Archer

“Archer” is the FX animated series about a handsome but dimwitted secret agent, Sterling Archer, who works for ISIS, an international spy organization.  ISIS is actually the size of a small law firm. It’s run by Archer’s mom, Malory Archer, a brash but still beautiful bitch. 

Plot.  Sometime in the current future, this small spy organization tackles international espionage, terrorism, sex, partying, drinking, debauchery, the KGB, and any number of bizarre and entertaining adventures.  Archer gets engaged to a smoking hot KGB agent, Katya, who is then murdered by the callous and charismatic KGB cyborg Barry (with no trace of a Russian accent, though Katya’s voice is certainly hot).  Basically it’s the off-color and offbeat adventures of this team of spies, even more irreverent and amusing than “Get Smart”.   The day is “saved” either by accident by Archer or despite him by the others (e.g. Lana). 

            The sex is a bit teasing with lots of “Austin Powers” risqué-teasing/convenient object placement (i.e. Cheryl naked on the copier with a book over her naughty parts – I find her just as attractive and alluring as Lana, as she’s more provocative and fun than Lana, who is too serious).  There’s also a fair amount of drugs, drinking, and strange substances involved, but very little in the way of hallucinations:  though the latter can usually be blamed on Dr. Krieger’s experiments.

Characters

Sterling Archer (voice: H. Jon Benjamin; body model: Jason Fitzgerald).  Head field agent, even if he is pretty stupid.  Like Homer Simpson and too many other such characters, he mostly survives by sheer dumb luck.  His father is ….still unknown, though the top candidate was a KGB general.  I was watching “Bob’s Burgers” and recognized Benjamin’s voice. 

Malory Archer (voice: Jessica Walter; body model: Rebecca Cohen).  Head of ISIS.  She still gets around.  She’s extremely arrogant and difficult to deal with.

Lana Kane (voice: Aisha Tyler; body model: Kynyetta Lester).  Rivals Archer himself for field agent status but is actually much more intelligent and better skilled…and well equipped. 

Cyril Figgis (voice: Chris Parnell; body model: Stuart Fierman).  Nominally he’s the firm’s accountant but sometimes goes out into the field.  Mostly he tries to rein in Archer’s exhorbitant expenses.  Cyril is said to be well endowed, a trait from Fierman and not Parnell. 

Cheryl Tunt (voice: Judy Greer; body model: Siobhan Price).  Malory’s secretary.  She seems to like lots of sex.  She’s actually extremely rich, an heir from a wealthy family.

Pam Poovey (voice: Amber Nash; body model: Candi McElhannon).  The firm’s buxom, pot-smoking HR director.  If there’s a vice, she’s probably familiar with it.

Dr. Krieger (voice: Lucky Yates; body model: Ben Brieger).  The firm’s “mad scientist”.  He’s like the Walter Bishop of ISIS.  Instead of a live cow, he has a holographic Sailor Moon-type girlfriend.

Ray Gillette (voice: Adam Reed; body model: Lucky Yates).  Another field agent, though I rarely see him actually in the field.  He’s more notable for being gay than going out and doing things.

Brett (voice: Neal Holman; body model: Neal Holman).  If ISIS has a “red shirt guy from engineering/security”, it’s Brett.  His role seems to be just to get physically abused in a semi-humorous way.

Seasons.  Three seasons on DVD, the fourth season is now running on FX.

Book. How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written.  I got this on Amazon Kindle – it’s pretty funny, but remarkably well-written and very informative as well.  For a spinoff of a fictional spy TV show, this book gets a lot of stuff remarkably dead on.

UPDATE 2/13/2020.  Now we're up to 10 seasons, with an eleventh ordered by FX.  Things get stranger and more fun, but the same characters continue.  S4/E1 gives us a Bob's Burgers crossover.   I'm watching the whole series all over again and enjoying it the second time around.