Review: Rick and Morty: Finals Week #1: Contested Convention

In the universe of Rick and Morty: Finals Week,  it’s finally Thursday, which means that the longest week of Morty Smith’s academic career is almost over. The subject he’s sucking at today is Civics, which has always been a weird and wooly subject for Americans. Compounding his academic annoyance is Morty’s teacher, who is one of those ‘creative’ types that insists on some kind of tangible proof that learning has taken place. Morty’s pitifully literal diorama on the three tiers of government catches Rick’s ire, so the two of them head off to the Oval Office to add some pizzazz to his project and generally stir things up with President Curtis.

 ‘Contested Convention’ is another great installment in the Finals Week arc. Curtis is running for reelection uncontested, which sets up a perfect opportunity for Rick to sow the seeds of havoc. We also get to see Political Advisor Morty wearing a little suit, which is always adorable. In the grand tradition of The Candidate, Head of State, and Bob Roberts, a dark horse candidate is suddenly thrust into the race, and hooray, it’s  Doofus Rick! 

Doofus Rick was first introduced in the episode Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind – he’s the least respected Rick of all the Ricks, but he quickly develops a real, honest connection with Jerry. If they weren’t always bullying him, the other Ricks would realize that Doofus Rick has a lot to offer the team. He’s emotionally intelligent and empathetic, albeit a little slow on the uptake. 

In the race for the most powerful position in the free world, Doofus Rick gets to engage in the most basic of underhanded political rhetoric, and it turns out he’s great at it! It’s a lot of fun to see him win big with the crowds by slyly saying basically nothing. He also thinks his opponent’s name is President Curtains. Doofus Rick really runs roughshod on the president as part of Rick’s proxy war, and it’s always nice to see Rick get overly wrapped up in doing something pointless like politics. 

Beth also starts running for president, and the media really focuses on trying to get photos of her eating cylindrical foods. Whenever she says anything, she’s labeled as shrill, hysterical, and unpatriotic. At the time that ‘Contested Convention’ was written, there was no woman running for president, but now there is, and it’s pretty cool to see the similarities between this comic and real life. And by ‘pretty cool’ I mean ‘disturbing.’ 

I must confess that Curtis is one of my least favourite characters in the vast realm of Rick and Morty Land. Keith David does a phenomenal job as Curtis in the animated series, and I understand the desire to skewer one’s current political system by pitting it against the smartest man in the universe, but I just don’t get why this random political figure so consistently gets Rick’s goat enough to drag him into some bullshit caper. But ‘Contested Convention’ uses Curtis well – he’s focused on politics rather than therapists and lightsabers, which makes him feel like a more realized character. Also, Oni Press, please do an Operation C.H.E.C.K.E.R.S. spin-off comic/toy line.

Even though Morty does a great job as a political advisor in this comic, (he even gets his own lackey) it’s not enough to bring him out of the depths of academic despair. It’s looking like he’ll be getting an ‘F’ in Civics after all. Tune in for Friday next month, which seems to have some kind of time travel thing going on!