REVIEW: ARCHER “SPACE RACE II”

Episode Synopsis: Conclusion of the Season 3 finale: Archer and his ISIS colleagues voyage to the final frontier to prevent a catastrophe aboard the International Space Station. They come to wish they hadn’t. Original Air Date: Mar 22, 2012

Spoilers Below

Continuing from last week where all of ISIS were imprisoned by Anthony Drake and his space crew, Mr. Drake lets loose about a plan to kidnap the “perfect” Lana and all of the other ladies(Cheryl, Malory, and Pam)in efforts to procreate.  Plot sound familiar? If you ever seen 28 Days Later the early part of this episode is similar to the climax of that movie where the soldiers turn on Jim and the two girls in an effort to make kids and repopulate Earth. However, this is Archer and in Archer the…girls…fight….back! On one end we get Lana and the gang setting free a bunch of prisoners held captive to help lead a standoff against Tony’s crew, on the other end Cheryl dupes Drake into a trap where Pam and Malory then makes his crew surrender their weapons. Who would’ve thought though that Cyril has an itchy finger because he kills Kellogg and all the crew before he can fly everyone back to Earth. Thankfully, Cyril decides to take the reigns of the ship to get everyone home.

That is until Barry shows up to challenge Archer to a battle bot show down, only for Sterling to reject his offer in an effort to help ISIS get home. But, of course Archer has to show a course of bravado by wrestling is way into the cockpit to land the space ship and get everyone hurt…including Ray Gillette who is back in the wheel chair!

Barry might be my favorite character as his timing is always impeccable when he shows up, and the insults he rattles off at his arch nemesis Archer had me laughing out loud. The episode was really great, but I kind of wish they did a one hour special instead of splitting the episode into two parts but that might just be a minor thing for me. This was also Lana’s funniest episode in a while, what with her color commentary about her body that would pop up every now and then without warning with one-liners that would make her one-time lover Sterling green with envy.

I love Archer and think it might be the best animated series on TV right up there with South Park and The Simpsons. I did a fairly lengthy post as to why I think that last week, so I will conclude with eager anticipation of next season. But, if you really want me to sum it up, if you aren’t watching Archer you are missing some of the best television on air right now and I advise you to go on Netflix, check out the first two seasons, then by the time your done season 3 should be out on DVD in which case you will be ready for season 4!

(8.0 out of 10)