them. The biggest twist of all came in the season 2 finale, with something truly groundbreaking for such a cynical and outlandish show: things suddenly get emotional, and you suddenly find yourself caring about the characters against all odds. The episode's plot is shocking and intriguing throughout its run, as things go very wrong from the get-go and an unexpected chain of events unfolds. But the ending is what really gets me - as Nine Inch Nails's Hurt plays in the background while the heartbreaking ending unfolds, the viewer suddenly sees the characters in a whole new light. I would've never expected to be so moved by a Rick And Morty episode, but the season 2 finale proved that they can provide an emotional gut punch just like any other series - while also providing one hell of a cliffhanger ending.
3. Never Ricking Morty (Season 4, Episode 6)
I'm a big fan of meta fiction, as can be guessed from my well-documented love for Community, Deadpool (2016) and of course, this series. So it stands to reason that an episode that is probably the most meta piece of fiction I have ever seen ranks quite high on my list. What I love about Never Ricking Morty is not very different from why I love Twin Peaks (1990-1991; 2017) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): it breaks pretty much every single barrier in its own medium. I've read analyses of this episode that claim that it managed to break the fifth and even the sixth wall, something unheard-of beforehand. There are layers upon layers, as the main characters find themselves on a train that is referred to as a literal story device and is clearly based on Dan Harmon's own method of writing stories, and this method is then played with in a way that defies canon, references the show's creators, fans and owners, and creates a whole lot of confusion and laughter with its twists and turns.
2. Rixty Minutes (Season 1, Episode 8)
What's even better than the emotional power of The Wedding Squanchers and the brilliant meta levels of Never Ricking Morty? Surely it's some magnificently written and intricate Shakespearean masterpiece?
Nope, it's the episode that consists of the characters watching television for 22 minutes.
I've definitely seen Rixty Minutes more times than any other Rick And Morty episode, as it simply never gets old and always makes me laugh. The premise is so simple yet so perfect: Rick hooks the Smith family's TV up with cable from other dimensions, and they spend the episode watching an array of strange shows. Adding to the episode's awesomeness is the way the episode was made: Justin Roiland improvised the dialogue for a bunch of made-up TV shows and ads that he though of on the spot, and then the show's talented animators created a clip to match the audio. The sheer sloppiness of it is amazing: Roiland cracking up while narrating the trailer for "Two Brothers" is one of the funniest things I've witnessed in my life. All of the TV clips, from the ad for the 45 Horsepower Sneezy XL to the hilarious political ad on trunk people, are absolute gold. Rixty Minutes is far from being the most epic or genius episode of the series, but it is the funniest, and that counts for a lot with a comedy series.
1. The Ricklantis Mixup (Season 3, Episode 7)
I know, it's mainstream to pick the episode with the show's highest IMDB rating (9.8) as my favorite, but it has the highest rating for a damn good reason. The episode was promoted beforehand as an adventure to Atlantis, but that gets subverted in the most amazing way: the titular adventure only consists of two short scenes at the beginning and end, and otherwise the episode is devoted to a high-concept out-of-the-blue look at what's going on at the Citadel Of Ricks. Justin Roiland gets to show off his voice acting range as he voices virtually every character in the episode, as we follow all sorts of versions of Rick and Morty except for the usual ones. The episode's premise is awesome enough, but what the episode does with it is beyond amazing. The episode channels The Wire (2002-2008) with a subplot that explores cultural relations between Ricks and Mortys by following two police officers, while another storyline channels Stand By Me (1986) as we follow a group of young Mortys coming of age together.
And then there's the ending. I won't spoil the specifics, but I wouldn't have expected Rick And Morty to have literally one of the greatest plot twists in television history. The way the twist is slowly built as the soundtrack and dialogue make you slowly realize what is going on is beyond amazing - so many plot threads come together to form a truly mind-blowing moment.
And then there's the ending. I won't spoil the specifics, but I wouldn't have expected Rick And Morty to have literally one of the greatest plot twists in television history. The way the twist is slowly built as the soundtrack and dialogue make you slowly realize what is going on is beyond amazing - so many plot threads come together to form a truly mind-blowing moment.
Thank you for reading! I turn 21 years old the day after tomorrow, so naturally I'll post a list of the top 10 best coming-of-age movies next week. Stay tuned!
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