Review: Archer “Best Friends”

Overview(Spoilers Below):

A new day truly dawns for Sterling Archer when he finds a valet that he doesn’t just like, but one who leaves him absolutely enamored. Archer feels like he’s found a true kinship with Aleister and a serious connection soon forms between the two of them. However, when a suspicious stint of assassination attempts strike Archer, his perfect new valet and best friend suddenly looks a little more questionable.

Also, is Ray being hunted for his life in Africa? Agency eventually gets to the bottom of this.

Our Take:

This season of Archer has been all about deconstructing Archer—both the character and the series—as he gets tested in every conceivable way possible. These episodes are about breaking Archer down and then bringing him back up and seeing what’s left standing. In this sense, “Best Friends” is another installment where Archer’s loyalties get tested and he has to confront a horrible truth. Right when it seems like Archer is getting his rhythm back there are fresh hurdles that attempt to trip him up and strip away his support systems and the people that he thinks he can trust. “Best Friends” treads down familiar territory, but it’s another episode that tries to examine just who Sterling Archer really is.

Simon Pegg does some really understated work here as Aleister, but it’s a performance that works and serves its purpose. Aleister’s not just the perfect punching bag, but he nails all the idiosyncratic behavior that only Woodhouse could accomplish, and he actually cares about Archer’s progress through his rehabilitative treatment. Malory even crushes real hard on Aleister, which is behavior that would typically leave Archer defensive and in recoil mode. However, his affection towards Aleister is so strong that he’s actually kind of into the idea of his mom getting together with his valet. This is clearly a big deal for Archer.

“Best Friends” is another episode of Archer that just looks beautiful, but the real highlight here is the showdown that plays out between Archer and Aleister inside of his apartment. The altercation begins in his kitchen and then spreads outward. It’s carefully choreographed and elegantly animated. The running joke that Aleister knows Archer so well that he’s able to remove all of his cleverly concealed weapons is also a brilliant wrinkle that forces Archer to improvise before he understands the true danger that’s at hand.

Matt Roller is once again responsible for the episode’s script and there’s a real fast-paced style to the jokes here. “Best Friends” is a very smart episode with some legitimate turns in it, but some of the episode’s best laughs are elaborate throwaway gags like Krieger growing a series of Woodhouse clones to solve Archer’s valet problem. The audience doesn’t get a chance to properly catch up with these quick and absurd jokes before the episode has already moved on to something new.

“Best Friends” continues Season 11 of Archer’s hot streak of hilarious and entertaining episodes that challenge these characters. There’s a lot of ground that gets covered here, but Archer still manages to solve a mystery, prove that he’s the best spy in town, and learn to love again. And that’s to say nothing of how he learns that improvements can be made to Eggs Woodhouse. “Best Friends” effectively carries on the season’s themes and it’s an episode of Archer that shows the character at his absolute best and worst. He may be done with valets, but let’s hope he finds a new set of eyes that he can rub sand into soon enough.