The cast and producers of FX’s Emmy-award winning Archer revealed to fans at Comic-Con in New York City on Thursday that, unlike previous seasons, the upcoming season of the famously anachronistic Archer will take place in a specific year: 1947.
“Season eight is a huge, huge departure for us. We’ve never done something this ambitious and we’re really excited about it—this season we’re going back to 1947,” said Matt Thompson, the show’s executive producer.
“You never know what time period Archer is in, but for this season, it is definitely going to be 1947 and things that are in 1948 will not be in the show,” Thompson added.
Traditionally, the show has been deliberately ambiguous when it comes to dating itself. The characters dress in 1960’s-style garb, yet some episodes feature mobile phones while others make use of cassette tapes for surveillance. Not so for season eight, which will take place in the post-World War II era—a time period that promises to present a lot of interesting opportunities for Archer’s cast of comically vapid, self-serving and evil-doing characters.
“Krieger is actually a lot more sinister in this season, if you can believe that,” Lucky Yates, the actor who voices Dr. Algernop Krieger, shared with fans at NYCC. “It’s fresh after World War II you guys. A lot of German being spoken by Krieger in this season, which is a very difficult thing if you’re not a native speaker!” Yates added.
“Even though this season we’re going back to 1947, not a lot really has changed. There’s still going to be a lot of fighting, a lot of punching, a lot of kicking,” added Thompson, trying to reassure fans who may be disappointed in a season-long departure from the show’s primary story line.
In the upcoming season, super spy Sterling Archer is “recast” as a private investigator and his love interest, Agent Lana Kane, is a lounge singer.
“These are the same characters that you know and love but it’s new…so stop complaining!” joked Aisha Tyler, who voices Kane.
“All the characters, they’re still themselves. If you know the show, you’re going to be able to see the joke that we’re doing that most people may miss,” Thompson assured fans.
Tyler shared with fans that she uncovers a new talent in season eight, doing all of her character’s singing herself.
“My mom was really excited because my mom was a jazz singer and she was excited that her daughter was singing on this weird cable show where everyone’s naked,” Tyler said.
Adam Reed, the creator of the Emmy-award winning animated comedy, recently revealed he planned to end the show after the tenth season.
But at NYCC, executive producer Matt Thompson left the answer to the question of subsequent seasons somewhat ambiguous.
“We signed a contract recently for seasons eight, nine and ten, and what happens after that I don’t know. Right now we’re just trying to make this show and this season. I can’t even think about what kind of sandwich I’m going to have tonight… so ask me three years from now,” producer Thompson said.
“Every season, it’s felt like a surprise, this little show is still going. Every year we go to Comic-Con and it’s surprising there are people in there!” Tyler shared with fans. “This is something that I think we would all do for free… It’s a great show and it’s exciting to see you guys here because we love it as much as you do,” she added.
Season eight of Archer will premier in January 2017 on FX’s sister network FXX.
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