World-class secret agents, honey pots, a dry-cleaning pimp, a white elephant and a trip back in time. FX's hit show "Archer," starring H. Jon Benjamin as the titular Sterling Archer, has undergone some serious changes in the eight seasons that it has been around. Archer fans, this one is for you!
*note* Stop reading this article now if you're not prepared for spoilers as I walk you through the evolution of "Archer."
Archer first starts out with the crazy crew of spies Sterling Archer, a.k.a. Dutchess (H. John Benjamin) and Lana Kane (Aisha Tyler), receptionist Cheryl/Carol (I'm not even sure she knows her name) Tunt (Judy Greer), human resources manager Pamela Poovey (Amber Nash), accountant/wannabe Archer, Cyril Figgis (Chris Parnell) and mad scientist Krieger (Lucky Yates).
After a few minor appearances as a bomb specialist, the sassy Ray Gilette (voiced by creator Adam Reed) also joins the main team making them complete.
For four seasons, the International Secret Intelligence Service, ISIS for short, runs under the heavy hand of Mallory Archer (Jessica Walter). Based out of New York City, the agency takes cases around the world, including bomb threats (some real and some fake), providing royal security, protecting the Pope and other wild assignments.
There are also a few subplots that get introduced and are carried out throughout the rest of the show including the mystery of Archer's father (Len Trexler? Nikolai Jackov?), Barry's constant scheming to kill Archer and Katya's ever-changing allegiances. These first four seasons are what I loved the most about "Archer."
When it came to season five, everything changed.
Lana, who admitted she was pregnant in the season four finale, rides out her pregnancy throughout all of season five, and Cheryl becomes a country super star. It came out in the year 2014, partially as a resolution to eliminate the title "ISIS" due to the infamy of the Middle Eastern terrorist group and partially to spice things up.
The premise of "Archer Vice" is that ISIS was never actually a legitimately run operation, and Mallory falsely lead everyone to believe that they were not committing treason on an almost daily basis. They get disbanded from the world of espionage and enter into the world of cocaine dealing in Miami while trying to discern friends from enemies.
In the meantime, Cheryl becomes "Cherlene," a famous country singer. The season ends with a Cherlene and Kenny Logins duet of Archer (and maybe Lana's) favorite song, "Danger Zone," three Krieger clones and an all-out mess in Central America.
I was relieved in season six when "Archer" returned to the Big Apple, this time with the crew working under the CIA. However, it seemed that no matter how hard they tried, things always seem to blow up in their faces. The season ends with an angry Krieger cutting any last strings connecting the crew to the CIA.
Season seven takes place in Los Angeles at the Figgis Agency. After finding out that he is, in fact, the father to Lana's sperm-donated baby, Archer tries to balance fatherhood with being an unofficial private investigator.
The plotline that carries this season forward is the mystery of Veronica Dean, an actress who seeks the agency's help in tracking down a CD labeled "Longwater." It is eventually discovered that the disc contains secret information about how Veronica and her ex-husband, Ellis Crane, have been sabotaging the set of her latest movie, "Deadly Velvet", as part of an elaborate insurance fraud scheme.
In true "Archer" fashion, there was also a sex tape of the two on the disc. In the two-part season finale, Veronica kills Ellis, attempts to frame Lana and in an ending that was alluded to in the first episode, shoots Archer.
Season eight is where things get really interesting. Woodhouse has passed, and Archer is in a coma as a result of being shot by Veronica in the season seven finale, sending him back to an imaginary universe in post-World War II Los Angeles.
In this universe, he is a P.I. whose partner, Woodhouse, has been shot in an alleyway with no clues as to who did it and why. Officers Poovey and Figgis (Pam and Cyril) suspect it was a heroin exchange gone wrong. There are hidden Chinese sex slaves, a mysterious crime boss ("Mother," played by Mallory Archer), a mad cyborg on a killing rampage and hostage exchanges throughout "Archer Dreamland."
Extremely unique, Dreamland manages to keep the character of classic "Archer," while putting the characters into personas and situations we've never seen before.
So what's next for the franchise?
With the show being renewed for two more seasons, they have plenty of time to tie up the loose ends left at the end of Dreamland. I recently read an interview with Adam Reed about the future of the show, and this is what he had to say:
"I don't necessarily feel like we have to go back and see him wake up or die from that particular hospital bed. But yeah, I guess I have an obligation to do that, but I don't feel the obligation — if that makes sense. I know I should do it, but I don't know that I will do it."
I personally would love to see a resolution in which Archer wakes up, we get to see more of Abbiejean and we get a return of the Figgis Agency minus the huge subplot throughout the season.
I understand the network's fear of falling into a normal, predictable and boring show. However, with a show as bold as a spy comedy, I feel like nothing can really be "normal."
There is also the struggle of creating enough unique content to last for two more seasons. But I mean, this is what most other shows do.
However, when asked about a return to present-day Archer, Reed responded:
"I don't feel a responsibility to come back to the present day. And now that FX has let us open this can of worms, I'm excited to see where else we can go."
We could stay in the 40s, go back in time, or possibly even go into the future (which would be an interesting way to end the series).
Where would you like to see "Archer" go?