Analyzing Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 3: A Critical Review

Highlights

"Air Force Wong" continues the disappointing trend of recycling old storylines and characters, lacking original ideas.

Rick once again steals the spotlight, leaving other main characters like Morty sidelined and ignored. While there are some amusing moments of satire, the episode disappoints in its failure to effectively utilize guest stars and introduce fresh elements.

Rick and Morty's disappointing season 7 continues with another episode that lacks Morty's presence and relies heavily on recycled storylines and characters. In "Air Force Wong," the President tries to win over Rick's therapist, Dr. Wong, in order to recruit Rick's help in saving Earth from his ex-girlfriend, Unity, who has infected the entire population of Virginia. Unfortunately, this episode's reliance on old material falls short compared to previous seasons. Although Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden have successfully replaced Justin Roiland as the voices of Rick and Morty, the scripts they are working with lack the sharpness and craftsmanship of earlier seasons.

Written by Alex Rubens, who is known for being one of Rick and Morty's strongest writers, "Air Force Wong" disappoints despite Rubens' track record. Rubens has worked on memorable episodes like "Big Trouble in Little Sanchez" (the one with Tiny Rick) and "Rick: A Mort Well Lived" (the one where Summer "does a Die Hard"). With his experience on shows like Community and Key & Peele, two highly acclaimed comedies of the 21st century, expectations were high for Rubens' contribution to season 7. While "Air Force Wong" is not a terrible script and has some clever lines, it suffers from fundamental issues that have plagued the rest of the season.

For starters, Rick embarks on yet another solo adventure without Morty, rendering Morty a mere side character in season 7. In the second act of "Air Force Wong," Morty briefly appears to inform Rick about a plot development. However, instead of delivering the exposition himself, Morty leads Rick to a TV where a newscaster presents the information. Subsequently, when Rick realizes he must take action, he leaves Morty behind and instructs him to remain indoors with the doors locked. The rest of the Smiths also receive minimal attention, with Summer making a fleeting cameo appearance and no sign of Beth and Jerry. Similar to how The Hangover trilogy gradually sidelined other characters to focus primarily on Alan, Rick and Morty season 7 shows little interest in exploring the lives of any major character other than Rick.

"Air Force Wong" relies on recycled storylines and characters from previous season 7 episodes, lacking any original ideas. The premiere revisits Rick's drunken antics with his friends, while the second episode revisits his reluctant partnership with Jerry. Similarly, "Air Force Wong" rehashes Rick's ongoing rivalry with the President and his complicated relationship with Unity. However, the novelty of dating a hive mind was already explored in the more captivating season 2 episode, "Auto Erotic Assimilation." Moreover, Rick's skepticism towards therapy, his heartbreak over his breakup with Unity, and his begrudging respect for the President have been covered more effectively in previous episodes.

Rubens' script provides moments of satire through the President's character. He amusingly refers to Earth as "America's planet" and casually offers Dr. Wong a handgun as if it were a mint or tissue. Keith David brings delight to the role, delivering every one-liner with his booming voice (though some lines fall short). However, the President's main desire in this episode, to have a 100% approval rating, feels outdated since it hasn't been relevant since 2020.

It is noteworthy that the producers were able to secure the return of both original guest voices: Susan Sarandon as Dr. Wong and Christina Hendricks as Unity. However, despite their status as A-list stars, they are given limited opportunities to showcase their talents in this episode. Hendricks reprises the same role she had in her initial appearance on Rick and Morty, while Sarandon serves primarily as a sounding board for Rick rather than a formidable intellectual challenger. While it is acceptable for Rick and Morty to revisit characters from the past, it is important for the writers to have a valid rationale for doing so – unfortunately, that is not the case with the President, Dr. Wong, or Unity in this week's disappointingly derivative installment.

Season 7 continues to be the worst season for Rick and Morty. Instead of improving the season and getting the show back on track, "Air Force Wong" replicates the same mistakes seen in the previous two episodes. It rehashes old storylines, mocks outdated satirical targets, and disappointingly, Rick and Morty have limited screen time (with Morty's appearances being extremely rare). Although there is still time for season 7 to regain its quality, the first three episodes have failed to deliver a single compelling episode.

"Air Force Wong" - Rick tries to free the state of Virginia from his hive mind ex-girlfriend Unity while stopping his therapist from dating the President.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about Rick and Morty Season 7 Episode 3, titled "Air Force Wong." On the one hand, I appreciate the show's willingness to experiment with different storylines and characters. The episode's focus on Rick's relationship with his therapist, Dr. Wong, and the President of the United States was a refreshing change from the usual Morty-centric episodes.

On the other hand, I can't help but feel like this episode was a bit of a letdown. The plot was predictable, and the jokes fell flat. I also didn't care for the way the episode sidelined Morty. He's one of my favorite characters, and it was disappointing to see him relegated to a supporting role.

Overall, I think "Air Force Wong" was a mediocre episode of Rick and Morty. It wasn't terrible, but it didn't live up to the high standards set by previous seasons. I'm hoping that the show can turn things around in the next few episodes.