Chris Parnell On The Future Of Archer And How He Keeps Things Fresh - Exclusive
Sterling Archer woke up to a new world after three years in a coma. The agency works properly, Lana got married, and Krieger... well, Krieger can only change so much, but point made. There's one person, however, who changed more than anyone: Cyril Figgis. Gone is the meek and wimpy former comptroller — Cyril is now buff, confident, and quite literally in charge. Archer is doing his best to bully him into submission again, but it's still quite the sight to see for Archer fans.
One person who hasn't seen Ripped Cyril yet? The man who voices him, Chris Parnell — all of this season's new episodes are still waiting on his DVR. "We've just bought a new house," the actor tells Looper, "and I've got two young kids, so I don't get a lot of TV viewing time, unfortunately." He's eventually going to watch the whole season, which is helpful because he — like every other cast member we've spoken with — doesn't fully remember this season. He recalls more of the beginning, likely because he's been asked about it more, but as he explains, "Once you record it, it kind of goes out of my brain."
But thanks to good writing, it wasn't hard getting into character in the first place — even if that character has changed. "They write it so well, and they certainly know how to write in Cyril's voice," Parnell says, "whether it's super insecure Cyril, needy Cyril or, in this case, Cyril who's kind of got it together, but obviously is ready to crumble under any sort of threat to that confidence."
New writers and the possibility of more seasons
Writing credit for the first nine seasons of Archer went almost entirely to creator Adam Reed himself. Season 10 saw other people get solo writing credit for the first time, and this season contains no episodes with Reed's name on them. "I would notice in the beginning and in the early scripts that were by other writers," Parnell says of the writing style, "but now I don't really think about it as much because I'm sort of used to these other voices." Early on, he explains, "it felt more like somebody trying to write an Adam's voice, and I feel like the writers now just sort of own it more." He does concede that it's likely "also just me making an adjustment to what they've created."
Parnell credits the new writing staff as "part of what's given the show the ability to keep going... It's a lot to write a series all by yourself. I think everybody was happy that we found some other people who could write in the spirit and the voice of the characters." So, what's the future for Archer? "I think it has got the potential to go on for a while, if FXX wants it to." The new writers would be happy with longevity, but the voice actors are game as well: "I know we all want to keep doing it, obviously."
Catch the newest episode of Archer on Wednesday, October 7 at 10 PM ET on FXX. Stay tuned for more exclusive Archer coverage on Looper.