With its eighth outing officially complete,Rick and Mortyonce again divided viewers, but there is no doubt that season 8 had some incredibly strong adventures, alongside a few episodes that failed to hit the mark. Plenty of fans questioned howRick and Mortywould cope after Justin Roiland’s exit, with season 7 acting as the first big test.
It’s fair to say the installment was far from the franchise’s best, but season 8 really stepped things up with a much more consistent showing. More often than not, the series managed to deliver a fun and exciting story, utilizing the full Smith family to create unique adventures, all while maintainingRick and Morty’s signature brand of humor.
Outside of one or two exceptions,season 8 managed to score above par and prove that there is still plenty of life in the animated project. However, with one entry being amongRick and Morty’s best episodes, it’s clear that some adventures significantly outperformed others, making it one of the show’s easier seasons to judge.
10"The Last Temptation Of Jerry"
Season 8, Episode 4
“The Last Temptation of Jerry” may not beRick and Morty’s worst episode, but it certainly fell below expectations. The Easter-based story saw Jerry being possessed by the spirit of the Easter Bunny and trying to make everyone on Earth have sex while the protagonists attempted to stop him. The results left a lot to be desired.
Whereas the show excels with pop culture references and meta jokes, its crude humor is hit or miss, and episode 4 was definitely the latter.The outlandish plot felt more strange than entertaining, and with “The Last Temptation of Jerry” potentially beingRick and Morty’s final holiday special, the episode clearly stands out as season 8’s weakest.
9"Morty Daddy"
Season 8, Episode 9
The return of Morty. Jr had all the potential to be a fun, character-altering moment for Morty, but despite bonding with his son, nothing really changed for the titular character. The duo did have decent chemistry, but their time together was a little bland and far from memorable, hence season 8’s penultimate episode ranking so low.
Rick and Summer’s side story was a little more entertaining, but it didn’t feel like anything the series hadn’t done before. Overall, “Morty Daddy” is far from offensive or low-quality, but it’s the sort ofRick and Mortyepisode you may skip upon rewatchingthe show, as it simply fails to create a strong identity.
8"Cryo Mort A Rickver"
Season 8, Episode 5
Season 8’s fifth episode is where the franchise starts to return to form, as"Cryo Mort a Rickver" delivers the usual antics you’d expect from the protagonists. Their attempted heist on a cryo ship goes severely wrong, resulting in the leading duo falling on either side of a class divide that eventually spirals into a free-for-all.
As the ship’s residents fight and kill each other for missing fortunes,Rick and Morty’s parody on capitalismsends an interesting message while providing decent entertainment along the way. Ultimately, it lacks the emotional weight and one-of-a-kind concept that makes other episodes so interesting, but “Cryo Mort a Rickver” is still worth a watch for long-term fans.
7"Valkyrick"
Season 8, Episode 2
After season 7’s unpopular “Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie”, it was a real gamble forRick and Mortyto deliver another solo episodewithout one of the main protagonists, but it worked rather well in season 8. Getting to see more of Space Beth is always welcome, especially while carrying out a mission alongside her father, instantly giving “Valkyrick” a compelling premise.
It also offered the perfect opportunity to bring back Birdperson and Birddaughter, who had enjoyable cameos towards the conclusion. Once again,the episode didn’t blow audiences away or revolutionizeRick and Morty, but it still had a strong plot and focused on an underrated duo,making it a nice addition to season 8, even without Morty’s involvement.
6Ricker Than Fiction
Season 8, Episode 7
Rick and Morty accidentally inserting themselves inside their favorite movie franchise feels so perfect, I’m surprised the show didn’t do it sooner. It was a great demonstration of just how chaotic and creative the series is, and it even provided some excellentRick and Mortycameos for James Gunn and Zack Snyder, who nailed their roles.
Rick and MortySeason
Rick and MortySeason 1
97%
Rick and MortySeason 2
91%
Rick and MortySeason 3
96%
Rick and MortySeason 4
Rick and MortySeason 5
86%
Rick and MortySeason 6
Rick and MortySeason 7
77%
Rick and MortySeason 8
100%
Seeing Rick go from resenting to admiring Tannenbaum while Morty was forced to play the movie’s villain was hilarious, especially as Jerry tried to write them a way out. It may not be everyone’s taste, but it’s these wacky concepts that make the franchise so iconic, and “Ricker Than Fiction” certainly delivers on this while producing some high-octane action.
5"Nomortland"
Season 8, Episode 8
Compared to season 8’s other Jerry-centric episode, “Nomortland” is a massive improvementas it puts the spotlight firmly on the comic-relief character while making him feel more important than ever. The concept of a dimension-hopping Jerry opening up our main version of the character to all new environments was a fresh idea that worked better than expected.
Given how often he is the butt of the joke, it was nice to see Jerry look confident and independent in “Nomortland”, with his family showing real care about his disappearance. The episode even createdfuture possibilities for Jerry after season 8while proving he can carry a whole adventure, making it an extremely underrated outing.
4"The Curicksous Case Of Bethjamin Button"
Season 8, Episode 6
Just as “Nomortland” proved Jerry worked in a leading role,“The Curicksous Case of Bethjamin Button” revealed that Beth and Space Beth make for an excellent central duo. Learning that theBeths had a violent childhood inRick and Mortyshouldn’t have come as a big surprise, but it explained their erratic behavior alongside why Rick decided to clone them.
The addition of a fun side plot involving Earth World was the icing on the cake and broke up the action nicely, cementing episode 6’s spot towards the top of season 8.
Seeing the two return to a childlike state could’ve been a huge flop, but it turned out to be both exciting and tragic while fleshing out their relationship with Rick. The addition of a fun side plot involving Earth World was the icing on the cake and broke up the action nicely, cementing episode 6’s spot towards the top of season 8.
3"Summer Of All Fears"
Season 8, Episode 1
Rick and Mortyis no stranger to having strong premieres, and although season 7 failed in this department, season 8 did not. “Summer of All Fears” highlighted just how deeply Rick’s harsh punishments can impact his grandchildren, with both Morty and Summer’s personalities completely changing thanks to the alternate reality they spent decades in.
All 10 episodes ofRick and Mortyseason 8 are available to stream on HBO Max.
Watching Morty cope with his PTSD while Summer struggled to fit back into normal society was gripping yet heartbreaking, with the dark storyline making us sympathize with the Smith family’s younger generation. They may be flawed, butRick and Morty’sMatrixparodybrutally highlighted how tough Morty and Summer’s lives are in what was arguably season 8’s gloomiest episode.
2"The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly"
Season 8, Episode 3
It’s very rare we see both protagonists almost completely sidelined, but that was the case in “The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly”, which focused on alternate versions of Rick and Morty. Seeing theaftermath of the Citadel’s collapsewas a welcome surprise, and the introduction of Homestead Rick gave us one of the best Rick variants yet.
Despite the leading duo’s strong relationship,season 8, episode 3 highlighted the cruel nature of most Ricks towards Mortys, helping create a thrilling narrative with a somber yet satisfying pay-off. The door was also left open for some of these interesting new characters to return, suggesting the episode could be extremely important, as well as one of season 8’s best outings.
Knowing almost anyone in “The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly” could die also made for higher stakes than usual, making the drama all the more compelling despite still having some genuine moments of humor, and I already can’t wait to rewatch this captivating adventure.
1"Hot Rick"
Season 8, Episode 10
Not only was “Hot Rick” season 8’s best episode, but it was one ofRick and Morty’s best finalesever and even contends with its most popular adventures. The show is arguably at its best when focusing on deeper themes and an overarching narrative, something episode 10 leaned into by exploring Rick’s relationship with his daughters.
There were some highly tense moments, returning characters, and a devastating conclusion that hit much deeper than expected. Although it’s not uncommon forRick and Mortyto leave viewers feeling a little vulnerable,“Hot Rick” was the first time in years the show has been so raw, earning the number one spot for season 8 by some distance.
