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1%%
2%% NOTE TO EDITORS: ShoutOut examples belong on the ShoutOut/Archer page, and examples from Twitter pages belong on Extras/Archer.
3%% Additionally, please remember to spoiler tag information relating to Abbiejean Kane-Archer.
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6%% Image kept on page per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1603455529096713300
7%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
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9[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/archer_26.png]]
10[[caption-width-right:350:''"This is [[WhyWeCantHaveNiceThings why we can't have nice things]]."''[[note]]From left to right: Cyril Figgis, Sterling Archer, Cheryl/Carol Tunt, Malory Archer, Pam Poovey, Lana Kane, and Dr. Krieger. Not pictured: Ray Gillette.[[/note]]]]
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12->'''Malory:''' ''Most'' secret agents don't tell every harlot ''from here to Hanoi'', that they '''ARE''' secret agents!\
13'''Archer:''' ...Then why ''be'' one?
14-->-- ''Season 2, Ep. 6 - "Tragical History" (2011)''
15
16[[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere You want tropes!? 'Cause]] ''[[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere this]]'' [[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere is how you get tropes!]]
17
18When Adam Reed, the creator of ''WesternAnimation/{{Sealab 2021}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/FriskyDingo'', went to Creator/AdultSwim with the idea for ''Archer'', a show aptly described as "''Film/JamesBond'' meets ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment''," the network passed it over. The Creator/{{FX network|s}} saw potential in ''Archer'', however, and greenlit the show, which began to air in September 2009. The show aired its finale in 2023.
19
20The show follows titular protagonist, "superspy" Sterling Malory Archer, an agent for the open-market spy agency, the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS; not to be confused with a certain real life Islamist militia), and his random misadventures both inside and outside of the office walls. Archer makes for a well-trained spy--but his Jerkass behavior and his tendency to remain oblivious to everything except himself often renders his competence in the field next-to-useless. One would think ISIS would have fired him or had him eliminated as a liability by now, but...well...the rest of the organization [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits isn't much better.]]
21
22''Archer'''s humor, much like ''Arrested Development'' (and [[SpiritualSuccessor spiritual predecessor]] ''Frisky Dingo''), relies heavily on {{Call Back}}s and {{Running Gag}}s and, like that show, has a large EnsembleCast (including a cast member or two from ''Arrested Development'') and TwoLinesNoWaiting plots. A fan of either ''Arrested Development'' or ''Frisky Dingo'' will almost certainly enjoy ''Archer'', whereas someone who found either show repetitive or too low-key probably won't.
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24With Season 5, the show took a departure from its usual approach as a way to prevent SeasonalRot and started the theme of [[OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo titled seasons]]; In the first episode of ''[[Series/MiamiVice Archer Vice]]'', the FBI closes down ISIS, pointing out that the agency was never actually legally sanctioned in the first place. As spies with no other job skills, the staff remain in Malory's employ to further help her "dispose" of the leftover evidence in her concealed vault: a literal, not figurative, metric tonne of ISIS-confiscated cocaine, worth about fifty million dollars, literally changing the entire premise of the show from a spy agency to a drug cartel.
25
26Season 7, ''[[Series/MagnumPI Archer, P.I.]]'', had the cast move to UsefulNotes/LosAngeles and start a PrivateDetective agency. This season ended with a cliffhanger that left Archer in a coma. It was followed by three coma dream seasons that existed mostly outside of the show's main continuity:
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28Season 8, ''WesternAnimation/ArcherDreamland'', is a FilmNoir [[AdventuresInComaland coma dream]] with a {{Retraux}} RoaringTwenties [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ucRSgG9ZZs jazz opening.]]
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30Season 9, ''WesternAnimation/ArcherDangerIsland'', continues the coma theme but goes from noir to TwoFistedTales: [[Series/TalesOfTheGoldMonkey a tiny pacific island shortly before the outbreak of World War 2]] with a new "jungle adventure" themed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP9guUYv7Dg opening.]]
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32Season 10, ''[[WesternAnimation/Archer1999 Archer 1999]]'' likewise continued the coma theme, this season being set [[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!!]]. This was initially expected to be the final season of the show, but a week before the finale ''Archer'' was renewed for an eleventh season [[https://ew.com/comic-con/2019/07/19/archer-season-11-interview/ that returned the show to its original characters and spy agency setting.]]
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34The 14th and final season began airing on Aug. 30, 2023, with a special three-part finale event closing out the series later that year.
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36This series has a [[Characters/{{Archer}} character sheet]], a [[ShoutOut/{{Archer}} Shout-Out page]], a page listing [[Archer/CharacterBlogTropes tropes found on the characters' Twitter feeds]], a [[Recap/{{Archer}} page of episode summaries]], and even a [[AnachronismStew/{{Archer}} page examining the show's time period]]. You can vote for [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/BestEpisode/Archer best episodes here.]]
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38Don't confuse this show with the Creator/{{BBC}} radio soap ''Radio/TheArchers''.
39----
40!!Do you want tropes? Because that's where you get tropes:
41
42[[index]]
43* Archer/TropesAToC
44* Archer/TropesDToG
45* Archer/TropesHToN
46* Archer/TropesOToS
47* Archer/TropesTToZ
48* ''WesternAnimation/ArcherDreamland'' (Contains unmarked spoilers for the first 7 seasons)
49* ''WesternAnimation/ArcherDangerIsland''
50* ''WesternAnimation/Archer1999''
51* Archer/CharacterBlogTropes
52[[/index]]
53
54----
55->''[-[[RunningGag ...dangerzone.]]-]''
56

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