What happens when you cross Don Draper, James Bond, and Buster Bluth? Meet Sterling Malory Archer—code name: Duchess—the world's most dangerous spy.

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DeadwoodPitched by series creator Adam Reed as "James Bond meets Arrested Development" if Bond were "as dickish as possible," Archer centers on the relationships between the titular character (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin)—the handsome, suave, and wildly self-centered spymaster—and everyone else. In FX's dark animated spy parody, the home base is ISIS, an international intelligence agency based in New York (in a time period that is a mélange of the 1960s, the Cold War era, and today). And naturally, because it's a workplace in a comedy show, ISIS is full of dysfunctional characters. There's Archer's domineering mother, agency head Malory Archer (Jessica Walter), Archer's ex-girlfriend, kickass field agent Lana Kane (Aisha Tyler), ISIS accountant and quasi-rival Cyril Figgis (Chris Parnell), loudmouthed human resources director Pam Poovey (Amber Nash), secret-multimillionaire and choke-obsessed secretary Cheryl/Carol Tunt (Judy Greer), sarcastic-but-good-natured field agent Ray Gillette (Adam Reed), and the Nazi-scientist Doctor Krieger (Lucky Yates).

Mix this ragtag team of insecure/alcoholic/sex-crazed narcissists into a world where time periods are jumbled, conflicts and countries are made up, and running jokes are repeated and the resulting comedic cocktail is as stiff as they come. Also, thanks to the punchy one-liners, obscure pop culture references, and GIF-able dialogue, it's the kind of show the internet has embraced warmly. (Check out this Tumblr of GIFs and the Mad Men/Archer mashup site Sterling Archer Draper Pryce for a taste.) But ultimately, for all its exotic tours and overly revealing flashbacks, *Archer'*s more than the sum of its double entendres. It's about the relationships we have with each other—and the way the worst in each of us gets in the way.

So pour yourself a Tom Collins and chop some ice like a field hand. It's time to dig in and keep the jokes, uh, coming (phrasing!)—your Archer binge-watch begins now.

Archer

Number of Seasons: 5 (62 episodes)

Time Requirements: For a true binge, you'll need two weeks, tops. At 20 minutes a pop, you'll speed through the show easily, even if you only watch a few episodes a night. (For a faux binge, you can do it in a month at just two episodes per night.)

Where to Get Your Fix: Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Netflix

Best Character to Follow: Archer and Lana's frenemy-slash-unrequited-love dynamic is the heart and soul of the show. It evolves throughout the series and serves as both comic relief and major emotional arc. All the supporting characters carry their weight (even Cyril!), but without Archer and Lana the show wouldn’t be worth watching. Their repartee, one-upmanship, and brief glimpses of love, respect, and even kindness keep the show rooted and will keep you coming back for more.

Seasons/Episodes You Can Skip: Season 5: Archer Vice

Watch the first episode ("White Elephant") and the last ("Archer Vice: Arrival/Departure") and you'll get all the essential plot points without having to waste too much time. Other than a few strong scenes (like Archer, Ray, and Cyril riding down the croc-filled river in "The Rules of Extraction") and some worthwhile season-long jokes, Season 5 repeats itself—a lot. The switch from ISIS to the dark side isn't the issue, either—ISIS was never all that noble anyway—Season 5 just drags out every joke, plot point, and minor character development ad nauseam, making each episode a whole lot less fun. Plus, series creator Adam Reed has said that upcoming Season 6 will "unreboot or whatever," so you won't miss much as long as you catch the highlight reel (which literally exists in "White Elephant").

Seasons/Episodes You Can't Skip: In Archer, there's no real plot to follow; so once you’ve got a good grasp on the characters, you can jump around (exception: finales and Archer Vice). *Archer'*s just as enjoyable in a full-blown binge as it is in bacon bits, so pick and choose from these gems, as you like.

Season 1: Episode 1, "Mole Hunt" This is where it all begins. When we meet Archer, we discover he’s been using ISIS funds for personal exploits. Cyril is onto him. To distract Cyril (and Malory), Archer starts a rumor that there’s a mole. (Misdirection!) But, of course, it turns out to be true. From the brilliant opening scene to the impending shootout, “Mole Hunt” sets up the show by subverting our expectations. The world’s most dangerous spy? An arrogant frat boy. The agency head honcho? A horny old lady. The head of HR? A gossipy loudmouth. Bring it, reality check.

Season 1: Episode 7, "Skytanic" The ISIS crew takes to the sky in a helium-powered blimp (really a rigid airship) when a bomb threat jeopardizes the maiden voyage. Welcome ... to the ... Danger Zone.

Season 2: Episode 4, "Pipeline Fever" Archer and Lana head to the Louisiana bayous to stop an eco-terrorist from destroying a natural gas pipeline. Not only do we spend the episode with mostly Archer and Lana, but it's one of the first where we learn intimately of Archer's many fears. Top three: crocodiles, alligators, and brain aneurysms.

Season 2: Episodes 8 and 9, "Stage Two" and "Placebo Effect" Archer is best at its very worst. This two-parter, where Archer discovers that a) he has breast cancer and b) his drugs are counterfeit placebos, is about as good as Archer gets ... and by that we mean terrible, selfish, rampagey, but ultimately sympathetic (he has breast cancer, after all). We also get to see Lana take Archer's side for once and the result is pure, maniacal magic.

Season 2: Episode 11, "Jeu Monegasque" Archer, Malory, Lana, and Ray head to Monte Carlo to obtain a data disk from a French extortionist during Le Grand Prix. They soon realize the disk is, uh, more personal than expected. Archer, meanwhile, loses the $4 million in untraceable bearer bonds needed for the ransom—which, let's just say, never quite belonged to Malory to begin with. Gambling, extortion, hotel hot tubs, car chases, and helicopter shootouts. What more could a spymaster want?

Season 2: Episode 13, "Double Trouble" We never really fell in love with Katya Kazanova, but this Season 2 finale set off a crucial chain of events for later seasons. When Archer brings former KGB agent and fiancé Katya home from Russia (with love), Malory (and everyone else) suspect the worst. Needless to say, the engagement doesn't last for long.

Season 3: Episodes 1, 2, and 3, "Heart of Archness" Part I, Part II, and Part III When Archer disappears for three months, Malory sends a former agent, Rip Riley, to find him. But on their way back to New York from French Polynesia, pirates catch Archer and Riley. ("Of course I'm not going to be a pirate ... I'm going to be a pirate king!") Things don't go as planned for Pirate King Archer, and like always, it's Lana to the rescue.

Season 3: Episode 8, "Lo Scandalo" This one-off episode doesn't follow any larger plot arc, but it's classic Malory manipulation. Malory calls the ISIS crew to her apartment when she finds the Italian Prime Minister dead. Guess who did it?

Season 3: Episodes 12 and 13, "Space Race" Part I and Part II A loose parody of Moonraker, the 1979 James Bond flick, this two-parter marks our intrepid field agents’ first venture into space, plus the return of the unkillable Barry Dylan. It’s also chock full of sci-fi allusions (Aliens, Star Wars, and The Right Stuff! to name a few), plus Malory invents the "whoridiot."

Season 4: Episode 7, "Live and Let Dine" Dressed as chefs, a hostess, and waiters, Archer, Lana, Ray, and Cyril go undercover in celebrity chef Lance Casteau's restaurant while a reality show, "Bastard Chef," films the kitchen. Meanwhile, back at ISIS HQ, Cheryl and Pam try to get reservations for an indignant (and hungry) Malory.

Season 4: Episodes 11, "The Papal Chase" The Vatican hires ISIS to thwart an assassination attempt on the Pope. But when Malory decides Lana won’t pass as a nun, she gives Pam her first mission. Commence: Operation Bad Habit. (And Woodhouse—a Pope doppelganger—tags along too!)

Season 5: Episodes 1 and 13, "White Elephant" and "Archer Vice: Arrivals/Departures" As a whole, Season 5 lacks the je ne sais quoi of the previous seasons, and these episodes aren't too hot either. But if you plan to tune in for the upcoming season, these installments will debrief you on Archer Vice. In the season premiere, the FBI raids ISIS and, after everyone is arrested, Malory agrees to disband the agency if they agree to stop being spies. But don't worry, Malory tells the field agents, we'll make ends meet by selling ... a ton of cocaine. Fast-forward to the finale, and, let's just say things don't work out too well for our heroic drug lords. Everything inevitably reboots back to normal, sort of.

Why You Should Binge:

Archer could've easily been another crude adult animated comedy. It's got everything: sex scenes, binge-drinking, porn allusions, double entendres, car chases—you name it. But the show is smart, tightly written, and supremely funny. The jokes land, the puns punch, and the endless Easter eggs of literary and pop culture references keep you laughing. And, ultimately, jokes or not, the ISIS crew is a lovable bunch—for all their selfishness, it’s easy to forget that the endearing Archer is just a cartoon.

Best Scene—Crocodile River:

There's no single most talked about Archer scene, but as off as Archer Vice was, we've never laughed harder than watching our heroes float down this apex-predator-filled river in "The Rules of Extraction." Eat a dick, jungle.

The Takeaway:

In the end, everything always works out—for Archer. Oh, and crocodiles are terrifying.

If You Liked Archer You'll Love:

Malory Archer is basically Lucille Bluth with grey hair and worse outfits. If you haven't already binged Arrested Development, stop everything, reevaluate your choices, and get started. Besides the phenomenal Jessica Walter, you’ll undoubtedly recognize the voices of Judy Greer, Jeffrey Tambor (Len Trexler), and David Cross (the insufferable Noah). Also, check out Bob's Burgers, where H. Jon Benjamin voices protagonist Bob Belcher (a nod you may recognize from *Archer'*s Season 4 opener "Fugue and Riffs.")