Blu-ray Review: ‘Archer – The Complete Season Four’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Archer – The Complete Season Four’ on Blogcritics.


Archer is FX’s hilarious animated series about the employees of ISIS. Part James Bond spoof, part workplace comedy, it follows the zany adventures of some moronic people who, somehow, always seem to get the job done, despite being constantly sidetracked by their inane and selfish whims. It’s fantastic.

Season Four, recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, begins with “Fugue and Riffs.” Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) ran away on his mother’s wedding day, months ago, and hasn’t been seen since. Lana (Aisha Tyler) finally finds him living with a wife and kids and running a burger joint.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Benjamin also is the titular character on the FOX series Bob’s Burgers, and “Fugue and Riffs” seems to be a demented, ultra-meta crossover, with Archer having become Bob (albeit with the children being his step kids) and John Roberts reprising his role as Linda, Bob’s wife. The fact that Archer would do something like this should tell you just about everything you need to know about the tone of the series.

“Fugue and Riffs” isn’t the only great installment in this two-disc set, which comprises 13 episodes. “Once Bitten” has Archer dying in the desert as Cyril (Chris Parnell) and Ray (Adam Reed) ineptly try to save him. “Live and Let Dine” features the spies undercover at a restaurant working for a mean chef, Lance Casteau (voiced by real celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain). And in the two-part season finale, “Sea Tunt,” the gang goes with Cheryl’s brother and his girlfriend (Bob’s Burgers stars Eugene Mirman and Kristen Schaal) to Sealab to stop the crazy Captain Murphy (Jon Hamm, Mad Men, playing the character from the Adult Swim series Sealab 2021).

This stuff is outrageous and will make you laugh out loud, but honestly, my favorite parts of Archer usually just involve the cast hanging around together. Malory’s (Jessica Walter) alcoholism, Pam’s (Amber Nash) crazy sex and danger obsessions, Cheryl’s (Judy Greer) twisted fantasies, Krieger’s (Lucky Yates) creepy experiments, and the rest blend together for a very pleasing batch of witty dialogue and humorous conflicts.

Archer is great because it knows what it is and wants to be and allows the characters to develop. It is a goofy animated sitcom, to be sure, but the players are much better fleshed out and dynamic than on, say, Family Guy. There are serial arcs and many recurring actors who pop up from time to time. What happens in one episode may have consequences down the road. It’s a show that should be watched in order, not just a random episode here and there, which is a rare thing for a cartoon.

There are, sadly, only two special features in this set. “Fisherman’s Daughter” is a movie that Krieger and Pam are making. Don’t worry, it isn’t tentacle porn, though it probably would be if we got to see all of it (only three minutes or so are present), and it does come awfully close to that line.  “Archer Live” features twenty-minutes edited out of a live stage show, which includes scene readings and goofing off with the audience.

Both of these extras are great. My complaint isn’t with the content itself, just that there isn’t enough of it. It seems there’s been a trend recently to slim down the bonuses on DVD sets, as I’ve commented on many being sparse this year, and while not every fan wants this stuff, it is valuable to some who could just digitally download a set if the draw for the physical media isn’t there.

Oh, and Archer has a mustache on the cover that you can take on and off, which sounds simple, but is much more fun than you’d expect.

Overall, this is a good release because the episodes are fantastic and the featurettes are enjoyable. Archer The Complete Season Four is available now.

Archer - "Sea Tunt: Part 2"

Article first published as TV Review: Archer - "Sea Tunt: Part 2" on Blogcritics.

FX's Archer completes its fourth season with "Sea Tunt: Part 2." Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) and the other ISIS agents journey to Sealab to stop crazy Captain Murphy (Jon Hamm, Mad Men) from firing weapons at the United States and other world powers.

How appropriate that Archer's fourth season, which begins with a major play on Bob's Burgers, ends with another cartoon spoof, this time of Sealab 2012. While the first three seasons didn't have winks at other shows this blatantly, this new element has slipped in effortlessly, especially as cartoons with a similar type of humor are single out as the targets. I hope next year sees more of the same kind of gag.

While the man who voiced Captain Murphy on Sealab 2012, Harry Goz, was not available to reprise the role, having died before Sealab ended, Hamm does a fine job. For those doubting Don Draper's comedy chops, have no fear. As he did in 30 Rock and Childrens Hospital, Hamm hangs with the actors more accustomed to getting laughs, and does so with skill and charisma.

Murphy is killed off in this episode. This may be a bit satisfying for fans of Sealab, as the character never got a proper send-off, and the series was considered inferior after that. Now, they finally get their closure.

"Sea Tunt: Part 2" actually corrects a slight from the first episode of this season. Kristen Schaal (The Daily Show) and Eugene Mirman (Delocated), both main characters in Bob's Burgers, did not lend the voices to the season premiere. Both get to guest star in "Sea Tunt: Part 2," as well as the first half of the two-part episode, making up for their previous absence. Now, if only a role can be found for Dan Mintz next year, the  crossover be complete.

As for the story of "Sea Tunt" itself, it's a pretty good one. Archer, Lana (Aisha Tyler), Cyril (Chris Parnell), and Ray (Adam Reed) go after Murphy. The half hour is full of their bickering and personality clashes. It's a pretty typical episode of the series, because of the way they interact, and how it gets in the way of doing their job. The mustache bit is funny, as is Archer's incessant alcoholism. Classic Archer.

In the end, Ray loses the use of his legs. Again. Will there be no end to his suffering? Actually, I hope not. The fact that this is something continually solved and then becoming an issue again, over and over, is very funny.

I am undecided over the twist of learning that Lana is pregnant. Sure, it will be interesting to watch someone who is the opposite of maternal take care of a child. But Archer thrives on the chemistry of the cast, and despite some character development prior to this, a baby may shake things up in unexpected and major ways, unprecedented for the series. I worry what it could do to the show.

At least neither Cyril nor Archer are the father. By using a donor, Lana does avoid much typical sitcom fodder as the guys try to guess who the baby daddy might be. Though, knowing Archer, the donor may still end up being someone we've seen before. Which could be fun, if done right. Since this is Archer, I'm relatively certain that it will be.

While the mission plays out, Malory (Jessica Walter) searches for booze, hanging out, though not really by choice with Pam (Amber Nash) and Cheryl (Judy Greer). Again, the interactions between the characters make this series, and while nothing major happens with these three, every moment they are on screen is joyous.

I like that Cheryl's family is worked into the episode, and we learn more about her. Any chance to uncover the backstory of any of the characters is welcome, and Cheryl's is done in a cool and clever way. And of course, her last name, teased in the episode title, makes for the punchline of many jokes, though Archer wisely avoids overdoing it.

I am glad that Cheryl's brother (Mirman) ends up getting his own money back, though, so he isn't a recurring villain. He works better as an amusing side character, rather than a bad guy.

The fourth season of Archer maintains the comedy's quality, and I will miss it until it returns for season five next winter.

Sealab 2020 The Complete Series now on DVD

"This is the year two thousand and twenty. The place is the Challenger Sea Mount, the top of an underwater mountain, a complex beneath the sea. Two hundred and fifty men, women and children live here. Each of them, a scientist pioneer. For this is our last frontier, a hostile environment which may hold the key to tomorrow. Each day, these oceanauts meet new challenges as they build their city beneath the sea. This is Sealab 2020."

This is the voice over that opens every episode of Warner Brother's 1972 animated series, Sealab 2020. Not to be confused with Adult Swim's Sealab 2021, which uses the same animation, but is drastically different, Sealab 2020 is an educational adventure set in and around an underwater community with a classic Hanna Barbera feel. The DVD set has extremely clear picture and decent sound, collecting all thirteen episodes together for the first time.

Many things can go wrong when living deep below the ocean's surface, and all of them seem to in a mere baker's dozen episodes. Radiation leaks near the base, people get lost, a crewman comes down with Green Fever (a psychosis caused by missing land), sharks circle, a giant squid messes with equipment, and much more! To make matters worse, as we're frequently reminded, the residents can't just swim for the surface to safety, as they would get the bends.

What's odd is that, despite these crazy, exciting dangers, the series actually comes across a bit boring. Perhaps it's because there's a lot more talk than action. Or maybe it's the flat personalities, that never show too much emotion, even in the face of the worst crisis. Sealab 2020 fails to convey a sense of dread or threat in any one of these situations.

Now, that could be a good thing. After all, the show is made for kids, and is completely family appropriate. However, even taking the young audience into consideration, there is a lack of enthusiasm that just doesn't make for very entertaining programming.

There are positives, too. Sealab 2020 is educational. Along with the weekly "adventures," a number of facts and scientific principals are explored. There is always time during an emergency to discuss what is going on, and the safety tips the crew needs to remember. Plus, kids will learn a lot about undersea life, studying it along with the scientists.

Especially in the first few episodes, the children on the series take center stage. Captain Murphy's grandson, Bobby (Josh Albee), is frequently involved in the plot. He is a relatable kid, great for the target audience. He may not always think through his actions ahead of time, but he's guided by strong morals, compassion, and he's also pretty smart. Bobby is usually more of a help than a hindrance.

Sealab 2020 does its job in promoting diversity by including characters of different ethnicities working side by side as equals. There is definitely a balance. Yes, the characters are all a bit white-washed, with no individual personalities or traits. But that's true for the white people as well as the minorities, so it seems fair enough.

What's sad is the show's treatment of women. Sally (Pamelyn Ferdin) is little more than a sidekick for Bobby. Gail (Ann Jillian) is a scientist, but she doesn't demonstrate the same level of professionalism as her peers. For instance, in one episode the men laugh off her claims to have seen something in the depths of the ocean. In another, she falls in love with a dolphin, fawning over it like a mother, and neglecting her responsibilities to take care of it. It's really disappointing to see such a negative stereotype, considering how advanced the stories are in other areas.

Also a regret is the lack of bonus features. There are none on the DVD. It's a shame that no one tells the story that happened behind the scenes, or includes the unaired episodes that Wikipedia mentions.

Overall, Sealab 2020, while not groundbreaking, is a family-friendly, educational series that is set in a spectacular world under the sea. It will make you wish the place was real! Sealab 2020 The Complete Series is on sale now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article originally published as Sealab 2020 The Complete Series now on DVD at TheTVKing.com