Archer 1999: "Happy Borthday" is the second episode of Season 10, and the one hundred and third episode overall.
Plot
Synopsis
The crew provides entertainment for Bort while Barry 6 tries to crack Archer's safe.
Summary
While the rest of the crew is still being imprisoned by Barry 6 and his space troops; Archer is strapped down and questioned by Barry 6 with regard to the whereabouts of his cargo, which Archer stole. Archer states it's in the safe on the MV Seamus, which has a nuclear self-destruct that will go off when the wrong combination is entered. Archer refuses to give the combination, knowing he'll be killed if he does. Barry brings in a robotic torture bird named Funbeak.
Barry 6 visits the crew and informs them they have been rented for Bort's borthday party and compete in gladiator fights to the death. The winner will be set free and may keep the space ship. When the gang debates who's to fight whom, Krieger states that as a synthetic human being he can't hurt a human being, as it would violate the first law of robotics. Cyril then decides he's gonna fight Krieger.
In her plasma state, Malory flies off to rescue Archer and finds a bar, while Lana decides to "team up" with Cheryl and Cyril with Krieger. When Krieger asks, where this leaves Pam, Cyril mocks her by stating it leaves her as "the loneliest girl at the monster's ball." Pam then swaps with Krieger in happy anticipation of killing Cyril. Lana decides the pairings will be herself and Cheryl, Krieger and Cyril, with Pam to fight the winner. She demands they make fights look real to buy some time.
Archer is getting his genitals zapped by Funbeak and his screams are heard far and wide. Malory is still stuck at the bar, since the bartender is taking his time preparing her martini. Once she has finished her drink, which she states was surprisingly good, she zaps herself into Funbeak. Barry 6 returns and Malory, fully controlling Funbeak, zaps Archer's penis again. When he leaves, Malory wants to escape with Archer alone, leaving the rest behind, but Archer wants to rescue the crew.
In the meantime, Cyril literally cuts Krieger in half resulting in robot milk spurting out. On the run and hiding from the space guards, Malory says they could try and reach Ray MVS over the radio. However Ray, wearing a kimono, is eating all the cake, as Malory correctly speculates. Malory insists on leaving the others behind so Archer can have the ship to himself. Archer however says that Ray and Malory would still be there, plus he doesn't want the ship badly enough for Lana to die.
Back in the arena, Cheryl fights Lana for real, trying to kill her, which gives Pam a grossly stinky boner. Eventually Cyril jumps in to rescue Lana, but Pam intervenes and smashes him against a pillar. As they fight to the death, Bort states this is his 3rd or 4th best birthday ever, to which Barry 6 responds that if they end up killing each other in the arena, Bort will have to pay for them. Bort doesn't mind, as he has tons of birthday money.
In order to stop them fighting, Archer takes out a famous gladiator who is on the sidelines and dons his armour. He then enters the arena in disguise. Lana/Cheryl and Pam/Cyril call a temporary truce to fight him, but he reveals to them it's him. His plan is to run for it and knock down everybody on the way. They all hit him for this idea, but Lana agrees to it, since they have no other option.
The crew manage to escape the arena, make it back to the ship and fly off. On the MV Seamus, Archer tries to improve morale, but Malory mentions that it's all Archer's fault, since he stole something from Barry 6 and it's still in the safe. Archer counters by telling everyone Malory touched his penis with her "big old nasty bird claw", which leaves Pam with another appallingly stinky erection.
Cast
- Starring:
- H. Jon Benjamin as Sterling Archer / Archer MVS (Dream Persona)
- Judy Greer as Cheryl Tunt / Cheryl MVS (Dream Persona)
- Amber Nash as Pam Poovey / Pam MVS (Dream Persona)
- Chris Parnell as Cyril Figgis / Cyril MVS (Dream Persona)
- Lucky Yates as Dr. Krieger / Krieger MVS (Dream Persona)
- Jessica Walter as Malory Archer / Malory MVS (Dream Persona)
- Aisha Tyler as Lana Kane / Lana MVS (Dream Persona)
- Co-Starring
- Adam Reed as Ray Gillette / Ray MVS (Dream Persona)
- Guest Starring
- Dave Willis as Barry Dylan / Barry 6 (Dream Persona)
- Sam Richardson as Bort the Garj
Cultural References
- Laurel and Hardy: "This is another fine mess" is a catch phrase from this comedy duo.
- Bunkhouse Stampede: Barry refers to the action in the arena as a "5 man bunkhouse stampede." The Bunkhouse Stampede was a professional wrestling tournament/show held annually by Jim Crockett Promotions from 1985 through 1988.
- Futurama (1999-2013): Barry 6 refers to Archer as a "meatbag." This may or may not have been a reference to Futurama who used classic Sci-Fi trope in a similar context.
- Isaac Asimov/Three Laws of Robotics: Krieger once again references Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics from his many science-fiction books regarding robots, specifically the First: "A Robot must not harm a human, nor through inaction allow a human to be harmed." He says that this makes it literally impossible for him to participate in a gladiatorial deathmatch with the other members of the crew.
- As Malory scans one of the gladiators while Cheryl, Cyril, Lana and Pam are fighting, the scanning is similar to the terminator scanning the biker's clothes in Terminator 2.
- Good Will Hunting/Breaking the Bat: When Pam is fighting Cyril, She holds him over her head and says "How do you like them apples?" which is a famous line from Good Will Hunting, and then she slams his back over her knee in the manner Bane did to Batman in the famous comic storyline "Breaking the Bat".
- Teabagging: As part of the ruse to get Archer into the arena, he asks one of the other gladiators "You ordered a teabagging?" while grabbing his junk. This is a reference to the practice in multiplayer first-person shooters of standing over the bodies of the opponents you've killed and rapidly crouching and standing up, simulating bouncing one's scrotum on their vanquished foe's face like a person dipping a tea bag into and out of the hot water, as an act of dominance and/or provocation. Alternatively, he was referencing the very similar sexual act. In either case, the comment served its purpose in being highly provoking.
- Freeze Frame: At the end of the episode, Pam enthusiastically states "Thaaat's our Pam!" while grinning at the camera (or at least the animated equivalent thereof) and giving a thumbs-up, then freezes. Since this is a fourth-wall break, Archer asks what the hell she's doing, to which she replies "Freeze Frame!" This is a reference to the "freeze frame" cinematographic technique wherein a single frame is repeated for a period of time to simulate a still photo. Specifically, she's referencing an old sitcom trope where episodes would end with a cheesy catchphrase delivered in an over-the-top fashion, then a freeze-frame before rolling credits. Technically, in addition to breaking the fourth wall, this is a lampshade, since it's implied that Pam the character is simulating the freeze-frame, not that it's an editing choice.
Running Gags / Callbacks
- 934TXS - Seen just before "Match" occurred and/or at the end of the scan.
- Are you hourly? - Malory to the bartender.
Continuity
- Reality (Non-Dream): Archer remains in a coma brought upon by the events of "Deadly Velvet: Part II".
Trivia
- A member of the race Archer flirts with appears on a poster in Colt's apartment in "Colt Express".
Locations
- Garjek (moon of Garj)
- MV Seamus
First Appearances
Quotes
- Archer: "So uh, listen, uh, I know things got a little heated down there and maybe we said and did some things that we wish we could take back, but I hope we can put all that behind us... "
- Malory (interrupting): "Sterling stole something from Barry-6 and it's in the safe, so the whole idiotic fiasco was his fault "
- (Everybody yelling at Archer)
- Archer: "Mother touched my penis!"
- Everybody: "Eugh!"
- Archer: "Since we're playing the blame-game. So just picture mother's big old nasty bird-claw touching my cock!"
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Gallery of Images
There are 11 screenshots and images from "Happy Borthday" on this Wiki, visit the category page for a complete gallery.
Sample of images from the gallery:
