In 2013, a weird show about a drunk old man and his nervous grandson premiered on Adult Swim. Nobody really knew what to make of it at first. It looked like a Back to the Future parody that went off the rails. But looking back, those first eleven episodes in Rick and Morty season 1 did something most shows take years to master. They blended high-concept cosmic horror with genuine, heartbreaking family trauma. Honestly, it was a bit of a shock to the system. You’ve got these bright, colorful visuals paired with the nihilistic realization that the universe is infinite and you're basically a speck of dust. It's a miracle it even got made.
Most people remember the catchphrases. They remember the "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub" and the pickle jokes (though that came later). But the foundation was laid right here. Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon didn't just want to make a funny cartoon; they wanted to dismantle the sitcom. In those early episodes in Rick and Morty season 1, we see the blueprint of every existential crisis the show would later explore. It started with a crude pilot and ended with a house party that literally froze time.
The Chaos of the Early Rick and Morty Season 1 Episodes
The pilot is rough. Let's be real. Rick’s drool is everywhere, the voices haven't quite settled, and the animation feels a little more "Flash-heavy" than the polished look we get in later years. But the seeds are there. When Rick drags a sleeping Morty out of bed to go blow up a neutrino bomb, you realize this isn't The Simpsons. This is a show about a man who is so smart he has become completely detached from human morality.
Then comes "Lawnmower Dog." This is where the show really found its legs. You have a B-plot about a dog gaining sentience and an A-plot that parodies Inception. It’s dense. It’s fast. Most shows would have picked one of those ideas for an entire season arc, but Rick and Morty burned through both in 22 minutes. It established a pace that most viewers weren't used to. You couldn't look away for ten seconds or you’d miss a joke or a plot point that would be vital five minutes later.
Anatomy of a Classic: Anatomy Park
"Anatomy Park" is another standout. It’s a parody of Jurassic Park set inside a homeless man named Ruben. It sounds gross. It is gross. But it’s also a masterclass in world-building. We learn that Rick has these bizarre side projects that he treats with the casual indifference of a guy cleaning his garage. John Oliver voices Dr. Xenon Bloom, a sentient amoeba-like creature, and it’s just perfect. This episode proved that the show could take any premise—no matter how disgusting or niche—and turn it into a high-stakes adventure.
Why Meeseeks and Destroy Is the Real Turning Point
If you ask a fan when they truly fell in love with the show, they’ll probably point to "Meeseeks and Destroy." It’s the fifth episode. It introduces the Mr. Meeseeks, blue creatures that exist only to fulfill a single purpose and then die. "Existence is pain to a Meeseeks, Jerry!"
It's funny, sure. But it’s also incredibly dark. It touches on the futility of human effort and the desperation of wanting to improve oneself. Jerry tries to take two strokes off his golf game, and it nearly results in a mass shooting at a restaurant. This is the core of episodes in Rick and Morty season 1: the mundane colliding with the impossible. While Rick and Morty are off on a dark, "Giant's Staircase" fantasy adventure that nearly ends in Morty being sexually assaulted by Mr. Jellybean, the rest of the family is dealing with a sentient blue box.
The tonal shift at the end of this episode is jarring. Morty is traumatized. Rick, for once, shows a glimmer of humanity by killing Mr. Jellybean after they leave. It’s subtle. It’s not a "very special episode" moment. It’s just a grandfather seeing his grandson in pain and reacting with cold, calculated violence. That’s the Rick Sanchez we came to know—a man who hates himself for caring.
Rick Potion No. 9 and the Death of Status Quo
Then there’s "Rick Potion No. 9." This is the episode that changed everything. Most animated shows reset at the end of the half-hour. Homer is still at the power plant. Peter Griffin is still a lovable idiot. But in this episode, Rick and Morty accidentally mutate the entire world into "Cronenbergs"—horrific monsters made of flesh and limbs.
They can’t fix it.
So what do they do? They hop to a parallel dimension where their counterparts just died in a lab accident. They bury their own bodies in the backyard and take over their lives. The scene where Morty walks through the house to the sound of "Look On Down From The Bridge" by Mazzy Star is haunting. He’s looking at a family that isn't his, in a world that isn't his, having abandoned his real mother, father, and sister to a post-apocalyptic nightmare.
This wasn't just a plot twist. It was a mission statement. It told the audience that the stakes were real and that the "original" world was gone forever. Every episode that followed was technically taking place in a "replacement" universe. That kind of narrative bravery is rare in any medium, let alone a cartoon on Adult Swim.
The World-Building of Interdimensional Cable
"Rixty Minutes" is often cited as a fan favorite because of the "Interdimensional Cable" bits. It was mostly improvised. Justin Roiland just riffed in a recording booth, and the animators had to make sense of it. We got "Ants-In-My-Eyes Johnson" and "Real Turbulent Juice."
But the real meat of the episode is the B-story. Beth and Jerry find out that in almost every other timeline, they didn't get married and were much more successful. It’s a brutal look at a failing marriage. Summer, their daughter, realizes she was an accidental pregnancy that kept them together in a miserable loop.
This is where the show’s philosophy really shines. Morty tells Summer: "Nobody exists on purpose. Nobody belongs anywhere. Everybody's gonna die. Come watch TV." It’s become the most famous quote of the series. It’s not nihilism for the sake of being edgy. It’s a weirdly comforting form of optimistic nihilism. If nothing matters, then you might as well be happy with the people you’re with.
The Fallout of the Season Finale
By the time we get to "Ricksy Business," the season finale, the show had established a massive universe. We see the return of Abradolf Lincler—a hybrid of Abraham Lincoln and Adolf Hitler—and Birdperson. Birdperson, voiced by Dan Harmon, provides the much-needed exposition about Rick’s past. He explains that "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub" actually means "I am in great pain, please help me" in his language.
It reframes the entire season. Every "fun" catchphrase and every wacky adventure was just a mask for a man who is deeply, profoundly miserable. The party at the house is a mess. The house is teleported to another planet. Tammy and Birdperson hook up. It’s a chaotic end to a chaotic season.
How to Revisit Season 1 for Maximum Impact
If you’re going back to watch these episodes in Rick and Morty season 1, don't just look for the jokes. Look for the character beats. Notice how Rick’s relationship with Morty evolves from using him as a human shield to actually showing a modicum of respect.
- Pay attention to the background. The show is famous for its "freeze-frame" jokes and lore that pays off three seasons later.
- Watch the B-plots. Jerry Smith is often the punching bag, but his struggle with mediocrity is the most relatable part of the show.
- Track the "Original" Morty. Remember that the Morty we see from episode 7 onwards is living in a graveyard of his own making.
The legacy of these episodes is undeniable. They paved the way for shows like BoJack Horseman to explore depression or The Good Place to dive into moral philosophy. Rick and Morty season 1 didn't just break the rules; it set a new bar for what "adult" animation could actually be. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s occasionally very gross, but it has a heart—even if that heart is buried under several layers of sci-fi cynicism and cheap vodka.
To get the most out of a rewatch, try grouping the episodes by theme rather than air date. Watch "Lawnmower Dog" and "Anatomy Park" back-to-back to see the "High Concept" Rick. Then watch "Rick Potion No. 9" and "Rixty Minutes" to see the "Existential Crisis" Rick. You'll find that the show is much more consistent than it first appeared back in 2013.