Alex Rubens: From Classic to Questionable
“Alex Rubens has traditionally been one of Rick and Morty’s strongest writers,” a fact that sets the bar high for any episode penned by him. Known for iconic episodes like “Big Trouble in Little Sanchez” and “Rick: A Mort Well Lived,” Rubens also boasts writing credits for 21st-century comedy gems like Community and Key & Peele. But despite this résumé, his latest venture, “Air Force Wong,” falls into the same trap as the rest of season 7—recycling material that fans have already seen, and seen done better.
“Air Force Wong isn’t a bad Rick and Morty script – it moves at a fast enough pace and it has some smart lines – but the episode suffers from a few fundamental problems that have marred season 7 so far.”
Morty, Where Are You?
Season 7 is best described as “Morty-lite,” or even Morty-free at this point. The titular character makes a brief appearance in “Air Force Wong,” and it’s barely even that. “Morty arrives briefly in the second act to tell Rick about a plot development. But Morty doesn’t even get to deliver the exposition; he just takes Rick to a TV where a newscaster delivers the exposition.”
Much like The Hangover trilogy eventually sidelined every other character to focus on Alan, Rick and Morty season 7 is uninterested in any major character besides Rick.
A Retread of Old Plots
Much like season 7’s previous episodes, “Air Force Wong” relies heavily on worn-out storylines. From Rick’s ever-contentious relationship with the President to his will-they-or-won’t-they romance with Unity, it seems like the Rick and Morty writers’ room is content to keep cruising down Nostalgia Lane.
“Everything that’s interesting about dating a hive mind was included in Unity’s original appearance in the season 2 episode ‘Auto Erotic Assimilation.'”
Celebrity Voices: From Utilized to Underutilized
It’s not every day that a cartoon can boast guest voices like Susan Sarandon and Christina Hendricks. Yet, their star power couldn’t save this episode. “Hendricks is given the exact same role she had in her initial Rick and Morty appearance and Sarandon is used as a deadpan sounding board for Rick as opposed to a real intellectual challenger.”
Satirical Misfires: The President’s Quest for Approval
The show’s satire also seems to be running out of gas. With lines like Earth being “America’s planet,” the President’s arc, in particular, is more dated than daring. “The idea of a U.S. President who’s irrationally obsessed with their approval rating hasn’t been relevant since 2020.”
Downward Spiral: Is There Hope for Season 7?
Despite the lackluster start, fans are holding out hope for a season 7 revival. But as it stands, “Air Force Wong” is just another example of how far the mighty can fall.
“There’s still plenty of time for season 7 to return to form but, three episodes in, there hasn’t been a single solid episode yet.”
As Rick would say, “Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!”—which, in Birdperson language, translates to him being in great pain. It seems like that might be the sentiment resonating with fans as they navigate through what is shaping up to be Rick and Morty’s most underwhelming season.
