Rick and Morty Season 9 Review

Rick and Morty (2013-)

Season 9 - 10 episodes (2026)
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Created by: Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon
Starring: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer, Sarah Chalke
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
An animated series that follows the exploits of drunk, careless, super scientist Rick and his dimwitted, anxious grandson Morty as they traverse multiple universes.

Verdict
This season is a rebound. It doesn't match the show's highs, but the quality of all episodes is better. Several episodes explore the character's level of contentment. This season is more character driven with many episodes revolving around Rick and Morty's relationship. In the final episode Morty realizes that despite their turbulent friendship they do care for each other. My favorite episode is Mortgully: The Last Rickforest where the pair must evolve many times to escape their imprisonment. It's the kind of creativity I hope for from this series.
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Review
Seasons ten and eleven have already been renewed. The series plans for twelve seasons total.

Season eight was okay, but it lacked any standout episodes. That season was stuffed with pop culture references though it just didn't seem as clever nor as sharp as past seasons. This season is a return to form. While it doesn't manage to start any cultural phenomenons, it does explore the characters. This season also capitalizes on Rick being a cyborg. While that's always been a part of the character, I don't remember it being this prominent. How much of a cyborg he is seems to depend on how much it aids the story.

In the first episode Morty grows jealous of the bond between Rick and Evil Morty with Evil Morty claiming he isn't good enough. It turns out to be a ruse, but it's clear Morty wants a relationship with Rick.

S9E1: Evil Morty, Morty, Rick

The second episode explores Rick's alter ego of Vacation Rick. Even his alter ego is bent on overthrowing the powers that be. In this case that's Rick. Vacation Rick becomes depressed after taking over Rick, but he ultimately becomes dejected. Believing it's due to his limitations as the inferior duplication of Vacation Rick, he relinquishes control. Episode six also analyzes Rick's happiness. When his head and body are separated, each realize they're happier apart as they blame each other for this unhappiness.

I enjoyed episode three where Rick starts a grudge with a guy in the Trader Joe's parking lot. That only escalates because Rick refuses to apologize, of course he wouldn't. In episode four Rick locks himself out of his garage, and in the next episode we get to see Jerry actually succeed. That doesn't happen often, but it is because he's twenty percent worm. Jerry eventually reaches one hundred percent. Morty also inadvertently starts a revolution.

The seventh episode has the most creative premise of the season. Rick and Morty manage to get banished as single cell organisms in a hollow Earth. They evolve many times in an effort to escape only to fail and be forced to start over, choosing different creatures. Morty finally makes progress when he chooses a peaceful option. It's my favorite episode of the season.

S9E6: Summer, Rick, Morty

In episode eight Rick tries to help Morty with an ear bug that causes him to hallucinate only empathetic words and actions from others. That and Rick wants to get a potato. It's a very special potato. That ultimately leads to a role reversal with Marty becoming a sociopath while Rick becomes empathetic. There's a side plot with Summer and Jerry searching for a sixty-gallon drum and encountering a serial killer that's revolted by Jerry. In the next episode Morty and Summer are sent to a summer camp after getting in trouble at school. In trying to confiscate their drugs, Jerry and Beth use them and are useless the rest of the episode.

The season culminates in Morty visiting other worlds and finding an ideal version of his family. They're functional. Morty considers staying with them before realizing they have their own issues. Morty finds a sober and successful Rick, urging him to invent a portal so that he can return home. That ruins this well-adjusted Rick. Ultimately Morty realizes he has a stronger bond with Rick than other Mortys despite their problems.

Instead of coasting on more pop-culture references and frenetic episodes that lack a solid underlying story, this season is a return to form as it explores the core of these characters and the dynamic between the titular characters through several wacky adventures.