A Season-by-Season Guide to Rick and Morty

Plus All the Must-Haves for the Show’s Most Fervid Fans

Season 6 of the wildly popular animated series, Rick and Morty, premieres September 4 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The darkly comic sci-fi sitcom was created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. Originating as a short film parodying Back to the Future, the show follows the interdimensional misadventures of mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his good-hearted, fretful grandson Morty Smith. Whether you're new to the show or a devoted fan, here's a chance to catch up on past seasons and pick up some stellar accompaniments to enhance your viewing experience.

Season One

This season introduces the family at the center of the story. Rick is an eccentric, booze-fueled genius who eschews ordinary conventions such as school, marriage, love, and family. He frequently coerces his anxious fourteen-year-old grandson, Morty, to go on intergalactic and transdimensional adventures in which they explore their own multiverses. Rick lives with his daughter, Beth (Morty's mother), and her family. She is a level-headed, assertive person, but somewhat self-conscious about her career as a horse surgeon. Her insecure husband Jerry disapproves of Rick's influence in his household. Seventeen-year-old Summer occasionally joins Rick and Morty on their death-defying expeditions. The madcap storylines riff on various popular movies like Inception and Jurassic Park.

For an added boost:

• Rick and Morty Official Coloring Book: "Nobody belongs anywhere, nobody exists on purpose, everybody's going to die...come do some coloring."
• Wacky Waving Inflatable Mr. Meeseeks: complete with a 32-page tongue-in-cheek "user manual."

Season Two

This season finds Summer seeing more of the action as she joins Rick and Morty on several time-warping adventures. Morty and Summer have the chance to meet Rick's old flame (and hive-mind) Unity. The family fights parasitic aliens in a comic sendup to Total Recall. Rick and Morty call on Ice-T to help them compose a song, Get Schwifty, for an intergalactic song competition. The series ends with the family on the run from The Federation, a transdimensional police force regulating the universe.

For an added boost:

• The Art of Rick and Morty: featuring exclusive concept art and a killer glow-in-the-dark cover.
• Rick and Morty and Philosophy: In the Beginning Was the Squanch: Examine the tenets behind Rick's wacky world-view.

Season Three

Morty and Summer come to rescue Rick after he frees himself from his Federation captors. They visit a Mad Max-style world and the siblings reckon with the dysfunctional state of their parents' marriage. Rick morphs into Pickle Rick and Rick and Beth bond over her impending divorce from Jerry. When Rick causes political mayhem, the rest of the family (including Jerry) decides they must pursue a normal, peaceful life away from him. But in the end, Rick tracks them down and makes peace with Jerry.

For an added boost:

• The Science of Rick and Morty: The Unofficial Guide to Earth's Stupidest Show: Discover how close we are to some of Rick's experiments becoming a reality.
• Talking Pickle Rick: Squeeze this three-inch collectible to hear him say things like "I'm Pickle Riiiick!" Comes with a hilarious booklet.

Season Four

Returning after a lengthy hiatus, this season brought in a star-studded cast of guests including Sherri Shepherd, Taika Waititi, Pamela Adlon, Keegan-Michael Key, Susan Sarandon, Paul Giamatti, and others. Standout episodes pay tribute to Star Wars, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and The Old Man and the Sea. Season highlights include a pet dragon, a talking cat (voiced by Matthew Broderick), a family trip to a planet that Rick may have impregnated, and an adventure with an invisibility belt. You won't want to miss "The Vat of Acid Episode."

For an added boost:

• Rick and Morty Book of Gadgets and Inventions: The official illustrated guide featuring all of Rick's brilliant gadgets and inventions.
• The Art of Rick and Morty Volume 2: This full-color volume showcases the weird and wonderful artwork of the seasons three and four.

Season Five

Again, a fleet of high-profile guests garners this season including Steve Buscemi, Alison Brie, Jim Gaffigan, Jennifer Coolidge, Timothy Olyphant, Christina Ricci, and plenty more. Fun episodes include "Mortyplicity" with the entire family fighting for survival from other versions of themselves and "A Rickconvenient Mort," which delivers a surprisingly tender sendup of Captain Planet. Other episodes draw their themes from movies such as American Graffiti and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The fantastic finale leaves the show wide open for a fresh start in season six and we're psyched to see what comes next!

For an added boost:

• The Official Cookbook: Create dishes from across the Rick and Morty multiverse like Sugar Chicken and Pickled Ricks
• Rick and Morty Presents: This comic book series expands the Rick and Morty universe by spotlighting side characters.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon