Review: Archer “Face Off”

Overview:

A criminal mastermind’s opportunity to obfuscate their identity through pristine plastic surgery kicks off a Costa Rica-bound mission–that’s definitely not a vacation–for the entire Agency team. The coastal setting gives these spies an excuse to let their guards down. However, Sterling suddenly grows invested in this case, and his future, but for all the wrong reasons. 

Our Take:

The very best Archer episodes are the ones that provide their own wicked slant on a spy or action pop culture classic, while also challenging the show’s characters in new ways. Archer has lampooned some of the more heightened action genre spectacles, yet it’s somehow taken them 140 episodes to touch on the John Woo classic, Face/Off. Archer provides a relatively grounded take on this movie instead of a parody where Sterling switches faces with Cyril or something. “Face Off” is an Archer episode that raises some important questions even if it doesn’t answer them all in the most satisfying manner.

This devastating diagnosis works especially well in “Face Off” since everything that precedes it indicates that this will be a light and breezy vacation-esque installment. Sterling is unable to relax while the rest of his colleagues mentally check out. With only two episodes of the series left, it’s unclear if Archer has any sort of larger endgame planned, but Sterling’s acceptance of his fragility would make for a satisfying finish. Archer isn’t the type of series that definitively needs to tie a bow around everything, but Archer’s retirement would be a suitable way to conclude the series that definitely feels final. Even Archer’s transition into Lana’s supervisory desk job role while she returns to the field would make for a pleasing finish that signifies growth for both characters. 

Unfortunately, Archer goes for the laugh rather than emotional realism, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it’s still a disappointment after seasons of moving in the opposite direction. “Face Off” doesn’t leave Sterling disenfranchised and ready to call it quits. It actually argues the contrary and leaves Archer feeling close to immortal rather than at a point where he’s willing to turn in his gun and spy gadgets. It’s ultimately a less interesting angle that’s clearly meant to be empowering to the character as the show says goodbye, but it feels dishonest on some level. This angle misses the opportunity to have a plausible excuse for Sterling to take a step back, not necessarily now, but soon. If anything, he gains an even greater superiority God complex by the episode’s end, which doesn’t seem like the right note for this story to go out on.

A lot works in “Face Off,” even if it’s a mixed bag narratively. There are once again exceptional visuals that often speak louder than words. The episode’s Costa Rica setting isn’t taken for granted and the whole entry is full of lush, gorgeous visuals of the area. This extends to the action sequences in “Face Off,” which begin with zipline-based chase sequences and later hit the heights of a vicious shootout in a busy hospital. There’s a spa-based beatdown that’s the episode’s standout sequence. It truly takes advantage of its surroundings and evokes some dark humor out of the plastic surgery setting. There are melting faces here, people. It’s undeniably one of the most visually impressive episodes of the season. 

This is an episode of Archer that has many great gags even if some of the broader storytelling decisions feel unearned. Krieger in particular is on fire in this episode and gets many of the best lines as his passive aggression towards the “easy” craft of plastic surgery increasingly grates on him. Zara’s complete embrace of plastic surgery also becomes a welcome counterpoint as this new wild card continues to add a lot to the standard Archer equation. There are also some especially twisted cutaway gags to Cheryl’s inner psyche that harken back to the show’s earlier seasons. 

“Face Off” is a good Archer episode, despite it taking the easy way out. It confronts complexity, only to ultimately avoid it. Archer only has two episodes left and every decision that’s made in this final season is going to be held to greater scrutiny. “Face Off” meditates on some interesting ideas, but its grander decisions make it feel like a more episodic installment instead of what should be the beginning of the end.