"Trendy" Wen Dee Reviews Archer Season 14, Episode 8 "Breaking Fabian"

Warning: Spoilers are kept to a minimum. I don't go into great detail, that way you can have that joy all to yourself. But yeah. This is a review. So, you've been warned.

FX's Archer is one of my favorite TV series in late night comedy history. It's a fun adult spy story that doesn't take itself too seriously. A trait I can both respect and appreciate.

The story: Archer is a spy. No. Scratch that. He's "the world's greatest spy," according to himself. With his smart mouthed crew by his side, he tackles missions in his signature turtleneck--the "tactalneck." And thwarts the baddies, as long as it doesn't get in the way of his personal time. He's smooth, conceited, and a real bad egg to his pals. But they follow him to the ends of the earth, just to make sure he doesn't blow it up.

Episode 8: In the series finale, killer drones sent by the now disgraced spy conglomerate, IIA, are targeting The Agency (and all other former employees of IIA). Can The Agency save themselves and their fellow agency competitors against the ruthless tech?

Moving forward. This review comes in (3) winks and (3) blinks. Winks mean that the series deserves some extra love for that bit, while blinks mean, "What did I just watch?"

The (3) Winks

1. Archer, Pam, and Fabian in handcuffs. Archer knows they can't stop the drones without Fabian's help, so he handcuffs his former rotten boss to himself. However, this task is too great, even for him, so he also handcuffs Pam to Fabian's wrist, much to her chagrin. Hilarity ensues as Pam says, "I immediately have to pee!" And yes, a good bit of the episode focuses on the trio trying to pee together. (FYI. Pam is going commando.)
2. Bromance. When Fabian becomes depressed that his former workers want to kill him before the drones have their chance, he begins sulking in the mud. However, Archer lifts his spirits by telling the big baddie that he does respect the man's guts. This lifts Fabian's spirits, and he starts trying to bond with Archer by telling him all his childhood traumas. Archer laughs in the man's face and reveals some past experiences from previous seasons. Ones audiences couldn't be sure were true or not. Until now. (FYI. Archer reveals that Mallory gave him liquor when he was only eight years old, just to keep him quiet. And he really did lose his virginity to his Brazilian au pair. Also, the au pair took his dog.)
3. Fabian's hand. A design flaw leads to Archer cutting off Fabian's hand and saving everyone from drone fire. And yes, Archer does give the man back his hand. However, not before flipping him off with it first. (Credit goes to Zara for that idea. And as she says, "It's not my first dismemberment.")

The (3) Blinks

1. Krieger and AJ. Krieger is shown onscreen, but he takes no part in the episode. And there's no mention of AJ at all. How can there be a series finale without these two characters? This gets some major blinks!
2. Pam gets shot. Archer, while trying to save the trio, gets Pam shot by accident. You see the bullet hole and the blood, but in the next scene it's no big deal. She doesn't even try to bandage it. I know she's a tough woman, but still. Ouch!
3. Cliffhanger. While Archer and company are risking their lives for all spies, Lana and Cyril are at the UN, trying to save everyone's jobs. Things don't go over so well when Cheryl/Carol acts as a witness, telling on The Agency. This leads the UN to declare all private spy agencies illegal within 30 days. But according to Archer, we're left wondering if that's "30 business days, or 30 working days."

Overall rating: 4.0 out of 5.0.

In all honesty, I like this episode. It's fun, clever, and has some great callbacks to previous seasons. But as a series finale, definitely not!

Note: If you bought this season on Amazon Prime, the episode did not drop until Sunday, October 15. So, if you're still wanting to watch it there, go ahead!

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Disclaimer: This is meant to be satire. My opinions are my own as a viewer. And no, I am not affiliated with any of these shows or their production companies. ?2023 Wen Dee.