With the fifth season of Archer, the show's creators tried to do something different. Instead of international super-spies, the main cast turned to Miami Vice-inspired drug dealing after their agency was shut down.
No one liked it, and after an entire season of listening to fans complain, the team behind the show is bringing Archer and crew back to where they belong: espionage. If you skipped Archer: Vice or are just getting into the show, there are a lot of different characters and storylines to keep track of. If you need a refresher on all things Archer, look no further: here's our starter guide, just in time for tonight's Archer season six premiere.
Buckle up: you're in the Danger Zone.
Sterling Archer
World's Deadliest Spy
As the main character of the show, most people would probably expect Archer to be both a perfect gentleman and an unstoppable killing machine. One of those is true: he may be one of the best, but that doesn't mean Archer isn't a gun-toting, misogynistic alcoholic with a penchant for obscure trivia and drug addiction.
Lana Kane
The Only Competent One of the Bunch
Before fathering Archer's child, Lana had dreams of making her way up through the seedy world of espionage. Constantly on-edge and always looking to one-up her ex-boyfriend, Lana wasn't always the easiest to get along with...but the fact that she was actually doing her job set her apart from the rest of her colleagues.
Malory Archer
World's Worst Mom
You know those kids that are way too close with their mothers, even after becoming an adult? Malory Archer is one of those moms, and she uses it to her advantage at every turn. Even when she's not controlling Archer, she's still manipulating someone. If she wasn't working for the CIA, she'd probably be on their hitlist: the woman is constantly scheming and looking for any way to get ahead.
Plus, she's ice cold.
Cyril Figgis
The Comptroller (no, seriously)
If there's ever been a perfect example of 'getting in over one's head,' it's Cyril Figgis. The man has no backbone, courage or dignity, and why he took a job at an international espionage agency is anyone's guess. His troubled relationship with Lana was a major focus for the first few seasons, but following the whole 'having a baby with Archer' fiasco, the two are on a more permanent break.
Cheryl Tunt
Certified Psychopath
There's always that one employee at every company that seems a little off. Maybe they're obsessive compulsive, or they've just spent too much time looking at the walls of a cubicle. Cheryl (or Carol, or whatever her name is now) is that employee. A fan of fire and demolition in general, Cheryl is proof that just because a girl is rich doesn't make her normal (or even sane).
Pam Poovey
The Fan Favorite
There's a reason Pam Poovey is so universally loved by fans of the show: she straight-up doesn't give a...well, you know. Then again, considering that Pam is the office's Human Resources manager, she may not have the best personality for the job. Either way, her love of all things food and sex resonated with fans, and what was once a side character became one of the best parts of the entire show.
Ray Gillette
"A Real Smackaroonie!"
Quite possibly the only other employee who's actually dedicated to his job, Ray Gillette has always been close friends with Lana. Ray's also one of the most clever agents in the group, and managed to thwart several different attempts at taking the agency down. Plus, there are few people that can actually come back from being paralyzed from the waist down...
Dr. Algernop Krieger
Totally Not A Nazi Scientist
Every spy agency needs gadgets, though Dr. Kreiger probably gave the Archer crew more than they ever could have asked for. In addition to creating high-tech weaponry, Kreiger has a passion for all things biology...meaning that he loves cloning and extreme body modification. On top of all that, he once dated a possibly-sentient Japanese hologram...twice.
You tell her, Kreiger.
The sixth season of Archer airs tonight on FX at 10 p.m. EST.
