Honestly, it’s hard to remember what adult animation felt like before 2013. We had The Simpsons doing their thing, Family Guy leaning into cutaway gags, and South Park tackling the news of the week. Then this weird, high-concept sci-fi show dropped on Adult Swim. Looking back at Rick and Morty season 1 full episodes, you can see the exact moment the genre shifted. It wasn't just about being "edgy." It was about existential dread wrapped in a burp.
The pilot aired on December 2, 2013. That's a lifetime ago in internet years. Created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, the show started as a raunchy parody of Back to the Future. But it became something way more complex. If you rewatch those early episodes now, the rough edges are obvious. The animation is a bit crunchier. Rick’s drool is more aggressive. Morty’s voice is even more prone to those cracks. Yet, the DNA of every major multiverse trope we see in the MCU today? It started right here.
The Evolution of Rick and Morty Season 1 Full Episodes
When people search for Rick and Morty season 1 full episodes, they’re usually looking for that specific blend of chaos that the later seasons sometimes trade for high-gloss polish. There’s a raw energy in the first eleven episodes. Take "Lawnmower Dog." It starts as a simple riff on Inception and ends with dogs taking over the world in robotic suits. It’s absurd. It’s fast. Most importantly, it doesn't over-explain the "how."
The show found its feet surprisingly quickly. While many sitcoms take a whole season to figure out who their characters are, Harmon and Roiland had a clear vision for the Smith family dynamic almost immediately. Jerry is the pathetic beta. Beth is the high-functioning alcoholic with daddy issues. Summer is the teen trying to find her place. And Morty? Morty is just trying to survive his grandfather’s whims.
Anatomy of a Classic: Anatomy Park
Episode three, "Anatomy Park," is a masterclass in how this show handles parody. It’s Jurassic Park, but inside a homeless man named Ruben. It’s gross. It’s hilarious. But look closer at the subplots. While Rick is trying to save his "Spleen Mountain," the rest of the family is dealing with a super-awkward Christmas dinner.
This is the secret sauce. The sci-fi is the hook, but the domestic dysfunction is the anchor. You care about the exploding bacteria because you’re also watching Jerry try to force his family to put their phones away for five minutes.
Why the Multiverse Actually Mattered Back Then
It’s easy to be bored of the multiverse now. Every movie franchise has one. But in 2013, the way Rick and Morty season 1 full episodes handled infinite realities felt revolutionary. "Rick Potion #9" is the turning point. It’s widely considered one of the best episodes in TV history, not just animation.
In it, Rick accidentally turns the entire world into "Cronenbergs"—monstrous, fleshy abominations—because of a love potion gone wrong. Instead of fixing it with a magic wand or a reset button, Rick and Morty just... leave. They jump to a dimension where they died in a lab accident, bury their own corpses in the backyard, and take their places.
Morty’s face at the end of that episode? That’s the face of a kid whose worldview just shattered. It set the stakes. Death wasn't the end, but it also wasn't cheap. It was heavy. That kind of narrative bravery is why the show exploded in popularity.
Meeseeks and Destroy: The Cultural Phenomenon
You can't talk about season 1 without Mr. Meeseeks. "Existence is pain to a Meeseeks, Jerry!"
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It became a meme instantly. But the episode "Meeseeks and Destroy" also gave us a darker look at Morty’s agency. He challenges Rick to a "fair" adventure. It ends with a deeply uncomfortable scene in a bathroom at a giant’s tavern. This was the show signaling that it wasn't just a wacky cartoon. It was going to go to dark, psychological places that The Flintstones never dreamed of.
Technical Stats and Trivia
- Original Run: December 2, 2013 – April 14, 2014.
- Episode Count: 11.
- Network: Adult Swim.
- Average Rating: Season 1 holds a massive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The production was notoriously chaotic. Dan Harmon is famous for his "Story Circle" method, which focuses on a hero's journey that always returns to the start but changed. You can see this loop in almost every episode. Rick leaves the garage, causes a cosmic disaster, and returns to the garage. But the emotional toll on Morty? That doesn't reset. It builds.
Where to Find These Episodes Today
Finding Rick and Morty season 1 full episodes is a lot easier than it was a decade ago. You don't have to hunt down sketchy pirate sites or wait for a marathon on cable.
- Max (formerly HBO Max): This is the primary home for the series. They have the entire library in 4K.
- Adult Swim Website: Often, they rotate a few episodes that you can watch for free with ads.
- Hulu: Depending on your region, Hulu still carries the earlier seasons.
- Digital Purchase: Platforms like Vudu (Fandango at Home), Apple TV, and Amazon let you buy the season outright.
One thing to watch out for is censorship. If you watch them on certain broadcast TV reruns, many of Rick’s more colorful insults and some of the gore might be blurred or bleeped. For the true experience, the streaming versions or the Blu-rays are the way to go. The Blu-ray commentary tracks are also legendary for their behind-the-scenes chaos.
The Legacy of the First Eleven
What most people get wrong about season 1 is thinking it’s just the "setup" for the later, more serialized stuff like Evil Morty or the Citadel of Ricks. In reality, season 1 is the most "pure" version of the show. It wasn't burdened by its own lore yet. It was just trying to be the funniest, smartest thing on TV.
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"Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind" introduced the Council of Ricks and the idea that our Rick (C-137) is the "Rickest Rick." This changed the game. It moved the show from episodic adventures to a grand, unfolding epic. We realized the world was much bigger than just one suburban house in Washington state.
How to Revisit the Season Properly
If you're going back to watch these, don't just binge them in the background while you're on your phone. Pay attention to the background details. The "hidden" gags in Rick’s garage. The weird items in his shelves. The showrunners were notorious for planting seeds that wouldn't sprout for three or four years.
Also, watch "Rixty Minutes." It’s the first interdimensional cable episode. Most of it was improvised by Justin Roiland in a recording booth. It’s messy, weird, and features "Two Brothers," a fake movie trailer that perfectly parodies every action movie trope ever. It’s a testament to the show’s willingness to just be weird for the sake of it.
The Actionable Insight for Fans
If you're looking to dive back into Rick and Morty season 1 full episodes, start with "Rick Potion #9" and "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind." These are the two pillars that support the rest of the series' mythology.
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For the best viewing experience, use a service like Max to avoid the broadcast edits. Check the "Extras" if you have the physical media; the pilot's original pitch is drastically different from what ended up on screen. Finally, compare the pacing of these episodes to Season 7. You’ll notice how much more "breath" the first season has—the pauses are longer, the jokes have more room to land, and the atmosphere feels slightly more grounded in reality before everything went completely cosmic.
Keep an eye on the official Adult Swim YouTube channel as well. They occasionally stream 24/7 marathons that include these early classics for free during special events or new season launches. If you're a writer or creator, study the "Story Circle" structure used in "Lawnmower Dog" to see how to pack three different plots into a tight 22-minute runtime without it feeling cluttered.