Written by: Taylor Reese Medium, Instagram, BlueSky
Last Sunday, September 27, the Rick & Morty spin-off aired its final episode of the season, and overall, watching it was time well spent. Capitalizing on a long-running, popular show with a separate but still in-universe story is a natural choice. Having the legendary Keith David reprise his role as the titular character is genius, the first of many good choices that followed.
President Andre Curtis has already proven he can hold his own in the chaos of Rick & Morty. Giving him a series of his own creates room to explore what happens when that larger-than-life personality becomes the center of the story. Thankfully, the result is more than a familiar character getting additional screen time.
The Good
A successful spin-off requires a strong start, but the piqued interest of established fans will only keep an audience around for so long. Eventually, the new show has to give viewers a reason to keep watching on its own merits.
The writers do an excellent job of creating a fast-paced, entertaining storyline that not only cleverly (re)introduces President Andre Curtis but also presents his co-leads, Agent O’Doyle, voiced by Jim Rash, and Chief of Staff Rho Banks, voiced by Stephanie Beatriz. The pilot gives viewers just enough backstory and team interaction to carry them into the next plot without getting bogged down in introductions.
That team dynamic is a big part of what makes the series work. Curtis may be the headliner, but O’Doyle and Rho help give the show its own personality. Their interactions make the core cast feel like a group worth following, even when the situations around them become increasingly ridiculous.
This momentum is sustained through the show’s next two episodes. “Triangle” takes the classic murder mystery trope, while “Ex” tackles the “robots become self-aware” cliché, with each episode putting its own unique spin on familiar territory. The season then finishes strong with a reverse heist plot in “Knox” and the president fighting a well-liked serial killer in “Timber.”
The familiar setups give the audience an easy way into each story, while the characters and absurd situations keep things entertaining. When the show finds that balance, it makes good use of the world established by its predecessor while building something viewers can enjoy for its own reasons.
Overall, the show is funny, features well-animated action scenes, and makes you care about the core cast. Keith David’s voice performance remains a major draw, giving Curtis the authority and comedic presence needed to carry the series. Although there were some aspects of this season that either didn’t make sense or left questions, there is plenty here to enjoy.
The Bad
From clever nods to the Men in Black franchise to a wink at the audience with classic “vampires in Louisiana,” pop culture references can be really enjoyable, until they aren’t.
“Hollow,” episode six, is such an obvious recycling of Avatar and FernGully: The Last Rainforest that the show even mentions it. Acknowledging the similarities gets a laugh, but it doesn’t do much to make the plot feel less predictable.
The episode has President Curtis and his team traveling through different layers of subterranean species to make deals, a setup that gets old fast. What initially seems like an opportunity for increasingly strange encounters starts to feel repetitive, especially when the story’s direction becomes clear.
There’s also no explanation for why Andre couldn’t ask Rick for help. Wanting to restrict Rick to his one-time cameo in the spin-off is understandable. The show just needs to explain why there’s no quick Rick fix, since that’s exactly what President Curtis turned to in the first episode. Even a brief acknowledgment of why that option is off the table would help the audience stay invested in the problem at hand.
Other narrative choices also leave questions. Why didn’t the main characters destroy the piece of Napoleon that his descendants fought over in “Purchase”? What was the source of Rho’s virus hack in “Ghosts”?
Not every question needs an immediate answer, especially in a series that may be setting up future storylines. Still, there’s a difference between leaving viewers curious about what comes next and leaving them wondering why an obvious solution wasn’t considered. A little more clarity in these moments would make the storytelling stronger.
The Okay
Given the confirmed renewal for another season, not revisiting every plotline is forgivable. It’s okay that the audience doesn’t learn more about Orla O’Doyle’s next plan, voiced by Grey DeLisle, for now. Her unfinished business gives the series something to return to as it expands its world.
Leaving questions about who hacked Rho and her history is also fine, since those mysteries can be used as a draw for next season. Rho is interesting enough that there’s a reason to want those answers, and giving her more room could strengthen the team dynamic that already works so well.
The next season has an opportunity to build on these threads while tightening up some of the first season’s less convincing narrative choices. The foundation is there: an entertaining lead, a strong supporting cast, and a world with plenty of room for more strange adventures.
President Curtis did well, and hopefully, more episodes will expand this witty, action-packed world beyond its predecessor. The first season has its uneven moments, but it gives viewers enough laughs, action, and character chemistry to make a return trip worthwhile. Curtis has earned his place as a headliner, and that second season is well deserved.
President Curtis is available on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
