Archer - "Fugues and Riffs" - Review

Archer could have chugged along as a better than average spy spoof, but as the series went on it became something more. The dialogue became sharper, the cast deepened and expanded, and the scenarios became increasingly more outlandish and absurd. Carried by some of the best voice acting on television, Archer became one of tv’s best animated series, and arguably one of its best comedies.

Few series could get away with the totally bizarre premise of “Fugues and Riffs”. H. Jon Benjamin who voices Archer, also voices Bob Belcher from another very different animated series Bob’s Burgers. Benjamin’s inimitable voice work doesn’t change too much from one show to the next and fans have commented on just how similar, when you get down to it, all his performances are. So Archer goes undercover as Bob and loses his memory of ever being Archer. When KGB spies track him down and try to kill him, he flees the restaurant to protect what he believes to be his family (the way they translate the Belchers to the very different animated style of Archer is a thing of beauty).

Meanwhile back at ISIS, the rest of the spy organization is scrambling to find and deal with the consequences of Archer forgetting who he is. The series gets away with how totally implausible and weird the plot is by just running with it, accepting that it doesn’t make sense but acting as if the audience honestly won’t care. One explanation after another is quickly given to us until mad scientist Krieger describes to us how Archer must be in a fugue state that needs to be delicately handled. 

Everyone follows Archer to the hotel he’s shacked up in, in order to jog his memory. Lana befriends him, and Cyril and Krieger pretend to be KGB chasing him. But then real KGB pop up and complicate the whole matter. And it quickly devolves into a ridiculous fight sequence by the pool with everyone yelling at one another. 

This may just be the show’s most awesomely crazy scenario yet (and that’s saying something for a show that sent its cast into space). While there’s probably a tad too much set up to get to the meat of the story and that leads to less jokes than usual, it’s uniquely, strangely, darkly comical.

Stray Observations:

-John Roberts’ Linda Belcher gets in some good lines for her brief appearance: “Were you speaking Russian?”, “When you gamble?”

-“Ostrich. They’re good. Shut up!” – Somehow I always buy into Cheryl’s quirks no matter how flat out odd they are.

-“Said the fake doctor” “What are your parents’ names?” –Krieger and Cyril’s fighting prove to be some of the episodes funniest lines.

-Also: “His mind-brain is rejecting his real identity” “Mind-brain? That’s a real thing?”

-“Have you ever met anyone less damsely?” “Pam”

-“Sour mix in a margarita? What is this Auschwitz?”

-“Oh, why don’t you just join a support group?” “What for crippled gay hillbilly spies?”

-“You hate everyone at work” “That’s what gets me up in the morning”

Grade: B+

What did everyone else think?