Archer: Palace Intrigue Part 2 Review

“You can binge watch School House Rock in Hell,” shouts First Lady Calderon. “Actually, that sounds like Heaven,” retorts Archer. With you, Sterling? Indeed, it is. Indeed, it is.

This week’s Archer Vice would seem to mark the end of the Isis gang’s short stint as gun runners to South America, but if this is how it ends, then it went out on a high note. Essentially a farce about a warring couple, the thing that elevates this classic scenario is that this couple can be actually warring when one of them is a third world dictator who is more interested in wooing Charlene’s Outlaw Country than he is about the rebels at his gates. And the comedic gold it produced has been some of Archer Vice’s best.

First things first: Archer killed Cyril. Or at least he tried to when the jig was almost up about him sleeping with the wife of President Gustavo Calderon. Rather than face the music, which would have undoubtedly have a nice Southern twang, when Juliana threatened to spill the beans, Archer put one in Cyril’s chest to save face. Sure, Cyril always wears Kevlar when he goes overseas, but the value Sterling puts on his comfort zone with cuckolded spouses over Cyril (and probably Ray as well), never ceases to be anything short of hilarious. Kind of like when Cyril thinks he can command the group, even with a tank.

The Calderons provide the most fun, especially with the amusing voice talents of Fred Armisten and Lauren Cohan hamming it up as vaguely Latin and posh English proper. Gustavo loves Cherlene, but Juliana…tolerates her sham marriage to Gustavo while making love to Archer. And Archer doesn’t love anybody but himself, as Lana is realizing to the point of quitting tonight (expect that bombshell during the season finale). It’s enough court intrigue to make you wish the rebels would come in and kill them all. But alas, it is only Cyril in a tank.

Practically a behind velvet power play, the story relied on some hilarious Pam-isms, including her taking a bullet for Sterling and living thanks to weakened Kevlar (and probably copious amounts of cocaine). There is also a debate about the order of government branches Taft ascended to (hint it was the Supreme Court last), and a debate about if Archer thinks about anything other than himself. At least he mans up and takes responsibility for not counting the president’s bullets. That’s his thing. The only plotline that felt like a missed opportunity was Krieger joining his clones after realizing nobody likes him. Despite a wonderful development, Krieger’s teaming with three diabolical versions of himself should have provided for comic opportunities. Nevertheless, this episode was wry in its set-up and delivered throughout. Not unlike those joyful times with School House Rock.

Quotes from the Danger ZOOOOOOONNNNNEEEEEEEE!

-ARCHER: This place is crawling with rebels.

PAM: And not the good kind you get drunk with at Myrtle Beach and cruise the strip in the bed of their monster truck with a big Confederate flag on it, flinging empty longnecks at people!

LANA: Yeahhh…those aren’t actually the good kind either.

PAM: Now who’s racist?

ARCHER: Those guys, Pam. Those exact same guys you just described.

PAM: Oh, well now I feel like an asshole.

MALLORY: When do you not?

PAM: Almost always. I really like me.

-GUSTAVO: Juliana, I divorce you but wish you the best in the years ahead, which you will spend in a prison.

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