FX’s Archer returned for Season 12, bringing H. Jon Benjamin and Aisha Tyler back for more spy hijinks. The misfit group of spies faces yet another financial crisis in addition to a new rival spy organization, the IIA, International Intelligence Agency.
Rebranding the organization — again
When Archer first aired in 2009, H. Jon Benjamin and Aisha Tyler’s characters Sterling Archer (Benjamin) and Lana Kane (Tyler) worked for a spy organization. It was called the International Secret Intelligence Service, or ISIS, for short.
However, by 2011, the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, rose to the headlines.
Showrunners knew the show’s spy agency had to rebrand to avoid confusion and any political drama.
This lead to the events of season 5, nicknamed Archer: Vice. The spy organization was shut down because it was never sanctioned by the US government.
Season 7 saw them rebrand as the FIGGIS Agency, named after Cyril Figgis, voiced by Chris Parnell, who played Dr. Leo Spaceman in 30 Rock and Jerry Smith in Rick & Morty.
Now, with the agency facing bankruptcy, Jessica Walter’s Malory assigns them to rebrand yet again. Some characters suggested names like ‘Spies with Thighs,’ and ‘Spies with Soul.’ However, it seems that they may settle on a simple name and go by ‘The Agency.’
H. Jon Benjamin and Aisha Tyler’s tumultuous relationship
The will-they-won’t-they couple of H. Jon Benjamin and Aisha Tyler’s characters continue, even with Lana’s marriage to Robert, played by Stephen Tobolowsky (The Goldbergs).
The tension between the three characters remains from season 11 when Archer awoke from a three-year coma. Readjusting to how the people and world changed, possibly the biggest was Lana’s marriage.
The two tried numerous times over the show’s run and the finale of season 7 seemed to confirm they could make it work.
However, the season threw in one more twist — Archer going into a coma that lasted the next three seasons.
Aisha Tyler’s Lana Kane’s rocky marriage
While the most competent agent in the show, Aisha Tyler’s Lana has continuously debated whether or not to continue spy work in favor of a simpler life.
The two clashing desires lead to situations like her operating in the field while pregnant and ignoring phone calls while on missions.
Her internal debate continues in season 12, where she again questions if she made the right decisions in life.
Meanwhile, H. Jon Benjamin’s Archer grapples with the fact that three years in a coma has left him a shadow of his former self. Taunted by his new rivals at the IIA, Archer has his work cut out for him.
Malory’s trajectory, with Jessica Walter’s death earlier in 2021, is uncertain beyond season 12 as the cast and crew decide the best way to honor Walter and her fan-favorite character.
The new season is bound to have many more twists and turns for all the characters, and fans are excited about the next episodes.
After three seasons of Archer finding himself stuck in hallucinations, season 11 saw a return to form, a breath of fresh air for audiences of the show.
As Archer season 12 continues that arc, fans can expect many more exciting and hilarious adventures from the world’s most inept greatest spies.
Related: ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’: Aisha Tyler Once Voiced a Character in a Popular Video Game Franchise
