So we are all back for the adventures of the spy whore who loves to live in the DANGER ZONE! Do not be ashamed people, it is no sin to love a cartoon character who says and does what we all wish we could say and do 95 % of the time while banging the shit out of a hot chick or dude (readers choice..no judgement here!).
So we start by ARCHER one of the greatest things they could ever, ever, ever do! Do a scene as Archer being Bob from Bob's Burgers (because we all know Archer voice actor Jon H Benjamin voices Bob as well) and saying everything that Archer says and does that Bob would never do, lol. Like saying how it is a shitty job and how he basically only know 2 of the 3 kids names and how they have to do all the cleaning up because the health inspector is coming...Archer you son of a bitch...never change! So why are the Russians coming for Archer and why has he been Bob for the last 2 months? lets find out after the jump! (I have no fucking idea what that means but hey Sepinwall does it so whatever)
So we go to the ISIS offices to find out what the rest of the gang has been doing since we last saw them. They fill us in on why Archer is Bob (he has Retrograde Amnesia for some reason) and that they are looking for him and have caught up with him because they spoke to his wife (cue all the shock and awe from the worlds most worst mom! lol.) Linda and realise he is a spa. Now although Krieger details out how Archer needs to be wooed back into who he really is and that a bang to the head with a frying pan will not do the job we just know that it will only take a bang to the fucking head by a frying pan because hey this is tv and has to be Chekov's frying pan...YOU GOT IT! Because I swear I will strip down and show you all the guns and knives I have attached to my body! and drink a shitload of Vodka and eat a fuckload of gummy bears! Great stuff!
So we get to the spa where Archer is relaxing. The show does a lot of lifting to remind us who these people are: Pam loves drugs, Mallory is a crazy bitch ass, self absorbed psychopath who has this weird relationship with her son, Cheryll is the rich and incredibly weird Tunt (phrasing! come again? seriously nobody?), Cyril is still Cyril (the worlds worst secret agent) and Krieger is the most wonderful character out there (oh Goatlee or Piglee)...hehehehe.
Lana approaches Archer and tries to play him and the team try and act as the KGB in order to knock Archer back into himself...the real KGB turns up and we get into a cool fight sequence and all shit breaks loose. Lana hits Archer with a Frying pan and what do you know he is back baby! we get a classic reminder of who archer is in the way he says Lana and berates her and also how he makes a lacross stick out of a broom and ice shovel and starts lobbying Molotov cocktails at the Russians (some nice subtle work done there).
The good guys wins and we finally learn what made Archer have a mental break, Mallory married a Cadillac dealer named Ron Cadillac and Archer just lost his shit and stole the limo (I love how the driver says he does not understand the core concept!). We also learned that Barry is the reason the KGB were able to track Archer!
So a fantastic return for out group of heroes that most people on the street would hate. I just loved how much fun the show had in getting all the characters to do and say things that we all love about them. The glee on Pams face when she screamed "Phrasing, boom first person to get there" was just so awesome! I loved how every Archerisms was put out there...Phrasing, Danger Zone, Core Concept, etc! I loved the serialisation that they did not forget about Barry and I loved that they reminded us of the weird relationship that mallory has with her son. I loved how Ron can just turn up in the end and everybody knows him and it is no big deal that he part of the group! A lot of shows are made to walk back a lot of the shit they did in a season finale in the premiere (Like Chuck quitting the CIA and blowing up the Buymore and they walk everything back in 4.01), not ARCHER. ARCHER made it a fun episode that flowed seamlessly from once scene to the next and set up what the season will be about, did he Barry, yes he did Barry!
If I had to give a grade and I will because I just love the fuck out of this show ! (But do not worry I will call them out on their shit!) Then I will give them:
95 Out of 100
For a season premiere this did not drag and they did a nice job of trying to get new viewers in while rewarding existing fans. They got a 1.0 in the key demo which is good for this show, well done!
-- Shawn Mahone