Review: Archer “Dough, Ray, And Me”

Overview:

The Agency team must ask very difficult questions as a season’s worth of conflicts come to a law-breaking, assassination-considering end. The ongoing Fabian problem coincides with more recent epiphanies regarding one of their own, the likes of which will either embolden the spies to be stronger than ever before, or cause them to fracture into useless espionage splinters.

Oh, and it’s hard to put icing on a pastry in a fast-paced patisserie. Do not try to rush perfection.

Our Take:

One of the most impressive turnabouts in Archer’s 13th season is its careful, justified use of serialization between the many missions. On their own, these missions function as standalone stories, but when they’re viewed in succession they weave a very sinister story that culminates in one of the more satisfying resolutions to a season. This elegant, subtle storytelling works for the broader strokes of the season and Fabian Kingsworth’s inevitable betrayal, but it’s been even more carefully integrated when it comes to Ray Gillette’s arc. 

Ray’s mysterious absences throughout the season have been addressed in various capacities, but in ways where the comedy always undercuts the subject so that there’s never too deep of an analysis over what’s really going on. On its own, Ray’s villainy comes across as a ridiculous obstacle for the season finale, but it’s a trajectory that’s also hard to question when his behavior from across the season gets laid out. “Dough, Ray, and Me” finds strength in the uncomfortable position that The Agency is put in for what could ostensibly be their final mission. This all provides a powerful emotional core to a busy, bold season finale that proves to audiences that Archer still has a lot of life left.

This season of Archer has been full of creative, excessive action setpieces that have involved everything from rocket launchers, to jet-pack train fights, to fistfights that take place hundreds of miles in the air. It’s comforting that Archer didn’t prematurely blow its load (phrasing!) in this department. There are still some genuinely fresh, explosive moments that occur in the finale’s second-half where everyone is in top form. Even the newly unhinged Cheryl is at her most unhinge-iest. There’s a brilliant beatdown in the patisserie’s kitchen that feels like it could be out of the next Mission: Impossible movie.

In addition to some stellar action and plotting, Mark Ganek’s script is also full of some exceptional wordplay and callbacks, many of which are dispensed by Slater. Ganek has continually stepped up to the plate in the post Adam-Reed years of Archer’s life and it’s fitting that he’s responsible for writing both this season finale as well as the premiere, “The Big Con.” There’s a definite symmetry that’s felt between the opposite ends of the season, which Ganek is able to frequently emphasize. This season has really proven itself with its serialized plotting and it’s so satisfying to see this finale successfully pay off on these ideas rather than drop the ball. 

The other major detail that’s been teased this season is who will permanently become The Agency’s leader. Most of the team have gotten opportunities to try this role on for size throughout this season that’s turned into a valuable way for the series to experiment with new dynamics, but also push these characters to look inward and discover if they’re fit to lead the team. While I initially lamented the season’s decision to not appoint Sterling as Mallory’s replacement, this year’s concluding choice to make Lana the leader is actually really smart. Lana would have seriously ruined this opportunity if it were given to her at the start of the season and it’s a level of responsibility that she spends most of the year actively avoiding. The recent epiphany that she’s experienced regarding A.J. has finally helped Lana pull herself together and this new leadership role is the right way to build upon that growth instead of finding comedy through regression. This new dynamic won’t completely change the feel of next season, but it’s still enough of a switch to rejuvenate what’s to come. 

“Dough, Ray, and Me” ends one of Archer’s most satisfying seasons on the right note with an episode that celebrates its characters just as much as it does international espionage and wacky spy mischief. It’s a smart finale that connects an impressive amount of dots from each of the season’s previous episodes, but in a way that never feels daunting or like it’s condescending towards the audience. There’s exceptional action, comedy, and storytelling on display in “Dough, Ray, and Me,” which also accomplishes the rare feat of fixing some of the season’s weaker moments after what comes to light in this finale. The season ends on such a pure, confident note that would make for a satisfying goodbye to Archer, but it also feels more capable than ever to keep this momentum going for another entertaining season of television.