Animation Digest: Why Jerry Smith Unironically Saved ‘Rick and Morty’ Season 9

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When Rick and Morty first debuted back in 2013, Jerry Smith was built to be the cosmic punching bag. Voiced with flawless pathetic charm by Chris Parnell, Jerry was the antithesis of Rick Sanchez—a cowardly, unemployed, insecure suburban dad whose sole function was to highlight Rick’s godlike brilliance and serve as the butt of every multiverse-tier joke.

Fast forward to Season 9, and the dynamic of Adult Swim’s flagship animated comedy has fundamentally flipped. In a season defined by heavy multiversal stakes, nihilistic fatigue, and the emotional fallout of post-Rick Prime storylines, Jerry Smith didn’t just hold his own—he unironically saved the show.