Archer, "Viscous Coupling"

Sterling Archer hasn't been the same ever since he fell in love with, and was betrayed by, the Russian beauty Katya. She turned out to be an android who also had fallen in love with Archer's nemesis, crushing Archer's heart in the process. Not to mention the second episode of this season, in which Archer was betrayed in the most horrifying fashion possible by the man he considered his best friend and role model.

This grinding series of emotionally devastating events has taken its toll on everyone's favorite super-spy. In this episode Archer is not just self-pitying (that, we're used to). He's downright pitiful. And is it just me, or is he drinking even more than usual? Even for Archer, a water tumbler full of grappa is beyond the pale.

Luckily, everyone else at ISIS is there to turn up the raunch factor, as if to compensate. Between Pam's fondness for filming her own secret porn movies, Cheryl's raging masochism, and Krieger's dalliances with his holographic girlfriend, (not to mention an unforgettable tryst between… oh, but I won't spoil it for you) the balance of the Archer universe remains constant.

Which is good, because this episode could easily have slid way too far into the "Sorrow" category. I mean, Archer is a terrible human being, and it's often entertaining and satisfying to watch him suffer. But not like this. This just plain hurts.

As always, the quality of the animation and the artwork is what really carries the episode. The subtlety of the openness and hope in Archer's face while he's being manipulated makes these scenes downright heartbreaking.

To liven up the mood we get a zany sub-plot about how Cheryl thinks that today is Opposite Day. Plus Archer's El Camino returns, which is awesome, because that car is rad. But overall, this episode transcends the standard Archer formula with the kind of character development and depth that makes for a truly great show. And the final reveal promises an interesting season, to say the least.

Image copyright of Floyd County Productions/FX Network