Archer Review: Danger Island: Strange Pilot (Season 9 Episode 1)

On Archer Season 9 Episode 1, “Danger Island: Strange Pilot,” we get a glimpse of the new world Adam Reed creates with our favorite OG crew: Archer, Malory, Lana, Pam, Cyril, Cheryl, and Kreiger.

A lot has changed for the crew in Archer’s second coma-induced dream, and I’m kind of digging it.

For example, now, instead of the overcrowded, polluted streets of New York, the show takes place in a hardly inhabited, wild-and-free island with death traps and cannibals around every corner.

Additionally, unlike last season, Adam Reed seems keen on getting the action started early this season (thankfully), so this might be our only time to get used to the new character adaptations of the OG crew and how they interact with their new setting.

Because of this, it would be a good idea to chart the similarities and the differences we see in this season.

1. Sterling Archer

Sterling is still a mama’s boy, he still has no motivation, and he still sleeps around with any female breathing. However, now he’s a one-eyed drunken pilot instead of an agent.

Something tells me he still has Rip Riley issues that haven’t been resolved yet.

2. Malory Archer

Malory is still a controlling and lethally sarcastic mother, she still lets Archer leach off of her, and she’s still an ambitious, stone-cold businesswoman. The only difference is that now she owns a hotel with an illegal gambling house instead of an illegal intelligence agency.

Well, it’s not like ISIS wasn’t basically a hotel. The OG Archer crew always had random people running around in there and, if we’re being honest, Pam and Cyril probably slept there more than their own homes.

3. Princess Lanaluakalani (previously known as Lana Kane)

Lana still has control issues and still uses a hilarious mixture of deadpan and raging sarcasm. However, she’s one of the most changed characters. Now she’s a princess of an island full of death and danger that’s trying to make a profit off of her people and land.

Here’s to hoping the latter part, where she’s trying to make a profit off of her people, is something that this season later expands on. Exploiting natural resources and indigenous people would be something our old Lana would kill someone for doing (or at the very least lecture angrily).

4. Pam Poovey

Pam is probably one of the most unchanged characters this season. She still uses slapstick humor, she still tries to hilariously sabotage Archer when she can, and she is still Archer’s best friend. However, now she gets to do it a spanking new, hulk-like body.

5. Reynaud (previously known as Ray Gillette)

Rey is just as smarmy as the Ray we’ve come to know and love but now he’s just more overt with it. His and Malory’s banter still gives me life and he’s still boujee as ever.

The differences in his characters this season stem from that fact that he’s a corrupt French Capitaine who has a lot of weight he can swing around. So, I’m guessing the days Archer and the crew tried to play him for a fool are completely gone.

I’m completely here for authoritative Rey having enough power to match his sass.

6. Charlotte Vandertunt (previously known as Cheryl, Carol, Krystal, etc.)

Cheryl is still just as rich and she is psychopathic. She still has a weakness for Archer and she still lets that weakness get the better of her. However, now, instead of her being single and bored, she’s a frantic, jailed newlywed.

My fingers are crossed with the hope that Reed doesn’t depend too much on Cheryl’s mental illnesses for intrigue in the season this time around because last season her antics got tiring really quickly.

7. Crackers the Macaw (previously known as Krieger)

Krieger’s personality is the exact same as Crackers as it was when he was a scientist. He’s still goofy and he still doesn’t understand social cues. The biggest difference he has is the fact that he’s a bird instead of a man, and I, for one, like this difference. Red feathers suit Krieger.

8. Siegbert Fuchs (previously known as Cyril Figgis)

Figgis is still a wimp who solely cares about himself. However, that’s really where the similarities end, so far. This new Siegbert guy is a German spy posing as a businessman who’s trying to buy land from Princess Lanaluakalani.

Something tells me that we will see a lot of the ISIS agent Cyril in this new German agent Cyril. He acts as clueless as ever.

On the first watch of Archer‘s premiere, I got a bit irritated because it seemed like it would be the same circular mess Reed gave us in Archer Season 7: Dreamland. Nevertheless, on my second watch, I finally started seeing the nuance I’ve grown to love on Archer.

Since Fuchs is a spy who is trying to kill, overthrow, or gain intel on something top secret, his plot arc will probably lead us directly to the main plot of the season. Whatever Fuchs is trying to figure out, there is no doubt that Archer, Lana, and Pam will indirectly lead him to it.

The questions that remain: what is Fuch’s goal? How long will Fuchs keep his real intentions secret? And lastly, will Archer get his mojo back?

One thing that bothered me about Dreamland was the fact that we spent a whole season watching Archer act as a glorified errand boy. He didn’t have the same skill or suave we usually see in Archer. And until last season, I hadn’t realized how much the narrative depended on his cocky attitude and luck.

As a direct reflection of Archer’s clumsiness, the action was incredibly minimal last season and so was the plot.

Hopefully, this season will be different.

Th fact that the setting will be a dangerous island with cannibals, quicksand, and other horrible things they’ll have to dodge gives me hope. However, the fact that this Danger Island Archer is just as suaveless as our Dreamland Archer gives me stress ulcers.

Overall, Archer‘s season 9 premiere sets up series for a much better season than their last one. Here’s to hoping Archer can get his groove back. I mean… who doesn’t want to see Archer effortlessly outmatching Cyril at every turn?

What did you guys think of the first episode? Did you like any of the character transformations? What are you most excited about this season? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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Archer airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FXX.

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