Three To Tango

Template:Episode infobox"Three to Tango" is the second episode of season 6 and the sixty-fourth episode overall of Archer.

Plot

An agent from the past causes tension between Archer and Lana.

Slater arrives at Malory's office with an assignment for Archer and Lana. Despite the everyday antics of the people who work there, he decides to entrust them with it. Slater informs them that a freelance agent of the CIA is stranded in Buenos Ares and in need of an extraction. The agent in question is revealed to be none other than Conway Stern (much to Archer and Lana's disgust.) Slater also reveals that the whisper drive Conway apparently stole to sell to the Chinese government was in fact a decoy set up by the CIA to ensure the safety of the real plans, and that Conway was not a traitor after all (much to Malory's delight.)

As Lana and Archer arrive in Buenos Ares, they begin to debate over who would be AJ's legal guardian in the event of their deaths. That argument is tabled as they make their way to the apartment where Conway is holed up. Lana begs Archer not to jeopardize their mission by attempt any kind of revenge rampage on Conway. Archer responds by kicking the apartment door down and attacking Conway. As the two struggle to the death, Lana decides to make some tea. While Archer is being choked by Conway, he tears the skin from his bionic arm  (courtesy of Krieger, to neither Archer or Lana's surprise). Just when it appears that Conway has the advantage, Lana brains him with a kettle.

As the tension between the three dies down (and as Archer discovers firsthand that WD40 does not mix well with other drinks), Conway informs Archer and Lana that his mission is not yet complete. He was sent to retrieve a computer file with the real identity of every CIA operative operating in Argentina. Archer and Lana are forced to help him retrieve it from the Argentinian government in order to complete their own mission.

Back at the office, Malory attacks Cheryl in the bathroom, accusing her of kidnapping AJ. After learning that wasn't the case, Cheryl and Pam decide to help Malory find the baby.

Meanwhile, Archer, Lana and Conway commandeer a limousine to infiltrate the building where the computer file is being kept. Their disguises don't help much, as Archer is intercepted and assaulted by the guards. Lana and Conway, being locked in the limousine, watch on helplessly. Fortunately, Archer manages to hold his own and subdue the guards. With the situation thoroughly "Archerized", the three make their way to the computer holding the file.

Back again at the office, Malory recalls Krieger skulking around her office around the time AJ went missing. Fearing the worst, Malory, Cheryl, Pam, Ray and Cyril all rush to Krieger's lab. There, they find him, AJ, and what appear to be schematics of a baby-sized cyborg (to everyone's disgust). Krieger explains that the schematics were actually for what he calls "Cyberneddly Teddly", and that he simply needed AJ for market research purposes. He claims the prototype is somewhere in his lab, but no one believes him. Taking back AJ, Malory and the others decide it would be best not to tell Lana. After Malory warns Krieger not to approach AJ again, she and the others take their leave, just as Cyberneddly Teddly shows up to do a little dance.

Meanwhile, Conway manages to extract the computer file he was after. His mission accomplished, he shoots Archer in the back. He then explains to Lana that he planned to sell the file to the Russians all along. He had Archer and Lana assist him so he could have his own revenge for what happened to him during their last encounter. As he prepares to parachute out of the building, he assures Lana that he couldn't shoot her as well because she has a child to look after. After an unfortunate crack about baby weight, however, Lana slams the window on Conway, severing his non-bionic hand, which was conveniently holding the disc containing the file he was after. Conway is then forced to retreat, revealing that Conway Stern was, in fact, his real name.

As Lana carries a wounded Archer out of the building, Slater drives by to pick them up. Slater also reveals that the CIA suspected that Conway would pull the stunt that he did, which is why they sent Lana and Archer to bait him. Not caring too much at that point, Archer tries to discuss their situation with AJ. Lana finally confesses that if anything did happen to her (and her alone), AJ would live with her parents. And if anything happens to them, she would live with Lana's sister. Curious, Archer inquires if Lana's sister was, in fact, her younger sister. Lana responds by pressing into his wounds.

Trivia

• Title Explained: The title of this episode is a parody of the common idiom "Takes two to tango." Here, it refers to Archer, Lana, and Conway's mission as well as the tango music played throughout the entire episode.
• This episode marks the return of Conway Stern, who had not been seen since "Diversity Hire", as well as a brief cameo in "Legs". This is the second time that Conway has a speaking role, while it is the third time that he has appeared.
• The Whisper Drive that Conway attempted to sell to the Chinese government is revealed to be a decoy set up by the CIA in order to protect the real plans from being stolen, revealing ISIS had unintentionally ruined a CIA operation Conway had been a part of.
• After Ray blows cigarette smoke into Cyril's face, Malory calls Ray "Virginia Slim", a brand of cigarettes marketed towards women.
• There are several Star Wars references:
  • Conway calls himself "Puke Skywalker" due to his having a robotic hand like Luke Skywalker,
  • Archer gives himself the fake name Col. Lando Calrissiano, in reference to Lando Calrissian, which fails to convince a guard.
  • Archer tranquilizes the guard and quotes Han Solo's line "boring conversation anyway" from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. This line had previously been used by Pam at the end of season 3.

• The license plate of the limousine Archer is driving reads 934 TXS. The front license plate of Slater's getaway car also reads 934 TXS, but this is likely a goof, as the back license plate reads KZT 7R9.
• This episode ends similarly to "Diversity Hire", with Archer bleeding after being (once again) double-crossed by Conway, and Conway loses his other hand courtesy of Lana before escaping.
• When Malory destroys the phone, Cheryl's voice sounds computerized as she says "What are you doing, Dave?", which is a quote from the sentient computer HAL 9000 in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
• One of Cheryl's previous aliases, Cristal, is mentioned in this episode. This is due to the fact that this was the name she used when she met Conway Stern in season 1 while constantly switching between similar names
• Krieger gave Cyberneddly Teddly the model number TB-800, in reference to the T-800 from the film The Terminator.
• After Cyberneddly Teddly does a tap dance, Krieger calls him "Mr. Bear Jangles," a reference to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.
• Archer made himself into a verb: to archerize.
• Conway says the word "base" like Chuck D did on the song "Bring The Noise" by Public Enemy
• The fake office renovations from the previous episode are mentioned.
• Lana's family is mentioned for the first time in the series. She has a sister (though we are still unsure if she is older or younger than Lana), and her parents are still alive.
• The password Conway uses to retrieve the list (44454D414E4420464C554F5249444521) translates to "DEMAND FLUORIDE!" (encoded in ASCII hexadecimal).
• Archer suggests that Conway already knew the password because Conway is a cyborg and the password was probably Gaius Baltar's zip code.
• Conway reveals he was lying about the name Conway Stern being an alias in his first appearance.
• When Conway Stern is revealed as the operative to be rescued, the File/Serial number listed is the hexadecimal representation of "tiny.cc/pigly".
• The use of 934,

934TX, and 934TXS (harken back and/or flash forward)

-    Skytanic, Season 1, Episode 7:  The bomb's model number is 934TXS which is confusing when Archer, who does not know the NATO phonetic alphabet, says to Ray it’s “like INXS.”

-    The Rock, Season 1, Episode 8:  The “code cloner” displays 934TXS when unlocked.

-    Blood Test, Season 2, Episode 3:  The lockbox, which stores a glass bottle of Archer’s blood, has the code of 934TXS when Archer decodes it inside the bank vault.

 -    Double Trouble, Season 2, Episode 13:  When Barry’s Bionic cybernetic information is displayed, under Fuel Capacity the screen displays 934TXS ENCRYTED.

 -    Live and Let Dine, Season 4, Episode 7:  Rodney uses the 934TX Telephonic Isolator Unit to find out 16's exclusive phone number for reservations.  Again, at the very end of the episode for a brief moment, 934-TXS is call number on Barry & Katya’s helicopter.

 -    The Papal Chase, Season 4, Episode 11:  The imposter “Swiss Guard's” vehicle plate number is 934TXS.

-    The Holdout, Season 6, Episode 1:  When Pam does the retinal scan, the secret door unlocks and the code reads 934TXS.

-    Three to Tango, Season 6, Episode 2:  The license plate on the limo Archer is chauffeuring for Lana and Conway reads 934TXS; it can be seen when he screeches to a halt in the parking garage. Additionally, when Slater drives Lana and Archer to the airport the front license plate reads 934TXS, but the back plate is different.

-    Edie’s Wedding, Season 6, Episode 4:  Pam and Archer board flight number 934.

Quotes

Slater: "Wait, what happened? I thought you were gonna rennovate this place."

Malory: "As did I. But I was betrayed, by a lying little country music wannabe!"

Cheryl: "Was that directed at me?"

Malory: "YES! Who else?"

Cheryl: "I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL LIES TO YOU!"

Lana: "And what operation is the CIA conducting in Argentina?"

Slater: "Oh, sorry, it's called'Operation: Nunya'."

Lana: "I..."

Archer: "As in 'beezwax', Lana?"

Lana: "Yes, I--"

Archer: "Doctor Kane, report to the burn unit."

Lana: "To help a patient who's been burned?"

Archer: ".......No."

Cyril: "You think... okay, wow. You think that in the event of their deaths that you would be AJ's legal guardian?"

Malory: "Who else would they possibly choose?"

Ray: "You've met yourself, right?"

Pam: "Hey, is it too much to ask, during the goddamn workday,  for two separate sessions of eighty uninterrupted minutes each of quality dump time?"

Cheryl: "I mean, I'm not a labor attorney, but--"

Malory: "Yes, it is entirely too much to ask!"

Pam: "I thought so... yeah... so I'll pass that on to who or whomever asked."

Lana: "What the hell are you doing?!"

Archer: "I'm Archerizing this plan!"

Lana: "What? Nooooo! No! Uh-uh! You can not make yourself a verb. I will not allow it!"

Archer: "I'm a verb now, Lana. Deal with it!"

Conway:"And hey, give me a call if things don't work out with the kid. And you lose the baby weight."

(Lana slams the window shut, severing his right hand.)

Conway: "ARE...YOU...KIDDING ME?!?" (falls from the window.)

Lana: "Yeah, lose that weight, Conway Stern or whatever your real name is!"

Conway: (parachuting to safety) "I lied! That is my real name!"