Ep 4. Killing Utne

Archer season 1 episode 4, "Killing Utne," follows the daring and often ridiculous adventures of Sterling Archer, a suave and sarcastic spy who works for the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS). In this episode, Archer is assigned to protect the wealthy and naive heir of the Utne family, one of the biggest names in the timber industry, from a potential assassination attempt.

As Archer and his team start their job, they immediately realize that their client, Mr. Utne, is not the most cooperative person and has no idea of the danger he is in. The team, consisting of Archer, his ex-girlfriend and fellow agent Lana Kane, his boss Mallory Archer, and the nerdy analyst Cyril Figgis, have to deal with Mr. Utne's strange requests, including wanting to buy his own groceries and only eating food that is yellow.

Despite Archer's best efforts, he cannot convince Mr. Utne to take the situation seriously. In fact, Mr. Utne seems more interested in pursuing his passion for photography and collecting photos of things that are "yellow," such as bananas and chickens. Meanwhile, Archer's ex-girlfriend Lana is having a hard time keeping her jealousy in check when she discovers that Archer had a fling with one of her friends.

As the episode progresses, the team discovers that there may be more to Mr. Utne's assassination attempt than they originally thought. The team has to act quickly to protect Mr. Utne when they discover that an assassin is hired to kill him. Along the way, they encounter a wide range of obstacles, including a dangerous chase through the woods and a fight with a team of mercenaries.

Throughout the episode, the team's ineptitude is highlighted through numerous mistakes and miscommunications, including Cyril's inability to operate a gun and Archer's poor leadership. The humor in the show comes from the absurdity of the situations and the constant witty banter between the characters.

Overall, "Killing Utne" is an entertaining and fast-paced episode of Archer that showcases the show's signature mix of high-stakes action and irreverent humor. The performances by the cast are strong, with H. Jon Benjamin's Archer and Aisha Tyler's Lana delivering standout comedic moments. The episode ends with a satisfying conclusion that sets up the next installment of the series.