Season: 6 / Episode: 2
Like clockwork or rather like a running gag around the world “literally,” Archer got back to that comedic murda muzik this week with a great episode. For one, its hard to go wrong when you begin your episode with Slater (not Mr. Slater, not even Christian…) and Malory. Second, WELCOME BACK CONWAY STERN. We “literally” have not seen him in action since the third episode ever, “Diversity Hire” (unless you count the non-speaking aside when Krieger gave him a bionic arm sometime back). Colby Bell is back to do the voice of Conway and again, he’s great. His delivery of clever phrases and puns (beating Sterling to the punchline and frustrating the hell out of him) is a welcome call back to Archer origins. The mission this week is for Lana and Sterling to extract Conway as a CIA operative, but of course, it gets much more complicated than that. All the history that was built from their last interaction is on display and used well here, the weird ambivalence between Lana and Conway, the inevitable double cross and of course, the fight scene between Conway and Sterling is almost a work of art.
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One thing Archer has always done really well is multitasking, as in, conversations going on in normality while some crazy action sequence is taking place. This happens twice in this episode and both of which are either hilarious, entertaining or both.
Back in the office, the whole crew gets involved as Mallory is winning more parent of the year awards in her brief stint as babysitter for AJ (Lana and Sterling’s daughter). AJ is missing in the office, and Malory is willing to choke, berate and shoot the genitals off of anybody that might have something to do with that. Also, do we know which Krieger we have back in New York after that whole debacle from last season? Like, there’ s strong possibility he’s a different clone, right?
The gut punch moment of the episode comes at the end, when Lana finally concedes to Sterling that he’s behind about 17 of her family members before he or anybody would become the legal guardian of their daughter. Welp. Of course, Sterling bounces back pretty quickly when he learns Lana has a sister. When it’s hitting on all cylinders, not many shows have scenes with this much heart and completely turn it on its head for a good comedic moment.
This feels like vintage Archer and even though I liked season 5 in parts, this feels even more vintage than that. The jokes all hit well, the recall of jokes was done better than it had previously been, and the return of Conway was about as good as you would think it was going to be. Let’s hope the momentum keeps up.
Mic Drops:
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- “Does anybody mind if I go first because I want to go first. He literally, stabbed me, in the back.”
- “Is it appropriate to have two separate 80 minute intervals of dump time?”
- “Grab whatever you need, which I presume are some fresh 9 volt batteries, and let’s go.”
- “I bet he has Gaius Baltar’s…home address.”
- “And you’re the only one around here that hates babies.” / “Only the people kind.”
- “You are a bit curvier than I remember.” / “I had a baby.” / “Ohhh. Nevermind.”
- “Puke Skywalker.”
- “Are you making tea? Because I could really use some. With some honey and lemon. And also bourbon. Except no honey or lemon. Or tea.”
- “I’m Archer-izing this plan” / “No, no, Archer, I will not let you turn yourself into a verb! I will not allow it!”
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