There's an old saying in Hollywood which goes, "You're only as good as your last movie." (Of course, this has been disproven time and time again, as bad actors keep getting work.) This raises the question, how far can reputation take you? Furthermore, does a reputation ensure the continuation of a quality product? In other words does the fact that I liked a work by an artist mean that I will like the next thing that they do? This question came to light when Archer premiered on FX in 2009. As Archer: The Complete Second Season hits Blu-ray Disc, we see if the show has fulfilled its promise.

Archer is ostensibly a show about spies, as it focuses on ISIS, a covert agency which takes on missions around the globe. Sterling Archer (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) (who looks like a young Tim Matheson) is the agency's star spy, a suave and debonair playboy who is quick with his gun and even faster with the ladies. The agency is overseen by Archer's mother, Malory Archer (voiced by Jessica Walter), a former field agent who enjoys her role of being in charge. Archer is often assisted by Lana Kane (voiced by Aisha Tyler), a tough, take-charge woman. Archer and Lana have been an item in the past, and they are constantly verbally sparring and flirting, even when Lana dates ISIS accountant Cyril Figgis (voiced by Chris Parnell). Malory's secretary, Cheryl (voiced by Judy Greer), human resources officer Pam (voiced by Amber Nash), and scientist Dr. Krieger (voiced by Lucky Yates) round out the primary ISIS staff.

But, here's the skinny on ISIS: no one there knows what they are doing. While Archer has certain physical skills and the ladies love him, he's also an arrogant moron who grew up in the lap of luxury and now hates to do anything for himself. It's often Lana who ends up saving the day, but has emotional issues which keep her from being the complete spy. Malory is often too busy trying to woo rich men (to keep both her and ISIS afloat) to pay attention to the day-to-day activities. Pam is addicted to food, Cyril is addicted to sex, and Cheryl is a nitwit who never understands anything that is happening. Dr. Krieger spends more time creating mutants than he does doing research for ISIS.

Most spoof shows pick one target, but Archer had chosen two. Again, on the surface, it is lampooning spy movies and TV shows. Archer is often wearing a tuxedo and he's rarely seen with a cocktail in hand, as he personifies the James Bond-esque style of spy. He and Lana travel around the world taking out dictators or protecting corporations. But, nothing ever goes as planned. Archer usually lets his bad attitude or his libido get him in trouble and Lana must save the day. Of course, Archer takes all of the credit. Malory works with foreign powers and heads of state, but her search for a new husband gets in the way of business. Many spy stereotypes and conventions bite the dust here.

However, most of the show takes aim at office politics. From paperwork to budgets to office gossip to office romance, few workplace issues escape the mocking gaze of the show. Everyone at ISIS actively hates one another and the bickering and insults keep them all from doing their jobs properly. Imagine a much more insane version of The Office and you'll get an idea of the odds things which happen here, from computer malfunctions to the 401(k)'s being hijacked.

My preferences aside, there's no denying that Archer is a fun show. It takes animation which looks like Johnny Quest and inserts some of the raunchiest jokes that you will hear on basic cable. The writing is consistent, the voice acting is phenomenal (I can't imagine that H. Jon Benjamin has any free time), and the jokes come very quickly. I still want Frisky Dingo to come back and wrap things up, but for now, Archer will do.

Archer: The Complete Second Season throws out some terms which you may have to look up on Blu-ray Disc courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The 2-disc set contains all 13 episodes from the show's second season. The Disc contains an AVC 1080p HD transfer which runs at an average of 25 Mbps. The image is exceptionally sharp and clear, showing no grain and no defects from the source material. The colors look fantastic, most notably blues and reds. The black tones look true. The image is crisp, showing great detail and revealing no jagged lines in the animation. There is also a nice depth to the image. The Disc carries a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which runs at 48 kHz and an average of 3.8 Mbps. The track provides clear dialogue and sound effects. The stereo effects are very good, which is a must, as the show features many instances where sounds come from off-screen, emanating from the front channels. We get some notable surround effects during the action scenes, especially those which come from gunshots. A few explosions contribute subwoofer effects.

The Archer: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Disc contains a few extras. "Archersaurus - Self Extinction" (3 minutes) is an incredibly odd Behind the Music like short which tells the story of a dinosaur playing the role of Archer. It's like they challenged themselves to make something weirder than the show. "Ask Archer" (5 minutes) is a faux segment in which Archer answers viewer mail...all of which are pretty silly questions. "Semper Fi" (2 minutes) has Archer attempting to send a message to the military. "L'espion Mal Fait" (5 minutes) is a bizarre short where Archer has an accident and following plastic surgery, looks like H. Jon Benjamin. "ISIS Infiltrates Comic-con" (14 minutes) takes us to a Q&A discussion panel at the convention with the main cast (sans Jessica Walters).