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Archer

Archer

Spy life is the high life.

2009–2023Ended14 seasons143 episodes~22 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

Smart-mouthed superspy Sterling Archer and his dysfunctional team of secret agents turn dangerous missions into messy misadventures around the globe.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Archer?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Archer streaming on Hulu and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Free

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Archer?

Archer earns 10 badges, led by Modern classic and Top 5% of shows.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Archer worth watching?

Archer's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all shows, from 179K ratings across 2 sources. 91% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of shows

97th percentile among Animation96th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)95th
Approval (how many liked it)95th

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

83 /100

95th percentile of all shows

96th percentile among Animation94th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

91% liked it

95th percentile of all shows

97th percentile among Animation94th percentile among 2000s
91% rated it 7–109% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

99th percentile

177K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Animation97th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Fans and critics both agree the show's tone and humor are distinctive, though opinions split on whether its later-season genre shifts enhance or ruin the formula.

Fans praised

  • Hilarious adult animated spy comedy with quotable dialogue and sharp references
  • Standout voice cast led by H. Jon Benjamin, with chemistry between the ensemble
  • Evolving plot swings into genre parodies (detective, drug smuggling) keep it fresh

Detractors panned

  • Seasons after 4 dip badly, with later seasons becoming repetitive or losing the original charm
  • Characters lack depth, relying on shallow archetypes and sex-based plot twists
  • Premise too thin, with confusion over character motivations and story direction

What stands out

DialogueDivisive90

Rapid-fire repartee, pop-culture references, and memorable insults

HumorDivisive85

Wordplay, rapid-fire jokes, and quotable one-liners carry the show

ActingDivisive85

H. Jon Benjamin's deadpan delivery and voice cast chemistry

OriginalityDivisive80

Bold parody of spy tropes, but later seasons feel rehashed

CharactersDivisive70

Eccentric, selfish personalities but so arch that some find them shallow

CinematographyDivisive70

Bold color palette and stylish but static animation

PacingDivisive65

Brisk episodes, but some later seasons drag or meander

Plot and storyDivisive60

Early seasons' spy missions evolve into genre-hopping story arcs

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 14 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Episodes

14 seasons

Season 14 · 2023 · 9 episodes · 8.0 average across 9 rated episodes

  • S14E1

    The Anglerfish Stratagem

    Aug 30, 202323 minTMDB rating 8.2
  • S14E2

    30 for 30

    Aug 30, 202323 minTMDB rating 8.0
  • S14E3

    Plaque Removal

    Sep 6, 202323 minTMDB rating 7.3
  • S14E4

    Chill Barry

    Sep 13, 202324 minTMDB rating 7.7
  • S14E5

    Keys Open Doors

    Sep 20, 202324 minTMDB rating 7.7
  • S14E6

    Face Off

    Sep 27, 202324 minTMDB rating 8.3

Watch experience

What is Archer like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, light and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdThrillingWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Satirical humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of showsAbsurdist · 6% of shows: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Resets each episode · 10% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show plays its spy genre material at a knowing, ironic distance, constantly undercutting action and drama with jokes and self-aware dialogue.
The rideThe series maintains a consistently high-energy, absurd tone throughout, with moments of genuine tension or warmth punctuating the chaos evenly across its run.
StructureEach episode follows a conventional sitcom structure with setup, complication, and resolution.
Episode formatEpisodes are largely self-contained comedic adventures; status quo is restored by the end, though late seasons experiment with loose arcs.
Season formatMost seasons are interchangeable batches of episodes; any season is an entry point, though seasons 8-10 (Dreamland, Danger Island, 1999) are notable dream-season divergences.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves you amused and content after its comedic chaos.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).ComedyFarce
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

12% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTypical episode sees Archer and team on a spy mission where personal vendettas and incompetence turn the operation into farce.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7% (this title)
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% (this title) · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsLoyalty · 7% of showsAmbition · 14% of shows
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the toxic yet enduring bonds of a found family—coworkers at ISIS who constantly betray, undermine, and ultimately rely on each other, with the mother-son relationship between Malory and Sterling at its dysfunctional core.
StanceThe show relentlessly satirizes the concept of family bonds by portraying the ISIS team's loyalty as both genuine and weaponized, mocking the idea of a functional workplace family.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
JazzOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingThe offices and missions of the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS) in New York City
MusicThe score blends jazzy, cool spy-theme motifs with modern orchestral accents, evoking the classic Bond sound while undercutting it with a playful irreverence.

Content guide

Is Archer okay for kids?

TV-MA

Archer is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (83/100), sexual content at intense (65/100), language at severe (81/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (88/100) and frightening material at moderate (54/100). Overall it is heavier than 86% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 24 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil18
  • Austria16
  • Belgium12
  • Czechia18+
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Poland16
  • PortugalNR
  • PRTV-MA
  • ROAP
  • SingaporeNC16
  • Spain16
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 93% of all showsHeavier than 86% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 74%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 72%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 75%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 93%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 42%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: drug and alcohol content, violence, language, and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Archer have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Archer?

Cast

H. Jon Benjamin
as Sterling Archer
Emmy nominee: Primetime Emmy nomination — Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
Judy Greer
as Cheryl Tunt
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Amber Nash
as Pam Poovey
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Chris Parnell
as Cyril Figgis
Aisha Tyler
as Lana Kane
Lucky Yates
as Doctor Krieger
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jessica Walter
as Malory Archer
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Adam Reed
as Ray Gillette
Dave Willis
as Barry Dillon
George Coe
as Woodhouse

More like this

What are shows like Archer?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Archer include American Dad! (2005), Agent Elvis (2023) and Inside Job (2021).

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What other shows share a tag with Archer?

191 other shows share the rarest tag below, follows: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.