President Curtis Review – A Welcome Addition to the Rick and Morty Universe

The Rick and Morty multiverse has just gotten a little bigger.

Originally appearing in the Rick and Morty episode “Get Schwifty,” United States President Andre Curtis has been a recurring character, popping up throughout the series. Voiced by the always amazing Keith David, President Curtis has been both an enemy and ally to Rick and Morty.

Now, from creators Dan Harmon and James Siciliano, President Curtis has been given his own show.

The series centers around President Curtis and the unusual events that surround his daily life. Accompanied by no-nonsense Special Agent O’Doyle, voiced by Jim Rash, and Curtis’ new Chief of Staff, the cyborg Banks, voiced by Stephanie Beatriz, they take down threats to America.

I really liked the character of President Curtis when he appeared in Rick and Morty, and now we get a look into his day-to-day life. The show embraces the same bizarre humor fans have come to expect from the franchise, while giving Curtis and his team a chance to shine on their own.

As always, Keith David is great in this role. Yes, David has a very recognizable voice, but I’ve seen him in several animated projects. While you can always tell it’s him, it’s the way he plays each character that makes them feel different. The same is true in his live-action work. A voice actor doesn’t necessarily need to do a ton of different voices—it’s all in the performance.

I love the way Curtis is portrayed. He doesn’t take any flak from anyone or anything and has no problem getting his hands dirty.

I like Jim Rash as Special Agent O’Doyle. He delivers O’Doyle with a dry yet menacing voice. I have to admit this one shocked me because if you look at Rash, menacing is not something that comes to mind. Regardless, Rash is great in this role.

Stephanie Beatriz is great as Banks. Honestly, I’ve seen Beatriz in live action and heard her in other animated projects, so I was genuinely surprised to learn it was her. I love her character as this cyborg Chief of Staff. There’s a bond between Curtis and O’Doyle, and Banks fits in well with the two of them.

At the end of every episode, President Curtis takes a shower and sings about what just happened. For some reason, that cracks me up every single time.

This show is a great companion piece to Rick and Morty, and if you love that show, you’re going to love President Curtis.

President Curtis will debut July 26 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT on Adult Swim, immediately following the Rick and Morty season finale. Episodes will be available to stream the next day on HBO Max.