Ok so I was all excited about the 4th season of Archer coming on. To display my enthusiasm (but really I just needed an excuse) I decided to watch all 3 seasons of Archer all over again and do season recap posts. My hope was that I would use the momentum to do episode recaps once the new season started airing. It appears 4 posts in 4 days is just too much for me, even if the 4th post isn’t a whole season but just an episode. Anyway, even though I’m a week behind, I decided not to scrap the project, but to move forward and still do episode posts on Friday Monday after watching the show on Thursday (hopefully in the next couple of weeks it will just be posted on the Friday after but I’ve been busy). After all, something has to keep me posting on this damn thing (thinking of doing an Americans serial when that shit comes out but I wouldn’t hold your breath). So, I’ll be posting about two episodes today. Dont make it weird.
Season 4 Episode 1: Fugue and Riffs
I don’t need to say how excited I was about this episode (already have been gushing on about it for a while), but I was pretty stoked. And on the whole, this episode delivered a strong start to the new season. Loved the Bob’s Burgers cross-over, which probably did exactly what it was supposed to, because now I want to watch that show too. Well played FX. Well played. Anyway, the essential plot is that for some unknown reason, Archer runs away from ISIS (again ugh) and believes himself to be some nobody named Bob, who isn’t a spy but owns a burger place. Some KGB agents try to dispose of him and in prime Archer fashion, he takes care of them instead. This doesn’t bring back his memories though, instead he just wonders how he is able to use krav maga (I’m assuming that’s what he used but who knows) and speak Russian. Definitely had a Jason Bourne moment there but he moves on (god I wish I knew more about spies!!) and goes on the run again. ISIS tracks him down and tries to ease him back into the life of espionage and intrigue by setting up attempt on his life. Lana, Archer, and the rest of the ISIS team are supposed to shoot blanks so no one gets hurt. A real KGB hit squad shows up to actually kill Archer (or I guess still Bob at this point) and they’re not shooting blanks (kind of feeling a Die Hard 2 moment there. Oh and why are they making another one of those? Well whatever, I’m sure I’ll still love it!!). Finally, Archer gets a frying pan slapped over his head (don’t really remember exactly what happens here) and he’s back and ready for action. They dispose of the hit squad and the episode ends with Archer’s new step father showing up!! Right so apparently Malory got married and that’s why Archer wandered off in the first place. Personally I felt like I missed something but that’s the way this show seems to work. I’m expecting a season 3.5 to be released at some point to get us from the end of last season to this one, but I probably won’t get to see it until I buy season 4 so . . . That’s that. Oh and apparently Cheryl is freaking out over ostriches. Damn groovy bears!
Episode 2: The Wind Cries Mary
Not sure how or why this episode would reference a Jimi Hendrix song (which is probably a cover/reference to some even vaguer blues song) but maybe if I talk it out I’ll realize what’s going on here. Probably not though. Anyway, the basic plot arc of this episode goes something like this: Mallory is reviewing the meeting agenda and mentions Luke Troy (Timothy Olyphant); Archer has a flash back to some Jock/Fratboy style fun in the locker room with some vaguely homosexual undertones to which every other ISIS team member is 100% certain is more than just an undertone. Of course Archer denies all and asks about his friend who is, apparently, the only one he’s ever had 😦 Moving away from that sad realization, Mallory drops and even sadder one at Archer’s doorstep: Luke is dead. Of course Archer is in denial and while attempting to defend the heterosexual nature of his best and only friend, he receives a phone call (I’m impressed he actually picked up) which he pretends is from Woodhouse concerning Reggy’s escape (yes the lemur). In actuality, Luke is alive and in need of rescue. Archer is on the case and sneaks off to save his friend. Of course he doesn’t turn off his phone so ISIS is able to track his every move. They send Lana and Cyril after him. As it turns out, Luke is totally gay (good thing they didn’t send Ray) and wants to start a bed-and-breakfast/grow old with Archer out in the middle of nowhere a.k.a Vermont.
Lana and Cyril show up to save Archer from this bad romance but of course trip the security on the way in so Luke can see them coming a mile off (Cyril’s neon orange snow gear likely helped with that. God do we hate Cyril). He drugs the wine Archer is drinking and goes to deal with Lana and Cyril. Luke knows the two of them like the back of his hand (apparently Luke trained at ISIS and then went to ODIN instead) and knows their every move. It isn’t looking good for Lana and Cyril. As I think we should all do when in extreme danger, Lana takes off her pants (in the snow! so cold!!) and advises Cyril to get completely naked. We cut to the next shot which is Cyril lying down naked in the snow with nothing but . . . well nothing between his junk and the snow. Even Luke is stunned by this turn of events which gives Lana the element of surprise, and enough extra time to drop a tree on him (I wish that were a euphemism). Archer eventually catches up to the scene and just as Luke’s last breath is about to leave him, he confesses to Archer that during some mission somewhere the two of them did something unspeakable. Together. Well it must have been unspeakable because we don’t actually get to hear what it is. We just get a shot of the forest and the sound of Archer screaming NO!!!! There is an awkward riding home sequence but basically that’s the gist of the episode.
And since beginning this post I’ve listened to almost the entirety of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and I’m not putting together the reference. If anyone knows this one please comment below! Thanks.
On the whole, this episode was good but seemed kinda filler. I may have some greater relevance as we move forward in the season but I’m not seeing it just yet. Maybe we’ll find out later. I suppose there is one more corpse we can bring back as a cyborg just to get Archer all worked up. A final face off with Cyborg Barry, Cyborg Katya, and Cyborg Luke could be a great season finale although I’m not sure how our lovable hero would handle it. Likely a glass of scotch and a plane ticket to Whore Island but that’s all just speculation. Anyway, until next week! Laters.
alligators and aneurysms! 