Well, here we are. Day two of our Archer extravaganza. How are we feeling? To tell you the truth, I’m feeling at bit crunched for time. Only one more day left and still a whole season to go! Not that it isn’t a labor of love, but it is still a serious time commitment. Well, I suppose I should stop wasting what time I do have on looking forward when really the whole point of these posts is looking back. Looking back on awesomeness! So here we go. Season Two!
Favorite Episodes:
# 14 Pipeline Fever – I will say that this is probably my favorite episodes in this series. It’s not super-action-packed, or especially touching, or particularly any one trait we come to associate with the show. What it is, is an extremely well crafted set up for one joke, with some other stuff thrown in. We get a little more of Lana’s past while Archer makes an ass of himself (Par for the course I suppose). But as Archer is reveling in his excitement to finally use he phrase “I’m commandeering this air-boat!”, and the subsequent rush of driving said air-boat, an unfortunate series of events (well really just one event) leads our two heroes to shlep across a marsh with goodness knows what swimming around them. Archer lets slip that he is walking around wasted deep in his three worst fears. As usual Lana is relentless and eventually gets Archer to tell her what those fears are:
1. Alligators
2. Crocodiles
3. Brain Aneurysms
So what may we ask does this last item have to do with the other two? “Nothing that’s what makes them so frightening. They can happen at any time!” I’m sure there are better quips throughout the series but for some reason this one continues to be my favorite.
#19 Placebo Effect – This episode is just ridiculous. But in the best way possible. In the previous episode, Malory has a scare, and suspects she may have breast cancer. This prompts Archer to get checked and he discovers that he actually has cancer (Malory’s is a false alarm). At the beginning of Placebo Effect we see Archer bragging about how easy it is beating cancer. Krieger is quite disturbed by this and tests Archer’s drugs with some even more disturbing results. The drugs Archer is taking are not drugs at all but some cleverly disguised sugar-water and Zima, which is apparently some type of alcoholic beverage put out by Coors for light weights (someone please tell me if this isn’t what the show is referring to). Once Archer learns that he isn’t getting his Chemotherapy he is extremely enraged. Once he realizes his new friend Ruth is dead and perhaps could have been saved by the real drugs, he is even more pissed off. Needless to say, Archer goes on a rampage to find the head of whatever organization is profiting from these fake drugs. However, once he gets ahold of the real medicine, he begins treatment mid-rampage which spawns all sorts of hilarious mishaps due to his weakened state. Anyway, all is well that ends well. He finds the goon, beats cancer, and even has a cool movie to show for it: TERMS OF ENRAMPAGEMENT!! (but of course that’s a working title)
#21 Jeu Monegasque – I’m not really sure why I like this episode so much. Probably because it most resembles whatever it is I associate with espionage and being a spy. Swanky tuxedos, high stakes gambling, attractive women. And of course, an awesome car chase which ends in formula one car crashing into a helicopter (I feel like this is taken pretty much verbatim out of some Bond movie but as of yet it hasn’t come to mind). Anyway, it is also a prime example of Sterling’s Triple-A Power Play (and yes the A’s do stand for awesome), which is absolutely hilarious. In all, Archer and the team spy their way to the top, and retrieve what appears to be another sex tape of Malory (Jesus woman!).
I’m skipping the quotes/quips section of this post because quite frankly I’m too tired to try to remember them all.
Important Plot Points:
# 12 A going concern – In this episode, Len Trexler attempts to buy ISIS and marry Malory. Archer’s plan, which meets a surprising amount of success, is to plant a chip in Trexler’s brain and mind control him out of wanting to do either of his original intentions. This episode seems to call forth a lot of literary references. They test the chip on a Rabbit first and then use it on Trexler. For some reason Trexler becomes quite focused on rabbits after the implant prompting the line: “Can we give Lenny the Rabbit? (Nice Of Mice and Men reference there. Also makes me wonder if the writers had this joke in mind when they named him Len in the first place. Seems like an awful lot of planning for a one-liner but bravo)”. Also, the demon/Malory montage they show Trexler is a pretty accurate representation of Alex’s own brainwashing in the movie A Clockwork Orange (which of course was a book which I still need to read).
#13 Blood Test – The first appearance of the Wee Baby Seamus and the implication that Archer is his father. Leaves it kind of ambiguous at the end of the episode who the father really is. Best guess is Cyril (This is again alluded to in Stage Two when Trinette says: “He’s not even your real kid!”).
#15 The Double Deuce – Really like this episode because we get to see further into Woodhouse’s past. Pretty important stuff considering most of the time he isn’t allowed to sit at the table. But this time he gets a whole episode!
#18 Stage Two – As mentioned earlier, Archer finds that he has cancer. Sleeps with Lana again. Seems important somehow.
#19 Placebo Effect – Of course, the aforementioned rampage, but also a look into Krieger’s past. Turns out he speaks perfect German, grew up in Brazil, and is a possible genetic clone of Adolph Hitler (WTF!!)
#20 El Secuestro – In this episode we learn that Pam is one tough cookie, and severely under-rated. Also, and perhaps more importantly, Cheryl is an Heiress. And perhaps even MORE importantly, she has an ocelot!!!
#23 Double Trouble – A lot of stuff happens in this episode. First off, Archer falls in love with a suspected double agent. ISIS renounces him and orders a strike against him, positing that if he won’t leave Katya (wow just putting the Kasanova thing together now), he is also a double agent. There is a big shoot out at Archer place which results in him marrying Katya. They’re about to tie the knot when Barry shows up and kills Katya (well actually she dies tackling Barry off a ledge so technically she dies at her own hands but you know Archer is blaming Barry for it). Oh right and Barry is apparently a cyborg! Episode ends with Barry yelling something about being 1 for 3 from the ledge and we don’t really know what happens to him.
Well, I think that gets you caught up to speed. Hopefully, I’ll be able to watch the next season before the new one airs on thursday! Get excited! Laters.
alligators and aneurysms! 