Andy Barker, P.I.

The first season of Andy Barker is funny, not hilarious. However, I found myself stifling giggles at work while watching certain scenes. I don't know how much life is left in the show, but these first six episodes were more satisfying to me than The Office's first season. If you like NBC's sibling shows Monk or Psych, Andy Barker makes a good addition, and half the running time. While this is Andy's show, the supporting cast does well. I'm not a Tony Hale fan, but a lot of people are, so they'll be happy. This show does better with racial stereotyping than Knights of Prosperity, the eatery has some nice sequences. While some parts of the show are racier than Monk, it should be suitable for most families (8+). Now go buy Sledge Hammer on DVD.

I've always liked Andy Richter, ever since his days as Conan O'Brien's sidekick on "Late Night". I've wanted to like his previous forays into his own shows, but nothing had really clicked before.

This time, things click, in a quirky, funny series that brings a new twist to film noir conventions. The basic set-up: Andy Barker, a CPA, starts work at his new office. Unbeknownst to him, it was previously occupied by a PI. When a mysterious woman shows up looking for someone to find her dead husband, Barker is reluctant to take on the case -- but given his scarcity of clients and her $4,000 retainer, the offer is too tempting to pass up. When the issue of the husband's tax returns come up, it's the clincher that pulls the CPA into a different line of work.

Thus begins the premise, in which Barker is ably abetted by video store clerk Simon (Tony Hale, "Arrested Development") -- who applies everything he's learned about crime and criminals from movies, with sometimes unintended results.

While it doesn't quite have the subversive depth of a lot of modern half hour comedies, it does have the off-kilter tone of something like the live-action "The Tic" This go-round, Conan O'Brien is co-creator and executive producer, and that may be the secret ingredient that's made this a watchable show. A lot of the gags feel like Late Night bits dropped into the plot, like when Barker advises a client on tax law during a car chase.

There's potential for this series, provided the writers can keep developing the concept, and NBC doesn't give up too soon.

Andy Richter set a high bar with the turn-of-the-century series "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" (about a writer working in a nowhere job who replays bad scenes in his life). "AR Controls the Universe" had a perfect cast and was full of laughs. One episode, "Gimme a C," was the sitcom episode I laughed at more than any in history. It's still one of my favorite TV shows.

"Andy Barker P. I." is another great idea. Andy Barker (Andy Richter) is an accountant with a very normal life, with a nice wife, and he's taking an exciting step by opening his own firm. But his new office was formerly occupied by a private eye who is now in a rest home (or is he?) and Barker gets drawn into private eye work on the side.

The series is dotted with hilarious moments, though the characters apart from the Barkers are overdrawn.

I think the problem with both Andy Richter shows is that they have great ideas for movies rather than continuing shows. Still, this show has its laughs, and Richter is always likable. But it's not the classic "Controls the Universe" is.

Andy Barker (Andy Richter) is a mild-mannered Certified Public Accountant who moves into a professional office. The previous tenant was private eye Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell) who has retired. Clients keep coming to hire a P.I. and Andy starts taking on cases. Andy's wife Jenny (Clea Lewis) at first disapproves. He befriends Simon (Tony Hale), the manager of a local video store, who wants to be his partner. Wally (Marshall Manesh) is the super-patriotic Afgani restaurateur.

This is playing with the noir hard-boiled detective genre. This show tries very hard to be wacky. Somehow much of it fails to connect. The jokes don't come off quite so funny. It is more awkward and uneven than anything else. The cast is a nice funny group, but they are all sidekicks. Like it or not, this needs a pretty leading man type to solidify the center. Andy could play against that type of character while still being the lead.

APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!!!

Actually,this show has only run three episodes so far(so for all I know,this show might go downhill after all),but after having seen these shows,I LIKE like like the potential this show has.

Likable accountant Andy BArker(Andy Richter,returning to NBC as himself,somewhat)moves his business into an empty lot in a strip mall,only to find out that the business that was there--a Private Investigator's office--still seems to draw clientèle. Presented with the chance to earn extra money to supplement his secure accounting job,he casts aside his apprehensions and misgivings about chasing leads and following clues and takes on being a "Private Dick".

The group of people helping him out are a motley bunch: Simon(Tony Hale,great in "Arrested Development"),a wildly imaginative video store manager,WAlly(Marshall Manesh),the owner of a nearby deli who is a surveillance whiz,Nicole,the secretary he "inherits" when his first case gets her fired from her previous job and Lew(HArve Presnell,gruff one-time musical leading man),the P.I. himself,a gruff old gentleman who's retired but still around to mentor the accountant-cum-gumshoe. In the background is supportive but pensive wife Jenny(Clea Duvall),who seems to lose her apprehensions about her hubby's newfound side work as quickly as he has.

Produced by Andy's old sidekick/pal Conan O'Brien,it really has the LOOK of something that would have Mr. O'Brien's sensibilities:absurd situations,dry-to-madcap humor and plenty of situational background music that sounds lifted STRAIGHT out of 70s detective/cop shows. Since I've always appreciated Conan's show,this is good. Given the fact that Andy's last two shows were punched out early,here's hoping that NBC(And given their current love for Mr.O'Brien,I can't see why not)will give this show as long a chance as possible,because this sitcom has a great,funny ironic attitude,something that non-animated T.V. comedy seems to be in short supply.