Archer season 12 started 25th August

[NoSleep]

Same group of writers are working on this season as did the last (i.e. Adam Reed neither writing or co-writing). It isn't bad (first two episodes came out last week) but has a similar problem to some of this year's Rick & Morty, where you see the writers attempting to keep the cast "in character" and not quite getting there.

Of course, Jessica Walter died earlier this year (RIP), but apparently (I read somewhere) they have recorded enough material for another two seasons (counting this one?) featuring her. Does that mean they are that far ahead in production or did they just cram some extra recording sessions in with her because they knew she was dying (cause of death was never announced)?

[Ant Farm Keyboard]

Adam Reed is still very much involved with the show, beyond voicing Ray. He just decided to let other people handle the bulk of the work and get credited, but he maps out the overall arc for the season, and he contributes to rewrites. However, he won't do a full rewrite if something is wrong, that's the balance he's found out.

Rick & Morty is a different situation. They're basically at the same stage Archer was around season 4 or 6, when they started to get out of inspiration, with episodes where the most memorable thing was the guest star. It was very noticeable for Archer, because Reed kept his hands all over the show and announced he would put together these thematic seasons like Vice or the Figgis Agency as a way to shuffle things a little bit. For R&M, Olivier and Harmon let new writers come up with stuff that basically looks like fan fiction to pad the orders, while they can deliver a few great episodes, just not as often as in the early seasons.

[QDRPHNC]

I just finished a second rewatch of Archer a couple of months ago, and it lost my interest right around the point it did the first time through, at season 6. The early few seconds are fantastic, seems like the writers couldn't figure out how to expand on the characters and the later seasons start feeling very repetitive.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Same group of writers are working on this season as did the last (i.e. Adam Reed neither writing or co-writing). It isn't bad (first two episodes came out last week) but has a similar problem to some of this year's Rick & Morty, where you see the writers attempting to keep the cast "in character" and not quite getting there.

Of course, Jessica Walter died earlier this year (RIP), but apparently (I read somewhere) they have recorded enough material for another two seasons (counting this one?) featuring her. Does that mean they are that far ahead in production or did they just cram some extra recording sessions in with her because they knew she was dying (cause of death was never announced)?

This interview suggests that she didn't quite complete her lines for season 12 but had recorded the vast majority, and they were able to work around what hadn't been finished. https://www.newsweek.com/archer-season-12-jessica-walter-final-malory-tribute-1622881

I didn't mind the premier and it had its moments, but I haven't rushed to watch the second episode yet, and would have no issue in the slightest if they didn't do a thirteenth season, even if it is in a far better state than during the coma years.

[NoSleep]

Adam Reed is still very much involved with the show, beyond voicing Ray. He just decided to let other people handle the bulk of the work and get credited, but he maps out the overall arc for the season, and he contributes to rewrites. However, he won't do a full rewrite if something is wrong, that's the balance he's found out.

Archer isn't as bad as the bad episodes in the new season of R&M (where it felt like a different show altogether). It's more about lines in the script where they try to write in character and fumble it. What's happened to R&M is they have appeared to have lost an important figure in Ryan Ridley who may have been coordinating the series in a similar role to Adam Reed's with Archer.

[NoSleep]

This interview suggests that she didn't quite complete her lines for season 12 but had recorded the vast majority, and they were able to work around what hadn't been finished. https://www.newsweek.com/archer-season-12-jessica-walter-final-malory-tribute-1622881

That sounds more like I would have imagined things to be. I wouldn't have thought that they'd have been that far ahead in production even if they constructed episodes from the audio upwards (as I know some animated shows are).

[Moribunderast]

This season finished today. I thought it was okay but the show is just kind of functionally decent now as opposed to the glory days. I wanted to bump the thread, though, because the ending and the way they wrote Jessica Walter out of the show was really lovely and brought a tear to my eye.

[Small Man Big Horse]

This season finished today. I thought it was okay but the show is just kind of functionally decent now as opposed to the glory days. I wanted to bump the thread, though, because the ending and the way they wrote Jessica Walter out of the show was really lovely and brought a tear to my eye.

I've not watched any more of it since the first episode and can't say I have any urge too, but will see that last one then as I'm intrigued as to how they do it.

I see it's been renewed for a thirteenth series, but eh, I think I'm done with it now sadly.

[Thursday]

This completely passed me by, might download it and give it a watch because it's still okay even at it's worse, but I feel like it's had so many natural endpoints now. Amazed it's still going.

[Ant Farm Keyboard]

Archer, unless the Hit-Monkey show for Hulu turns up to be a hit, is the only animated TV show that the production company is consistently working on. It employs dozens of people in Georgia, and their opportunities to develop more shows didn't work a few times.

[H-O-W-L]

Starting S11 and gonna watch S12 because of this thread's good words about it getting back to form, if not being great again. The intro of S11,

Spoiler alert

with Judas Priest blaring only to reveal Krieger's new van being called "SCREAMING FOR VAN-GEANCE" actually had me cackling.

[close]

[H-O-W-L]

Season 11 was good, just finished it.

[H-O-W-L]

Hate to triple post but I finished Season 12 and yeah, those were probably the strongest two seasons of Archer since the dip at the start of about Season 5.

Spoiler alert

Malory and Ron's sendoff

[close]

was legitimately tearjerking, and I'm very interested to see where the show goes. It really benefitted from having strong, consistent through-threads and an actual villain.

[MojoJojo]

This completely passed me by, might download it and give it a watch because it's still okay even at it's worse, but I feel like it's had so many natural endpoints now. Amazed it's still going.

Yes, just noticed there is a 11th season on Netflix. I found 10 worth watching at least, so that's good.

[Small Man Big Horse]

The positive posts made me give this another go, the second episode was a bit average with the occasional funny moment, but I really enjoyed the third, Cheryl's dubious facts about England and their mucking about in London in general made me laugh a fair amount, so I'm glad I watched that one at least.