Drift Problem
Archer
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 7
Written by	Adam Reed
Production code	XAR03008
Original air date	February 9, 2012
Episode guide
← Previous Next → The Limited Lo Scandalo

"Drift Problem" is the seventh episode of the third season of Archer.

PlotEdit

Archer is woken by his alarm clock. His servant Woodhouse has arranged a birthday breakfast for Archer but ruins it by allowing confetti to rain down on it. Archer requests him to remake it without “garbage on it”. Woodhouse concedes he does not have the ingredients to remake the breakfast, or Archers other suggestions such as nutella waffles and nutella steak and eggs, noting that today is his shopping day. Archer arrives at ISIS headquarters and proceeds to play down his birthday, only to be met with his colleagues indifference or unawareness that its his birthday. Archer in frustration to this remarks that “there is nothing special about today at all!” to which his Mother disagrees saying today is the day of the annual fire drill. The ensemble of ISIS is lead out of the headquarters to street level where Archer is surprised by his actual birthday gift, A Dodge Challenger spy car, outfitted with direction by Dr. Krieger. The highlights of the car are listed through a promo video by Dodge played through the cars navigation system, with such gadgets as anti pursuit counter measures, twin .30 caliber machine guns and a functioning wet bar in the glove box – to be stocked with apple juice only.

After Archer thanks his mother she gives him one condition to his gift, he never loose it or get it stolen. Archer drives of in his new Dodge only to get into a brief chase with police, loosing them easily using the anti pursuit gadgets on his car. Archer goes to park his new Dodge on the street but remembering his mothers words uses the grappling hook attachment to pull another car out of its spot and park his Dodge in its place. Returning to his apartment he asks Woodhouse to detail the car and restock the bar with some real liquor. Woodhouse calls moments later to tell Archer that the car is missing. This leads to Archer going a quest to retrieve his Dodge. Archer enlists the help of his ISIS colleagues to get his car back. Pam suggests that the Yakuza that she races drifts cars against may be the culprits. Archer, Lana and Cyril pose as Pam's pit crew to infiltrate the drift meeting. After Archer disrespects their leader, the crew have to flee the event whilst being chased by the Yakuza. The chase ends with most of the Yakuza perusers crashing during the demanding drifting and their boss being knocked into the sea by Pam. Archer is saved by his mother who shoots the Yakuza leader as he climbs from the sea, having being tipped of by Cheryl about Archers whereabouts. It is then revealed that it is in fact Archers mother who had stolen his car, in a misguided attempted to parent him about responsibility. The twist is similar to what happened one of Archer's earlier birthday presents, a Schwinn Stingray bicycle. Archer's mother also reveals that the car now has a new owner.

ProductionEdit

No money was exchanged between the production behind Archer and Dodge. A simple phone call to Dodge was made to ask for permission to use the Challenger likeness. ^[1]

The apple juice instead of liquor was at the request of FX studios who have a strict no drinking and driving policy, not by Dodge as many had speculated. ^[1]

According to Chad Koerner, who works for Trinity Digitals, a Dodge Challenger was bought by the production and a 3D model of it taken to create the Challenger used in the show. Changes where made to geometry and the custom interior complete with glove box bar created. ^[1]

TriviaEdit

• Carvel is an ice cream confectionary that reached its peak in the 1980s. Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss were two of the cakes they produced, "cookie puss" also being a callback phrase of Ray Gillette.
• The cars chasing the Dodge spycar in the in-car promotional video are Aston Martin DB5s. This is a homage to the famous James Bond Aston Martin and its gadgets, many of which the Challenger has.
• The car has rich Corinthian leather, which is a reference to a Chrysler marketing ploy from the 1970s. Corinth, despite Archer's insistence, is not famous for its leather and the "rich Corinthian leather" was actually made in America.
• When Lana asks "Wow, so, how much did Dodge kick in?" and Malory replies "Not as much as you'd think," it's probably a reference to Dodge not paying much, if anything, for the prominent product placement the Challenger receives in this episode.
• Mr. Moto (the name used for the Yakuza boss voiced by George Takei), was a Japanese secret agent character, subject of many movies, novels, and winking references in cartoons and other shows.
• The "new owner" of Archer's spy car at the end of the episode is Mr. Ford, a recurring character from Frisky Dingo, made apparent by stating his catch-phrase "My ass is everywhere!"

^[2]

^[3]

Guest Stars Edit

George Takei as Mr. Moto

Gallery of ImagesEdit

There are 1 screenshots and images from "Drift Problem" on this Wiki, visit the category page for a complete gallery.

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} [1]
2. ↑ "Drift Problem". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
3. ↑ [2]. Jalopnik.com. Retrieved May 12, 2013.

This article is a stub. You can help Archer Wiki by expanding it.