Season 3, Episode 13
Given the relatively poor job that Archer has done in wrapping up hanging storylines, both in terms of how the “Heart of Archness” trilogy played out, and really just the overall Katya storyline, I think I can be forgiven for being skeptical of this, the season finale of Archer and the second half of the “Space Race” storyline. However, given that “Part I” was so much better than any of the three “Archness” episodes, I guess it shouldn't be surprising that “Part II” managed to pull just about everything off so well.
As I said last week, what made “Part I” so good was that it new how to end the first half of the story, as well as reposition the story for the next episode, and this episode was able to pick up on that advantage and run with it. That this episode dispensed with the antagonist astronauts fairly early into the episode's run shouldn't be seen as a weakness, but rather as a strength, since it allowed the show to do a good deal of wrapping up elsewhere (mostly by getting the ISIS team back to earth), while also allowing for a lot more character interactions than “Part I” did. Mostly though, this was just another chance to see the character's fucking around in space, and that's more or less enough, I think.
To that end, there was a lot going on in this episode, and while most of it worked - Carol's trying to become the Martian Queen, for instance, and most of Archer just fucking around with the Space Bot – some of it did not. And by some of it, I mean the appearance of Barry. Now, his coming after Archer on the space station was teased last week, so it's not entirely without precedent, but it was such a quick little scene that I frankly forgot about it, and it took me a few minutes to remember that yes, this wasn't just randomly thrown into the episode for the hell of it.
Though it certainly felt like it. Since going into this story we were led to believe that the main thrust of this two-parter was going to be Archer and Co. dealing with this group of astronauts, it felt a little off-topic for Barry to show up, especially since he was on the screen for a good few more minutes than the whole of the plot seemed to dictate. Don't get me wrong, it was funny to see him and Archer verbally spar, and kind of heartening to see Cyril do Archer a favor and trap Barry on the space station, but as a whole that plot point felt more like a stall tactic, a way to help the story stretch over two episodes, than it did an actual bit of story.
Still, this was an episode that left me laughing heartily, and in the show's trademark way where an episode slowly ramps up the humor over 20-ish minutes, so I can't complaint too much, especially considering how weirdly laughless a few of this season's episodes have been.
Quotes and Other Thoughts:
Cyril finally has the balls to start acting like a spy, and on numerous occasions over these two episodes, he ends up taking his killing sprees too far. Good way to close out his slight character arc for the season.
Also good: Cyril finally proves himself adept at something (landing the shuttle) and Archer manages to fuck even that up for him.
So, is Ray actually going to stay in the wheelchair this time?
“Make me...OOOOWWWW!” “Hehe. He said 'meow'.”
“Lana, the penis-to-your-vagina ratio around here is already creepy.”
“Yes, a whordiot.”
“Can we at least have beers?”
“Please, all you have to do is sit around all day getting laid.”
“You can kiss 3/5ths of my ass.”
“It's like a vagina with a zipper.”
“Well, now they're droopier.”
“Oh please, you'd do...name a noun.”
“Well, we could eat a big bowl of Hepatitises A through E.”
“And I'm telling you I didn't sign up for Animal Farm in space!”
“Oh please, you're not fit to queen of...name a place.”
“We're going to fly you back to earth, and you're going to stand trial for, whatever, space piracy.”
“A black astronaut, Cyril. That's like killing a unicorn.”
“Oh, just lifting a thousand pounds like it's an apple. No big deal.”
“And for what it's worth, I think you would have made a great Martian queen.” “DUHHHH!”
“Everybody, strap in.” “Really?” “I said in, not on, and ew.”
“Not just my ego, Lana. Space Bot's ego.”
“Now who's got a vagina problem?” “...Me.”
“Archer, you had an actual moment of goddamned self-awareness in space.” “So I deserve to land the shuttle!”
“Oh come on Ray, what the big deal? You already had the chair!”
“Did I tell you guys I bought a goat?”
To that end, there was a lot going on in this episode, and while most of it worked - Carol's trying to become the Martian Queen, for instance, and most of Archer just fucking around with the Space Bot – some of it did not. And by some of it, I mean the appearance of Barry. Now, his coming after Archer on the space station was teased last week, so it's not entirely without precedent, but it was such a quick little scene that I frankly forgot about it, and it took me a few minutes to remember that yes, this wasn't just randomly thrown into the episode for the hell of it.
Though it certainly felt like it. Since going into this story we were led to believe that the main thrust of this two-parter was going to be Archer and Co. dealing with this group of astronauts, it felt a little off-topic for Barry to show up, especially since he was on the screen for a good few more minutes than the whole of the plot seemed to dictate. Don't get me wrong, it was funny to see him and Archer verbally spar, and kind of heartening to see Cyril do Archer a favor and trap Barry on the space station, but as a whole that plot point felt more like a stall tactic, a way to help the story stretch over two episodes, than it did an actual bit of story.
Still, this was an episode that left me laughing heartily, and in the show's trademark way where an episode slowly ramps up the humor over 20-ish minutes, so I can't complaint too much, especially considering how weirdly laughless a few of this season's episodes have been.
Quotes and Other Thoughts:
Cyril finally has the balls to start acting like a spy, and on numerous occasions over these two episodes, he ends up taking his killing sprees too far. Good way to close out his slight character arc for the season.
Also good: Cyril finally proves himself adept at something (landing the shuttle) and Archer manages to fuck even that up for him.
So, is Ray actually going to stay in the wheelchair this time?
“Make me...OOOOWWWW!” “Hehe. He said 'meow'.”
“Lana, the penis-to-your-vagina ratio around here is already creepy.”
“Yes, a whordiot.”
“Can we at least have beers?”
“Please, all you have to do is sit around all day getting laid.”
“You can kiss 3/5ths of my ass.”
“It's like a vagina with a zipper.”
“Well, now they're droopier.”
“Oh please, you'd do...name a noun.”
“Well, we could eat a big bowl of Hepatitises A through E.”
“And I'm telling you I didn't sign up for Animal Farm in space!”
“Oh please, you're not fit to queen of...name a place.”
“We're going to fly you back to earth, and you're going to stand trial for, whatever, space piracy.”
“A black astronaut, Cyril. That's like killing a unicorn.”
“Oh, just lifting a thousand pounds like it's an apple. No big deal.”
“And for what it's worth, I think you would have made a great Martian queen.” “DUHHHH!”
“Everybody, strap in.” “Really?” “I said in, not on, and ew.”
“Not just my ego, Lana. Space Bot's ego.”
“Now who's got a vagina problem?” “...Me.”
“Archer, you had an actual moment of goddamned self-awareness in space.” “So I deserve to land the shuttle!”
“Oh come on Ray, what the big deal? You already had the chair!”
“Did I tell you guys I bought a goat?”
No comments:
Post a Comment