ARCHER HITS SECOND SEASON ORDER
FX Greenlights Second Season of Critically Acclaimed Animated Comedy Series Increasing Order to 13 Episodes
Archer "Four-Play Marathon" Runs Thursday, Feb. 25 at 10 PM
Three All-New Episodes Remain in Season One with Finale Airing March 18
LOS ANGELES, February 22, 2010 - FX has given the go ahead for a second season of its critically acclaimed animated series Archer, announced Nick Grad, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, FX Networks. The network increased the episode order to 13 for season two, which is scheduled to debut in 2011.
Archer (TV-MA) has three new episodes slated for air this season. Through seven episodes the series is averaging 1.2 million Total Viewers, 853,000 Adults 18-49 and 573,000 Adults 18-34. This Thursday, February 25, FX will air the "Four-Play Marathon," four episodes of Archer from 10-midnight. Archer will return with new episodes on Thursday, March 4 at 10 PM and the season-one finale airs on March 18.
"Executive Producers Adam Reed and Matt Thompson are delivering a hilarious series and it truly earned a second season," said Grad. "H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell and Judy Greer comprise one of the best voice casts of any animated series on TV. We're very happy with the audience response and critical acclaim for Archer and are excited to move forward with it."
Archer was created by Adam Reed and Floyd County Productions and is executive produced by Reed and Matthew Thompson. The show is produced by FX Productions. FX ordered 10 episodes for its first season.
"We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to make a second season of Archer," said Reed, "and grateful that FX has enough faith in the show to allow it to build an audience. Excelsior!"
Archer is an animated, half-hour comedy set at the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS), a spy agency where espionage and global crises are merely opportunities for its highly trained employees to confuse, undermine, betray and royally screw each other. The series features the voices of H. Jon Benjamin as suave master spy "Sterling Archer"; Jessica Walter as his domineering mother and boss, "Malory Archer"; Aisha Tyler as his ex-girlfriend and current co-worker, "Agent Lana Kane"; George Coe as his aging-but-loyal butler, "Woodhouse"; Chris Parnell as ISIS comptroller and Lana's new love interest, "Cyril Figgis"; Judy Greer as Malory's lovesick secretary, "Cheryl"; and Amber Nash as "Pam," the director of human resources for ISIS.
Below are first season average ratings for all comedy series on FX to receive second-season orders (numbers in 000s).
A18-49 A18-34 P2+
Archer (1/14/10 - Current) 853 573 1,235
The League (10/29/09 - 12/10/09) 1,076 829 1,304
Always Sunny in Philadelphia (8/4/05 - 9/13/05) 747 419 1,139
Son of the Beach (3/14/00 - 4/18/00) 693 326 1,018
Archer was one of three comedy pilots shot by FX in 2009 to receive a series order, along with The League and Louie (premieres in June). The League recently received a second-season order and it returns this summer for 13 episodes. FX's acclaimed hit series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns for a sixth season this summer with 14 episodes.
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from the Fox Networks Group. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 96 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning original series; an established film library with box-office hits from 20th Century Fox and other studios; and an impressive roster of acquired hit series. For more information about FX, visit our web site at www.FXnetworks.com
Source: The Nielsen Company, Archer, 1/14/10 - 2/18/10 (Live+7, Most Current); The League, 10/19 - 12/19/00 (Live+7); It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (8/4 - 9/13/05, Live); Son of the Beach (3/14 - 4/17/00, Live).
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