Finally all caught up on Archer after starting it some weeks ago. All I can say is: I think it's interesting how the first episode is not a reflection of the rest of the season, or the series as a whole. Pam and Cheryl are perfectly normal people, and Archer's relationship with his Mom was far more.... full of incest subtext compared to how their relationship really is. I'm somewhat afraid of showing it to people who may be interested on the series now because it is not really a good reflection of what Archer is.
That said, I liked how the series evolved with time, and although I'm not feeling this season matches the previous ones, there are some highlights. I loved Pam when she was her old character, and her new coke thing feels like it's ruining her (literally and figuratively). Cheryl has also become more... insufferable outside of some moments of brilliance (That is also an interesting aspect: How stupid Cheryl became, though I feel she's slightly smarter now than she was some seasons ago). I would like to see more of Krieger and his virtual girlfriend (she might be one of my favorite minor characters simply on the basis of the jokes that come up just by her presence), but if we get more development on interesting dynamics (like this week's Archer-Cyril-Ray) I'm fine with it. I think there's plenty to come, so here's hoping things will only get better.