"It's like, the explosion blew the hair off of his head, and onto his fa
January 23, 2013 5:45 AM   Subscribe

Most of the characters on FX's Archer have appearances that roughly correspond to the actors that voice them, with the notable exception of the main character H. Jon Benjamin's Sterling Archer. The unaired short L'Espion Mal Faît from the DVD extras resolves that.
posted by quin (67 comments total) 31 users marked this as a favorite
 
Sterling Archer is Dylan McDermott. Once you see it, you will never unsee it.
posted by dephlogisticated at 5:55 AM on January 23, 2013 [14 favorites]


No he's n-HOLY SHIT YOU'RE RIGHT.
posted by The Whelk at 5:57 AM on January 23, 2013 [6 favorites]


I dispute the allegation that any of the characters looks particularly like his or her voice actor, other than very broadly -- you couldn't pick Judy Greer out of a lineup of late-thirties thin white women based on "she voices Cheryl". Sterling just looks the least like his voice actor.

And I don't know whether I've said it before, but the season premiere really nailed down how amazing H. Jon Benjamin is. Archer and Bob are the same voice, but they're totally not, and it takes seeing one in the other's milieu to realize how many little subtle things Benjamin does to differentiate two very different characters.
posted by Etrigan at 6:06 AM on January 23, 2013 [14 favorites]


The short must have been made before Archer had his ongoing affair with Pam. (Wait - guess it doesn't matter since it was a dream - never mind.)
posted by AnnElk at 6:15 AM on January 23, 2013



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posted by blue_beetle at 6:18 AM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Benjamin also voices Bob in Bob's Burgers. The Archer season premier last week featured a hilarious send-up of BB, with the BB characters rendered Archer-style.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:25 AM on January 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


H. Jon Benjamin will always look to me like Ben on Dr. Katz, and I do not want to know otherwise.

On a live WTF (Marc Maron's podcast) a while back, he and Jonathan Katz reuinited for a brief segment and I laughed so hard I literally cried. I like Archer okay, and I love H Jon Benjamin on his own, but he and Katz improvising together are something magical.
posted by Mchelly at 6:26 AM on January 23, 2013 [9 favorites]


Mchelly: H. Jon Benjamin will always look to me like Ben on Dr. Katz, and I do not want to know otherwise.

I'm telling you, I looked at his picture on Wikipedia, and I thought, "That's not H. Jon Benjamin." then I wondered why I thought that, as I don't think I've ever actually seen him before, and then I realized I was expecting him to look like Ben Katz.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:34 AM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


In fact, I think I'm going to go on believing that Ben Katz finally found success as the voice actor behind Sterling Archer and Bob Belcher. Voice acting seems like something Ben would have tried as a career path.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:38 AM on January 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


That Katz/Benjamin reunion was so great. They have a terrific dynamic.
posted by Chrysostom at 6:38 AM on January 23, 2013


H. Jon Benjamin will always look to me like Ben on Dr. Katz, and I do not want to know otherwise.

I've thought for the last few years that H. Jon Benjamin looks way more like Jonathan Katz's son than Ben Katz ever did.
posted by Etrigan at 6:39 AM on January 23, 2013


H. Jon Benjamin will always look to me like Ben on Dr. Katz Coach McGuirk on Home Movies, and I do not want to know otherwise.
posted by SharkParty at 6:42 AM on January 23, 2013 [27 favorites]


So, is there a character length limit to the new title feature? This is the second time this week I've seen one get cut off in mid-word.
posted by hwestiii at 7:14 AM on January 23, 2013


Not only was that really funny, but it erased most of the Banking FPP grar from my brain, so thanks for that.

A lot of people missed it the first time around, but the mostly hilarious Jon Benjamin Has A Van is now on Netflix and well worth watching.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:27 AM on January 23, 2013


From mathowie's MetaTalk story announcing that titles would be on main pages: "The only internal change we had to do for this besides revamp the posting pages was shorten title limits to 72 characters."
posted by Etrigan at 7:28 AM on January 23, 2013


[Ach! It's my own fault the title was cut off. I saw the overrun yesterday and left it because it struck me funny. Today I just missed it completely. Next time...]
posted by quin at 7:32 AM on January 23, 2013


DANGER ZONE
posted by roger ackroyd at 8:00 AM on January 23, 2013 [7 favorites]


He'll always be McGuirk to me.
posted by Zerowensboring at 8:05 AM on January 23, 2013 [5 favorites]


For me, he'll always be the Can of Vegetables from Wet Hot American Summer.
posted by quin at 8:07 AM on January 23, 2013 [9 favorites]


you couldn't pick Judy Greer out of a lineup of late-thirties thin white women based on "she voices Cheryl".

I dunno about you, but every time my eyes wander, uh, downward on Cherylcarol, I can't help but hear UP HERE, MICHAEL! UP HERE!

SPRING BREAK! WOOOOOO!

Also, Jeffrey Tambor and David Cross' characters look very much like the actors themselves so what drug did Krieger give you????
posted by PapaLobo at 8:16 AM on January 23, 2013


Archer and Bob are the same voice, but they're totally not, and it takes seeing one in the other's milieu to realize how many little subtle things Benjamin does to differentiate two very different characters.

Exactly. I thought it was pretty funny how they made a whole episode mainly to prove that point. And it was weird how different it really was, much more than I thought.
posted by bongo_x at 8:17 AM on January 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


We saw Archer Live in San Francisco a few weeks back and they played this. In fact, when the voice actors were first introduced and took the stage, H. Jon Benjamin was represented by a good-looking underwear model who badly mouthed words Benjamin was saying through a microphone off stage left.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 8:32 AM on January 23, 2013 [14 favorites]


quin: For me, he'll always be the Can of Vegetables from Wet Hot American Summer .

Something something Science Court.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:34 AM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


Since we're linking to Jon Benjamin stuff:
Baby Pranks
posted by Atom Eyes at 8:50 AM on January 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


We must NEVER Forgetabuddies.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:53 AM on January 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Speaking of the way Archer characters look compared to the actors, we feel horrible around our house because we LOVE Aisha Tyler but have been disappointed with the way this beautiful woman looks when we actually see her since Archer Season 1.

(Her hands are too small.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:41 AM on January 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


you couldn't pick Judy Greer out of a lineup of late-thirties thin white women based on "she voices Cheryl".

I just want to add that I love the way that closed captions still identify her as Cheryl/Carol.
posted by Rock Steady at 10:23 AM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


I laughed so hard I cried. "Why the beard?" Priceless.
posted by Faintdreams at 10:23 AM on January 23, 2013


My first experience in the awesomeness that is the Loren Bouchard/H. Jon Benjamin collaboration was "Lucy, Daughter of The Devil". So now, everytime I see ( hear? ) H. Jon Benjamin, he's pretty much Satan fucking with whomever he's interacting with at the moment.

Bob? Bob is actually Satan fucking with everyone.

Sterling Archer? Yup... Satan.
posted by mikelieman at 10:34 AM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


you couldn't pick Judy Greer out of a lineup of late-thirties thin white women based on "she voices Cheryl".

Glasses on, hair back up!
posted by hal9k at 10:34 AM on January 23, 2013 [5 favorites]


I dispute the allegation that any of the characters looks particularly like his or her voice actor

Yeah I think what they mean is "Cyril looks an awful lot like Chris Parnell."
posted by rhiannonstone at 10:43 AM on January 23, 2013


Amber Nash (who does the voice of Pam, and before that Frisky Dingo's Valerie and "the hooker") is one of my favorite vocal actors. And she gets some of the best lines in Archer.

(interview excerpt from MovieWeb.com)

Most of the characters on Archer were created to look like the actors voicing them. And one of the reasons that's true is because there was always talk about taking this into the realm of live action. Maybe in terms of a big screen movie. But you, out of the entire cast, look the least like your character...

Amber Nash: Right. That always comes up in every interview, where the entire cast is brought together. I was actually talking with George Coe, who plays Woodhouse, while we were at an event. He was talking about it. He said, "Everyone was talking about how we all look like our characters. I went away, and then when I saw you again, I thought, 'You don't look like that ugly fat lady'." I was like, "Thanks, George. I appreciate it." So, yeah, everyone does look like their character. Especially Aisha Tyler. H. Jon Benjamin doesn't look like Archer.
posted by Auden at 10:58 AM on January 23, 2013


Bear claws!
posted by zippy at 11:05 AM on January 23, 2013


I was already beat to the mixed vegetables joke, so I'll just add that I, too, will always think of Coach McGiurk when I hear him. I also just recently learned that the creator of Bob's Burgers, Loren Bouchard, was a co-creator of Home Movies, which might explain why I love Bob's Burgers so much. At about the same time, I also learned that Home Movies wasn't entirely the creation of the incredible Brendon Small.
posted by mysterpigg at 11:06 AM on January 23, 2013


Let's not forget the monster in Triana's closet.
posted by ErikaB at 11:30 AM on January 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


Let's not forget the monster in Triana's closet.

Which, I submit as further evidence of Satan's all-encompassing plan...
posted by mikelieman at 11:32 AM on January 23, 2013


So, yeah, everyone does look like their character. Especially Aisha Tyler. H. Jon Benjamin doesn't look like Archer.

Oof. "Especially Aisha Tyler," the only African-American character?

I go back to my lineup characterization. Yes, Cyril and Chris are unremarkable white guys. Yes, Mallory and Jessica are white women of a certain age. Sure, Cheryl and Pam and Judy and Amber are white women under a certain age. But none of them looks nearly as much like their character as they could. This isn't South Park, where we have to be told who some of the cameos and fake guests are. Burt Reynolds looked exactly like Burt Reynolds. But no one else does.
posted by Etrigan at 11:42 AM on January 23, 2013


zippy: "Bear claws! "

zippy.

Zippy!

ZIPPY!!!!!!
posted by Room 641-A at 11:50 AM on January 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


Not being familiar with H. Jon Benjamin, I assumed he was a velociraptor.
posted by ckape at 11:55 AM on January 23, 2013




Cyril looks a little like Chris Parnell but EXACTLY like Chris Parnell would if he was dressed as Cyril and playing the part. For a dude without a tremendous range he does vanish into roles.

Aisha Tyler looks a lot like Lana. Mallory is unmistakably Jessica Walters.

And I can't imagine Judy Greer with straight red hair, but I think I might enjoy doing just that.

It should be mentioned that the characters on Archer for the most part weren't based on the voice talent but part time models and actors working around Atlanta. I'm remembering this loosely from an AV Club interview but the Lana model is a flight attendant and I think the Archer model was an electrician who was "as nice as he was handsome" (the bastard!)
posted by elr at 12:53 PM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


> The Archer season premier last week featured a hilarious send-up of BB, with the BB characters rendered Archer-style

I didn't like that at all. I recognized that the characters were from another TV show, but it isn't one I watch and so it didn't make much sense (not that Archer ever does, but this was more incoherent than absurd). It reminded me of the Simpsons episode where they had that character from The Critic in that it felt like an advertisement, not an amusing reference.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:05 PM on January 23, 2013


Actually, Archer is simply the American, cartoon double-identity of that master of espionage, Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, codename "OSS 117".

In fact... is that Lana I see with him?
posted by IAmBroom at 1:16 PM on January 23, 2013


corpse, do yourself a favor and check out Bob's Burgers -- it's one of the best shows on right now. (Unless you have checked it out and it wasn't your cuppa. Either way!)
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 1:22 PM on January 23, 2013


so it didn't make much sense (not that Archer ever does...)

I have not seen the new episode, but I'm a moderately big fan of the show, and I have to say that one of the things that's really popped out at me as I've rewatched a bunch of episodes is that it's almost almost very intricately plotted. On first viewing I mostly appreciate the jokes, but the thing that consistently has surprised me on rewatch is that within the rules of its own world it does makes a lot of sense.
posted by psoas at 1:41 PM on January 23, 2013 [3 favorites]


But does Babou resemble HIS voice actor?

Look at his little spots!

Also on the extras of the season 3 DVD is a short with Alton Brown (which is always a thing I've wanted to see, as the actor who plays Krieger used to work on Good Eats) where they attempt to make Eggs Woodhouse. It ends... poorly.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 2:00 PM on January 23, 2013 [4 favorites]


"It has to be your place. Mine totally reeks of ocelot piss."

God, I love Archer SO MUCH. And H. Jon Benjamin is just BONUS on the Venture Bros, especially in the recent Halloween special.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 2:10 PM on January 23, 2013


If Amber Nash isn't suitable to play the live-action Pam, I'm hoping noted comic book artist Adam Hughes is available.
posted by mhum at 4:02 PM on January 23, 2013 [1 favorite]


It reminded me of the Simpsons episode where they had that character from The Critic in that it felt like an advertisement, not an amusing reference.

Despite being a huge fan of both Archer and Bob's Burgers, I was prepared to feel the same way.

But then the whole reference ended up actually being a short spoof of A History of Violence with Bob's Burgers characters. And I promised never, ever to doubt Archer again.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 4:31 PM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


zippy.

Zippy!

ZIPPY!!!!!!


[annoyed] WHAT?!?

posted by zippy at 5:11 PM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


IAmBroom, I've thought the same thing about Archer and OSS 117. Everyone else, if you like Archer you should check out OSS 117 (available on Netflix).
posted by jjwiseman at 5:14 PM on January 23, 2013 [2 favorites]


I also liked that he was going to explain the burger gag until he got distracted. Which I actually really needed because I totally didn't get it until the AV Club explained it to me.
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 5:32 PM on January 23, 2013


But does Babou resemble HIS voice actor?

I've never seen an ocelot!

Look at his little spots!

Look at his tufted ears!

Actually now that I think about, I want to imagine the crew heard that H. Jon Benjamin had really never seen an ocelot, so they actually took him to a zoo and recorded his reaction. It sounds like someone who had read the little placard next to the enclosure and used those adjectives because they were so amped they couldn't think of anything else to say.
posted by zombieflanders at 6:57 AM on January 24, 2013 [3 favorites]


zippy.

Zippy!

ZIPPY!!!!!!


[annoyed] WHAT?!?


danger zone.
posted by Room 641-A at 9:13 AM on January 24, 2013 [3 favorites]


danger zone.

You know what's dangerous? Your obsession with me.

posted by zippy at 9:29 AM on January 24, 2013 [1 favorite]


zippy.

Zippy!

ZIPPY!!!!!!

[annoyed] WHAT?!?

danger zone.


This is the most pointless and context-free joke ever, and yet I cannot stop laughing at it or annoying my spouse with it whenever possible. Gods, I love this show.
posted by Etrigan at 9:35 AM on January 24, 2013


elr: And I can't imagine Judy Greer with straight red hair, but I think I might enjoy doing just that.

I just happened to be looking up Three Kings on IMDB and noticed this!
posted by Room 641-A at 10:06 AM on January 24, 2013 [1 favorite]


Archer is hilarious and clever, and I love the animation style, but I find the voice acting annoying after a while because it seems like EVERYONE IS YELLING EVERY LINE.
posted by oulipian at 6:22 PM on January 24, 2013


EVERYONE IS YELLING EVERY LINE.

MAWP!
posted by zippy at 10:19 PM on January 24, 2013 [2 favorites]


oulipian: EVERYONE IS YELLING EVERY LINE

HOLY SHIT I JUST REALIZED WHY I LIKE ARCHER SO MUCH. IT IS CAPS LOCK DAY IN TV FORM.
posted by Rock Steady at 4:49 AM on January 25, 2013 [2 favorites]


Supposedly, the character designs on Archer are all modeled on particular people -- NOT the voice actors (with I think one exception). Link w/ pictures. Not sure if serious. . . .
posted by grobstein at 3:48 PM on February 17, 2013


Not sure if serious. . .

Everything I know about Archer, which isn't everything but it's a lot, leads me to believe this is serious. (elr actually references the interview that I remember saying something like this earlier in the thread.)

A few things:

1) The dude who is the model for Archer is both 'fairly perfect looking' from a societal point of view but not quite as hot as I'd expect -- which somehow is the ideal.

2) The waitress who is the model for Lana does seem to have big hands (which is something maybe only a gay dude would notice)

3) I don't care how injured I was, if I walked into the ER and the doctor looked like Krieger and had a name that rhymed with Krieger, I would walk/limp/slide/bleed out so fast.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:04 PM on February 17, 2013


Ha! Like you'd be in any condition to resist.

Wait what? Sorry I'm coming down off a lot of ether. Why am I holding a bone jaw?

This is so college all over again.
posted by The Whelk at 9:27 PM on February 17, 2013 [1 favorite]


Did you know Adam Reed reads spec scripts for Archer, Whelk?
posted by grobstein at 8:37 AM on February 18, 2013


Wait serously?

Link?

I have a free weekend.
posted by The Whelk at 8:40 AM on February 18, 2013


It was in this AV club interview. Tesha Kondrat, who was discovered via spec script, has a writing credit on "Midnight Ron," which was a pretty sweet episode I think (although I don't think it was actually her spec script).
posted by grobstein at 1:57 PM on February 18, 2013


And a story credit on "El Contador."
posted by grobstein at 12:15 PM on February 19, 2013


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