Pop Alert: Archer
January 05, 2012, By Craig J. Heimbuch 3 comments
Here's a little story about a spy named "Archer":
"Phrasing, Mother."
All right, when you look at it in terms of the cartoons you grew up with and those you allow the kids to watch so you can get a little more sleep on a Saturday morning, FX's "Archer" is more 'dirty uncle who shows up drunk and half-naked at Thanksgiving dinner' than 'cute and cuddly animated romp'. But a dad has to have his thing too, right? We can't always be immersed in "Phineas and Ferb" (though there are worse fates) and strange Chinese imports with nonsensical names and no real point—what the hell is a Beighblade anyway? To me it seems an awful lot like a top. And don't even get me started on Zhu-Zhu Pets.
It's impractical to watch a game whenever you want a little escape and, much as I love it, there really is only so much History and Travel channel a guy can take. It's not like I get a ton of time to watch TV, but when I do, I want it to be worthwhile. I want to feel like I'm getting my time's worth. I caught the first episode of "Archer" two seasons ago by accident and haven't missed one since. And now it's coming back, and my DVR is already set.
If you haven't seen the show, the best way to describe it is as an animated half-hour that imagines James Bond as an American frat boy with mommy issues. His mom also happens to be his boss. That's how you get Sterling Archer, the baritone, spoiled, shockingly competent yet completely vapid anti-hero voiced by H. Jon Benjamin. Throw in a femme fatale of an ex-girlfriend—also a gifted agent though slightly more aware of the gravity of their job—voiced by Aisha Tyler and a cast of characters so unbelievable and yet close-to-home (including a perverted HR manager who uses a dolphin puppet during sexual harassment seminars) and you've got a show you hardly admit to having seen among polite company, let alone telling people you're a fan.
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