Even as the series begins to show its age, Archer’s commitment to character ensures that these episodes never feel too familiar.
“Fugue and Riffs” serves as both an immediately accessible intro to the series as well as a monumental payout for those following from the beginning.
Its implicit ability to be at once categorically preposterous and occasionally brilliant has become Archer’s calling card.
In season two, the show delves more into the characters’ pasts, finding out how they all got to be such emotional train wrecks.