What Am I Watching: Archer, Season Four (But Not on TV...)

The fourth season of Archer, which I consider to be the most brilliant comedy on television, has begun on the US network FX on Thursday, January 17.  What does this mean for Archer fans in Canada?  Well, yet again, it means WE DO NOT GET TO SEE IT over the air at the same time as US fans.

Now, I will start by saying that I recently cancelled my cable (from Rogers, if you ask), and I will expand on cable-less experience in a subsequent post. So, Archer may well have played in Canada on Thursday evening due to some late programming change, but from checking out two relevant websites:

- FX Canada does not list Archer on its list of programs.

- Teletoon does list Archer under its 'Teletoon-at-Night' site, but makes no reference to Season Four. When I contacted Teletoon to enquire as to their plans for Season Four (as I did last year for Season Three), the response I got from Sylvie Claude, Teletoon's Audience Relations and Communications Coordinator, was 'We do not currently have a confirmed date for when we will start airing Archer Season 4.  Please continue to check our website for any updates or changes.'

It appears that, just as they did for Season Three, Teletoon has no intention of giving its viewers the 'privilege' of watching Archer episodes at the same time they are being shown in the States.  I am expecting at least an 8-month lag, as was the case for last season.  Let that sink in again this year:  Teletoon buys the Canadian rights to a show, but will not show it, (well, not for eight months anyway).  And FX Canada will not buy back the rights in order to show it on its own network.

And, yes, situtations like this is why I now refuse to pay Rogers $85 a month for the privilege of not being able to watch what US viewers can.

However, Archer fans (assuming you have made it through this rant), THERE IS HOPE.  Season Four is available on iTunes. The cost: $34.99 for the entire season, with episodes being availabe as they air in the US (as far as I can tell.)  (Now, I am wondering why the cost is $3 more in Canada than in the US, but that is for another rant...)

I had the pleasure of watching the opening Season 4 episode last night.  I will not review it, in order to keep this column spoiler-free.  Suffice it to say, there is a brilliant cross-over, movie and TV references abound, copious amonts of alcohol are consumed and Archer (and Lana and Krieger and..., well, everybody) have sundry laugh-out-loud moments and quips.  I will quote one exchange which cracked me up and which should not spoil anything:

Archer:  Which part of this plan do you not understand?

Limo driver:  The basic concept.

To those of you who chose to access the show on iTunes, enjoy.  To all of you:  please contact Teletoon and FX Canada to express your displeasure at the second-class treatment they are showing Canadian Archer fans.