Adam Reed, the creative force behind the acclaimed animated sitcom Archer, is returning to HBO with a new series titled Merrick & Treves. The half-hour animated comedy, co-created with Archer executive producer Casey Willis and starring Lucky Yates, has received a two-season order from HBO.
The series will center on the secret agents of Queen Victoria’s Royal Temporal Constabulary, who are tasked with hunting down the notorious Jack the Ripper. Reed, Willis, and Yates will all serve as co-creators and co-executive producers on the project.
Archer, which concluded its 14-season run on FX in 2023, evolved significantly from its initial James Bond spoof beginnings. Over its run, the show experimented with various genres, including film noir and space opera, notably during a multi-season arc where the protagonist, Sterling Archer, was in a coma. This willingness to explore different narrative territories is echoed in the premise of Merrick & Treves.
The time-traveling plot of Merrick & Treves draws parallels to Rick and Morty, another HBO-adjacent hit that began as a parody of science fiction tropes before developing its own complex mythology. Rick and Morty has aired nine seasons on Adult Swim and recently launched its first spinoff, President Curtis. HBO appears to be capitalizing on the success of adult animation by combining the creative talents behind Archer with a concept that could appeal to a similar audience.
While HBO has not yet announced a specific release window for Merrick & Treves, development timelines for similar shows suggest a potential debut in late 2027 or early 2028. For context, the HBO Max series Creature Commandos was announced in January 2023 and premiered in December 2024, while Adult Swim's President Curtis was announced in July 2025 and debuted approximately a year later.