Densely populated with sexual innuendo and incompetent employees, the series may sound like the exact sort of thing that airs on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. In point of fact, executive producers Adam Reed and Matt Thompson (Reed also created the series) created Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo for Adult Swim.
While all of the above certainly means that the show isn’t terribly new or original or different, one has to remember that there’s a reason why the shows/movies are repeatedly made – they can be very funny and have a good deal of appeal. Archer is no different. While a lot of the jokes – more than should – fall flat, enough of them make one laugh so that the audience won’t feel as though their entire half-hour was wasted. Additionally, there’s always the feeling that maybe, in the next episode, Reed and Thompson will really hit the nail on the head and put forward a really funny episode with material that feels fresh.
That’s something that doesn’t occur during Archer’s first five episodes – they all very much feel as though they’re following a well-worn path. However, with the talents of the voice cast, proven ability of the producers, and source material that has worked so well in the past, it still feels like they might just get there. For fans of spy spoofs and adult-oriented animated fare, there is absolutely enough to enjoy in the first five episodes to keep them tuning in and to make the series worth recommending.
Archer premieres on FX, Thursday January 14 at 10pm.
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Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
I scheduled this on the DVR as soon as I was half-paying attention to the TV and heard the voice of John McGuirk in a commercial.