S08.E08: Archer Dreamland: Auflösung

[OnceSane]

Quote

Archer visits Dreamland and receives a big break that leads him to Woodhouse's killer.

[Galileo908]

Archer has ALL of his tools. That's why he has all that rope.

"Climbing up to their mountaintop rape shed." Damn. Also, loved how everyone was questioning how that worked.

And I thought siccing the robo dogs on Dutch was anti-climatic...until they pretty much ate him. And then Lurch killing the dogs. And then Poovey shooting Lana several times. Holy shit.

It took Dreamland Archer to finally care about Woodhouse. That scene at his grave was really touching.

And...okay, what happens now? Another season in Dreamland? Who messed up Archer's office? Archer wakes up at the beginning of next season, pretending like none of it happened? In any case, this was a pretty good ride. Definitely one of the best seasons in ages.

Of course there's no happy ending, it's called a noire for a reason.

Edited May 25, 2017 by Galileo908

[benteen]

Not as a good as recent weeks but still fun and this was a great season.

Pam shooting Lana repeatedly was the funniest scene to me.  Poor Pam at the end...what an interesting note to end it on.  Archer at Woodhouse's grave was pretty funny too.

[Chaos Theory]

Not a bad ending for what amounts to one of the best seasons of Archer.  I am both surprised and not surprised that Archer didn't come out of his coma.  It leaves room for another series of Comaverse.  You know where  Lana is alive again even though according to Archer she is dead in every universe.....like you know he is.

Ironically the last episode is probably my least favorite.  I didn't really like the ending all that much.  I did like Charlotte's jokes about toast.  All Krieger's stuff was fun as always.  The madman with a heart of gold was gold.  I have never liked Barry as much as when he is Dutch.  Honestly I am not sure why I just didn't care for the last episode as much as all the rest.  

Poor Poovey not getting her Chinese sister wife happy ending. 

Cecil and Trinette ending up together was a nice touch.

Edited May 25, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[TVSpectator]

Well, that was a good but sad ending. Seeing Archer at Woodhouse's grave was a touching way to end the character and also end the season.

A few thoughts:

- First, does this mean that the next season will be also taking place in Archer's LA Dreamland or what? Was the series canceled or something? What is going on in the real world- is Archer a vegetable?

- the ending of the robo dogs was really violent and a bit graphic but I understand that they needed to kill them because they turned on Kreiger and didn't follow his orders. 

- The way Lana died was funny and sad in many ways.

- Also, I believe that the saddest part of the whole ending was seeing that Poovey's "sister wives" left him and they even all signed their names (in Chinese) while he cried at the kitchen table. 

- I did like that Cecil and Trinette ended up together. Part of me was wondering if Trinette would end up having Cyril's baby like she did in the real world but instead she married Cecil. Which, honestly, is better than sleeping with Cyril. 

Edited May 25, 2017 by TVSpectator

[Galileo908]

4 minutes ago, TVSpectator said:

- First, does this mean that the next season will be also taking place in Archer's LA Dreamland or what? Was the series canceled or something? What is going on in the real world- is Archer a vegetable?

I know the show is going until season 10.

[TVSpectator]

5 minutes ago, Galileo908 said:

I know the show is going until season 10.

Thanks. I do remember hearing something like that a year or so ago but I was just wondering where is this show taking us for next season.

[Temperance]

The robo dobermans are throw back to when Kreiger's origins were first discussed. Kreiger (Stage two, episode 2.8) says his pet dobermans "ate his father" on his twelth birthday. 

Charlotte's obsession with toast reminded me of Milton.

I was trying to see how the season would play out, but wow, that was...  I know I'm in the minority, but we haven't had a good season finale since Archer Vice. Season 6 was cute, but didn't make much sense. Season 7 was depressing. Season 8 was somehow more depressing. I watch this show for light-hearted entertainment. Every moment doesn't have to be funny, but it would be nice to have more levity especially with the world so dark. 

[CaptainTightpants]

Colour me pleasantly surprised that Mother did NOT kill Woodhouse. I was really expecting the finale to go in another direction, and I'm glad that I was wrong. 

The death of the robo-dobermans was upsettingly graphic though! I had to look away. And now the poor little butt obsessed robo-kitty only has stupid Krieger for company. Dutch was right, what did he expect when he turned a murderer into a superman? You ain't getting Mary Poppins, that's for sure. 

I thought this finale was beautifully shot. The final scenes were impactful and really stayed true to the noir feel of the season. 

I have no idea where they are going for next season, but I for one would be very happy if the stayed in the 40's. Or even a foray into the WWII flashbacks that they have been showing all season. Maybe Lana could prove Archer wrong by showing up as a provocateur for the French resistance. 

And I bet Cyril would be an inept Nazi in Archer's dreamscape! 

Edited May 25, 2017 by CaptainTightpants
Spelling

[Temperance]

Spoiler

So on the question of  who killed Woodhouse it makes perfect sense. I was waiting Nikolai Jackoff to show up, but he never did. Jackoff remains to this day the most likely suspect for Archer's dad.  But in some ways, Woodhouse is Archer's father, or at least the man who helped raise him.  So it makes sense that Woodhouse, a father figure, is killed by the same person who killed his possible bio dad in real life. 

[Doyounot]

I knew they would bring up his love for Charotte from last week and they used it so well just when she was about to get eaten he did it for love! "That is without a doubt the saddest thing i have ever heard" Ha! I laughed so hard at archers oh jesus christ!

All the stuff that happened because no one let anyone finish! ...Hair trigger, is she...ok. also it changed how barry said sooner rather than...later!

[Lantern7]

Dang. I think Archer might have earned its second Emmy.

I have a few quibbles, the main one being Poovey killing Lana. Wouldn't Cyril have been a better fit? I mean, shooting the wrong people is his M.O., at least in the world we're used to seeing.

Why didn't the dogs eat the cat? Not like he/she would be aware, what with the constant bathing and all.

Cecil & Trinette probably wouldn't work in regular continuity. Whatever happened to her? I only found out recently that she's voiced by the actress that played Janice on Friends.

At least Woodhouse got a little love from Sterling somewhere. Better tribute than everybody's most-harried valet getting the vinyl figure treatment.

Mr. Zerk: first initial "B"?

"Auflösung" = "Resolution." I was curious.

[acid burn]

Holy shit snacks, that eight episodes went by fast!

I actually teared up at the end with Archer at Woodhouse's grave, and also at the belated send-off to George Coe.  Solid season and finale.

[Snookums]

Wait, so, was that the ending? What the hell?

Those poor doggies! I did not need to see that. 

[Scott]

2 hours ago, CaptainTightpants said:

I thought this finale was beautifully shot.

I've enjoyed the look of this whole season very much, but I actually paused this and stared at one of the backgrounds for a few minutes (where they're driving out of the tunnel which is now the 110 freeway--it was just perfect, down to the detail in the LA coat of arms at the top).  

On the flip side, I was greatly disappointed that they didn't have the same design for Woodhouse's tombstone that we saw in the first episode.

[TresGatos]

What a beautiful episode. I laughed so hard when the robo-dobermans attacked Barry, who was genuinely scary in this universe, and then the dobermans being ripped apart by the love-struck goon and Archer's comment that he didn't have a flashback for this! I was dying. And Kreiger mourning his dead dobermans - saying he had nothing and the robo-kitty meowing and Kreiger telling him (her?) he (she?)  doesn't count. Charlotte throwing the chair because the dobermans were ruining toast and then using her throwing of the chair as justification for not taking any further actions and her telling the love struck goon in what dream world would they ever end up together? Perhaps a world where Cecil and Trinette end up together? The German implied incest porn magazines were a brilliant touch. Then Archer walking into the blinding white light, his stop at Woodhouse's grave where he said he would see him again and boy did they ever kill the shit out of Lana! Add, to that, the death of Poovey's dream future, right when she had the cash to make those dreams happen, although I am happy the Chinese ladies took their destiny into their own hands. I hope they stay out of brothels unless it's a shared feminist collective. In all, an exquisite season (despite the complete lack of Ray for the latter part of the season). With 8 episodes this does feel like half a season and that there should be a Part II coming which, I guess there could be but I am fascinated by where this could go.   

[Joimiaroxeu]

The moment when Archer reloaded his gun confused me. Did guns in 1940s have insertable clips like that or was it just Archer again taking dreamscape license with reality?

This may have been my favorite season of Archer. I thought it was beautifully rendered from beginning to end.

[OnceSane]

No!  Robo-doggies!  That was both hilarious & gross.  Though I loved their takedown of Dutch.

And I was so sad that Poovey's women left her/him.  I wanted to see her daydreams come true.  Especially seeing all of her kids graduating.

Archer at Woodhouse's grave…couple tears.  Can't wait to rewatch the whole season!

[Morrigan2575]

I loved this season and I thought this was a great finale.

The Robodog deaths were too graphic I had to look away. I don't like seeing animals, even cartoon ones, hurt.

Loved, loved, loved Poovy repeatedly shooting Lana. I was just so slapstick hilarious.

I'm not sure I liked the Barry as Wood house killer aspect. I get it from an Archer dream perspective but, story wise it didn't work for me.

I did love the film noir style ending with the Cemetery talk and, then Poovy crying over the loss of his "sister wives" and future dreams.

[Chaos Theory]

I didn't find the dogs getting torn apart overly graphic anymore then I found a woman getting repeatedly shot.  These were attack dogs for one.bit I know how some people are about animals.  Dutch ripping people's heads off and kicking their corpses is funny but kill a dog is somehow crossing a line.

Zerk falling for Charlottes was sweet but her reaction to it was pure her.  

I do think having Dutch be Woodhouse's killer and doing it for no reason fits with the way Archer sees Barry.  His nihilism and violence fits.   

[Independent George]

11 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

The moment when Archer reloaded his gun confused me. Did guns in 1940s have insertable clips like that or was it just Archer again taking dreamscape license with reality?

Yup - it's a Colt 1911. It entered into service as a US Military sidearm starting in... 1911. 

Edited May 26, 2017 by Independent George

[TheInnerClown]

3 hours ago, Independent George said:

Yup - it's a Colt 1911. It entered into service as a US Military sidearm starting in... 1911. 

Think it's a Browning Hi-Power, or else John Moses Browning saying Archer gets the money doesn't make that much sense. 

[Independent George]

So thought this was probably the show's best season overall (at the very least, it's neck-and-neck with S3), the finale felt a little disjointed to me; Barry's off-hand reveal as Woodhouse's killer just felt a little... meh. That said, there were a lot of gently moving scenes in it - Archer at Woodhouse's grave, and Poovey weeping at the kitchen table, even Lana's death (despite all the slapstick about the trigger). I think the reason Barry's reveal felt so wrong was that in every other aspect, the season was totally committed to the Dreamland world. This reveal did nothing (and still left hanging the question of who ransacked the office that very night).

My favorite this season was Cecil - I know he was only in a few episodes, but I think I laughed at every single one of his lines. Actually, both of the Vandertunts just rocked it this season - it's too bad they didn't have any interaction, but maybe that would have caused the universe to explode due to awesomeness overload.

6 hours ago, TheInnerClown said:

Think it's a Browning Hi-Power, or else John Moses Browning saying Archer gets the money doesn't make that much sense. 

Browning invented both (though the Hi-Power wasn't completed until after his death). And a crap ton of other guns, too. Also, the Hi-Power had a double-stack magazine, so Archer wouldn't have had to reload (assuming Poovey didn't empty another six rounds into Lana). (I'm a bit of a gun nerd).

[mammaM]

Brilliant! I loved this season though I can't tell where they're gonna go with it next season. I could see them continuing Dreamland,, or just doing a "...several months later...." and Archer talking about the weird coma dreams he had.

And count me amount those who were sad Poovey's dreams didn't come true, "he overcame dyslexia!!!"

[Netfoot]

7 hours ago, TheInnerClown said:

Think it's a Browning Hi-Power, or else John Moses Browning saying Archer gets the money doesn't make that much sense. 

Browning designed the 1911 colt as well as the Hi-Power.  He pioneered the entire system of operation used by most large-caliber, semi-auto pistols today.

[Morrigan2575]

On further reflection I'm a little surprised by the non ending. I really thought the season would end with Archer waking up.

I wonder if next season will be another dream season? Maybe we'll get a series set in WW2 (from Dreamland Archers flashbacks).

[tennisgurl]

Very ending ending/season. I was convinced that Archer would wake up at the end of the episode, but maybe they want to do another Dreamland season? I would be alright with that, but I also would like to get back to the real world at some point. I really liked this season and the new variations on the cast, but I miss the old crew.

I found it to be a really funny, but also bittersweet season. The end at Woodhouses grave was funny, but also quite sad and meaningful. The show really does have a knack for being really ridiculous and filled with really fucked up weirdoes, but they really have earned some geuinune emotional emotions.

The biggest surprise to be we never saw Nikolai Jackoff show up, considering he's still the most likely candidate as Archers biological father. Maybe next season if we stay in Dreamland?

[Kel Varnsen]

The noir ending was a perfect way to cap a great season. Really the only thing i think they missed was not showing us who Cyril's wife was. Because everytime Poovey mocked him for Archer screwing her it was funny.