As the show nears its groundbreaking run, the Archer cast is sharing their emotional thoughts on the series finale. Created by Adam Reed, the animated spy comedy has enjoyed a successful 14-season run on both FX and FXX, exploring the adventures of the titular spy and his coworkers at an independent spy organization. After initially announcing that season 14 would close out the show, the network later revealed that a three-part event entitled “Into the Cold” would serve as a proper series finale.
In honor of the upcoming finale, Screen Rant interviewed stars H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Chris Parnell and Amber Nash to discuss Archer season 14 and “Into the Cold”. When asked about the show coming to a close after 15 years on the air, the cast shared their emotional reactions to the news, with Benjamin calling it “a huge part of my life“, Tyler and Nash expressing pride in having the show go out on a consistently praised note, and Parnell praising the support FX gave to the show throughout the years. Check out what the group shared below:
H. Jon Benjamin: Yeah, I can hold out hope that maybe it’ll get revived somehow. But yeah, it was sad. To work on a show for as long as Archer was on is pretty unique. It doesn’t happen — oh, except for Bob’s Burgers. [Laughs] But I don’t know how that happened, it really is unusual. It’s sort of became such a huge part of my life, so many years doing it, you kind of forget that, at some point, it’s going to end. So, it wasn’t like a shock, but I was like, “Oh, right. Of course. Holy s–t. This has been on so long.” You do kind of lose track, year to year. So yeah, it was sad, but it, of course, had to come to an end at some point.
Amber Nash: I’m so proud of it. I am also very sad that it’s ending, but also proud that it’s not limping out, you know? People still want it, and we’re going out with people still wanting more, which is great. I’m so proud of what we did, and how well people know these characters, and this world, and all the things we created and the craziness. The fact that we took huge risks and did crazy seasons where everybody’s like, “What the hell’s going on?” [Laughs] So, I’m glad that it wasn’t the same, we always kept people wondering what was going to happen next, and it kept us interested and engaged. I’m just really glad that it happened the way that it did.
Chris Parnell: Well, you know, we’re all bummed that it’s ending, of course, but at the same time, I feel very lucky that we’ve been able to do it for as long as we have. And to have been able to make a show that I think we’re all proud of, and has been so well written, and so well animated, over the years, and also just so supported by the network, FX. It has been probably my favorite network to ever work for, just because they’ve taken such good care of us as a cast and of the show. It’s really been nice, and in terms of what it leaves behind, I think Archer will continue to have a nice life in reruns, as it already has, or in streams. When you can make something that you can feel proud of, and it’s, like I said, that well-written, and we got a great cast, it’s well performed, and well-animated. People are always gonna want to see that, I think.
Aisha Tyler: I think that’s an elegant way of putting it, it’s definitely been an era. Most shows don’t go more than one season, so the fact that we’ve been able to do 14 seasons is really extraordinary. And it’s funny, it’s like, it’s obviously sad that it’s ending, but because I feel like the show has been so successful for so long, you do kind of feel like, “Oh, maybe this is gonna go on for 20 seasons.” But 14 seasons is such a hot run, it’s so good, and the show has been so consistently good for such a long time. But, I think mainly what we all feel is just real satisfaction, and real pride in it. Making a show that I think many people would agree is singular and is really unique, there’s nothing else like it out there.
Will Archer Get Revived In The Future?
In addition to feeling sadness over the show’s ending, all of the Archer cast expressed their hopes to see some kind of revival in the future, be it another season or even a feature-length adventure. Tyler, in particular, felt confident in a future for the show in her interview with Screen Rant, noting that because it has both a fanbase that’s “continued to grow and expand over the years” and a unique approach to its genre, it has consistently stood out in the larger field of TV:
Though it’s unclear how long it may take for the show to make its way back to the screen, it does seem likely that if creator Adam Reed and showrunners Matt Thompson and Casey Willis were to find an effective story that Archer would get a revival. Benjamin himself recently got the opportunity to bring one of his TV properties to the big screen with The Bob’s Burgers Movie and, though labeled by some as a box office disappointment, was generally seen as a success for Fox and Disney, garnering rave reviews from critics and strong viewership in its home media run.
Additionally, fans of Archer have been pitching a live-action movie for the show for much of its run, namely with Jon Hamm starring as the eponymous spy. With the similarly cult favorite animated show The Venture Bros. recently getting its own movie expansion to serve as a series finale, a fan campaign could very well be right around the corner to keep the spy comedy alive. Plus, with Benjamin still working with Fox and Disney for Bob’s Burgers and fellow animated franchise South Park frequently toying with feature-length events amid its normal seasons, the door seems wide open for Archer to enjoy such a revival in the future.
Archer
Archer is an animated sitcom following the agents and support staff of ISIS (International Secret Intelligence Service). Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) is the show’s narcissistic protagonist and ISIS’s star agent, working under his mother Malory (Jessica Walter), and alongside agents Lana (Aisha Tyler) and Cyril (Chris Parnell). With a quirky and irreverent sense of humor, Archer spoofs spy stories with the exploits of the colorful characters that make up ISIS.
- Cast
- Lucky Yates , Aisha Tyler , Adam Reed , Amber Nash , H. Jon Benjamin , Chris Parnell , Judy Greer , Jessica Walter
- Genres
- Animation , Comedy , Action
- Story By
- Adam Reed
- Network
- FX
