Ep 12. Space Race (1)

Archer season 3 episode 12, titled "Space Race (1)", follows the ISIS team as they embark on a mission to space. The episode begins with a flashback of the team working on their physical fitness and training to prepare for the space mission. Their mission is to escort a wealthy entrepreneur, Charles Willem, and his team to the International Space Station (ISS) as a part of a space tourism program.

The team faces several challenges to be selected for the mission, including undergoing a rigorous psychological evaluation and competing against other private companies vying for the contract. Ultimately, ISIS is chosen, and the team undergoes specialized training for their space mission. However, as expected, none of them takes their training seriously, and hilarity ensues.

Mallory, the team's director, is concerned about the safety of the mission and assigns Lana, Ray, and Cyril as the main team members for the mission. Archer is relegated to managing the communication center. Archer is not happy with his role and tries to stay relevant by practicing his Russian for the mission.

On the day of the launch, the team prepares to take off, but the mission is sabotaged, and they are unable to move forward. ISIS suspects that one of the other private companies competing for the contract might be behind the sabotage. The company in question is Odessan, and its CEO is revealed to be Conway Stern, a former ISIS employee who betrayed the team and left them for dead in Africa.

Mallory instructs Archer to investigate Stern and determine if he is behind the sabotage. Archer seeks help from Krieger, who gives him a robot named Milton, built to withstand the hazards of space, to accompany Archer on his reconnaissance mission.

Archer and Milton infiltrate Stern's facility and gather evidence implicating him in the sabotage. Stern, however, catches them in the act and launches Milton into space. Archer is left stranded but ultimately rescued by Cyril, Ray, and Lana, who were able to fix the sabotage and complete the mission to the ISS.

The episode ends with a cliffhanger as Archer is left floating in space, grappling with the realization that he might not be rescued.

Overall, "Space Race (1)" is a thrilling episode with a mix of humor and drama, making it an exciting addition to Archer's third season. The episode is filled with amazing space visuals, high-tech gadgets, and character development, adding depth to the existing characters and their past histories. Through the episode, the audience is introduced to some emotionally charged moments and suspenses that set up the show's future episodes.