Rick and Morty Season 9 premieres on Adult Swim Sunday, May 24th, and if you're someone who isn't current, fire up that HBO Max subscription and get to it. I checked out the entire season ahead of its premiere for CinemaBlend, and the gist is it's one of the strongest seasons of the series, trumping even some of its best episodes.
I know a few friends who have let the animated series fall by the wayside in recent years, so I'm putting the call out now that Season 9 is the time to get back on board. Rick & Morty is back, and if it stays this good, the "hundred seasons" claim by Rick doesn't seem impossible. Here are the things I loved, keeping things spoiler-free for those still waiting for its arrival on the 2026 TV schedule.
Season 9 Features The Most Hilarious And Upsetting Rick And Morty Episodes I've Seen
Part of the thing that keeps me coming back to Rick and Morty is how delicately it walks the line from comedy to soul-crushingly sad. Plenty of popular movies and shows make comedy out of trauma, but pound for pound, the Adult Swim series continues to be the best, especially in Season 9.
I'll double down and say that I think the second episode of Season 9 might be the saddest that I've seen in the series. Yes, I remember how gut-wrenching the Season 7 finale was, but I still stand by my statement. This is the first season where I felt, without giving too much away, emotionally connected to the Smith family and the big developments that occur. I'll leave it at that, but this is an impactful season.
This Is A Star Studded Season
Rick and Morty has surprised me a few times with the names of celebrities they've pulled to appear on the series. I never would've guessed they'd get Hugh Jackman a couple of seasons back, and there are some equally big names that have guest-starring roles in Season 9 as well.
No spoilers of course, but I will say I bring up Jackman because a couple of these names I never would've guessed knew of Rick and Morty... let alone lent their voice to it. One of these cameos I'd put up there with James Gunn and Zack Snyder's episode, but with the exception that they're playing a character rather than a version of themselves. I'm eager to see how fans react.
We Get Resolution To Major Storylines
I think Rick and Morty Season 9 finally finds a way to appease both the serialized and episodic crowd, finding a way to effectively walk both tightropes in the latest batch of adventures. Speaking in broad strokes, the season kicks off with a major update to the greater lore of the show, and it seems as though that storyline is effectively put to bed.
New episodes move further away from old concepts the show leaned on, and I feel we get some new ideas that I think will be touched on in future seasons as well. It's difficult to talk about without directly mentioning anything that's a spoiler, but we'll see a lot of returning alien species from previous seasons.
I think what I love most about this season is that we see a few central characters go through some significant changes both in their lives and in their personalities. It feels as though the Smith family actually grows in Rick and Morty Season 9, and it opens the door to more stories going forward. I particularly like how this season frames the main duo's dynamic, and I look forward to what it'll mean as we reach Seasons 10 and beyond.
As mentioned, Rick and Morty Season 9 is coming back to Adult Swim on May 24th, and I'm hyped for fans to see it. Hopefully, some people who strayed away from the show will consider checking out the premiere and getting back on board with the series.
