Surfing Cartoons: Archer – “White Nights”
And for dessert, we will have the truth! And hopefully spoilers for the latest episode of Archer…
“White Nights” was the second episode of Archer in a row that I really enjoyed, but somehow felt like it was missing something. In both cases, that something was a plot for the folks back at the office that would give them more than two scenes of screen-time. It says something about how great this series is when it can leave out my favorite half of the show for an entire episode and I still really enjoy it. This week was essentially a solo act for Sterling, as he heads into enemy territory in an unsuccessful attempt to find his real father. He ends up essentially narrating half the episode, and H. Jon Benjamin is great at it.
So, in summary, Sterling takes over a mission to Finland from Gillette so that he can try and find out if the head of the KGB is really his father. However, he spends too long monologuing to the audience about his plans, so he ends up landing in enemy territory and is tortured a lot. Malory pays ODIN agent Barry, whose life has been continually ruined by Sterling in the past, to go to Russia and save him (Gillette can’t go because he was unconscious for an hour, “which is super bad for you”, and Lana points out she wouldn’t exactly blend in). In the end Barry loses a leg because of Sterling’s shenanigans, after which Sterling runs around a bunch of apartment buildings accidentally stepping on broken glass and is eventually cornered in an elevator. He only escapes with the help of a vivacious Russian blonde, who asks him to take him back to America with her. And scene. The season finale is next week, I’m told.
This is all well and good, and actually played more like a real spy movie than a normal episode of this show. I have absolutely adored this second season, but sometimes I wonder if the show-runner Adam Reed is interested in it for the same reasons I am. It’s hard to knock something this consistently hilarious, however. In the end, the jokes hit with remarkable consistently, so even an off episode feels like the highlight of my night. This seemed like a lot of set-up for next week, and I am cool with that.
Quotes:
-“And you all know me, I’m no gossip, but that is some scandalous sh*t right there.”
-“This is to share. Look at me! To share!”
-“Who else knows about this?” “Just us, Krieger, just really, you know, the core group.”
-“I thought maybe I’d shoot you in the face and smuggle you out in a coffin.”
-“I thought they just wanted my hair so their scientists could unlock the secrets of its luxuriant fullness.”
-“What is wrong with you?” “Bitch, I got ants all over me!”
-“Are you implying my mother gave virgin birth?”
-“First of all, I didn’t throw you off of anything. I dropped you.”
-“Why are you wearing silk socks?” “Is that a joke?”
-“What is this? A broken glass factory?”
-“How is this happy fun time? Use your imaginations! Make a soccer ball out of a dead cat!”
-“I’m really rethinking that tetanus booster right about now.”
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