Fugue and Riffs

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"Fugue and Riffs" is the first episode of the fourth season of Archer.

Plot summary

Archer has suffered from amnesia for the past two months. During this period, he has been living as 'Bob Belcher' at Bob's Burgers with Linda and her kids.

When the KGB arrives at Bob's Burgers, Archer's training kicks in. Even though he had no idea what he is doing, or how he is capable of it, he dispatches the agents in a bloodbath. He then leaves the family and goes into hiding to protect them. From there, it is up to ISIS to track him and slowly remind him who he was.

They do this by having Lana pretend to also be on the run from the KGB. When the real KGB shows up, though, the plan is thrown into disarray - but a swift blow to the head with a frying pan works just as well in restoring Archer's memories.

Archer, after taking down the hit squad, begins to remember why he ran off. Malory was getting remarried to car dealership owner Ron Cadillac, causing a drunk Archer to commandeer the limo and drive off. Lana wonders how the KGB was able to find Archer in the exact locations during his amnesia, but he dismisses it as a coincidence. Unaware to the group, Barry has been watching every move on board Horizon, while waiting on a new spaceship to be built.

Running Gags

• Phrasing

Cultural References

• Bob's Burgers (2011-):  This episode has a crossover with FOX's animated series, Bob's Burgers. H. Jon Benjamin voices the protagonist in Bob's Burgers, like Archer.
  • John Roberts guest stars as Linda Belcher, whom he voices in Bob's Burgers.
  • In "Bob's Burgers" new "burgers of the week" are devised with little puns for their names and those of their ingredients. The "Burger of the Week" at the beginning of this episode was the "Thomas Elphinstone Hambledurger with Manning Coleslaw." This was a reference to Thomas Elphinstone Hambledon of the Foreign Office, the protagonist of a series of spy novels written by British author "Manning Coles".
• Émile Zola:  Archer (as Bob) later devises an "Émile Gorgonzola burger with J'accusecumbers," after the famous French writer who was prosecuted for having published a letter entitled "J'accuse" accusing the French government of anti-Semitism.
• Hamilton Beach DrinkMaster series: is considered classic equipment with a long heritage. Apparently Archer can discern the model (in this case a 727) simply by hearing the motor.
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982):  Barry's murder of the two scientists aboard Space Station Horizon is a reference to this film, where Khan also murders and hangs up several scientists, who were working on a high-tech project.
• A History Of Violence: (2005):  This episode also serves as an homage to this film, where a seemingly normal man working at a diner has his training take over as he brutally disarms his would-be attackers.
• Hulk (1962) / She-Hulk (1980):  Archer remarks that Lana has "Hulk Hands". When she is about to angry retort, he corrects himself saying she has "She-Hulk Hands", before calling her by the sarcastic nickname of "Jennifer Walters", She-Hulk's alter-ego.

Trivia

• Title explained:  "Fugue and Riffs," is a play on the word fugue. In music, a fugue is a composition in which a simple part or melody is introduced and then picked up by other parts. In psychology and psychiatry, a fugue is a period of dissociation in which one is detached from one's identity and is often coupled with a flight from one's usual environment (as in dissociative identity disorder).
• When Kreiger first appears, he is holding a Baby Pigley II, and proceeds to hide him in his pocket.
• Although they portray main characters in 'Bob's Burgers', Eugene Mirman and Kirsten Schaal did not appear in this episode, despite their characters appearing being on-screen. They would however, do guest voices in Sea Tunt.
• During their fight with the KGB, there is a callback to the events in Space Race: Part II, as once again Archer renders Lana topless, destroys her clothes, and uses stickers as pasties when she complains. She corrects him when he says he is experiencing déjà vu because he is in reality recovering a memory of this past event.
• Archer continues his trend of critiquing the barcraft of others when he berates a server for giving him a margarita made with sour mix. He correctly says a margarita should have "five ingredients: tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, ice, kosher salt."

Quotes

Archer: Okay kids. Who wants Manning Coleslaw? And, or an explanation of why that's...[sees the KGB walk in] funny?

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Malory: "Oh, Ron, thank you for coming so quickly!"

Pam: "PHRASING! FIRST! BOOM!"

Gallery of Images

There are 12 screenshots and images from "Fugue and Riffs" on this Wiki, visit the category page for a complete gallery.