Review: Archer ‘Edie’s Wedding’

 

Spoilers Below:

Archer is truly one of those shows that feeds off of its characters. Each one has their own role and pulls their own weight, and it usual takes a showing by all to feel like a balanced episode, but basically everyone on the show is capable of having a starring part every once in a while. (Yes, even Krieger!) This week it was Pam, and, as we have been looking forward to since NYCC, we got to meet her sister.

Pam’s bullying sister Edie was getting married and asked her to be a bridesmaid. Sterling agreed to accompany Pam to the wedding in rural Wisconsin, but was followed by Barry, making his triumphant return to the show. Barry kidnapped Pam, and Archer made chase with her reluctant sister. The two dudes battled, and Pam eventually intervened to shoot Barry. He emerged from the flaming wreckage left by the group à la Terminator II, only to be run down by an ambulance. Of course he was still alive in the end.

Meanwhile, Lana was looking for someone to babysit AJ, but Malory was off on a trip with Ron Cadillac, Ray avoided her, Krieger was busy building a brown note gun (Lana instead just asked him to “promise to use his powers for good,”), and Cheryl was…Cheryl. Cyril was eventually asked, and agreed, hoping to score points with Lana.

In Case You Missed It:

1) Pam has a very odd cry.

2) Whose C+ paper was posted on the fridge?

3) Can we talk about why Cheryl was eating a plant?

4) The Econo-Tel sign said: “PO0V3Y-EKBLAD W3DD1NG”

5) Pam said Archer looked like, “A maitre-de on a dinner cruise for gay republicans.”

6) Was Krieger’s devious laugh and refusal to be good another nod to him being an evil clone of himself?

7) Barry’s actual worst nightmare (not Pam) is him and Santa Claus getting chased through the snow by Lurch from The Addams Family.

8) Nice reference to The Warriors by Barry.

9) I miss “Mulatto Butts” already.

Oh, Pam. If it wasn’t for Krieger (and possibly Sterling) you would probably be my favorite character. Coked up or sober, skinny or chunky, agent or HR Director: Pam Poovey is endlessly entertaining. “Edie’s Wedding” gave us a peek into her past, and allowed her yet another opportunity to shine. Plus, as episodes like season 5’s “Southbound and Down” display, Pam and Archer make a hilarious odd couple-like team. They clearly care for each other, but bicker constantly, each one-upping the other in terms of insults. Edie (a wonderfully cast Allison Tolman) was a dead-ringer for Pam’s sibling, matching her demeanor, but with a crueler, more biting personality. When she and Archer were alone together and conversing, it made for an oddly familiar odd couple.

I also thoroughly enjoy the ongoing feud between Sterling and Barry, and this was no exception. Barry is better than anyone else at terrorizing Archer (okay, maybe Malory) and his quips and insults slay me. Plus, you can’t tell me you weren’t awed by the animation in his last scene, when he was struck by Ambulance-driving Arn (he of the BJ), and flickered in and out of consciousness.

Although I have made it all about the characters at this point, “Edie’s Wedding” was a solid showing across the board. The plot was amusing, and didn’t even involve any actual secret agent work. In fact, Sterling tried to cover up the fact that he was a spy for most of the show, and not because he was working. So this is yet another example of the diversity in plotlines (despite the fact that the Barry thing was a throwback) and in addition to the whole previous season, more evidence that Archer doesn’t need the whole agent thing to keep the show afloat.

I would have hoped for (and expected, based on the description on paper) a bit more humorous dialogue, especially compared to last week, but there was definitely enough to keep this character study successful.