Review: Archer “The Anglerfish Stratagem” ; “30 for 30”

Overview:

Sterling Archer and The Agency team are back for one last hurrah, but they just better make sure that they’re on the right side of history. The team’s efforts to take down insidious jewel thieves to prove themselves to Interpol raises serious questions that could leave this operation as flawed as a blood diamond. Meanwhile, growing pains are felt as Archer recalibrates himself while in the presence of Zara Khan, The Agency’s newest wunderkind spy. Sterling is grateful for the extra help, as long as it doesn’t come at the cost of his own vanity. 

Our Take:

It can be incredibly controversial to introduce a new major cast member in a show’s final season. It’s an easy way to steal focus from the core players while this new individual, who the audience cares about less, is artificially put in the spotlight. Archer is certainly aware of these risks and it seems to feel a little more justified in the inclusion of Zara Khan (Natalie Drew), superspy, who becomes a “new Lana” of sorts, just as Lana enters more of a supervisory Malory position this season. Archer has flirted with characters like Zara in the past–both figuratively and literally–but she quickly becomes a valuable addition to the Agency crew who earns her screentime. She already keeps Archer on his toes and on the defensive in a way that’s just fun to watch and sets this season up for success. 

Archer’s 14th season premiere really clicks into place once it becomes clear that Zara is in fact much closer to Archer in demeanor than she is to Lana, right down to the same speech patterns. This is a double-header premiere where two versions of Archer, who are in different places but on comparable paths, fight for the same goals and help each other grow once they let the other in. It’s something that Sterling has struggled with for the bulk of Archer’s run, so it’s moving material to explore when it’s most important for Archer to be vulnerable. Archer and Zara’s punchy dynamic works well if these two become a romantic item in the future. However, Archer has grown so much as an individual that he can hopefully look at Zara beyond his past myopic interests. His chemistry with Zara ultimately works better if they’re just friends and colleagues. 

Alternatively, it’s entirely possible that some deep cut female spy from Archer’s previous 13 seasons would have worked just as well in this role, but Zara succeeds and is an important presence that represents something new while Archer plays its greatest hits as it finally, truly says farewell after 14 seasons. “The Anglerfish Stratagem” and 30 for 30″ really set the tone for an exceptional final season that’s both familiar and different. These two episodes alone pull off some effective surprises and twists that prove that Archer still knows how to subvert a spy story after 135 episodes.

It’s not long into “The Anglerfish Stratagem” until it becomes a classic case of “client or criminal” and Archer and company can’t help but wonder if they’re adding to a better problem. Archer has played this card, many times, in the past and yet it feels like the right way to start what’s definitively its final season so it can put these plots to bed and rise above past pitfalls. “Misdirection” becomes this season’s new “Phrasing,” which is only appropriate considering how much these episodes play against type, but only when it’s least expected. 

These installments, especially “The Anglerfish Stratagem,” operate like vintage Archer episodes, right down to the jewel thief threats who have stolen billions of dollars. What’s really interesting about this case for both the audience and Agency is that they presume that it’s actually an interview to become a part of Interpol. Such a lofty finish for these characters has never been something that’s been previously teased as anyone’s aspiration, but it’d make a fitting conclusion to these characters who have saved the world several times over, even if they’re still bumbling and bickering while it happens. A job at Interpol is hardly confirmed to be Archer’s endgame, but now that it’s on the board it’s a lot easier to picture it coming back into play by the season’s end.

Archer made an incredibly smart writing choice following its coma seasons where Sterling Archer can progressively fit into the role of a supporting player who might be an obstacle to the evolving people around him. These two episodes that kick off season 14 feature plenty of Archer, but they don’t necessarily break from this pattern. “The Anglerfish Stratagem” and “30 for 30” have just as much for Zara, Pam, Lana, and Ray to do as they do for Sterling. What also feels quite natural is how Lana not only runs the show, but pulls it off like a literal boss as she easily shifts into a role that feels like the perfect mix of Lana and Malory. She goes through her own little mini identity crisis in the premiere that’s well-handled, doesn’t draw too much attention to itself, and makes it just a little easier to cope with the loss of Jessica Walter. It’s already a good fit, especially with Zara in the picture.  

And hey, there’s even weird, character-building backstory from Ray’s youth, too!

This two-part premiere doesn’t disappoint when it comes to its dialogue and character work. “30 for 30” also makes the time to indulge in some classic Archer-isms, like his tendency to befriend wild animals, which in this case includes an adorable turtle that helps Archer escape from a James Bond-esque death trap. These episodes are strongly plotted, but they’re also dense in heightened non-sequitur gags that still hold thematic weight, like when random corpses are found in Agency’s walls as the literal skeletons in their closets can’t hide any longer. Agency’s field crew have fun in Paris while Lana and company get lost in the literal horrors of transparency. 

Archer’s 14th and final season begins with a highly promising start that bodes well for the rest of these episodes. Archer, in all likelihood, will end on a strong note that does its legacy as an animated series justice, which is what it deserves at the bare minimum. If the quality of these first two episodes carries over through the rest of the season then this year might be one of Archer’s strongest seasons, which isn’t something that many series are able to say 14 seasons in. “The Anglerfish Stratagem” and “30 for 30” are the perfect start to the end of Archer that remind the characters, and audience, why they fell in love with this subversive spy comedy in the first place.