Archer: The Complete Season 4

OVERVIEW: The comedy series "Archer," created by Adam Reed, was first announced on FX in the fall of 2009. Reed credits the inspiration for the show to a personal experience in which he was unable to muster up the charisma to hit on a beautiful woman; he later fantasized about a suave, debonair spy who would always have the right moves. I have absolutely fallen in love with "Archer;" I can't get enough of the continuous wit and exceptionally clever dialog. Unlike other animated shows, "Archer" utilizes complex plotting as well as character development, allowing viewers to watch and rewatch episodes without sacrificing entertainment value. I am personally humbled by the various cultural references employed by the writers--it just goes to show how involved intellect must be in creating comedy. I fully understand that much of the show's content may be deemed offensive to some viewers, so to enjoy it, it's best to keep in mind that "Archer" is written in a satirical manner. It is fair to warn, however, that the series earns its TV/MA rating quite well through use of crude language, violence, and sexual situations; basically, it's probably not suitable for children or anyone who isn't a fan of that sort of comedy.The storyline centers around Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) who is the sort of spy Reed had imagined, only with a few extra character `flaws'--he is pretty much a sociopath. Despite bearing the codename Duchess, Archer is considered the world's most dangerous spy; were he not absorbed with promiscuity, alcoholism, expensive toys and tactlenecks, he might also be considered the world's best spy. Archer works for his self-centered and emotionally distant mother, Malory Archer (Jessica Walter), at the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS) based in New York City. Fellow ISIS employees include agent Lana Kane (Aisha Tyler), comptroller Cyril Figgis (Chris Parnell), agent Ray Gillette (Adam Reed), HR Director Pam Poovey (Amber Nash), Head of Applied Research Dr. Algernop Krieger (Lucky Yates), ISIS whipping-boy Brett Buckley (Neal Holman), ISIS armory `librarian' Rodney (Andrew Donnelly), and nut-job secretary Cheryl Tunt (Judy Greer). Other recurring cast-members include: cyborg KGB leader Barry Dylan (Dave Willis), cyborg KGB leader Katya Kazanova (Ona Grauer), and Archer's valet, Woodhouse (George Coe; Roy McCrery in flashbacks).Season 4 Guest Stars: ODIN agent Lucas Troy (Timothy Olyphant), Malory's husband Ron Cadillac (Ron Leibman), "Bob's Burgers" owner Bob Belcher (H. Jon Benjamin), Bob's wife Linda Belcher (John Roberts), "16" owner Lance Casteau (Anthony Bordain), Coyote Mercedes Moreno (Carla Jimenez), mechanic Mr. Ford (Bobby Ford), mutineer and eco-terrorist Captain Murphy (John Hamm), stalker Ruth Anne Litzenberger (Judy Greer), Cut-Rate James Mason/Turkman Leader/Archer's father (Peter Serafinowicz), Border Patrol Agent (Nick Searcy), Cardinal Giancarlo Morelli (Rene Auberjonois), the Pope (George Coe), Cheryl's brother Cecil Tunt (Eugene Mirman), and Cecil's girlfriend Tiffy (Kristen Schaal).ARCHER: THE COMPLETE SEASON FOUR--kicked off in January of 2013. The fourth season carries some of the long-running jokes from Seasons One-Three, but also begins to show a more sensitive side to Sterling Archer (for brief moments, he almost borders on `mature'). Some of the continuing themes include: Who is Archer's father? Why does Archer hate crocodiles? Will Brett finally die? What is Barry's master plan? What will Katya do as the new head of the KGB? Will Lana and Archer get back together? What is to become of the rivalry between Barry and Archer? Who will Lana choose as the father of her baby?SPECIAL FEATURES: [13 Episodes/2 Discs/286 min.] Fisherman's Daughter and Archer Live!EPISODE SUMMARIES (contains spoilers):Episode 1: "Fugue And Riffs"--Thanks to Barry (still trapped on Horizon and tracking Archer's every move), a KGB hit-squad mistakes Bob Belcher, family man and owner of "Bob's Burgers," for Sterling Archer. To protect his wife and children, Bob goes into hiding (at a luxurious spa). In reality, Sterling has amnesia and, for the past few months, has been living as Bob. Attempting to promote situational recall, Krieger and Cyril pose as KGB agents. When the real KGB shows up, Lana, Bob, Cyril, and Krieger find themselves cornered; Lana calls a "Code Zulu," but Ray pretends he didn't hear it. Archer finally remembers what triggered his identity crisis: Malory has married Ron Cadillac.Episode 2: "The Wind Cries Mary"--Item 5 of the agenda: following an ant infestation, Malory closes the ISIS break room. Item 6: Pam's peer-reviews. Item 7: ODIN agent and Archer's beloved BFF, Lucas Troy, was undercover as a nuclear scientist in a mission gone-bad. Troy is believed to have stolen the cash and uranium stores; all of the agents on the operation are dead, including Troy (who's `body' is found among the wreckage of a getaway plane). Lana and Cyril tail Archer to Vermont where he has rendezvoused with a rogue Lucas Troy. To better control ISIS inventory (and irritate ISIS employees), Malory hires Rodney as the new armory `librarian.'Episode 3: "Legs"--Now that Ray is for-real paralyzed, he struggles to cope with being handicapped. Dr. Krieger convinces him to be fitted with bionic legs. In fear that Krieger might be creating a "gay terminator," Archer attempts to shoot through the operating-room door; Brett, despite being nowhere in the vicinity, is somehow shot in a "magic bullet" scenario. Because Rodney denies him the proper equipment for infiltrating Krieger's lab, Archer is left to spend the weekend crawling around in the ISIS ventilation ducts.Episode 4: "Midnight Ron"--Archer calls for an extraction from Montreal. Since Malory and Ron are having a marital dispute, Ron jumps at the chance to retrieve his stranded stepson. In order to evade border patrol, Archer (and a suitcase full of dirty money) is smuggled in Ron's trunk. When a gang of robbers ambushes Ron's car, the Cadillac ends up totaled. A few dirty truckers and one cargo-train later, Archer manages to get Ron back in time to see "Carmen" with Malory.Episode 5: "Viscous Coupling"--A desperate and dateless Archer makes a brief but convincing attempt to get back together with Lana; when Archer receives a call from his ex-fiancé, Katya Kazanova, he quickly recants his play at Lana and rushes to Katya's apartment. To Archer's dismay, Katya is actually just seeking help in locating her beloved Barry. Knowing that Barry is still trapped on Horizon, Sterling agrees to help--hoping Katya will be so grateful that she'll dump Barry to get back together with him.Episode 6: "Once Bitten"--Sterling, Cyril, and Ray are on a mission to blow up an oil pipeline in Turkmenistan. Amid nothing but desert, Archer takes a potty break and receives a curious bit from a Caspian cobra. His insistence on continuing to drink only worsens the poison's effect, leading to dream-like hallucinations that take the form of Archer and James Mason visiting important moments from Sterling's past. The journey through his memory exposes the root of Archer's inner torment.Episode 7: "Live And Let Dine"--Lance Casteau, TV chef and owner of the restaurant "16/Seize," is hosting dinner for U.S. and Albanian diplomats. Due to a vague security threat, the ISIS team is brought in to pose as restaurant staff. Archer (Randy), Lana (Mitzi), Cyril (Chet), and Ray (Gilles) become the stars of this week's episode of "Bastard Chef."Episode 8: "Coyote Lovely"--The ISIS agents are sent to the South Texas border to capture a Coyote named Moreno. After intercepting the Coyote's truck full of illegal immigrants, Archer discovers that Moreno is actually a beautiful señorita; he quickly betrays Cyril, Lana, and the rest of the mission to run away with Mercedes Moreno. Attempting to cross into Mexico with a station wagon full of aliens, Archer is routed by the border patrol; he takes two bullets in the back before Mercedes can subdue the border agents.Episode 9: "The Honeymooners"--A team of North Korean agents plan to make a cash exchange for enriched uranium at the Tuntmore Towers Hotel. Archer and Lana go undercover as newlyweds--enticing Pam, Cheryl, and Cyril to follow along on a colleague-spying venture. While scaling the building, Lana slips and makes a free fall, giving Archer the opportunity to make a heroic rescue (after which, Lana makes an important decision). When Lana and Archer fall into Korean custody, Cyril leaves his peeping-post to rescue them.Episode 10: "Un Chien Tangerine"--After acing the ISIS Field-Agent Aptitude Battery test and proving her weight in combat, Pam requests to be trained as a field-agent. Sterling and Lana are in Tangier, Morocco, to extract agent Kazak--who turns out to be a very large and smelly Mastiff. Lana has finally had enough of Archer's antagonism; she quits ISIS and storms off into the desert (without her GPS, gun, sat-phone, or life-saving water). When Lana gets kidnapped, Archer and Kazak team up to rescue her.Episode 11: "The Papal Chase"--Cardinal Giancarlo Morelli contracts ISIS to protect the Pope from Swiss assassins. Lana is upset to learn that Malory has chosen Sterling and Pam as the undercover agents (a priest and a nun, respectively) instead of her. Because the Pope bears a striking resemblance to a certain valet, Lana is put in charge of bringing Woodhouse to Vatican City for use as a decoy. As it turns out, Cardinal Morelli hired ISIS believing they would blow the operation, making him next in line for Popehood.Episode 12: "Sea Tunt: Part I"--A B-52 carrying a hydrogen bomb has crashed into the Bermuda Triangle; Malory plans to recover (and later ransom) the bomb before the Russians can get their hands on it. Because they need use of his submersible vehicle, ISIS agrees to bring Cecil Tunt and his girlfriend, Tiffy, along for the mission--only Lana is skeptical of Cecil's reasons for involvement. On their way to the research vessel, Cecil prods the ISIS team for testimony on his sister's `idiosyncrasies;' Cheryl discovers that Cecil is actually gathering evidence so that he can be granted conservatorship over her share of the inheritance. When they reach the Tunt's ship, Cecil confesses that the bomb was a hoax; he tricked ISIS into the mission in hopes of using them to regain control over his rogue underwater research laboratory. Captain Murphy (the mutineer, lead scientist, and eco-terrorist) is threatening to launch VX-Nerve Gas missiles into the U.S.Episode 13: "Sea Tunt: Part II"--Knowing Murphy is seeking publicity for his `save-the-ocean' cause, Cecil disguises Lana, Archer, Cyril, and Ray as a news-crew for admission into the Sea Tunt. While in the submersible vehicle (DSV), Lana becomes nauseated and Ray gets a bloody nose; since Lana doesn't have any tampons and Archer replaced the onboard first-aid kit with alcohol, Ray's nose is just left to bleed. Lana is noticeably agitated, but refuses Archer's boozing offer. Back on the surface vessel, it is revealed that Cecil (along with his inability to manage funds) has blown his share of the inheritance. Once they arrive at the Sea Tunt, Lana's interviewing skills lead Murphy to reveal that he doesn't actually have any missiles and that he is just doing this for attention. During a standoff, Archer shoots a hole in the observation glass; pods 1-6 flood almost immediately (since the sea-lab is insured at 3x actual value, the Sea Tunt's demise makes Cecil rich again). When it is discovered that there are only three scuba suits (and that Lana is pregnant), Archer volunteers to drown so that Lana, Cyril, and Ray can make it safely back to the DSV. After reaching the submersible vehicle, Lana succeeds in restarting Archer's heart by use of a defibrillator; in full celebration-mode, Archer accidentally defibrillates the CPU for Ray's bionic legs, rendering Ray--once again--paralyzed.

Anyone who digs Archer is a friend of mine. But then, why is it we are not reviewing/discussing Archer, one of the greatest TV shows of all time?Is it because they haven't gotten rid of Barry?Is it because they haven't gotten rid of /other/ Barry?I would understand if it were either of these because none of us enjoys seeing Sterling get bested, seeing his one true love fall into the arms of an wimpling who couldn't even take a garbage can fall!Is it because we never get enough Krieger?I suppose I would understand this too, but then again, one dude, Adam Reed, writes just about everyone of these episodes, and so clearly he knows what the fudge he is doing by not giving us too much of a good thing.Did you see Regis today?No... It isn't any of these reasons that we aren't reviewing/discussing one of the greatest TV shows of all time, it is because we would rather /belly ache/ that we have to sit through five seconds of promos for some of the other greatest TV shows of all time: Sunny? The League? Justified? It's babytown frolicks I tell you, babytown frolicks!Listen Archer fans, there is /one network/ on basic cable that puts up the dough for these excellent shows, /one network/ which had the stones to take a chance on Sunny, /one network/ that gives us a solid forty-five minutes of Olyphant/Goggins charismatic glory every week, and /one network/ that gave us Sterling Archer: FX, so you all better recognize!I mean, can you blame the record label for putting its label on the awesome record it discovers, produces, distributes, and promotes? I can't blame them, that's all I'm saying, even if they do need to promote themselves, because I owe them everything! How many hours of my life would've been devoid of laughter without Sweet "Dee" Reynolds and Frank? Or Nick Kroll's "Ruxin"? How much time would I have spent staring at atoms instead of basking in the glories of imaginary identification with the coolest dude on TV, Raylan Givens? I shudder to even think about it... As I shudder to think of poor Goatlie...IMHO, then, we should be /thanking/ FX for the joy they have surely given us, we should take the 2.3 nanoseconds of promos to raise our hearts in gratitude and remembrance in order to purify ourselves before the spiritual bread we are surely about to be given.

Parfait comme décrit

The series continues in true Archer fashion! It includes several nods to H. Jon Benjamin's other show, Bob's Burgers(from an episode theme, to several voice actors cameo appearances). The characters continue to grow and bounce off each other greatly again, and someone even gets married! A wonderful season and at the cheap price this has been dropping too it's a must. Not too mention, this season has only 2 special features, but they are VERY enjoyable ones.

Bei Archer kann man nie etwas falsch machen. Der Humor ist super.Allerdings werden die Geschichten immer unrealistischer und brutaler. Ein unschöner Trend in der Serie.Zur DVD: Zum ersten Mal kommt die DVD-Hülle in einem Pappcase, welches in Relieff bedruckt ist und ein Ausklappbares Gesicht hat.Alles in Allem sehr hochwertig.Und was es mit dem Schnäuzer auf sich hat? Spoileralert! Es gibt ein geniales Crossover.

Archer is easier one of the best, funniest shows on TV right now. I tried looking everywhere for season 4 and couldn't find a region 2 DVD at all I knew most Blu-Ray's are to some extent region free so took a risk and I'm happy to say PS3 plays it perfect! and it looks amazing, actually considering replacing the former series DVD's for Blu-Ray. can definitely recommend.also the postage speed was excellent! 5*'s for that too.

Although my copy of series 4 ( U.S. Import) tells me it is only Region A on the back it is Region A/B and plays okay on my Region B player. Still as funny as ever and am loving the 'tash! Jesus,Mary and Joseph Stalin.