is an absolute marvel.
It has everything you would want out of an episode ofArcher.
Youre the definition of insanity!
), a healthy dose of SUPPRESSING FIRE!
Most importantly, however, Grammercy Halberd!
For a show that bears his name, Archer is rarely the funniest or most interesting character onscreen.
WhatArcher: Dreamlandhas done and what Grammercy Halberd!
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The Archer of Grammercy Halberd!
is his usual laconic, frustrated self.
Hes also a legitimate action hero with believable motivations and poignant fears.
All season weve seen Archers World War II PTSD-stylized flashbacks.
Archer: Dreamlandhas succeeded because its found the humor in the real.
Even in this season characters have picked up a fun new verbal tic of exaggeratedly breathing Whaaaaaaaaaaat.
when confronted with incriminating information.
No action set piece has been more exciting than the one in Grammercy, Halberd!
You turned me into a freak!
Grammercy, Halberd never loses steam.
Why do they need to hotwire a car?
The seemingly invincible Barry pursues them in his motorcycle and his new favorite toy the halberd.
Archerhas done car chases before.
This one is its best.
The stakes are just more intense since weve seen the damage cyborg Barry can do, halberd or no.
And beyond that, this one just seems to move faster both in animation style and dialogue.
Naturally everyone runs out of bullets and bickering is at an all-time high.
Then Archer pulls off his signature move:* knocking Barry off his bike with his car.
*And here I thought your signature move is finishing on a womans dress during foreplay, Lana says.
From moment one, Grammercy, Halberd!
is never not funny, exciting or some wonderful combination of both.
Its the end that really makes it special though.
After finally defeating Barry, Archer offers up the most accurate summation of his personality possible.
I always do shit like this, he yells.
Setting an entire season in a literal dreamland was a risky move.
Never cutting back to Archer in his coma in the real world is even riskier.
How can the audience be assured that any of this actually matters?
Still, Archers moment of realization at the end of Grammercy, Halberd!
suggests that maybe he can take a lesson back into the waking world with him.
Just focus, bro.
Archer: Dreamlandis one good finale away from improbably being one ofArchers finest seasons yet.
Len Trexlor revealing that Mother killed Woodhouse, setting up an Archer/Mallory showdown, suggests thatDreamlandwill stick the landing.
Rating:
5 out of 5
