Archer

[Reply #160 on:]

I have officially watched every episode. My eyes are burning. God damn you Netflix.

Edit: TOTP Dance!

[Reply #161 on:]

I could never get past the animation style of this show to really be able to judge it. 

I could never get past the animation style of this show to really be able to judge it. 

The animation is just eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh.....

The animation itself leaves a little to be desired, but it's perfectly acceptable given the show's low budget. The beautifully drawn backgrounds and the great character designs more than make up for the way it's all animated, in my opinion.

I actually thoroughly enjoy the animation.  It's obvious it was done in flash, but it has a high level of detail and it's clean cut.  You can tell where it originates from, and I loved the 7030 production stuff too.

[Reply #162 on:]

Don't get me wrong, the animation's very good for what it is. But it certainly doesn't compare to the big budget major network animated shows (whereas, I think the style the show is drawn in actually looks great, which makes the rudimentary animation all the more pleasant).

[Reply #163 on:]

To be honest, the animation looks more professional than most other animated shows...the character designs are more conventional and realistic, and the environments use more solid lines and defined objects.

That said, it is mostly computer animated, so I can get how some people might find other shows to appear more organically animated or unique. At the end of the day it's completely subjective.

[Reply #164 on:]

HOLY SHIT AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES

Show spoiler

ARCHER AND LANA HAVE A DAUGHTER

[Reply #165 on:]

HOLY SHIT AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES

Show spoiler

ARCHER AND LANA HAVE A DAUGHTER

Yes. Yes you are.

I thoroughly enjoyed this season, though. It wasn't quite as good as 1 or 3, but it certainly made up for season 4. I much prefer the more serialised approach, and even though the plot never totally made sense (and I'm not overly excited about them returning to ISIS), it was definitely a worthwhile experiment. I hope the show retains its quality next year, given its lousy track record with even-numbered seasons.

[Reply #166 on:]

Actually I was wondering where the Archer thread went because I just finished Archer Vice this weekend. It's not that I don't care about that baby development, it's that if you didn't see that coming you really don't understand the show. There were somethings that were left unexplained that kind of confused me: mostly the Krieger clones.

You know I love this show and I liked season 4 just fine, though I'm already blanking on what happened even though I just watched the entire thing like three weeks ago. But I did find it funnier than season 3, the episode with the guard dog alone made me laugh really hard. But it hasn't been since season 2 that this show got a huge I-have-to-pause-the-episode-because-I'm-laughing-so-hard response (that cancer arc just slayed me). Like season 5, at least I became aware of it, leaned a little too hard on call-back jokes.

Also Ron Cadillac reminds me of my math professor and that kind of makes me just love him.

[Reply #167 on:]

Well, that season turned out to be an extended press of the reset button for a few long-running arcs, or teasers of what could have been arcs. I'm looking at you, Krieger.

I'm definitely pleased that they're returning to ISIS, and that Lana admitted to Archer she still loves him, but I don't know how I feel about Archer raising a child. It's going to be a fucked-up kid if he or his mother end up taking an active parenting role in its life, but it's going to be equally fucked up if it's left alone with Wodehouse, or raised by its gun-toting, man-handed, mother.

I suppose that it'll be funny, either way.

[Reply #168 on:]

I love the idea of Archer Vice, but I don't think that they pulled it off particularly well.

It was an entertaining season, but I'd say that it also represents the worst season of the show to date. Also, it's not a show where I feel much emotional attachment to the characters, so I couldn't care less if two of them have a daughter, now.

[Reply #169 on:]

A really interesting interview with the show's creator regarding season 6.

[Reply #170 on:]

Interesting read indeed. I am very much looking forward to season 6.

[Reply #171 on:]

Bump!

It has been confirmed that Archer will be dropping the name ISIS this season, for obvious reasons.

[Reply #172 on:]

Rebump! (or perhaps I should've gone with unrebump?)

Pretty decent season premiere. A few of the jokes fell flat (namely Archer and the ladyboys) but it was a solid episode nonetheless. I particularly enjoyed Archer asking the Japanese soldier if he knew how to make Eggs Woodhouse. That was so adorably "Archer."

[Reply #173 on:]

It felt like a return to form after last season.

I love the idea of Archer Vice, but the whole thing felt somewhat dull in practise.

Mallory's voice sounded completely off in the first scene for some reason, but it soon returned to normal. So yeah, here's to the rest of the season.

[Reply #174 on:]

Yeah, I noticed that about Mallory as well.

I enjoyed Vice for the most part and felt it was a definitely step up from the lacklustre fourth season, though I agree it could have (and should have) been far more well-executed. Reed and the gang really didn't utilise the full potential of Archer Vice's concept, and that was a tad frustrating. Having said that, I'm still overdue for a rewatch... I'd imagine it works much better in binge/marathon viewing, given the large amount of serialisation.

[Reply #175 on:]

The most recent episode of Conan featured an Archer "crossover" skit, which was actually pretty damn funny.

[youtube]OEYwOWjQiz4[/youtube]

[Reply #176 on:]

It felt like a return to form after last season.

It's feeling like there could be a little extra mileage in the show's premise now, which is really what Archer Vice was meant to fix, isn't it? I mean, they were sort of on the edge of losing steam. Now, they seem to be ready for a great sixth season.

[Reply #177 on:]

Now I want a full episode of Archer with Conan, that was great.

[Reply #178 on:]

I've caught up on this season. Last night's episode was creepy and super sad. Like wow Edie (Alison Tolman!!!) what a fucking bitch.

[Reply #179 on:]

Yeah, what the fuck was with the ending?

I did really enjoy it though, but I still have some issues with how the show has handled Barry's running storyline (namely the fact that they set so much up with the last few episodes of season 3 and then obliterated it all pretty early in season 4), which I feel never quite lives up to its potential.

I also noticed that the whole Lana/Cyril storyline went nowhere, but I'm guessing they might actually continue that little arc next week. Cyril really hasn't had much to do at all these past few seasons.

[Reply #180 on:]

I never watch Archer episodically, I usually do it in big chunks. I think I spent six hours just watching all of Archer Vice in one sitting. What I'm saying is most of the seasons blur together and I don't remember specific things that happen until they're brought up. So I don't remember Barry's plot after the space-station disaster. I remember what happened with Katya but like I don't really know what purpose Barry actually serves.

Yeah the Lana/Cyril romance has nowhere left to go. Cyril is so intentionally a straight-laced pill that he is kind of boring and forgettable. And while I'm not really banking on Archer and Lana finally getting together, the show has exhausted all potential romances for Lana outside of introducing someone new. Since the show doesn't really focus on her love life that much, I don't see that happening in a plausible way anyhow. I love Lana but she really doesn't seem to exist outside of Archer's world view. Her character isn't that defined.

EDIT:

Who wants waffles? 

I forgot to make the waffles. 

[Reply #181 on:]

Cyril's become sleazy in a way that's not particularly pleasant to watch, so I'd honestly just prefer they not do storylines on his romantic life anymore. I think the most well-used Cyril's ever been was in season 3, when he first started joining in missions as a field agent ("El Contador" in particular used him perfectly).

As for character relationships, I honestly find Archer and Pam's unlikely friendship (and occasional "fuck buddy" encounters) far more endearing than Archer and Lana's. Those two make a great team, and I always look forward to their scenes together.

[Reply #182 on:]

I do watch the show episodically and it still completely blurs into one for me... like, I really struggle to recall specific moments and events and the order in which they came.

[Reply #183 on:]

I remember seasons 1-3 far better than 4 onwards (aside from a couple of episodes which I rewatched with friends shortly after their original broadcast, I've only seen most of seasons 4 and 5 once), but I don't think it's all that hard to remember when certain key moments happened. It's not like the show puts out a huge number of episodes a year or anything.

[Reply #184 on:]

It's not a competition Beamer.

[Reply #185 on:]

Yes it is, Other Beamer.

[Reply #186 on:]

I really can't tell a difference in quality between any season, really, and I really recently rewatched the first three seasons.

(Season 5 is the exception to the rule).

[Reply #187 on:]

I've always thought seasons 1 and 2 were the funniest, but that the show has managed to stay consistently entertaining since then.

Also, I really enjoyed the new episode.

[Reply #188 on:]

I've always thought seasons 1 and 2 were the funniest, but that the show has  managed to stay consistently entertaining since then.

Also, I really enjoyed the new episode.

I agree with everything Josh just said. Quit stealing my opinions, Josh!

[Reply #189 on:]

I've always thought seasons 1 and 2 were the funniest, but that the show has  managed to stay consistently entertaining since then.

Also, I really enjoyed the new episode.

I agree with everything Josh just said. Quit stealing my opinions, Josh!

I have the same opinions. Josh tell TNUK to stop stealing my opinions that you also stole.

[Reply #190 on:]

I am apparently the only person who preferred season 3 over 2. This saddens me.

[Reply #191 on:]

I think if I had to pick, I'd probably go with 3 over 1 and 2, as well. Like I say, they all blend into one for me, but I can sort of remember the Heart of Archness (or whatever it was called) three-parter more than the other episodes, so that has to stand for something.

[Reply #192 on:]

Heart Of Archness was fantastic and probably the high-point of season 3...which is weird because those episodes sort of aired between seasons before season 3's official "premiere".

Season 2 had the cancer two-parter as well as the episode where Pam is kidnapped, which stand as my top three favorite episodes to this day. I also think the two-part finale in Russia is still the strongest season ender.

[Reply #193 on:]

I also think the two-part finale in Russia is still the strongest season ender.

Once again, I agree completely. Although, I have to admit that Heart of Archness was close (definitely the high point of the third season).

As for the second season... RAMPAGE!

[Reply #194 on:]

Heart of Archness is great but has a few structural issues (namely the fact that very little actually happens in part 2) - the cancer story arc from season 2 is a much stronger multi-parter, and arguably the best thing the show's done to date.

However, aside from that, I think season 2 has quite a lot of forgettable episodes - Swiss Miss, Tragical History, Movie Star, White Nights, etc. None of these episodes are bad by any means, but they're not particularly memorable, and below the immensely high standards the show had set for itself up until this point. Whereas I felt the stand-alone episodes from season 3 regained that standard and then some... The Man from Jupiter, El Contador, Drift Problem and Lo Scandalo would probably all crack a "top 10 Archer episodes" list for me.

[Reply #195 on:]

Season 2 had the cancer two-parter

To be honest, nothing on this show has made me laugh as hard as those episodes. The exchange between Archer and Krieger about placebos was one of those pause-the-episode-because-I-am-choking-on-tears moments. I could go on forever about why that is the funniest conversation I've ever heard on a tv show and why I am going to hell.

[Reply #196 on:]

I was introduced to a few eps of Archer when Aslate visited last summer.  It was interesting but didn't quite grab me.  I've since picked up the first season, and I'm just waiting for the right mood to dive into it.

[Reply #197 on:]

The correct mood you should be in before watching Archer is misanthropic and sex-deprived.

[Reply #198 on:]

Bummer -- I love people.

[Reply #199 on:]

It doesn't necessarily have to be people from which you're depriving yourself sex.