Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Archer season 12, episode 1.
The premiere of Archer season 12 saw the introduction of several new characters, including the mysterious figure code-named The Professor — voiced by notable comedian Eric Andre. Created by Adam Reed, Archer has enjoyed a variety of famous guest stars across its entire run. Those have ranged from Bryan Cranston and Timothy Olyphant to Jamie Lee Curtis in Archer season 11 and Burt Reynolds' famous cameo as himself in an early episode.
That trend has already looked set to continue in Archer season 12. Despite genuinely saving the world in Archer season 11, episode 8, "Cold Fusion," the gang returned to find The Agency in dire straits. In an effort to rebrand and reverse their fortunes, Pam (Amber Nash) and Cheryl (Judy Greer) tried to devise a new company name, while Malory (Jessica Walter) sought new investors. Meanwhile, the rest of the group attempted to compete with new rivals IIA (International Intelligence Agency), led by Fabian Kingsworth (Kayvan Novak). To that end, Cyril (Chris Parnell), Lana (Aisha Tyler), and Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) himself headed to Moldova to capture The Professor and his ominous Ionic Fusion device.
The bulk of Archer season 12, episode 1, "Identity Crisis" centered on The Agency clashing with IIA. More specifically, it established Fabian Kingsworth as Sterling Archer's latest nemesis — forcing the latter to contend with certain truths about himself. As a result, The Professor only directly appeared towards the end of the Archer season 12 premiere and had a minimal amount of lines. Regardless, eagle-eared fans would have immediately recognized the familiar tones as belonging to Eric Andre, or otherwise recalled it while struggling to put a name to the voice. Either way, Eric Andre's Professor also offered a shining reprieve for the titular secret agent as Archer still struggled with season 11's post-coma issues.
After years of stand-up comedy and minor appearances, Eric Andre made a more prominent jump to TV with his self-titled series The Eric Andre Show. Airing on Adult Swim, the surreal comedy series has run for a total of five seasons and amassed a range of notable guest-stars in its own right. Equally, Eric Andre has since channeled its acclaim and popularity into several other substantial roles. Those have included Azizi in Disney's photo-realistic CGI remake of The Lion King and Chris Carey in 2021's hidden-camera comedy, Bad Trip, which he also co-wrote and produced. On top of that and numerous vocal appearances on animated shows in recent years, Eric Andre also performed a Netflix stand-up special titled Legalize Everything.
In terms of Archer, though The Professor's appearance was brief, Eric Andre will no doubt reprise him before season 12's end. Despite being left in a coma, his intrinsic value was made clear — both in terms of his scientific knowledge and financially to the client behind the initial mission. As such, alongside the potential for recurring gags as Dr. Krieger (Lucky Yates) takes care of him, The Professor will no doubt be a catalyst for the climactic confrontation between The Agency and IIA when he wakes up. Furthermore, the aforementioned client remained a shadowy figure with intentions unknown. So, there's every chance The Professor could tie into The Agency once again having to save the world in Archer season 12's final episodes — giving Eric Andre a proper chance to shine fully and demonstrate more of his comedic talents.
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