These 10 Rick and Morty episodes will always be remembered by fans

Since it arrived in 2013, Rick and Morty has expanded the limits of cartoon storytelling, mixing sci-fi chaos, dark comedy, and emotional complexity in ways no other program is willing to. What began as a crazed spoof of Back to the Future soon blossomed into a genre-defying epic that examines everything from the morality of cloning to the cosmic horror of boundless realities. With every season, the series has provided viewers with hilarious, horrifying, and thought-provoking moments, and sometimes all three simultaneously.

But amidst the pandemonium, some episodes transcend, not merely for their wit or animation, but for the way they have been forever etched into the shared memory of the fandom. Such episodes get quoted, rewatched, and analyzed ad nauseam throughout Reddit forums, YouTube treatises, and TikTok memes. They've created fan art, memes, and even actual real-life fast food advertising campaigns.

Whether you're an occasional viewer or a portal gun-wielding superfan, these 10 episodes are the center of Rick and Morty - its guts, its genius, and sometimes tear-jerking sucker punch of emotion. Hold on and head into the oddest, sharpest, and most unforgettable sequences that illustrate why this show is a multiverse of its own.

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10 Rick and Morty episodes will always be remembered by fans

1) Pickle Rick (Season 3, Episode 3)

Pickle Rick" is a cult favorite episode that masterfully balances absurdity with greater themes. Following his avoidance of family therapy, Rick turns himself into a pickle, and a crazy chain of events ensues. The episode is a survival odyssey as Pickle Rick fights his way through a complex, killing off deadly enemies along the way. Beyond the sheer outrageousness, it examines Rick's fear of vulnerability and refusal to deal with family issues. This episode was a pop culture phenomenon, inspiring millions of memes and even a short-lived McDonald's Szechuan sauce resurgence. Its combination of humor, brutality, and emotional resonance is unforgettable.

2) The Ricklantis Mixup (Season 3, Episode 7)

"Pickle Rick" is a fan favorite that combines absurdity and deeper meaning. After dodging family therapy, Rick turns himself into a pickle, which leads to a crazy chain of events. The episode is a survivalist adventure as Pickle Rick fights his way through an establishment, fighting off lethal enemies. Beyond the silliness, it touches on Rick's fear of being vulnerable and his refusal to deal with family problems. This episode was a pop culture phenomenon, inspiring millions of memes and even a short-lived McDonald's Szechuan sauce comeback. Its combination of humor, brutality, and emotional complexity is unforgettable.

3) Total Rickall (Season 2, Episode 4)

"Total Rickall" welcomed viewers to a crazy, paranoia-ridden home overwhelmed with fake memories and crazy characters from Pencilvester to Reverse Giraffe. The episode became the template for Rick and Morty's high-concept craziness, giving rise to the hit "Total Rickall" card game. Recently, showrunners announced they had 20+ additional characters mapped out but cut them because of runtime. Fans still plead for a sequel. Its fast pace, stacked gags, and ongoing character reveal make it one of the most rewatchable episodes in history. It's evidence that Rick and Morty doesn't require a big plot, just fantastic, unbridled storytelling.

4) The Vat of Acid Episode (Season 4, Episode 8)

This Emmy-winning gem is a slow burn that explodes into pure chaos. What begins as a petty squabble over a vat of fake acid ends up as Morty's soul-sucking life simulation, with love, loss, and existential terror. Recently, viewers observed that the episode quietly alludes to previous timelines, with little items such as Morty's jacket suggesting multiple levels of reality. The heartless twist of Rick pretending the whole romance just to make a point is still one of the series' darkest, most rewarding payoffs. It's not laughs; it's consequences. Vindictive, accurate, and funny, this one's a work of art in petty.

5) Rixty Minutes (Season 1, Episode 8)

"Rixty Minutes" introduced us to interdimensional cable and one of the show's strongest memories: ads that were all improvised. They let Justin Roiland loose in the booth, and it brought forth such brilliant one-offs like "Ants in My Eyes Johnson." It also represented a tonal turning point, Morty's morbid line regarding their "real" dead corpses grounding the hilarity in tragedy. Recently, a sketch that was cut from an ad was brought back to life and released as a surprise drop on YouTube, rekindling this fan favorite's nostalgia. The episode's mix of crazy humor and real pathos paved the way for what Rick and Morty would become.

6) The Wedding Squanchers (Season 2, Episode 10)

With Tammy's betrayal, Birdperson's demise, and Rick's own self-sacrifice, this season finale packs a ton of bricks. For the first time, Rick really gets to demonstrate emotional depth as he prefers prison to save his family. The episode created the longtime Galactic Federation storyline and brought in Phoenixperson, whose destiny was recently wrapped up. Behind the scenes, creators conceded they initially almost killed Beth in place of Birdperson but changed their minds following fan reaction. The dark post-credits scene, with Nine Inch Nails playing as Rick is processed by the Federation, is still one of the show's most chilling moments.

7) Rick Potion #9 (Season 1, Episode 6)

This is where Rick and Morty show their dark side. When Morty inadvertently causes a global Cronenberg apocalypse, Rick just leaves their devastated world behind, switching to a new reality and interring their counterparts. That emotional gut punch, combined with the slow zoom on Morty's traumatized face, haunts fans to this day. The most recent season referenced this episode quietly, with Morty nervously looking at dirt piles while conversing with Summer. It's the episode that proved that there are no resets in this universe, only endless errors. A moment of foundation that educated viewers to never trust a happy ending.

8) The Rickshank Rickdemption (Season 3, Episode 1)

Following a long hiatus, Rick's explosive prison break was well worth the wait. With the famous "Szechuan sauce" rant that McDonald's briefly reintroduced in real life following its popularity from this very episode, this show is full of action and fanservice well done. Showrunner Dan Harmon recently explained that this episode was rewritten three times to get just the right mix of lore and humor. It also provided us with an inside peek at Rick's psyche and the tragic (and perhaps phony) history of his wife's death. Whether or not that was actual memory or a lure is a well-loved argument. Regardless, Rick's icy cleverness takes center stage.

9) Mortynight Run (Season 2, Episode 2)

Morty's moral compass is pushed to the limit ever before in this introspective, action-packed episode. Saving Fart (voiced by Jemaine Clement), a gaseous, sentient creature, Morty discovers too late that Fart intends to wipe out all carbon-based life. That creepy musical number "Goodbye Moonmen" remains a fan favorite, recently remixed in fan edits. The last scene, where Morty quietly kills Fart, demonstrats how the universe gradually erodes his innocence. This episode prompted a fan theory that Morty's fall into numbness is mirrored by Rick's own history, suggesting a possible future Evil Morty trajectory. It's emotionally rich and unforgettable.

10) Star Mort Rickturn of the Jerri (Season 4, Episode 10)

This conclusion presented us with Clone Beth versus Real Beth lightsaber duels, Phoenixperson's return, and finally, Rick's darkest insecurities exposed. It reconciled spectacle with introspection as Rick confronted the reality of not knowing which Beth was real and that he didn't care. The ending montage, with Rick shattered and alone, continues to be debated as one of the most poignant moments of the show. In 2024, co-creator Justin Roiland confirmed the episode wrapped a major chapter in Rick's book. Fans also found secret binary code in a scene that decrypted to "I deserve this." Powerful, comedic, and dense, this one cuts deep.