Seeds | Archer: Comedy’s Perfect Storm

Story by Mitch McCann 

| Published Jan 17, 2012

In the midst of is being referred to as the “second Comedy boom” viewers would be hard-pressed to find young programming that can stand out amongst this sea of comedic masterminds. Shows like “Louie,” “30 Rock,” and “Community” are ruthlessly written and each demand their own brand of perfection. So how is a notoriously cult creator, on a cable network, supposed to produce notable humor that competes with some of the best comedies ever on television? The answer is to stick with what you know best.

“Archer” creator Adam Reed knows that your finest product often appears when you surround yourself with a core group of friends. Keeping in mind that “Archer” is written solely by Reed (“Frisky Dingo,” “Sealab 2021”), and voice actors record lines entirely separate from one another, the timing and chemistry of the cast could not be more solid--which is largely a testament to the show’s technical staff. Mel Brooks movies, while still the height of comedy for some, often feel outdated due to under-utilization of comedic beats and lax punchlines. “Archer” bears a finely tuned, “Futurama”-esque joke-per-minute mix of high- and low-brow humor. Mel Brooks dealt in minutes; Adam Reeds parses milliseconds.

The three-part episode arch from late last year was correctly billed by some critics as “Archer: The Movie” and served mostly as an opportunity for “Always Sunny” fans to hop over to yet another FX cult comedy favorite. Archer, mourning the loss of his fiancee, flees to parts unknown, only to be tracked down by “sky captain of yesteryear” Rip Riley (Patrick Warburton). Riley is aided by an expectedly sharp David Cross who, at long last, compliments the cast of characters he was seemingly made to play with. The episodic trilogy, notably dubbed “Heart of Archness,” churned out some of the show’s finest moments and transitions seasons seamlessly.

Episodes involve only the use of basic set-ups (which deliver payoffs precisely like “Arrested Development”); they often involve an unexpected right turn (a la “The Simpsons”); and Reed only dials up the insanity as the episodes progress (like some of “Always Sunny”’s finest hours). With all this being said, the best thing about “Archer” is merely the fact that Adam Reed stays true to his characters. Every debauched scenario our ISIS heroes face is “classic ‘Archer.” The show is truly the sum of its predecessors. “Archer” is both familiar and unique, sharp and off-the-cuff: comedy’s perfect storm.