The Double Deuce

Template:Episode infobox 2"The Double Deuce" is the fifth episode of the second season and the fifteenth episode overall of Archer. It originally aired on February 24, 2011.

Plot

Synopsis

When members of Woodhouse's old WWI unit die mysteriously, Archer discovers his valet's connection to the family.

Summary

Secrets from Woodhouse's past seemingly make him the target of an assassin. Archer sort of gets mildly concerned about it, but is more enthused about the prospect of getting his hands on the money Woodhouse may get if he is the last surviving member of the tontine^[1].
Archer hands over baby Seamus to Malory since it would be inappropriate to "take a baby to a murder", her care reveals many insights into how she raised Archer and his current dysfunctions. Cyril, Cheryl, and Pam attempt to set up their own tontine.

Cast

Starring :
- H. Jon Benjamin as Sterling Archer
- Judy Greer as Cheryl Tunt
- Amber Nash as Pam Poovey
- Chris Parnell as Cyril Figgis
- Aisha Tyler as Lana Kane
- Jessica Walter as Malory Archer

Co-Starring :
- George Coe as Woodhouse
- Adam Reed as Ray Gillette
- Lucky Yates as Dr. Krieger
- Roy McCrerey as Young Woodhouse / Reggie Thistleton
- Enn Reitel as
- Zach Villa as Corporal Bishop

Cultural References

When Malory tells Archer he should only give babies liquor when they have the croup, Archer calls her "Mr. Spock," evidently confusing the character from Star Trek with noted pediatrician and author Dr. Benjamin Spock

Running Gags

"Are you hourly?" - Reggie

Continuity

Trivia

"Alas, poor Reggie!" When Woodhouse says these words and lifts the citrus fruit, he is exactly mimicking Hamlet raising the skull of Yorick. ["Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio/a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy."]
When Pam is creating a tontine for ISIS employees the name Cody 2 can be seen on the bottom of the matchup list. This is a reference to another of Adam Reed's productions, Frisky Dingo.
As Woodhouse begins to describe his relationship with Reggie, a pilot whom Woodhouse is Batman to, Archer comments, "Ew, gross...Didn't Oscar Wilde get hard labor for that?", referring to Oscar Wilde's imprisonment on charges of sodomy.
While Cheryl/Carol is spraying aerosol disinfectant in the office (to kill all the baby germs) Pam quips "Knock it off Union Carbide." Union Carbide is an aerosol company that has had several major disasters in the U.S. and India (Bhopal Disaster, December 2-3, 1984).
Woodhouse describes Reggie as "in the words of Henley, 'bloodied, but unbowed." This is a quote from the poem Invictus by British poet William Ernest Henley.
When offered a canteen of water, Reggie responds "Oh, I never drink the stuff. Fish fuck in it." This is a famous rationale coined by the comedian, actor, and proud drunk, W.C. Fields.
Reggie asks Woodhouse for a cigarette, and Woodhouse proceeds to try and light it by match. The first match is blown out but draws the attention of a sniper. The second attempt also is blown out but allows the sniper to tighten his aim. After successfully lighting the cigarette on the 3rd match, Reggie is shot by the sniper. This is a twist on a superstition about lighting 3 cigarettes off of 1 match. The superstition was thought to originate from soldiers during WWI, which is false, but was widely passed around as truth.
This is the first instance of the "are you hourly?" quip.
It is revealed that Woodhouse was discharged from the RFC for collecting large numbers of enemy scalps. This is a nod to the film Legends of the Fall, in which Brad Pitt's character, Tristan Ludlow, goes on a scalping spree and is subsequently discharged for it. Woodhouse then embarks on a similar, opium-fueled travel montage as Tristan - replete with the same long hair as Pitt.
As Archer leaves the office to go "save" Woodhouse, Cyril quips about Archer's "hooker baby," prompting Archer to throw a cat statue at Cyril's head, knocking him to the ground. The statue is of Maneki Neko, a Japanese figure which is thought to bring good luck to its owner.
"Bloody April" was a real historical event which occurred in 1917, beginning on April 9 with the opening of the Battle of Arras. During the next month, RFC losses were roughly three times German losses for the same period. The German fighter aircraft in the flashbacks, however, are Fokker D-VIIIs, which did not enter service until spring 1918.
Reggie’s Sopwith Camel has a black rooster painted on the fuselage. This might be a reference to the implied homosexuality of Reggie and Woodhouse, as the insignia literally is a “black cock”.
Wensleydale, Stilton, Gloucester, and Buxton are all English cheeses, each named after their places of origin. Buxton cheese is not as well known in England as the others. Although British Lords choose an official name and sometimes use a place name, knights are given the title Sir (like Wensleydale and Stilton) and keep their family names.
The heading for an article on Woodhouse's newspaper reads "Woodrow To Testify." This is in reference to a speech given by President Woodrow Wilson on September 5, 1919. He is quoted saying, "LET ME TESTIFY TO THIS, my fellow citizens..." and goes on to mock German spies by insinuating he was in disbelief to learn that they had the better intelligence agency in Europe.
Woodhouse claims to have "won a bar in a dice game" in Tangiers, Morocco, bearing a strong resemblance to Rick's Café Américain in Casablanca, Morocco, in the film Casablanca.
The tontine Woodhouse is involved in is originally for 1,200 British Pounds, it built 10% interest and is said by Woodhouse to be worth a little under $1,000,000 at the time of the episode. If solved for with the exchange rate in 1917, when the tontine is said to be started (1 British Pound equaling 4.72 US Dollar), the value in USD at the time is $5,712. Given the current value and interest rate stated by Woodhouse, this places the length of the tontine at 54 years ($981,732.57), placing the episode in the year 1971.
Alternatively, it quite possible that the Tontine was kept in British Pounds for the duration of the investment so the exchange rate in 1917 would not be relevant. If it did indeed earn interest at 10% compounded annually then by 1985 it would be equivalent to $783.220 Pounds (assuming this statement were made far enough through the year for the interest payment to have applied). In 1985, the pound purchased from as little as $1.05 to as high as $1.40. So if this statement was made at a time during the year when the Pound was equivalent to $1.25 dollars this would also make sense (being worth $979,025). Otherwise, it may be simply that the account had fees on it which would explain it having a lower value at a later date.
Several of Woodhouse's former squadron mates have died in the past six months. These include:

Locations

New York City, New York
- ISIS headquarters

Quotes

Person 1: "Quote Here" I'm already out of love"

Person 2: "Quote Here"

Person 1: "Quote Here"