The long-running spy comedy Archer has been renewed for a 13th season over at FXX. But the next season will be the first without actor Jessica Walter, who died earlier this year.
As reported by Collider, the animated spy comedy Archer has been renewed for another season but the series will have to go on without Walter, who voiced Malory Archer. Malory is the mother to the lead character Sterling Archer and formerly the head of the spy agency the show centered around.
While she was able to record her full voice lines for Archer’s 12th season, which is currently airing, Walter’s passing means showrunner and creator Adam Reed will need to figure out whether to write out the character or recast the role for season 13.
In the past, Reed has retired characters whose actors have died. In 2015 when actor George Coe passed away, his faithful butler character Woodhouse was written off the show. And in an interview with Collider Reed has said he has ideas on how the show will handle Walter’s passing.
Jessica Walter died in March 2021 and is best known for playing sharp matriarchs like Malory as well as Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development where she earned an Emmy Award for Oustanding Supporting Actress for the latter role.
Archer is currently airing its 12th season. Although the series began as a spoof on the spy comedy, subsequent seasons have taken some detours into different genres like a classic noir mystery, or a recent amazonian adventure. The current season is a bit of a return to form as the characters are once again spies, though they’re competing with a large international spy conglomerate.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.