Rick and Morty has 71 episodes. One of them is significantly worse than the rest, and the numbers don’t lie. “Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie” holds a 4.5 out of 10 on IMDb, making it the lowest-rated episode in the entire series. That’s not a close race. That’s a blowout.
The episode is the eighth of Season 7. It continues the story of Water T, a character introduced back in Season 2’s “Get Schwifty.” The problem is that Water T was never interesting enough to carry his own episode. He was a punchline. He was a one-scene wonder. Putting him in the lead for a full 22 minutes was a choice, and not a good one.
Here’s the biggest issue: Rick isn’t in it. Not a cameo. Not a mention. The episode doesn’t even acknowledge that Rick Sanchez exists. For a show called Rick and Morty, that’s a bold swing. It’s also a swing that missed so badly it became the lowest-rated episode by a margin of 1.2 stars. The next closest is “Rickdependence Spray” at 5.7. That’s a canyon.
The episode also suffered from timing. Season 7 was already a mess. Three of the five lowest-rated episodes in the show’s history come from that season. Justin Roiland’s exit happened mid-production, and the show was clearly still figuring out how to exist without him. “Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie” became the poster child for a season that couldn’t find its footing.
Dan Harmon himself has named “Raising Gazorpazorp” as his least favorite episode. Fans have their own picks. “Claw and Hoarder,” “Rickdependence Spray,” “How Poopy Got His Poop Back” — the list of disappointments is long. But “Rise of the Numbericons” is the one that everyone agrees on. It’s the one that made people question whether the show had lost it.
The good news is that Season 7 ended strong. The finale was well-received, and Rick’s revenge arc wrapped up in a way that felt satisfying. Season 8 has a chance to start fresh. The show has been renewed through Season 10, so there’s plenty of time to course-correct. But “Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie” will always be there. A reminder that even great shows can make terrible episodes.
If you’re doing a rewatch, skip it. You won’t miss anything. Water T’s story was never worth telling. And Rick and Morty is better when Rick is in it.