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[TheAbsolution]

wait are they seriously going all out on the drug running stuff?

Spoiler

yes. ..

Pretty new to Archer, just caught it on TV a couple weeks ago and loved it right away. Really surprised they don't air reruns on FX more so I could catch up.

.

The previous 4 seasons are in Netflix.

 

[someday]

Holy shit. I need a cigarette.

That was so good I was even laughing for the first 5 minutes of Chozen. Is it good or was I just still riding the Archer Vice high?

 

[Passive Assassin]

wow. great episode.

 

[reptilescorpio]

That was awesome.

This is going to be awesome.

I just hope they didn't spoil all the awesome shit with that montage.

 

[Dominican Power]

Crazy ass montage.

 

[Blue Ninja]

I was in the shower and suddenly realized "they're gonna kill Brett". Couldn't have been anyone else, really. :lol

I powered through the entire series in a week. When the bomb went off, I instinctively started doing "mop, mop". Think I need a break.

 

[Dorsal Axe]

I wonder if the opening going to change?

Spoiler

Yes. Starting from the next episode, there will be a new 80s inspired opening sequence, and a new theme song.

 

[Blackhead]

I've avoided every preview and and trailer then the show itself goes ahead and shows me 5 minutes of spoilers for the whole season. Goddam. It's a stunning hype mode but makes me less enthusiastic about what's to come. Daily Beast described it as a mix of Miami Vice and Breaking Bad. Meh

 

[Divius]

Holy shit that was amazing.

What an episode.

 

[Ryan_]

I've avoided every preview and and trailer then the show itself goes ahead and shows me 5 minutes of spoilers for the whole season. Goddam. It's a stunning hype mode but makes me less enthusiastic about what's to come. Daily Beast described it as a mix of Miami Vice and Breaking Bad. Meh

Same here, I barely realised that Archer "Vice" was really a thing and not just commercial portrayal to give the show a boost. However, I do think this will be a great season and by the looks of the montage, it'll be full of memorable moments. I'm very excited for next week!
And for the new theme song!

 

[Net_Wrecker]

I've avoided every preview and and trailer then the show itself goes ahead and shows me 5 minutes of spoilers for the whole season. Goddam. It's a stunning hype mode but makes me less enthusiastic about what's to come. Daily Beast described it as a mix of Miami Vice and Breaking Bad. Meh

"Meh" to a combo of those shows?

MEH?

MEH?

 

[reptilescorpio]

I've avoided every preview and and trailer then the show itself goes ahead and shows me 5 minutes of spoilers for the whole season. Goddam.

Yeah that made me a little disappointed. May have taken some impact out of the moments. Eh.

 

[FormallyMegadrive]

I stopped watching immediately as soon as I realised it was a montage of stuff I haven't yet seen. I'll watch it when the season ends.

 

[Blue Ninja]

It'd be hilarious if all that stuff was just to fuck with people, and the season progresses an entirely different way.

 

[BertramCooper]

I'm glad I can now speak without spoiler tags.

Echoing VanDerWerff's comments, I can't think of a show that has done anything remotely like this - that has thrown its premise out the freaking window five seasons into its run. It's just so gloriously insane.

It's especially remarkable considering how animated television shows in particular almost never take risks once they've gained widespread popularity and settled into familiar patterns. (Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, etc.)

Kudos to Reed. It took huge, massive stones to do this.

 

[Zoggy]

this is like the complete opposite of jumping the shark.

we need a term for this this.

 

[Matt_]

Yes to everything, just yes. Pam seems to be going She Hulk mode

 

[trinest]

this is like the complete opposite of jumping the shark.

we need a term for this this.

Shark the Jumping?

 

[Divius]

Vicing the Archer

Spoiler

no

 

[Alric]

Loved it and I think the montage was just his imagination and not so much foreshadowing the entire season, could be wrong though. Either way I'm so pumped it's back.

 

[BertramCooper]

Anyone else catch Skinny Pam in the montage?

Cocaine's a helluva drug.

 

[Cornballer]

- Sepinwall with a few thoughts on the premiere and the next few episodes

It takes some onions to so thoroughly blow up the premise the way "White Elephant" did. There's plenty of evidence even on cable of innovative shows riding out their initial set-up as long as is humanly possible, even after it starts to feel played out. And for all the talk of how animation comes with an unlimited effects budget and can go anywhere and show anything, "Archer" was still a series produced on the cheap, in part because there were so many static sets and costumes that could be recycled every week. By blowing up the ISIS offices and turning the characters from spies to drug dealers, dropping them into new settings with lots of new costumes, etc., means an unexpected level of expense at this point, and it's to FX's credit that they let Adam Reed and company both mess with a successful formula and do it in a way that will cost more money.

I've seen the next couple of "Archer Vice" episodes, and you can really feel the difference. The characters all have their usual personalities, but their circumstances are so radically different that all the usual jokes and behavioral tics feel reinvigorated.

 

[Bombless]

Just finished watching this....and stood there, clapping, for 5 minutes or so. Holy shit.

 

[Lonestar]

yeah, I didn't know anything about this upcoming change. But it's a great idea, and fits nicely with the type of characters the show has. I did not think the montage was actually a long "hype" trailer for the rest of the season. I figured it was a creative explosion of wacky 80's movie parodies that Archer was having in his head, because that's something he'd do.

Skeptical on liking the new intro. I really like the opening theme to Archer.


I've seen someone, somewhere, mention that the "elephant in the room/Hidden Door" had been hinted at before, but no one knew what was back there. Is this true? Was there an episode to explain how they got that much coke?

 

[Cornballer]

- Warming Glow with a bunch of GIFs from the ending montage

 

[BertramCooper]

Skeptical on liking the new intro. I really like the opening theme to Archer.

Did I miss something?

The one I saw looked mostly the same. They clearly reanimated it a bit and added Lucky Yates, but other than that, it was pretty similar.

Are we getting a new one next week?

 

[Cornballer]

Are we getting a new one next week?

Sounds like that's the case.

Spoiler

Yes. Starting from the next episode, there will be a new 80s inspired opening sequence, and a new theme song.

 

[diaspora]

Can someone tell me when the hell they got all that coke?

 

[BertramCooper]

Sounds like that's the case.

Cool.

Is the show officially being rechristened as "Archer Vice?" Or is that more of a promotional title for the season?

 

[Cornballer]

Is the show officially being rechristened as "Archer Vice?" Or is that more of a promotional title for the season?

That I'm not sure about. FWIW, the DirecTV Grid now lists it as "Archer: Archer Vice" which isn't confusing at all. Hopefully they'll talk about it a little during the FX TCA panel today.

 

[Blackhead]

"Meh" to a combo of those shows?

MEH?

MEH?

- Daily Beast: ‘Archer,’ the Hilarious Animated Spy Series, Reinvents Itself

Thus far, the show has been more of a randy office comedy than spy spoof; a demented cross between Mad Men and the Bond films. But no more. The ISIS gang is taking the show on the road.

“When I first heard about it, I was psyched,” says H. Jon Benjamin, who voices Archer. “We take it on the road, and so much crazy shit happens this season. It’s insane. It’s like Breaking Bad meets Miami Vice.”

Archer was created by Reed, who thought of the premise while seated at an outdoor café in Salamanca, Spain. He was observing a beautiful Spanish woman writing in her journal at a nearby table, and had no idea how to approach her. So, he devised a character who could.

“Of course, a spy would have a perfect line,” he told The Wall Street Journal.

I prefer Mad Men to Breaking Bad and, while I like the Bond films, I haven't seen Miami Vice and have little inclination to do so.

Moreover the characters were carefully calibrated for a Spy Show. We got the Mexican smugglers story last season but I'm wary of the schtick wearing thin in a season long arc. It makes more sense for the characters to go their own way and if the creator was bored with the show he should have just wrapped it up. It's more daring for a successful American show to go out on a high imo than either be cancelled or attempt to run forever.

Anyone else catch Skinny Pam in the montage?

Cocaine's a helluva drug.

Spoiler

SPOILERS!?!

 

[Peff]

Looks like that montage was all definitely taken from upcoming episodes:

I’ve now seen the first 5 episodes of this season, so I can confirm that Sterling’s “Archer Vice” montage at the end is all actual footage from this show.

Glad I didn't watch it

 

[BigAT]

Do any other fans of Frisky Dingo get reminded of that by this move on Archer? Want to talk about a show that throws out and moves away from its premise. It starts out by presenting itself as a superhero/super-villain show, then quickly moves...elsewhere. Then there is the whole political race reboot in season 2, which is eventually dropped just as quickly.

They are still very different shows on very different networks, but I can't help but be reminded of Reed's past work a bit with this big transition.

 

[BertramCooper]

Spoiler

SPOILERS!?!

It was in the freaking episode! How is that a spoiler? It's just an observation.

 

[Blackhead]

It was in the freaking episode! How is that a spoiler? It's just an observation.

I know lol. Just wish I didn't

 

[Cornballer]

The montage at the end aired as part of the show, so it's not a spoiler to discuss it, post GIFs, etc... I understand that some people are disappointed that it was in the premiere, but the creators intended for us to see it and it's not a spoiler. No need for tags there. Please continue to spoiler tag discussion of promos, interviews about episodes we haven't seen, and the rest of the usual stuff. Thank you.

 

[BertramCooper]

Honestly, I think the kerfuffle over spoilers in that montage is a bit overblown.

Most shows get equally spoilery promotional trailers months before they've aired. Because this season was shrouded in so much secrecy, we never really got one. Just the Top Gun parody stuff and the office training videos.

That montage basically served as the season's trailer; the only difference is they embedded it within the first episode.

 

[Blackhead]

Honestly, I think the kerfuffle over spoilers in that montage is a bit overblown.

Most shows get equally spoilery promotional trailers months before they've aired. Because this season was shrouded in so much secrecy, we never really got one. Just the Top Gun parody stuff and the office training videos.

That montage basically served as the season's trailer; the only difference is they embedded it within the first episode.

A few people skip those; I haven't seen any trailer for the shows I'm watching this year. And discussion of trailers/previews is usually spoiler-tagged

This is an unprecedented situation though. There are a few gaffers who have chosen to skip the montage. Talking about the montage should obviously be fair game but, as a courtesy could everyone indicate a discussion is about the montage as BertramCooper
did

 

[Peff]

Honestly, I think the kerfuffle over spoilers in that montage is a bit overblown.

Most shows get equally spoilery promotional trailers months before they've aired. Because this season was shrouded in so much secrecy, we never really got one. Just the Top Gun parody stuff and the office training videos.

That montage basically served as the season's trailer; the only difference is they embedded it within the first episode.

I guess it's more of a touchy subject here because they've got a completely blank canvas right now, so it's exciting to imagine where they'll go with this. It's still just a few minutes out of a couple of hours, so not likely a big deal in the end.

Speaking of the episode, I liked how Mallory actually did save them all. I was totally expecting her to throw everyone under the bus.

 

[BertramCooper]

A few people skip those; I haven't seen any trailer for the shows I'm watching this year. And discussion of trailers/previews is usually spoiler-tagged

This is an unprecedented situation though. There are a few gaffers who have chosen to skip the montage. Talking about the montage should obviously be fair game but, as a courtesy could everyone indicate a discussion is about the montage as BertramCooper
did

I think that's unnecessary, for reasons Cornballer pointed out.

 

[Demon Ice]

Lol'd so hard at Archer apparently getting a pet tiger in the montage.

 

[ЯAW]

I know I'm going to like this but in all honesty this episode did very little to me. I'm also sceptical about the change from spy stuff to Archer Vice.

 

[jcutner]

Lol'd so hard at Archer apparently getting a pet tiger in the montage.

Babou?!

Also, just wanted to add this;

 

[Santiako]

They are actually changing the spy show into a cartel show? AMAZING

 

[BertramCooper]

I hope the new credits get released/leaked early. I can't wait to see them.

 

[Cornballer]

- Onion A|V Club Interview: Archer creator Adam Reed talks about blowing up his show’s premise *spoilers*

EDIT: Some highlights from the interview:

Spoiler

I don’t know if they told you: We actually made a real country album to go along with this season. That was really fun to work on, and we got the actual real-life Kenny Loggins to sing on the album. He’s doing a duet of a country version of “Danger Zone” with Cherlene. It’s been really fun.

AVC: The first episode ends with that lengthy montage of things coming up in episodes to be seen. Was that you trying to assure the fans that it’s still going to be basically the same show?

AR: Yes, very much so. When that was written, we wrote this trailer, and then it was all sort of place-holder stuff, and I thought, oh yeah, we’ll get to that and somebody will be kicked out of a helicopter at 3,000 feet. So we said, “We’ll wait and we’ll finish the trailer, because we’re going to need the existing footage and blah blah blah.” Then it turned out that almost none of the things in the original trailer as written wound up in the season. So we went back—and I guess how they make real trailers—watched seven episodes and used footage to put in the trailer. And hopefully, it does look very similar to what it traditionally has, but with enough of a change to be interesting. Anew.

 

[Cornballer]

The Archer TCA panel is going on right now.

Archer saw its most watched season premiere ever adults 18-49 and third-most-watched episode among all viewers. In a new timeslot! #TCA14

Lucky Yates wore a track suit to Archer TCA panel. No shirt, wraparound sunglasses. Awesome.

I'll post more highlights as I see them.

 

[big ander]

Anyone else catch Skinny Pam in the montage?

Cocaine's a helluva drug.

Think it was from the methamphetamine in the trailer

 

[Net_Wrecker]

I prefer Mad Men to Breaking Bad and, while I like the Bond films, I haven't seen Miami Vice and have little inclination to do so.

Moreover the characters were carefully calibrated for a Spy Show. We got the Mexican smugglers story last season but I'm wary of the schtick wearing thin in a season long arc. It makes more sense for the characters to go their own way and if the creator was bored with the show he should have just wrapped it up. It's more daring for a successful American show to go out on a high imo than either be cancelled or attempt to run forever.

As a huge fan of Breaking Bad and the first 2 seasons of Vice (aka "real" MV), this is possibly the best thing that could've happened to the show if they wanted to switch it up short of announcing a major movie franchise deal. These characters, on the road, with a ton of coke, and an 80s flair, with these writers.....It's like Christmas.

 

[Cat Party]

Episode was amazing. They changed up the premise of the show and then proved to us that we will still love it.