Season Review: Archer Season 11

Overview:

Archer makes bold moves as its signature character finally wakes up from the coma that has turned the spy show into a rotating series of genre pastiches over the past few years. Archer is ready to get back to work and remind the world why he’s such an amazing character, but he quickly learns that the world is maybe more than fine without him shoving his awesomeness in its face. Archer returns to his spy duties with his friends and family at Agency, but the character faces personal and professional setbacks that make the character question himself in a way that he never has before. Sterling Archer is finally back to normal, but he’s beginning to feel that maybe that’s the problem.

Our Take:

It’s only natural for any television show that’s been on for longer than a decade to experience substantial change over the years in attempts to keep the series fresh. Archer has taken this level of experimentation to unprecedented places with how its past three seasons have all been stylized genre stories that exist entirely within the exaggerated fantasies of Archer’s comatose brain. Archer has been a private detective, a swarthy pilot, and an astronaut, but it’s been fascinating to see that the biggest change for Sterling Archer is for him to get back to his normal life as a spy.

The past seasons of Archer have gone to wilder places, but the sense of urgency to this new season is stronger than it’s been in years. Archer’s escape from his coma has been an anticipated event for so long now that some people were beginning to wonder if it would ever even happen. There’s a good deal of expectations that accompany this large event, which is why it’s so exciting that this season does something thought provoking with its ideas and doesn’t just try to return to the status quo. There’s definitely a level of joy to be had with Archer and the rest of Agency returning to standard spy missions, but Archer’s 11^th season pushes for more. It wants to make it clear that even though events and relationships have returned to a familiar place, this shift is meant to act as a commentary on how much everyone has grown during Archer’s absence. It makes for a compelling way to examine the characters that was previously never possible, even in the coma seasons.

Sterling Archer has always been a self-centered individual that’s able to get away with his reckless behavior because he still gets results as a spy. It’s genuinely interesting to witness the progress that Agency has made in Archer’s absence and how every character has actually been able to improve themselves without Sterling’s constant distractions. Archer also learns that a rhythm has been formed without him and the character must face some tough realities when he’s pushed into the role of a supporting character in his own series.

It’s an amazing exercise for the character and taking focus off of Archer allows him to gain new depth. Archer faces a difficult physical and psychological rehabilitation this season, but it turns into one of the most satisfying component of these episodes. Archer hasn’t been void of heart in the past, but there’s a degree of emotion present in these episodes that feels new. It’s taken 11 seasons and a coma, but both Archer the character and the series have managed to slightly mature.

Archer’s growth and the harsh lessons that he learns are fundamental to this season, but the rest of the cast is also forced to reexamine who they are in intense ways. Lana learns some surprising things about herself as Archer puts stresses on her new marriage with Robert (Stephen Tobolowsky). The complicated relationship between Lana and Archer gains even more wrinkles to it, but it also feels like some real progress is made and they’re able to view each other in new lights. The brief return of their daughter, AJ, also gets to contextualize the characters as parents and it’s a fun change of pace for characters who are often so flippant.

There’s also a surprising amount of development for Cyril, who arguably takes Archer’s return harder than anyone else. Cyril’s continued competence has been present since the very first episode of the series and it makes a lot of sense that he’d be able to rise to the forefront during Archer’s coma. Archer struggles to figure out his role in his new life, but so does Cyril after Archer’s return carefully throws his life off balance. Cyril’s backslides can often be played for laughs, but it’s a rough arc for the character and highlights the fragility that’s in everyone.

Archer’s return is an understandable catalyst for the rest of Agency, but it’s also impressive how the season finale and the larger arc of this season actually depend on Sterling’s ability to not mature and change. Archer’s stereo-typically selfish ways actually prevent an intentional crisis and keep the planet safe. It’s a clever twist that turns the mirror on the rest of Agency and does a good job to once again re-frame character dynamics for the next season. The progress that Archer has made this season won’t be completely erased, but it’s fair to say that Season 12 will be less critical towards the character and his greater purpose.

Season 11 effectively mixes spy missions with character drama, but there’s another compelling element that’s teased during the season which posits that Archer perhaps still is in his coma and that this is all just more of his subconscious going haywire. Thankfully, the season doesn’t go through with this angle, but the fact that it’s played around with is a smart way to create anxiety over the series’ recent obsession with rebooting itself. The season proves that it’s a success when the desire to hang onto these characters and this reality becomes so strong during the finale.

A season 12 of Archer has already been confirmed and it’s amazing that the show has creatively rejuvenated itself in a way where this news is actually exciting. It’s very possible that Archer could get too comfortable and fall on old habits, but hopefully season 12 will maintain the energy and focus that made season 11 such a delight. There are many plot lines from this season that don’t get clear resolutions and it’s exciting to think of how Barry, AJ, and even this strange, evolving relationship between Lana, Robert, and Malory will play out in another season. Season 11 of Archer has pulled off a very difficult feat and it’s found a way to go deeper and be more satisfying than ever before.

Phrasing.