Archer Season 12: Release Date, Cast And More
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Who would have thought thatArcher, a show about an obnoxious alcoholic super spy and his coterie of eccentric co-workers, would become such a long-lasting juggernaut? The animated spy comedy’s twelfth season is set to premiere next month, so now is a good time to catch up on everything we know aboutArcherseason 12 so far.
Archer Season 12 Release Date and Where You Can Watch It
The first two episodes ofArcherseason 12 are set to premiere onAugust 25,2021, on linear cable via the FXX Network, which has been the show’s cable home since 2017. They will also be available to stream the next day on Hulu under the “FX on Hulu” banner. Six more episodes will air in the subsequent weeks, with the season total finishing at eight.
What is Archer?
Archer, which kicked off in 2009, follows the exploits of Sterling Archer, the world’s greatest — and probably most arrogant — spy. He initially worked for an intelligence organization called ISIS, where his mother, Malory Archer, was the director (the show gave up the ISIS name after a real-world ISIS terrorist group came to international prominence). In an effort to keep things fresh, the writers have frequently changed the setting and occupation of Archer and his friends: in a season titledArcher Vice, the characters tried to sell cocaine on the black market, and later in the show’s run, it took on different aesthetics while playing out in a comatose Archer’s mind, includingDreamland,Danger Island, and1999. Last season, Archer finally awoke from his coma to discover that the dynamics around him had changed significantly, and we imagine the upcoming season will see him continue to grapple with those changes.
This season, Archer and gang face a new threat: a spy conglomerate known as IIA (International Intelligence Agency). With a limited number of spy jobs up for grabs, can the Agency compete against the soulless vultures of IIA, or will our mom-and-pop spy agency be the next to get swallowed alive?
Archer Season 12 Showrunner, Crew, and More
Adam Reedcreated the show and continues to serve as the showrunner and executive producer alongsideMatt Thompson, who recently made his feature directing debut withAmerica: The Motion Picture, andCasey Willis, who also directed two episodes of the show’s eleventh season.
Archer Season 12 Cast
Archerhas a sprawling cast of regulars, which includesH. Jon Benjaminas Sterling Archer,Aisha Tyleras Lana Kane,Chris Parnellas Cyril Figgis,Amber Nashas Pam Poovey,Judy Greeras Cheryl Tunt, Adam Reed himself as Ray Gillette, andLucky Yatesas Dr. Krieger. Guest stars will reportedly includePamela Adlon,Eric André,Bruce Campbell,Harvey Guillén,Kayvan Novak, andStephen Tobolowsky, among others. (It’s probably a safe bet that we hear fromDave Willisas Barry, Archer’s longtime nemesis who just recently became his pal in season 11.)
Jessica Walter, who voiced Malory Archer,died in March of this yearat age 80, but she reportedly recorded lines for this upcoming season shortly before she passed away. It’s still unknown exactly how many episodes she will be in, or if the production had to rework any of its episodes or storylines to account for her death. Since Walter was such a huge part of the series and the characters' dynamic, I’m wondering if this season will be the final hurrah forArcher.
