FX's "Archer" Drops Spy Agency Name Because of Real-World ISIS

[PretenderNX01]

On the other hand, announcing they are changing the name because of ISIS gets them publicity over controversy for free.

[Cyke]

We live in a world where a song by Madonna is met with fiery protest by Christians and a political cartoon is enough to spark a jihad on the cartoonist. And that's not considering the heinous stuff that ISIS has done, like killing hostages and then bragging about it to those hostages' families, who are Westerners and who have access to cable TV like most others. But then above all, what about the showrunners' respect for those families in the first place? Their primary goal is to make people laugh -- kinda hard to do that when you're reminding someone of a very specific tragedy done with a very specific political message. What're you gonna do? Tell those families to get over it, that it's their problem and not yours so that you can enjoy your half hour show? Talk about petty.

It's the showrunners' call and no one else's. FX didn't make them do it, the government didn't force them. And if we trust the showrunners to make the best decisions about the writing, direction, and cast, then maybe we can trust them on this decision, which was theirs and theirs alone, and their reasons are probably a bit more than mere political correctness. A little tact never hurt anyone. Changing the name is much more disruptive and inconvenient for the showrunners than for anyone in the audience, and they're willing to take that on because they don't think ISIS is funny. I don't think the showrunners came to this conclusion lightly, ESPECIALLY since they already have millions in Archer-ISIS merchandising on the shelves right now, but they decided that respect trumped $$$ in this case -- the show and FX are going to lose a ton of money from this decision, and they're going forward with it anyway.

That was the Australian poster that Australian people freaked out about it, the rest of the world got it second hand.

And like i said in my post.... this is an adult comedy show,why would any adult watching this suddenly stop watching it because some military group just popped up to screw around? What's the correlation from a show way older than this military group? What would be the backlash? Is it going to be like South Park that people complained years after the fact that actually pictured Mohamed? Cause if it is... they have several years before some one is going to complain.

You realize that nobody actually *died* when South Park made that episode, right? Big talk that resulted in nothing. Whereas with ISIS, they have killed for media spotlight and demands, and backlash meant execution of hostages. And the first thing that you do NOT do during hostage negotiations is to agitate the enemy. A close second is to not make light of families' recent losses, either. You're trying to call their bluff when they've shown several times already that they do not bluff, and have proved it by killing and turning death into spectacle.

I'm sorry this is inconvenient for you, but I'm willing to bet that the families whose loved ones were executed by ISIS have it just a tad worse than you, which is something the showrunners are acknowledging and do so after a lot of deliberation amongst themselves. Likewise, the showrunners are going to lose millions in ISIS merchandising, which is still more inconvenient than what you'll ever face, and is a decision they made consciously. Some things trump entertainment. They're acting like people who are concerned for their fellow human beings.

[Rahul]

Isn't the organization's actual name ISIL(Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant)?

[Hiromi]

Isn't the organization's actual name ISIL(Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant)?

They're also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, or just the Islamic State/IS.

[Captain Haddock]

Isn't the organization's actual name ISIL(Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant)?

They've had several names but at this point ISIS is the 'actual' name... for now.

[Sacred Knight]

It is silly, but at the same time from the creator's POV, I can understand simply not wanting the hassle. They know as well as everyone else an outcry would come. From a section who doesn't even watch the show I'm sure, but a loud one nonetheless. Who wants to deal with that? I'd rather they do this, and then continue to focus on making a funny show, not trying to be "brave" and make a statement, because in all likelihood their network would not back them on such a move anyway.

Just have them steal the name ODIN away.

[simbob4000]

On the other hand, announcing they are changing the name because of ISIS gets them publicity over controversy for free.

Announcing they aren't changing the name because news outlets and the government can't even make up their minds over if it's ISIS or ISIL would do the same thing.

[Deadxman]

I can imagine an offhand comment like the original name was bad for PR.

Mallorly wouldn't care for bad PR if it ment she had to spend money on changing the logos.

Plus lets have some fun with with the titles

they will now be called the
National Intelligence Gathering Guarding Espionage Recon Services

Federal Assassination Guild

Global Observation and Obliteration Kollection

[maczero]

I'm only slightly bothered by this but it can still work within the framework of the show. If I'm not mistaken, ISIS went out of business and its former employees were trying to sell cocaine, move counterfeit bills and even gun running. Even when ISIS was still functioning, Mallory was willing to extort the US by trying to have them buy a weapon of mass destruction. Not only that, ISIS had a reputation for incompetence. So if the crew tries to go legitimate again, I'm pretty sure they'll want to distance themselves from the ISIS name.

[Sacred Knight]

They should make a name with the letters AKA in there, as part of some appropriate acronym only to find out later that Mallory secretly chose it because it incorporates her granddaughter's initials.

[MagSeven]

I don't think anyone who is a fan of the show would care if they kept the name. I think they should. If they change it, the terrorists win a little (I mean like "microscopic").