Archer, FX’s vulgar and totally awesome spy spoof, has long been one of the funniest shows on television, and it took hilarity to new heights last season by removing its lead characters from their Cold War-esque spy office and turning them into international drug smugglers.
Archer Vice, as it was titled, found Pam turning into a ravenous Cocaine Monster, Cheryl utilizing a mind-control trip to become a country singer named Cherlene and Krieger meeting his Nazi clone brothers, among other incredible developments. Some dynamics were changed for good – Lana now has a baby, named A.J., who will become a major part of the show in season 6.
According to creator Adam Reed, season 6 will mark a return to (relative) normality for the ISIS gang. Vice, he said, was viewed from the outset as a fun, outside-the-box year:
“I sort of felt some pressure to shake it up a little bit, but I think that might have been self-applied pressure—especially judging by the initial response, which was, “What the heck is this? I don’t want this!” But I thought it would be fun and it was one of those things that snowballed in a meeting where we were laughing and talking about story ideas, and then everyone got really jazzed about it. And then FX was like, “Yeah, that sounds fine.” It’s a rare, lucky relationship to have. We had a really good time doing it but are happy to be coming back home.”
Sadly, “coming back home” means no more Coke Monster or Cherlene in season 6:
“They went right back to normal. Our first episode will really hang a lantern on everything being reset, and they just go right back to who they were.”
However, A.J. won’t be ignored, Reed promised. Instead, the baby will encounter the Wee Baby Seamus, whom fans will remember that Archer is reluctantly paying child support for, despite the baby really being co-worker Cyril’s:
“Seamus will now be a toddler so I’m looking forward to the play date we’re going to have between Seamus and baby A.J. and catch up with him, and Seamus is going to look exactly like a 4-year-old Cyril. I think we’re even going to grey his temples. Archer will know Cyril’s the father but no one is going to believe him—even when they see mini-Cyril… Archer is going to end up taking baby A.J. and the toddler Seamus on a covert mission for hilarity to ensue—trying to break into the CIA, but he’s got these two babies in tow. That will probably happen somewhere in the middle of the season.”
What else is in store for season 6? Lots of familiar faces and new missions, said Reed. But for characters who have been to jungles, the ocean floor and even space, there had to be a particularly spectacular new locale for the ISIS gang. Luckily, it seems Reed has found an ideal one:
“The human body!… Fantastic Voyage is what I’m thinking. Our epic finale this season could take place within the bloodstream of a nuclear scientist. We have some new characters coming in, too. We’re going to meet Pam’s sister, who will be voiced by Allison Tolman from Fargo, and a couple of others but nobody’s signed a contract yet so I don’t want to jinx it—but we’ve got some great guest stars this season. And Barry the Cyborg will be back. Jakov, however, is dead.”
There you have it. Archer Vice was a delightful excursion, but it’s heartening to learn that Reed isn’t planning to disregard the office politics he so hilariously developed throughout the show’s first four seasons.
Archer will return in 2015.
