Written by Scott Clifford
The best thing about “Baby Shower” is that the episode comes out of nowhere. It’s as if the writers ran out of ideas for the season, found out that Kenny Loggins wanted to be in an episode, and just threw a bunch of things at the wall for thirty minutes. The worst thing about “Baby Shower” is that the episode comes out of nowhere. It’s as if the writers ran out of ideas for the season, found out that Kenny Loggins wanted to be in an episode, and just threw a bunch of things at the wall for thirty minutes. Yeah, this is going to be one of those kinds of reviews.
Lana lectures Cherlene, Krieger, Archer, and the rest of the gang that “Magic Hour” refers to the best lighting time for film and not music when Malory steps in. Malory pulls an abusive move to motivate everyone by refusing to let everyone eat anything but old bran cereal. She’s broke and needs to make money by selling terribly great country music. Krieger actually improves the situation for once by telling everyone that he has been anonymously selling cocaine online through digital currency, and then converting that currency to U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, Ray tells Archer that he should throw a baby shower for Lana. Archer thinks of a brilliantly selfish idea. That idea is to get Kenny Loggins to sing at her baby shower.
Archer’s first attempt to get Kenny Loggins ends with him getting repeatedly stunned with a stun gun by Kenny’s bodyguard. Pam is doesn’t help out much so they think of another approach as Ray discuses the dirty diaper game with Cyrill. Lana then tries to get Malory to lend her some money to help raise her baby but Malory refuses and tries to get Lana to sign up for a government welfare program that she doesn’t know about because she’s not a Democrat. Archer and Pam find room service disguises as he explains that he has been stealing Cherlene’s paintings and then selling them for money. The awkwardly awesome duo breaks into Kenny Loggins’s (who prefers to go by “K. Log” now) apartment. Kenny accuses Archer of being an evil accomplice trying to steal a briefcase that is never explained in the episode. Pam gives a great parody of the Mentos commercial by smiling after suggesting oral sex. Ohh yeah!
Loggins shoots at Archer as Pam wraps her legs around Kenny’s bodyguard and continuously punches him in the face. They realize that K. Log’s penthouse has a glass pool that is literally lying on the edge of the balcony. A great flashback of Cherlene questioning the architectural decisions made by her company ensues before Kenny’s bodyguard accidentally destroys the pool with gunfire. Loggins is about to fall off when Archer saves him. Loggins doesn’t apologize for his actions but he feels “embarrassed” and agrees to sing at Lana’s baby shower. We cut to Loggins singing “Danger Zone” with Cherlene in a cool duet that I want to download as soon as possible. Krieger gives Lana a breast pump, Pam gives cocaine, Kenny’s bodyguard gives a baby car seat, Ray has the same gift and gets pissed, Cyril gives a check for $80, and Malory gives a lot of expensive clothes since Krieger is making her money. Of course, that turns out to be a scam and it seems as if everything is ruined until Woodhouse saves the day. He gives Lana Archer’s crib (Archer takes all of the credit) as a way to symbolize their relationship. It’s adorable and leads up to a hilarious joke. Lana doesn’t know who Kenny Loggins is so everything was for nothing.
It’s great to see Kenny Loggins finally be an official member of the cast for an episode. It’s also great to see that Lana’s baby be a central storyline in an episode. However, I feel that the writers didn’t really know what to do with these elements and couldn’t put it together as well as the other episodes. It’s nothing to be alarmed about. This episode may be just “good” when the others are “great,” which is still…pretty good honestly.
