Archer is back this spring, and season 8 of the Emmy award-winning animation is getting a little bit noir this year. Last season, the team headed to LA to become private detectives in Hollywood, with a season finale that saw Archer (potentially) dead in a pool (a la Sunset Boulevard). The new season (titled Dreamland) will be doing something completely different – taking the spies back in time to a noir-style detective story set in the 1940s. This change in time period, along with the title, points toward a season that takes place entirely within Archer’s dreams.
Now, FXX has released six new promos for the season, as a follow up to the full trailer that was released earlier this month.
The spots range in length from a full minute to just 16 seconds, and are primarily comprised of scenes from the trailer cut together in a slightly different format. The promos do contain some brand new scenes, however, including one of Archer (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) and Cheryl (Judy Greer) getting it on, Cheryl cracking some more jokes, and a new thug who doesn’t look too happy with Archer.
The promos also mention a ’new network’, a reference to the show’s move from FX to FXX for its final three seasons. The network has also released a synopsis for the new season:
This isn’t the first time that Archer has done something different with a season of the show. Season 5 took the comedy to Miami for a ‘Vice’ season, although the characters returned to the classic Bond-inspired spy style for season 6. It’s a good bet that after Dreamland, the same thing will happen.
“Archer is an animated, half-hour comedy that revolves around the hardboiled private eye Sterling Archer and his quest to find his partner’s killer in 1947 Los Angeles. The case proves to be more difficult than expected after Archer quickly gets mixed up in a deadly game of tug of war between Los Angeles’ most powerful crime bosses. Every clue leads Archer further away from his goal and deeper into a mystery involving kidnapping, prostitution and drug addiction.”
This new season certainly looks interesting, with new backstories for the characters, and an aesthetic that is sure to appeal to many of the show’s fans. From these promos, it looks like Cheryl is going to play a bigger part in this season than she has in the past, and that Archer will be back to his womanizing ways. However, others may be unhappy that the show continues to veer from its roots as a spy series in favor of other cinematic styles. Although it’s safe to say that Archer will be back to normal (or as normal as Archer ever gets) for season 9, fans of the classic style (and haters of the ‘all a dream’ trope) may want to skip season 8.
Next: Archer Season 8 Trailer: Archer Goes Noir
Archer: Dreamland premieres April 5 on FXX.
Source: FX
