As Archer Vice continues, one immediately noticeable change this season is that the individual episodes no longer seem to operate in a vacuum. In previous seasons, there was the odd two- or three-part special, and past events would be referenced. But the episodes rarely picked up immediately where the previous one left off.
Here, we are immediately dealing with the aftermath of the botched deal to Charles and Rudy. Malory is understandably furious, Pam is still hopelessly addicted to cocaine, and everyone is freaking out, until Cyril points out that the fake money they received for the drugs is highly convincing; perhaps they could put the money to use to “buy” back drugs or weapons.
Pam takes it upon herself to spend the money (after finding out that there isn’t a “Scrooge McDuck-ian” stash of drugs somewhere in Cheryl’s mansion), and ends up buying a million dollars’ worth of amphetamines from an old foe of ISIS: the yakuza, the leader voiced by the wonderful George Takei. They quickly realize they’ve been duped, and after the funniest sequence of the episode, also quickly find discover the location of the mansion, where everyone is holed up and consoling a now-sobbing Pam.
What follows is a medieval-style standoff, with the yakuza waiting for the former ISIS agents to make a move. One thing this episode does really well is highlighting the cast as a whole. While many episodes have focused mainly on Sterling and Lana, with a dollop of Malory, Pam, Cheryl and co., this episode takes place solely at the mansion.
This episode features Cheryl as more task-oriented than ever before, while still remaining gloriously unhinged (her excitement when Lana mentions “choke points” is hysterical). She reveals details of her uncle’s less-than-honourable activities, but also helps contribute to an escape plan (and arms Sterling with a WWI-era gun that he puts to unorthodox use when confronting the yakuza head).
Nearly all the cast gets at least one excellent line, from Krieger’s racially-insensitive announcement of the yakuza at their door to neglected character Ron Cadillac talking about how he “smoked a reefer cigarette once.”
And as per usual, the episode brings out laughs from normally unfunny scenarios. Early in the episode, Malory complains how the only car she got through being married to Ron was a floor model, and later Ron is shot in the chest by a sniper. The shock only lasts for a few seconds, until Pam quips “Talk about a floor model!” Woodhouse continues to be neglected, describing himself as “slowly dying, if anyone cares,” only in this episode surrounded by sports equipment as opposed to an empty swimming pool.
By the end of the episode, the group is even worse off in their drug-dealing scheme than they were last week. At this point, it seems like their problems are only going to compound, so maybe their only hope is Cheryl’s country music aspirations — assuming Ray can beat his newfound alcoholism and fulfill his duties as vocal coach.
Lines that made the episode
“Take me to lunch.” “It’s 8:30.” “Take me to the bar, then,” -Malory channeling Lucille Bluth
“You are addicted to cocaine!” “Your words!”
“You shoot like an old blind woman.” (Cue cellphone noise)
“To me it sounds like bubble wrap.” -Sterling, discharging an old gun in close quarters continuously
