TV.com

Archer Season 1 Episode 1

Mole Hunt

Favorite

Watched It I've Watched This 5

Next
Episode

8.9

User Rating

130 votes

Your Rating: 10
Your Rating: 9.5
Your Rating: 9
Your Rating: 8.5
Your Rating: 8
Your Rating: 7.5
Your Rating: 7
Your Rating: 6.5
Your Rating: 6
Your Rating: 5.5
Your Rating: 5
Your Rating: 4.5
Your Rating: 4
Your Rating: 3.5
Your Rating: 3
Your Rating: 2.5
Your Rating: 2
Your Rating: 1.5
Your Rating: 1

Rate Now

EPISODE REVIEWS
By TV.com Users

Write A Review

Episode Summary

EDIT

AIRED: 1/14/10

While trying to cover his tracks with his expense report, Archer stumbles upon a company secret. Tension rises between him and Lana.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (3)

Archer is a competent, well executed parody of the spy genre

10

By Neksmater, Apr 16, 2011

Archer follows the worst of the best in the spy trade, Sterling Archer codename Duchess, who works for ISIS, run by his mother Malory. Malory and Archer have some serious issues in the mother/son department, and his X-Girlfriend Lana, the sexiest woman agent on the show, who left him and is now with another ISIS Cyril Figgis who is totally not hot. In the pilot Archer must explain the massive overcharges to his ISIS expense accounts procuring prostitutes and pretends to be on a mole hunt for someone who had hacked into his expense account. Archer is great in the way that it doesn't focus on over-the-top action but rather focuses on the "hostile work environment" that exists and how the characters interact with each other. I am more than definitely sold on this show with the voicing talents of H. Jon Benjamin at the helm as Sterling Archer and an intriguing premise and awesome animation makes Archer sure to be a crowd pleaser for those who enjoyed Frisky Dingo which btw was also created by the same guy.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
3 0

Flag
Share Hide
In this episode Archer gets in trouble for fudging his expenses so he creates the story of a Mole within ISIS so he can get into the mainframe to fix his account. In the end something surprising occurs.moreless

8.5

By jyarter, Apr 16, 2011

Not quite as good as the first episode. We get to see some of Archer's training bits, some of his bad behavior in general, and his constant lying which seems to be the crux of his character.

His Mother is angry at him for spending company money on personal things and hiding it in his expense account. He goes to the comptroller and gets nowhere. Then he goes to the head of HR and that is when he mentions there is a Mole in the company. Of course the HR lady immediately spreads the news throughout ISIS creating an interesting situation when Archer decides to break into the mainframe later that night.

Amusing, funny at times, and outrageous. I am not sure if anything is out of bounds yet, but it sure is fun! Thanks for reading...moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
4 1

Flag
Share Hide
*** Spoiler-free *** The ultimate James Bond animated parody for adults

9.0

By goa103, Apr 15, 2011

Who's sexier, better and stronger than Sean Connery as James Bond ? Jean-Paul Belmondo as Bob Saint-Clar in Le Magnifique ? Too Jackie Chan ! Jean Dujardin as Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath in OSS 117 ? Too frenchie ! Sterling Malory Archer of course ! The spy of spies has it all, from black (or slightly black) suits to gadgets that can even be used as sextoys ! As in the famous spy franchise the episode began with the protagonist in distress. In less than thirty seconds you know that Archer is no Bond ! He looked more like a kid trapped in an adult body with crazy ants commanding his every moves. Then came the inevitable opening credits with the dancing silhouettes and funky colors. Considering it's a cartoon I couldn't help comparing it to Cat's Eyes but James Bond is undoubtedly the reference in the genre. Even if the visuals are minimal the rest was an endless series of irresistible gags, hilarious jokes and cult dialogs. The first viewing should have a delirious impact on your mind but be aware that the second could alter your brainwaves and turn you into an unstoppable laughing barrel of monkeys. A whippong of mass humor ? Even stereotyped characters, from the charismatic mother to the innocent secretary, were turned into funny controversial personas. Archer and his mother ? A job for Sigmund Freud ! Archer and his mistresses ? How not to treat women. Warning : Plush animals were harmed. Dolphin ? Checked. Duck ? Checked. So wrong that it's good, specially because it's only animated. The guilty pleasure you always wished for but was too afraid to ask. Most retorts are comedic homeruns that should send you rolling on the floor. Impossible ? Not for Archer ! He's so mean and the characters revolving around him like bugs so disturbed, kinky and wicked that you should instantly fall in luv with them. Happy Tree Friends + James Bond + Sexymmorality ? I don't know its magick formula but Mole Hunt was animated comedy for adults at its best !moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Flag
Share Hide

See All Fan Reviews

Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

H. Jon Benjamin	Sterling Archer
Judy Greer	Cheryl/Carol
Amber Nash	Pam Poovey
Chris Parnell	Cyril Figgis
Aisha Tyler	Lana Kane
Jessica Walter	Malory Archer

See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Shelly Desai	Rajan	Guest Star
Maggie Wheeler	Stewardess	Guest Star
Keith Szarabajka	Crenshaw	Guest Star
Peter Newman	Nikolai Jakov	Recurring Role
Neal Holman	Brett Buckley	Recurring Role

See All Cast & Crew

Watch Online

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

TRIVIA (2)
ADD TRIVIA
- The photo Malory holds up of her with her dog Duchess is a parody of the famous 1980 Annie Leibovitz photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, which appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
  EDIT SHARE
- When Malory is looking at Archer's file, there is a list of ISIS agents on the right side of the screen. The following names appear: Cross, Holloway, Hyde, Mason, McGail, Royale, Shuler, Stone, Voigt, Walker, Wolfe, Zarich.
  EDIT SHARE
QUOTES (10)
ADD QUOTES
- Archer: (Playing Roulette) 22...black! Ass! Son of a bitch! (Notices a black man standing near him) Not you, giant African man. I'm sorry, can I offer you a drink? How about this expensive prostitute?
  EDIT SHARE
- Archer: (To the secretary, about his mother) Is she in, or is she out...eating a baby?
  EDIT SHARE
- Cyril: I always make Lana stir-fry on Fridays. Guess what we call it?
  Archer: Stir-Friday?
  Cyril: Wow, that's actually better.
  EDIT SHARE
- Malory: The thought of me dead gives you an erection?! Archer: No, just half of one. The other half would have really missed you... I mean not... ugh... (Pause) Johnny Bench called.
  EDIT SHARE
- Pam: I am dealing with the break room problem!
  Archer: Oh good, you caught the, oh wait, I had something for this... the Pita Predator.
  Pam: You know what?
  Archer: OK, let's just call it what it is... food rapist.
  EDIT SHARE
- Archer: (To Cheryl, who is crying) No, don't, you're so ugly when you cry.
  EDIT SHARE
- Archer: Hi, I'm a huge fan of cock, and my name is (Uses voice recorder) "Cyril Figgis". (Door opens) Holy shit, our security is atrocious. Seriously, it's really bad. Password... hmm, password... umm, how about "Guest?" No way, it can't be! Jesus christ, that is just babytown frolics.
  EDIT SHARE
- Archer: Stop. Shut up. I have to go, and if I find one single dog hair when I get back, I'll... rub sand in your dead little eyes.
  Woodhouse: Very good, Sir.
  Archer: I also need you to go buy sand.
  Woodhouse: Yes, Sir.
  Archer: I don't know if they grade it, but... coarse.
  EDIT SHARE
- Archer: Hey, wanna smell something?
  Receptionist: I swear to god, Mr. Archer, I have HR on speed dial.
  EDIT SHARE
- Archer: Mother look out, Crenshaw is a mole!
  Malory: Oh please, Pam's as full of crap as she is of carbohydrates.
  EDIT SHARE
NOTES (10)
ADD NOTES
- Creator Adam Reed originally wanted the show to be called Duchess, but the FX network didn't like the title. Archer was his second choice.
  EDIT SHARE
- When writing the show, creator Adam Reed had H. Jon Benjamin and Jessica Walter in mind for the respective parts of Archer and Malory. When they sent character descriptions out looking for actors, they put, "Think Jessica Walter" for Malory. Walter's agent called the next day to say she was interested. According to Reed, the Archer crew was ecstatic, and then "dropped her name like crazy to get all these other great people."
  EDIT SHARE
- The "Johnny Bench called" line was an ad-lib in the recording booth.
  EDIT SHARE
- The base for each character was designed by taking photographs of local Atlanta models dressed up in period clothes, and using Adobe Illustrator to trace over them. Creator Adam Reed has said that some characters' resemblances to the actors who voice them is entirely coincidental.
  EDIT SHARE
- Cheryl/Carol was not originally intended to be a long-term character. Creator Adam Reed explained that they intended to have a running gag of Archer impregnating secretaries. When Judy Greer agreed to voice Cheryl, they decided to make the character more important.
  EDIT SHARE
- Amber Nash was asked to voice Pam based on her previous work voicing Val on the show Frisky Dingo, also created by Adam Reed. They pitched it to her by showing her a short animation of Pam's face saying one of Val's lines.
  EDIT SHARE
- Chris Parnell originally auditioned for another role in the pilot but didn't get it. They offered him Cyril later.
  EDIT SHARE
- According to creator Adam Reed, the original pitch for the show was "James Bond meets Arrested Development ".
  EDIT SHARE
- Both Judy Greer (Cheryl) and Jessica Walter (Malory) appeared together on the TV show Arrested Development, in similar roles. On both shows, Walter plays the rich, overbearing, alcoholic mother, and Greer plays the mentally unbalanced secretary.
  EDIT SHARE
- Original International Air Dates:
  United Kingdom: February 25, 2010 on FIVER
  EDIT SHARE
ALLUSIONS (6)
ADD ALLUSIONS
- Mission Impossible
  When Archer is narrating the security measures to get into the mainframe, it is an allusion to a very similar scene in Mission Impossible. The sound-sensitive, pressure-sensitive and voice activation countermeasures are all references to the security measures for the CIA headquarters that Ethan Hunt must breach. The movie's plot also revolves around a mole hunt.
  EDIT SHARE
- P.G. Wodehouse
  Archer's butler Woodhouse is most likely named in homage to the short stories and novels of P.G. Wodehouse. Wodehouse created the character of Jeeves in 1915, the intelligent personal valet and "gentleman's personal gentleman" of good-natured but dense Bertie Wooster. These stories were also made into a TV series, Jeeves and Wooster in the 1990s.
  EDIT SHARE
- Brian's Song
  Archer: What happened was... um... did you see Brian's Song? Same thing, pretty much, happened. (pause) I helped a guy with cancer.
  Brian's Song is a 1971 TV-movie based on the true story of Brian Piccolo, a college football player who gets terminal cancer after going pro. The movie follows his close friendship with his teammate, who helps him through his struggles.
  EDIT SHARE
- Hungry Hungry Hippos
  Archer: If you let me in the mainframe, I'll drop these donuts. Then you can pretend they're marbles and you're a hungry, hungry... (Pam presses button, shutting door in Archer's face) ...hungry hippo.
  Archer is referring to the children's tabletop game Hungry Hungry Hippos. The purpose of the game is to gulp up the most marbles with your plastic hippo.
  EDIT SHARE
- Puttin' on the Ritz
  Archer: (Very drunk) No no, because forget the dog rule, because this pug is amazing. Watch this... Abelard, go...
  Abelard: (Barks)
  Archer: Do you not hear that?? That's "Puttin' on the Ritz," man!
  "Puttin' on the Ritz" is a popular song first published in 1929. It has been covered many times - Fred Astaire performed a version in 1946, and a popular cover was done by the group Taco in 1983.
  EDIT SHARE
- Jenga
  Krenshaw: Jesus, Archer, you think this is a game?
  Archer: No, I think Jenga's a game...
  Jenga is a game developed in the 1980s where players remove blocks from a tower and balance them on top until the tower inevitably tumbles.
  EDIT SHARE