8.7/10. Archer is back! You knew it!
And what a return to form. Maybe after a year of doing Archer Vice, and a turn at going official with the CIA, a L.A. detective agency is the right move to refresh the show a bit. This was pretty classic stuff, with Archer, Lana, and Ray having misadventures in the field with their usual witty banter ("why didn't you tell us you were bleeding like a Russian princess?"), Mallory being a big presence with her acerbic wit (including her delightful comment that the ability to buy liquor in grocery store is "the only thing about L.A. that doesn't make [her] want to vomit" and her hilarious take downs when Cyril tries to throw his weight around), Cyril playing up his mostly ceremonial role as head of the agency ("the writing is literally on the wall), Krieger throwing together his usually goodie bags (hush puppies), and Pam and Cheryl enjoying their usual bit of amusing sidekickery.
It's only one episode, but this was a return to form, with enough self-referential humor to make you feel like the show remembers where it came from, but not so much that it feels indulgent. Plus the fact that they'd been duped by a faux-movie star is a classic Archer twist. The story is simple enough, and the animation is better than ever (though I could do without those weird silhouette interstitial cards) but what really sells this show is the crackerjack dialogue that manages to be funny, cutting, and clever, and "The Figgis Agency" had that in spades. Very glad to have the show back.
