Archer Review: “Three To Tango” (Season 6, Episode 2)

The writing is predictably on point, with Conway sniping Archer with his trademark quips, Lana getting some great one-liners and a well-placed 2001: A Space Odyssey reference somehow ending up in the mix. And what “Three to Tango” does to advance the season’s main story so far – namely Archer and Lana’s unconventional relationship now that she’s raising his child – is also intriguing.

Archer ended last week with a resolution to be involved in the raising of his child, and this episode finds him really jumping headfirst into that. On the mission, he hits on stewardesses and slips into moments of his typical, cocksure inanity, but the one thought he keeps coming back to is the one Lana really doesn’t want him to ask: If something happens to us, what would baby Abbiejean’s future look like?

Lana has already thrown Archer a bone by letting him into Abbiejean’s life but, unshockingly, Archer is one of those “give-them-an-inch-and-they’ll-take-a-mile” people. Of course, Lana has already arranged for Abbiejean to live with her parents or sister in the event of her death, that makes perfect sense, but Archer is suddenly so committed to the idea of full-on parenthood with Lana that learning her contingency plan doesn’t include Malory both surprises and hurts him. As much as he’s high on the idea of taking responsibility, Archer hasn’t quite come around to the notion that others might not be ready to hand it over.

Still, Lana’s concern is obvious when she realizes she can’t support Archer after he accidentally locks her and Conway inside the limo when stepping outside to dispatch an Argentine security team. And later, when Conway shoots Archer in the back in what would be a fatal attack on literally any other series, she’s horrified. Lana still cares deeply about Archer and I’d go so far as to say that she loves him on some level, but she can’t (yet) bring herself to entrust her baby to someone who has practically turned wanton recklessness into his brand. Archer may be trying to change, but he’s still Archer.

Stray thoughts:

• The B-Team: This week’s sideplot was barely there – Malory is in charge of Abbiejean but loses track of her, only to find Krieger using her to draw up schematics for a robot with the dimensions of a human child. Meanwhile, Carol wields a knife while tearing apart couch cushions, Pam takes advantage of her extensive alone time in the company bathroom, Ray proves why he’ll never be a good father by sucking in an entire cigarette in one breath, and Cyril… well, Cyril mostly whines. Mildly entertaining, but certainly not a strong side to the episode.
• Really no love for Carol/Cheryl this week. Conway calls her “the crazy Jewish Santa chick,” Malory identifies her as a “lying, little COUNT-ry music wannabe,” and she even winds up getting choked in a bathroom stall. Though I’m willing to bet she’s not too torn up about that last one.
• “I’m not really in the mood for a WD-40 and coke… unless that’s literally the only thing to drink.”
• Is there ever a universe in which Archer’s cover names don’t suck?
• “What are you doing, Dave?” – Malory’s desktop, after she pushes it off the desk. (This was the one bit that really killed me this week.)
• Meanwhile, over in Krieger’s Lab: The Cyber-Nettly Tedly, aka Mr. Bear-Jangles, is the most terrifying toy your kid is definitely going to beg for Christmas this year.