Recap: 'Archer' - Un Chien Tangerine

Archer and Lana are on a rescue mission in Morocco to retrieve somebody by the name of Kazak. After a car chase, they track down Zazak’s GPS signal only to discover that Kazak is a large dog who is easily spooked by the presence of guns. Lana is now irritated with the mission while Archer is ecstatic about finally having a dog (and also reveals some more of his tragic childhood with his mother). When they’re forced to take a detour through the desert which involves Zazak constantly farting and throwing up in the car, Lana decides to quit her job and make it on her own in the desert. But when she is taken prisoner, Archer and Kazak must rescue her in a daring car chase. Back at the office, Pam has decided to apply as an ISIS field agent and manages to pass all the tests with flying colors. Mallory is only slightly surprised by this and sort-of-seriously considers her for the job.

Kazak could’ve easily been a one-trick pony, but I was surprised at how entertaining he was acting as Archer’s sidekick.  He’s essentially Archer in dog form as evident in the last scene where he mimics one of Archer’s trademarks. I’m looking forward to seeing more of him if the writers decide to add him in to future episodes. Pam’s story has some interesting promise, but it was a little lacking on the gags. Viewers are fully aware by now that Pam is more than capable of handling herself in strength-based situations. So, in that sense, her plot was a bit of a waste even if it does open the door to great possibilities.

What really made this episode stand out were the car chases. The animation has come a long way from the first season and the scenes where Archer speeds across alleys and desert plains highlight how fantastic the animation has improved. If the low-brow humor of Kazak and the beating-its-head-against-the-wall plot of Pam’s field agent submission don’t do it for you, the car chases should impress. Personally, Kazak made this episode for me and I’m seriously hoping he’ll become a staple of the series.