Ep 1. The Holdout

Sterling Archer returns in season 6 of the animated spy sitcom, "Archer," with the debut episode, "The Holdout." The show picks up where it left off after Archer and his team decided to open a private detective agency at the end of last season, despite the challenges and disagreements they faced along the way.

The arrival of the holdout

The episode opens with a dark and stormy night in New York City. Archer and his partner Lana are tasked with delivering a cartel leader to the authorities, but the mission is interrupted by the sudden appearance of a man from Archer's past: Ellis Crane, an old Army buddy, who disappeared during a mission in the Arctic Circle years ago. Crane, a homeless vagrant suffering from hypothermia, reveals that he has been living in Central Park for years to avoid paying taxes, and that he has become embroiled in a plot to steal a priceless diamond from a wealthy Wall Street tycoon. Archer finds himself torn between his loyalty to his friend and his obligations as a private investigator.

The two friends reunite and plan to investigate the robbery, which appears to be the work of Crane's former Army unit. Crane suggests that Archer recruit Ray and Krieger, two of his old Army comrades, to help them with the mission. This leads to a hilarious cameo by Krieger, who has been living in a hoarder's fantasy world in the basement of the Central Park Zoo.

The Setup

Meanwhile, the rest of the team is occupied with the day-to-day business of running their detective agency, which is not going very well. The group's finances are dwindling, and their cases involve mundane tasks such as tracking down lost dogs and investigating insurance fraud. Pam and Cheryl hatch a scheme to drum up business by staging a fake kidnapping, but their plan backfires when they accidentally kidnap themselves. They spend the rest of the episode struggling to escape from their own captivity, while the rest of the team is oblivious to their plight.

As Archer and Crane begin to piece together the details of the diamond heist, it becomes clear that the plot is even more convoluted than they thought. An insurance investigator, who is also Crane's ex-girlfriend, gets involved and adds a new layer of intrigue. Archer, who is more focused on helping his friend than solving the case, gets himself into some dangerous situations and has some narrow escapes.

The conclusion

In the end, Archer, Crane, Ray and Krieger are able to foil the heist and recover the diamond, but not before Archer realizes that Crane has been conning him the whole time. Crane is able to escape with the diamond and Archer is left to clean up the mess. The episode ends with the agency getting a new case, which promises to be more interesting and lucrative than their previous assignments.

Overall, "The Holdout" is a solid start to season 6. It features the sharp writing and quippy humor that fans have come to expect from the show, as well as some unexpected twists and turns. The addition of Crane and Krieger's characters adds an interesting dynamic to the group, which should make for some entertaining moments in future episodes. Fans of the show will not be disappointed with this latest installment in the Archer saga.