ARCHER
9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18
FX
As somebody who is partial to both the Sean Connery-era “James Bond” flicks and the movie “Airplane!” I have found a lot to like in the new animated series “Archer.” The show revolves around the adventures of Sterling Archer, a Bond-ish super-spy with a penchant for taking 007’s misogyny and arrogance to absurd extremes – think “24” meets “The Office.” The show often pushes the boundary of good taste right over the cliff into delightful absurdity, with storylines involving everything from racism in the office to Archer’s secret lust for his mother — who happens to run the spy agency he works for: The International Secret Intelligence Service. The results are, in my way of thinking, some of the funniest stuff I’ve seen on TV in awhile. In short: If you’re a fan of the screwball comedy, “Archer” is right on target. Give it a shot.
FUNNY OR DIE PRESENTS
11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19
HBO
How do I love www.funnyordie.com? Hold your arms wide apart. Wider. That’s about right. Created by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, the site features both fan-generated shorts, as well as sketches starring Ferrell and his famous friends – all with the novel bonus that viewers are able to vote on a video to determine if it’s funny or not. Videos that don’t get 20 percent funny by the time they hit 1,000 views are relegated to “The Crypt.” The site – featuring videos like the Internet classic “The Landlord,” and Ferrell’s musical ode to parking lot violence “Bat Fight” – are often funny enough to make Mountain Dew squirt out of your nose. Now the folks behind the site are heading to TV, with the new HBO sketch-comedy show “Funny or Die Presents.” The previews look pretty gatdamn hilarious, with sketches featuring Ferrell, Don Cheadle, Fred Willard, David Spade and Wayne Newton, among others. I haven’t had HBO since the “Sopranos” journeyed to disappointing black a couple years ago, but I might have to spring for primo channels just for this. If you’ve got HBO already, definitely check it out.