Animated sci-fi comedy Rick and Morty has gained a strong following in its over 10 years on the air, becoming one of the most well-known shows currently running. Following the interplanetary adventures of genius yet nihilistic scientist Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty Smith (both previously voiced by the now-fired Justin Roiland), the series has deeply explored many sci-fi concepts.
This ranges from comedic movie parodies to grander and more emotionally potent storylines about the characters' interpersonal dynamics and Rick's tragic backstory. Fans are often in discussion about the series' highlights, with plot-driven episodes usually being fan favorites, making these audience-rated episodes the best on IMDb.
Rick and Morty
TV-14
Animation
Comedy
Sci-Fi
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
- Release Date
- December 2, 2013
- Cast
- Chris Parnell , Spencer Grammer , Sarah Chalke , Justin Roiland , Dan Harmon
- Seasons
- 6
15 "Rick Potion #9" (Season 1, Episode 6)
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
One of the first episodes that truly showed the scope and stakes that come at the cost of the wacky adventures of the series, "Rick Potion #9" has massive ramifications that impact the rest of the series going forward. The episode sees Morty requesting Rick's help with getting his long-time crush, Jessica, to fall in love with her, leading to Rick creating a love serum to help him out. However, the virus mutates with Morty having the flu, and soon the entire world is uncontrollably obsessed and in love with Morty.
While there are a lot of great hijinks that come from the comedic angle of everyone in the world being in love with Morty, as well as the subsequent failed attempts to fix the virus, the big strength of the episode is its ending. Being unable to create a true fix to the problem, Rick and Morty travel to a dimension where they were able to fix the problem, but they also happen to just die in a freak accident. It ends with one of the worst things Rick does, as he instructs his grandson that they must bury their alternate universe bodies and take their place, forever leaving a scarring mark that changes Morty's psyche and perspective for the rest of the series.
14 "Meeseeks and Destroy" (Season 1, Episode 5)
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
While most of Season 1 is largely comedic, "Meeseeks and Destroy" proved early on that the show had the capabilities to balance its wacky, comedic side with darker, adult themes and undertones. The episode sees Rick introducing the family to a Meeseeks box, which creates a happy blue creature that will accomplish any task you tell it to before disappearing in a puff of smoke. While the rest of the family gets into shenanigans with the Meeseeks, Rick and Morty travel off to a medieval fantasy land to steal a giant's treasure.
Two different sides have made "Meeseeks and Destroy" a fan favorite among fans as one of the most beloved and highest-rated Rick and Morty episodes. On the one side, the Meeseeks are some of the funniest and most iconic side characters in the series, becoming instantly iconic and lending themselves to a great deal of hilarious and memorable moments. On the other side, Morty's deeply disturbing and painful experiences in the fantasy land are some of the darkest that the series has ever seen and signified a shift in the show to be willing to tap into this darker side more often.
13 "Mort Dinner Rick Andre" (Season 5, Episode 1)
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
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Introducing what is easily one of Rick and Morty's best one-off characters, "Mort Dinner Rick Andre" sees Rick and Morty about to die in a crash landing, so Morty spends what he believes to be his last moments asking out Jessica. However, she ends up asking if she can come over and watch a movie, giving Morty the motivation to survive and keep his date with Jessica, so he swerves the ship safely into the ocean. However, this reveals a longtime war between Rick and the master of the ocean, Mr. Nimbus, who then invites himself for dinner in order to negotiate a peace treaty between the two.
The classic TV episode concept of having to host a high-stakes dinner and making sure nothing goes wrong has two exceptional angles in this episode, one standard angle with Jessica and the absurd, sci-fi angle with Mr. Nimbus. Much like the best episodes of the series, they take this simple premise and add an array of strange, sci-fi conundrums to add unexpected stakes to what should be normal occurrences, in this case, an alternate universe used to quickly age wine. Nimbus is also an unexpectedly exceptional foil for Rick, adding to the vast array of iconic characters in the show.
12 "Star Mort Rickturn of the Jerri" (Season 4, Episode 10)
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
"Star Mort Rickturn of the Jerri" primarily focuses on Beth and Space Beth (Sarah Chalke) as the latter returns from space to confront Rick about cloning her. Additionally, the episode features the return of Rick's best friend, Birdperson (Dan Harmon), and Summer's friend Tammy (Cassie Steele), as the Galactic Federation captures the Beths.
Utilizing aesthetics reminiscent of Star Wars, the episode sets up a compelling dynamic between the Beths, provides a fun subplot between Morty and Summer (Spencer Grammer), and brings back Rick's beloved friend Birdperson, albeit in a new form. For anyone who thinks Beth is an underutilized character in the series, this is Rick and Morty's brilliant answer to that as it showcases her personalities in more than one way.
11 "Unmortricken" (Season 7, Episode 5)
IMDb Rating: 9.2/10
Few episodes of the series have made as much quintessential progress and buildup in the core overarching story of the series as "Unmortricken" which completely shifted the focus of where the series goes forward. In the episode, Rick and Morty set out into the vast multiverse to finally take down Rick's ultimate enemy and motivation for his life of revenge, Rick Prime. However, to finally put a stop to this foe who has loomed over the entire series, they are forced to team up with an enemy from their past, Evil Morty.
"Unmortricken" is the perfect love letter for long-time fans of the series, showing that in the latest season, the series is fully willing to evolve and move forward the plot in unexpected and powerful ways. It's especially powerful that, with so much time and life left in the series, we see Rick finally defeat his primary foe and the main factor of his motivation, leaving him at a loss for what even to do now, as everything still feels the same. Aside from this powerful revelation and the exceptional action and humor that it takes to get there, the episode also sets up Evil Morty as a possible new endgame for the series.
10 "Pickle Rick" (Season 3, Episode 3)
IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
In "Pickle Rick," one of the series' most famous episodes, Rick turns himself into a pickle to avoid attending family therapy. After being accidentally knocked down a drain, Pickle Rick traverses intense action sequences by fashioning exoskeletons out of dead co*ckroaches and rats in an attempt to escape danger and turn himself back into a human.
The episode uses its absurd premise to explore Rick's extreme aversion to working on his emotional health and relationships with others, which likely hit close to home for many fans. Featuring guest voice performances from Danny Trejo and Susan Sarandon, "Pickle Rick" is one of the best of Season 3, even winning an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program.
9 "The Wedding Squanchers" (Season 2, Episode 10)
IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
"The Wedding Squanchers" is an episode that focuses on the wedding between Tammy and Birdperson, which devolves into chaos when Tammy reveals herself to be an undercover agent for the Galactic Federation. On the run, Rick and the Smith family travel to different versions of Earth in an attempt to evade capture.
The family's search for a new planet contains some great laughs with the bizarre and creative designs of the other Earths, and the episode has one of the series' most dramatic endings when Rick hands himself over to the Federation to save his family. Perfectly balancing its comedy and drama, "The Wedding Squanchers" is a funny and surprisingly emotional episode.
8 "The Ricks Must Be Crazy" (Season 2, Episode 6)
IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
Referencing the 1980 comedy film The Gods Must Be Crazy, the A and B plots of "The Ricks Must Be Crazy" are extremely strong. The former follows Rick and Morty, delving into a micro-universe that exists within Rick's car battery, while the latter focuses on Summer as the car becomes a fortress focused on its mission to "keep Summer safe."
The episode's antagonist, Zeep (Stephen Colbert), is an excellent foil to Rick, with their similar personalities causing instant friction between them. Delivering great comedy and a strong exploration of Rick's role as an anti-hero (and even sometimes a straight-up villain), "The Ricks Must Be Crazy" is one of the highest-rated Rick and Morty episodes on IMDb.
7 "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind" (Season 1, Episode 10)
IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
"Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind" explores the series' multiverse when the protagonists are accosted by the Council of Ricks on bogus charges of murdering Ricks and kidnapping Mortys. As well as elaborating on the show's universe, the episode introduces one of the animated series' main antagonists, Evil Morty, who is revealed to be the real mastermind behind the crimes.
The multiverse that showcases numerous iterations of Rick and Morty is one of the aspects of the series that audiences respond most positively to, and this episode is a great example of this. With its inventive storytelling and shocking twist, "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind" is considered the highlight of Rick and Morty's first season.
6 "Rickmurai Jack" (Season 5, Episode 10)
IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
Beginning where Season 5, Episode 9, "Forgetting Sarick Mortshall" left off, "Rickmurai Jack" initially follows Rick and his two crow sidekicks before Morty attempts to convince him to come home. Eventually, the two end up in a conflict at the Citadel with Evil Morty, who is trying to separate the two from one another.
"Rickmurai Jack" is a crucial episode of Rick and Morty, as it is the first to properly explain what Rick calls his "crybaby backstory" — the death of his family at the hands of his alternate universe self, Rick Prime. Providing important series lore and developing the Citadel's Evil Morty storyline, "Rickmurai Jack" is the highest-rated episode in Season 5.
5 "Fear No Mort" (Season 7, Episode 10)
IMDb Rating: 9.4/10
It's no secret that some of the earlier episodes from the show's peak popularity are some of the highest rated of the series, making it all the more notable that the most recent episode of the series, "Fear No Mort," has immediately had a massive impact on audiences. The episode sees Rick and Morty traversing a mysterious "fear hole" that touts the ability to have those who enter face their greatest fears, not letting them go until they've gotten over said fears. After seemingly leaving the hole immediately, an alternate version of Rick's dead wife, Diane, has returned, forcing the duo to believe they are still in the hole.
It's rare for an episode to so perfectly balance being an effective, standalone adventure and story while also going to great lengths to evolve and further the evolution of these characters and their relationship to one another. While a great deal of praise is placed upon this episode's central twist, one that recontextualizes and adds a multitude of layers to the entire episode, it's the way that it tackles the essence of Rick and Morty and their connection to one another that has made it one of the best Rick and Morty episodes.
4 "The Vat of Acid Episode" (Season 4, Episode 8)
IMDb Rating: 9.5/10
The Emmy-winning "Vat of Acid Episode" begins with Rick convincing Morty to fake his death by jumping into a prop vat of acid, a plan which quickly derails due to Morty's impatience. Gifting Morty, a device that he claims allows the user to save points in his life as if it were a video game, Rick decides to teach his grandson a lesson about respecting his ideas.
Morty's adventures with the device, which develop into a sweet romance between him and a girl, create fantastic jokes and tension for the audience when things begin going far too smoothly for him. Undoubtedly one of the best Morty-centric episodes, "The Vat of Acid Episode" is an absolute hit.
3 "Total Rickall" (Season 2, Episode 4)
IMDb Rating: 9.5/10
"Total Rickall" is a fantastic bottle episode focusing on the Smith family fighting an alien race that creates false memories. As the house fills with parasites in the form of bizarre characters, the family is forced to kill what they believe are beloved family and friends, which is very funny when said characters are ridiculous creatures like "Ghost in a Jar," "Duck With Muscles," and a talking pencil named "Pencilvester."
Watching Rick and the family be so out of their depth, as even their unreliable memories create hilarious, dramatic irony, and the parasite characters are extremely visually engaging. Providing great jokes and a creative plot, as well as introducing the absurd recurring character Mr. Poopybutthole, "Total Rickall" is unsurprisingly a fan favorite.
2 "The Rickshank Rickdemption" (Season 3, Episode 1)
IMDb Rating: 9.6/10
The Season 3 premiere follows Season 2's "The Wedding Squanchers," with Rick apprehended by Galactic Federation agents and Earth overtaken and run by the Federation. While an agent scans Rick's memories to harvest information, the Smith family travels through the treacherous Cronenberged dimension and testify to the Council of Ricks on their Rick's behalf.
This episode spawned a nationwide phenomenon in the USA as McDonald's collaborated with the show to release a limited edition run of Szechuan sauce — a condiment Rick reveals was his entire motive for allowing the Federation to capture him — which led to branches around the country being overrun with fans. Regardless of its messy real-world legacy, "The Rickshank Rickdemption" is a great episode exploring the series' world.
1 "The Ricklantis Mixup" (Season 3, Episode 7)
IMDb Rating: 9.8/10
"The Ricklantis Mixup," tells the stories of several key Ricks and Mortys at The Citadel, including a duo of cops tracking down criminal Mortys, a factory worker Rick who attempts to violently overthrow his bosses and, crucially, an ambitious Morty running a presidential campaign. The episode showcases the thriving characters within the secret interdimensional society, which has flourished since fans last saw it.
Episodes involving The Citadel take full advantage of the series' high-concept sci-fi potential and are regarded highly by fans, and "The Ricklantis Mixup" is the very best. The episode is ranked as the most popular on IMDb due to its intelligent storytelling, strong jokes, and compelling critiques of the police and political system.
NEXT: The Best Summer Smith Episodes in 'Rick and Morty,' Ranked
