Review: President Curtis “Knox”
When President Curtis first spun off from the Rick and Morty universe, the lingering question was whether the show’s supporting cast could carry a narrative without relying on interdimensional portals or mad-scientist interventions. Eight episodes into its debut season, Adult Swim’s political-paranormal satire has proven it has plenty of fuel in the tank. Episode 8, “Knox,” delivers one of the most character-focused installments yet, stepping away from Commander-in-Chief Andre Curtis (voiced with charismatic gravitas by Keith David) to dig into the dysfunctional past of Jim Rash’s Special Agent O’Doyle.
The premise kicks off with a high-stakes, surreal robbery at Fort Knox. When the federal vault is hit under bizarre circumstances, President Curtis and Chief of Staff Rho Banks (Stephanie Beatriz) assemble the team alongside the FBI to lead the manhunt. However, what initially looks like a standard national security emergency quickly turns personal.
The investigation drags O’Doyle directly back to his roots, forcing him to confront long-buried baggage, estranged family figures like Órfhlaith O’Doyle, and old rivalries to crack the case.
While Keith David’s booming presidential delivery remains the anchor of the series, “Knox” acts as a showcase for Jim Rash’s neurotic, rapid-fire comedic energy.
O’Doyle has spent much of Season 1 as the butt of the joke—the overwhelmed, perpetually stressed agent trying to maintain federal decorum amidst cryptids and government conspiracies. Giving him personal stakes in “Knox” elevates his character beyond a punching bag, striking a balance between ridiculous physical comedy and genuine character development. The dynamic between O’Doyle and Beatriz’s sharp-tongued Banks continues to be one of the show’s strongest assets, offering a great counterweight to Curtis’s regal authority.
Written by Anne Lane and directed by Juan Meza-León, “Knox” excels at building out the weird, dark-government underbelly of the show. Rather than calling in sci-fi tropes to resolve the plot, the episode leans hard into procedural tropes paired with absurd paranormal logic.
“Knox” is a standout chapter for President Curtis as it heads toward its season finale. By shifting the focus onto O’Doyle’s past issues, the series proves it can build genuine emotional investment and top-tier comedy out of its ensemble cast without relying on its parent series.
