TV Review: 'Archer' Returns to Form with 'Danger Island'

Few shows have received the critical praise that "Archer" has enjoyed since 2010. The series began as a spy/espionage parody, often riffing on James Bond and John Le Carré. However, to discount the show as simply a parody would be a grand disservice. No animated show on TV other than "The Simpson" has played with its DNA more than "Archer," and often this yielded strong results. Last season, "Archer: Dreamland" was a solid season, but one that took a more serious tone that left the comedy behind. Even though H. Jon Benjamin turned in another brilliant vocal performance, the show felt out of sync. Yet "Archer" fans can rejoice with its Season 9 return. "Danger Island" not only brings back the comedy in spades, but it shows the new anthology format could give this series a very strong run for the foreseeable future.

"Archer" was probably at its best in seasons 5 ("Archer: Vice") and 7 (the unofficially titled "Figgis Agency" season). In these seasons, Archer (Benjamin) and his pals went on isolated adventures that created self-contained storylines. Since then, the show has aired toward a pseudo-anthology series while we're stuck in Archer's coma. "Danger Island" picks up in a similar state to "Dreamland," but we never actually see "real-world" Archer. The season draws its humor from "Indiana Jones" and serials of the 1930s and 1940s. We get all the absurd action of these stories, resulting in a swashbuckling season that not only brings the best out of the writers but the best out of the animators as well.

The redefinition this season are some of the best we've seen from "Archer" as it has continued to evolve. While each of the characters from the show is still brought to screen, their alternate versions are exciting, to say the least. Cyril, now Siegbert Fuchs (Chris Parnell), is a Nazi attempting to collect artifacts. Princess Lanaluakalani (Lana, Aisha Tyler) seems unsure of her allegiance but could still prove dangerous. Charlotte (Judy Greer) is still as funny as ever, while Mallory (Jessica Walter) and Pam (Amber Nash) exert more agency this season. Perhaps the best transformation is Krieger, who has now become a talking parrot named Crackers (Lucky Yates). The parts perfectly come together to bring the show its funniest and most enjoyable new season since "Vice."

A lot of credit should go to Adam Reed, who's showrunning has put the season into an excellent position. Reed has done an excellent job experimenting with the form, and the animation benefits immensely. His writing team continues to challenge the animators, who pull off some incredibly exciting visuals this season. "Archer" is undeniably the best-animated show on television right now, and the credit has to go to its team for pushing boundaries. Not only do the character designs work, but action set pieces in the jungle, airplanes, or fighting Komoto Dragons are some of the coolest things you'll see on screen this year.

Reed's writing team also ups the ante with self-aware humor for the era. They obviously did their homework to bring references like "Tales of the Golden Monkey" into the mix, while also showcasing some meta-humor. There's a joke about a "Catch-22" early in the season, only to have a character mutter that the concept doesn't exist yet. The characters continue to be hilarious even as they become new versions of themselves, showing the team understands the DNA of these characters. Especially when one of those characters has evolved from a mad scientist, into a talking AND dancing parrot.

Overall, "Danger Island" will log itself as one of the strongest animated seasons of TV in 2018. The Emmy's seemed to respect "Archer" for its strong work just two years ago. While "Dreamland" ended up being a bit of a letdown, it still pushed the form and Reed's team continued to experiment. It's always exciting to see a show return to form. Luckily we didn't have to wait long.

What do you think of "Archer: Danger Island?" Let us know in the comments below!

"Archer: Danger Island" airs on Wednesday nights on FXX. It is available to stream on the FXNow App with a cable subscription. 

GRADE: (★★★½)

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