Review: Archer ‘A Debt of Honor’

Spoilers Below

Ron Cadillac.

Need I say more? (Because that would really save me some writing time.) Look, if you’re anything like me you’re fucked you’ve been eagerly awaiting the reappearance of Mr. Cadillac. I admittedly warmed pretty slowly to Archer when I first saw it, but I eventually settled in, with Season 4’s “Midnight Ron” (a.k.a. the episode where Cadillac is revealed to have a second job as a total badass) marking the moment where the show grabbed me with its sexy Japanese porno tentacles and hasn’t let go. Unfortunately, things didn’t go too well for our old friend last night. But wait, let me back up a bit.

The episode began with the gang pondering their predicament. The coke was previously sold for a chunk of counterfeit benjamins, and the important resources that [the organization formerly known as] ISS had, was being greatly outweighed by the things they need (as Archer said: “Okay, if we’re doing a list: 1) Bullets…”)

Taking matters into her own hands, Pam used the funny money to buy amphetamines from her yakuza contacts – a move that would make one think she had a death wish, since death is the only option when you screw over the Japanese mafia.

Thanks to an unusually long and detailed note that Pam left stuck to the door of her old apartment, the yakuza soon arrived at the Tunt Estate to settle their “debt of honor that can only be paid in Pam’s blood,” as relayed via Cheryl.

However, Ron Cadillac was the first to have his blood spilled, after being capped in the stomach by a sniper’s bullet. (Pam: “Talk about a floor model!”) Acting quickly, Cyril, Cheryl, and Pam fled with Ron into a one-mile underground tunnel that connects the mansion to the hospital. Apparently the Tunt Family history was a tad murky on the racism front, and included a great, great, great uncle that constructed a plethora of sub-surface passageways which he may or may not have built to capture and re-sell runaway slaves during the Civil War. Luckily, the “Underground” in Underground Railroad was only metaphorical.

Meanwhile, Archer covertly approached the yakuza boss (Hey, it’s George Takei!) and hatched out a deal.

In case you missed it:

1) Woodhouse was stuck somewhere again. This time it was in an old-timey gym, underneath a medicine ball.

2) Apparently Krieger’s Japanese hologram girlfriend has a tricky time differentiating between Swedish and Dutch people. And apparently situations in which this error can occur are not infrequent.

3) Pam’s side of her phone call with the yakuza (“Hi. Hi. Hi. Mmmkay, bye.”) better be a tribute to The Simpsons (S2E11 “One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Bluefish,” an episode I coincidentally also referenced in my Simpsons review yesterday) otherwise it was a total rip-off.

4) Did the bit about Pam’s drug salesman being dissolved in a barrel of acid make anyone miss Breaking Bad? Me too.

5) “Danger Zone” is definitely not a country song.

6) “Choke points” is not a sex thing. Okay, sometimes it is.

7) I might steal the phrase, “Shut your dicktrap!”

8) A Japanese Mafioso had the same sad sound effect on his phone as Archer (or Woodhouse, since it was actually his phone.)

This episode was relatively funny throughout. It had Pam as the “Cokey Monster,” plenty of insults flying back-and-forth, and some good action sequences in the latter half. However, I felt that something was missing for a large portion of the episode, and it wasn’t until a point near the end that I finally felt fulfilled.

Maybe it was due to the amusement from watching how the characters were both immersed in the plot, as well as aware of its ludicrousness (like when Cheryl naively suggested calling the police, and Malory sarcastically replied, “Ooh good idea. And when they get here we can show them the drugs we bought with the counterfeit money we got from selling cocaine. Oh and by the way, Officer, there’s another 2,000 pounds of it in the pantry.”)

Or maybe it’s because I have a fascination with underground tunnels. Seriously. I love the whole “hidden city” idea, and have been repeatedly entertained by stories about catacombs and escape routes. I’ve always swore to someday have secret passages if I ever have the opportunity to design or build a house of my own.

No, no, it’s none of these reasons. It’s Archer. It’s always Archer. The man spent 90% of the episode hanging in the background making jokes, but when the time to act arose, he descended under the mansion, popped up in the street outside, finagled his way into the yakuza boss’ car, beat up the driver, and worked out a deal to spare Pam’s life – all whilst being annoying, offensive, hilarious, and with-out-a-doubt the man in charge. And the man with the World War One short-barreled shotgun.

Sure, he also gave up an additional $5 million worth of cocaine, but Archer wouldn’t be himself if he wasn’t at least marginally fucking things up. Right?