Andy Barker, P.I.

What a refreshing show for a change. We have looked forward to each episode but the network seems to replace it with other programs. Why? The premise/cast is/are fabulous. Seeing Harve Presnell again adds icing on the fun cake. Please give the show a chance! The joy of the video store guy helping determine the crime via his knowledge of movies and how they fit in with the stories is magic. When Andy tries to solve the week's 'problem' and continues to fall into hysterically funny situations knock's us out. All we can say is that having a program on the air that we look forward to means a great deal. Please, again, continue the fun by allowing us to view a rare fun series.

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.

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.

This show is great, but so was Andy Richter Controls the Universe and that didn't make it. Conan O'Brien is an executive producer so hopefully it won't get immediately canned if the ratings' falter early. The plot feels formulaic and always ends with the likable Private Eye/ Accountant Andy involved in a chase sequence followed by a gun in his face. But the story plays with the expectations of the audience(often homaging movies), and is secondary to laughs that are naturally generated from this talented cast, especially Tony Hale. There are lots of dry and absurd humor that will fit in well on NBC Thursday Comedy Night, and also that Andy Richter is so damn lovable.