Archer

Overview

Once described as "James Bond meets Arrested Development" (and even including some of the same actors from the latter franchise), Archer is the baby of Adam Reed and the remainder of the now-shuttered 70/30 Productions. Animated in the same style as Frisky Dingo and the short-lived Xtacles spinoff, the show tells the story of Sterling Archer and his friends at the fictional spy agency ISIS (International Secret Intelligence Service).

However, the characters are a lot crazier than they seem at first glance. His mother is a pill-popping alcoholic who happens to be the boss of ISIS. His ex-girlfriend is a non-nonsense agent who grows disgusted with everyone around her. The HR rep is a fat gossip, the accountant is a sex addict, and the secretary is just plain crazy. Together they fight for a bigger paycheck, finding scapegoats for their anger and frustration, and if there's time they might keep the world safe for freedom and democracy.

Setting

The show features a mishmash of decor from the 1960s, cars from the 70's, old-fashioned green-screen computers from the late 80s, yet the characters have modern cell-phones and make contemporary Millennial pop-culture references. At the same time, the Soviet Union still exists with its KGB, but a map from the episode "Tragical History" shows that Germany is one unified country and the former Soviet republics are independent from Russia. Adam Reed's answer to "when" this show takes place is that he left it "intentionally ill-defined.

Main Characters

Apprarance	Character	Description
	Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin)	A womanizing alcoholic and a huge jerk to everyone he meets, yet somehow remains the top field agent at ISIS. Idolizes Burt Reynolds and imitates his characters from his movies.
	Malory Archer (Jessica Walter)	Sterling's mother, a pill-popping alcoholic woman and former legendary spy for the OSS. Currently the head of ISIS who tries to find ways to gain new money sources while also trying to keep her agents in check
	Lana Kane (Aisha Taylor)	A tough, no-nonsense field agent who is Archer's ex-girlfriend. Very competent at her job, but sometimes lets her anger distract her from the task at hand.
	Cyril Figgis (Chris Parnell)	The nerdy accountant of ISIS who briefly dated Lana. Occasionally shows moments of saavy in the field, but usually has trouble outside of an office environment. Claims to be a sex addict.
	Cheryl/Carol (Judy Greer)	The clinically-insane ISIS secretary who got addicted to erotic asphyxiation. Secretly the daughter of a wealthy railroad tycoon. Had a running gag where she changed her name in the first season but kept Cheryl recently.
	Pam Poovey (Amber Nash)	The plump Human Resources director of ISIS who claims to be part-Jamaican. Has trouble getting laid and has a bad habit of spreading gossip around the office. Also secretly fights in bloody street brawls and street races for extra cash on the side.
	Woodhouse (George Coe)	Archer's long-suffering butler who is forced to clean up after his messes at home. He helped Malory kill her pursuers back during World War 2 and then inspired Archer's first name.
	Ray Gilette (Adam Reed)	Another ISIS field agent who happens to be gay, yet somehow is an ordained minister who also won a bronze medal for slalom skiing at the Olympics and had a wife for two years (a lesbian he met at a Christian "Pray Away The Gay" camp).