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S06.E01: The Holdout


Tara Ariano
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I caught this at the Archer panel at NYCC. It was a definite improvement over Archer Vice (and I LIKED that whole season).

 

"You're up to your nipples in cobra whiskey and ladyboy hookers?"

"...YOU DON'T KNOW ME!"

 

The reveal that the cool new office was just a hologram for the regular office was one of the best things the show has ever done. I remember everyone going nuts over it at NYCC. But Pam & Cheryl essentially being back to normal was gold here. They got every detail of the office down exactly, right down to Brett's bloodstain. For no reason other than "the look on your dumb face."

 

So...they kept the Krieger clone, I'm guessing? Or is it the brain-damaged one? They're still being vague about it.

 

NEXT WEEK: The return of Christian Slater and Conway Stern!

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I'm with Archer and Malory; big thumbs down to the name Abbiejean.  I'm just calling her AJ.

 

Good start to the season.  It's funny how they just basically reset everything to the way it was prior to Archer Vice, and I'm thankful for it.  Poor Malory not getting her all-white room. 

 

I thought Ken was definitely going to die, so I'm glad that he made it and had his nice call with his wife.

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I enjoyed this one too, more than most of Archer Vice.

 

Archer's interaction with the Japanese holdout was a blast.  I wonder if they were inspired by the death of an old Japanese soldier last year (the name escapes me) who held out until 1974, nearly 30 years after the war had ended.

 

The fakeout was funny as hell and Mallory deserved that one.

Edited by benteen
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Is it too early to speculate what Abbiejean's first word will be? I'm thinking "Phrasing," with "Boosh" and "Fignuts!" being the longshots.

 

Good way to reintroduce the series, from the bland office to Pam's weight gain. I liked the "Vice" season, but I understand why it couldn't last. And "Ken" was a nice parallel to the show itself though I suspect the anvils could have been lighter, though.

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Archer Vice had it's moments, but I'm perfectly fine with them going back to the basics.  Granted, there are a few changes: they work for the CIA now since real-life events have ruined the ISIS name, Lana and Archer dealing with being parents, the office now has a secret hot tub, and I suspect there will be a few more things.  Oh, and Krieger.  I totally suspect he's actually one of those clones.

 

Fun return, although I noticed it mainly focused on Archer himself this time, while the rest were mainly in the B-story.  But, the stuff with Archer and Ken were both funny and actually kind of nice at times.

 

Really, Malory.  Even if Archer wasn't the brain child behind the "new" office, you are taking a big gamble no matter what by putting Pam and Cheryl in charge of, well, basically anything.  Granted, no one here is exactly someone you want doing anything too important, but I think Lana and even Cyril would have been safer bets.  At least you get toast!

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My biggest problem was that it's simply too late to have a still physically fit Japanese soldier running around from WWII. He didn't even seem like he was 70, much less like he was in his 90s. Woodhouse's age works because they play it up, Monty Burns style. This, however, was just a potentially good idea that ended up being distractingly flawed.

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I found Archer through this site (thank you forever) and the first season I saw was Vice. I loved it because I didn't have something to compare it to, but checked out the rest of the series for backstory. I think I missed out on the "What?!?" of the introduction of Vice and I'm glad of it. Possibly stronger than most fans give it credit for although YMMV. <br /><br />That being said, I am really looking forward to what the reset may bring.

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I actually felt sympathy for Mallory.

 

The Meta-Humour was a bit on the nose with everything returning to the exact same state, but a little different. But I enjoyed the reset, except the old office, with the same blood (type) stain. Nice call back to Brett though

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The KGB is still running right? I mean, last we heard. Although I suppose Barry might have just killed everyone there by now.

 

Oh, I just remembered something: was the bloodstain on the office floor supposed to be a recreation of Brett's death, or was it cumulative from all the times he got shot before that?

Edited by PinkRibbons
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Archer's interaction with the Japanese holdout was a blast.  I wonder if they were inspired by the death of an old Japanese soldier last year (the name escapes me) who held out until 1974, nearly 30 years after the war had ended.

 

I was going to say that this was a real thing. The main plot was actually pretty good. The guy finding everything out was tough on him, and Archer seemed actually sympathetic about the nuclear bombings. 

 

Of course Pam doesn't wear panties. I also think it's pretty funny that Archer bangs ladyboys and it's not a big deal.

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I liked Vice but I liked it as an occasional diversion from type. Keep things from getting stale. Now let's get back to what we do best.

I kinda thought what they did to Mallory was weirdly mean and not in a funny way. Then again putting Pam and Cheryll in charge was I'll advised so you get what you paid for.

The Archer StUff did nothing for me but then I often find him the least interesting person on the show.

So do I understand this correctly? Is there a secret room that only Pam, Krieger and probably Cheryl are aware of? I wonder how long that will last with Pams big mouth and Cheryl's insanity.

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So...can someone please explain the timeline of Archer? It's in the 1960's right? But the modern day refference throw me off.

 

Also does anyone else think that the soilder daughter Kieko will hook up with Archer later down the season?

 

I always like to think that it takes places either in the 1980s or the 1990s (which would explain away a few of the newer technologies, like cell phones and computers) but, I  also like to think that it takes place in some sort of alternate universe. 

 

As with him hooking up with Kieko's daughter, well, I don't think so (or hope he doesn't). Only because I want Kieko to be a 90 some year old man that has a 90 some year old wife in Japan. Which might make his daughter 60-70 years old (and a possible grandmother).

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Oh, I just remembered something: was the bloodstain on the office floor supposed to be a recreation of Brett's death, or was it cumulative from all the times he got shot before that?

 

Recreation of Brett's death. And that it was a part of trolling Malory was just a great touch.

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I think the show takes place in the present day, but because they're such a fairly shitty organization and/or because Mallory doesn't want to spend money, they have shitty equipment.

 

In this episode, Archer had a sat phone with internet on it and make a comment how the computers are so small now. They weren't that small in the 80s and 90s.

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Loved it. 

 

The return of licensed spy shenanigans was very welcome, after the misfire of Archer: Vice, and the return of the old office was funny, as well as being a cruel joke to play on Mallory. I'm glad Pam's fat again, and Cheryl is back to being her usual crazy self, instead of her country singer crazy self.

 

I laughed out loud at Ray soothingly patting Mallory on the back as she cried, then shoving her and running away.

 

I really like Sterling's bouts of whimsy, like feeding a banana to that deer while he was talking to Mallory. It makes him so much more likeable, even when he's being a complete douche.

 

"Japan has no enemies! You're like... I wanna say a Platypus, but I'm not sure if that's an accurate analogy." I'm pretty sure it's not, Sterling.

 

As for the show's timeline, I think it's deliberately ambiguous, as hinted in Sterling's 'layers upon layers' chat about where things stand with the USA/Russia/China/Sterling/Lana. It's modern but retro, so they can have the KGB and WWII survivors still fit enough to fight, but also the internet and mobile phones and holographic projections of cool offices. They're never going to clean up the question, so why ask it?

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Did anyone else feel like Jessica Walter was having a really bad cold when she recorded the first scene where Malory calls Archer? Her voice didn't sound right to me, especially when coming through the phone. I also thought Aisha Tyler might have been having some voice trouble when they recorded this episode, although it's not particularly obvious.

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Anyone have a link to photos and/or video or wish to post some of what Pam looked like thin.  I cant remember for the life of me what she looked like thin. 

 

She looked like this (and I can't but laugh at how ridiculously big her boobies are):

Archer504_SkinnyPam.jpg

Edited by TVSpectator
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While I liked Archer Vice as for as it went, I am glad we are back to form.

Pam's weight gain makes complete sense. Her weight loss was a direct result of her extreme drug addiction. Take away the drugs and absent a serious effort on Pam's part, and the weight comes back.

As is the case with pretty much every season, the question of what Mallory is scheming is already on the table. Lana said that Mallory is the one who convinced her to impregnate herself with Archer's "goop." This seems a contradiction of Mallory's self-absorbed, age-denying personality. Mallory even wanted the baby to be named Mallory. Is she sick, or just finally confronting her mortality?

Edited by Happytobehere
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Did anyone else feel like Jessica Walter was having a really bad cold when she recorded the first scene where Malory calls Archer? Her voice didn't sound right to me, especially when coming through the phone. I also thought Aisha Tyler might have been having some voice trouble when they recorded this episode, although it's not particularly obvious.

 

Yes. For a moment, I actually thought they'd replaced Jessica Walter, because it sounded like someone doing a middling impression of her. There was one particular line read where she sounded almost soft and motherly, which is just flat out wrong for Mallory Archer.

 

I'm not sure what the idea is with Mallory pushing Lana to use Archer's goop, but it's a little disappointing if that's the case. I liked that Lana seemed to have thought it out, confronted her feelings for Archer and the practical genetic realities, and made the decision herself. Mallory being involved just gives it a Machiavellian bent that it didn't need.

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So...can someone please explain the timeline of Archer? It's in the 1960's right? But the modern day refference throw me off.

 

Also does anyone else think that the soilder daughter Kieko will hook up with Archer later down the season?

It's obviously an alternate universe where the KGB never fell, but I do think it's this century, because, unfortunately, in both universes, the "comedy" stylings of Dane Cook still exist.

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I wonder who came up with that idea first, Lana or Mallory? And how much convincing did Mallory have to do to Lana to get her to do that?

I think it's both her admitting her age and being herself!

As is the case with pretty much every season, the question of what Mallory is scheming is already on the table. Lana said that Mallory is the one who convinced her to impregnate herself with Archer's "goop." This seems a contradiction of Mallory's self-absorbed, age-denying personality. Mallory even wanted the baby to be named Mallory. Is she sick, or just finally confronting her mortality?

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Season 6 is off to a good start even though I don't quite understand Mallory's goop grabbing.  She was originally trying to make Archer get a vasectomy at the beginning of the series!

 

How long is Milton, the machine that makes, LET ME FINISH, toast going to last in that office?  That's how you get ants.

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Season 6 is off to a good start even though I don't quite understand Mallory's goop grabbing.  She was originally trying to make Archer get a vasectomy at the beginning of the series!

 

How long is Milton, the machine that makes, LET ME FINISH, toast going to last in that office?  That's how you get ants.

 

Can't resist:

 

a7dcd8d098868fc3d577c37bb23dc596.jpg

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Was I the only one who remembered that Archer already has a child - Seamus?  Why is the show acting like this is the first time Archer's heard the words "You're a babydaddy"?

 

I think Trinette stopped with the "Archer is the wee-baby Seamus's father" after he got his named tattooed on said wee-baby. Trinette even said in the episode that the kid wasn't Archer's and they both knew it. I wonder if she's still getting the child support checks though...

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I think Trinette stopped with the "Archer is the wee-baby Seamus's father" after he got his named tattooed on said wee-baby. Trinette even said in the episode that the kid wasn't Archer's and they both knew it. I wonder if she's still getting the child support checks though...

 

Yes, I think that Trinette is still getting the child support checks only because Archer (and to make a long story short) switch his blood sample with Cyril's (which is what many fans believe is the real father of the wee baby Seamus) and was mandated by the courts to pay child support for the rest of his life (and before Barry relieved any results Archer basically made the child support iron clad). Although, Archer knows that Seamus isn't his son and Trinette knows as well. Plus, Archer got the name "Archer" tattooed on Seamus' shoulder, and Archer got "Seamus" tattooed on his shoulder when Archer was diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

That was the last time we saw Seamus and Trinette. Although, I do wonder if Barry knows that Archer switched the blood samples with Cyril's 

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