In This Section
|
« Andy Barker, P.I.
March 15, 2007: "Watch Out, Fair Oaks, Here I Come!"
If you're a 30 Rock fan and know me from that show blog, it's good to see you joining me here. To everyone else, greetings, I will be your host for these six episodes of NBC's Andy Barker, P.I.
Previously in the 30 Rock blog, I talked up Andy some, if only to assure fans of Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, et al, that their time slot would be in capable hands. Since then, it's been good to see the legit TV critics throw some praise Andy Richter's way, as this show certainly has sharp writing, but perhaps more importantly some very nice casting. I will admit, my exposure to Andy has been minimal (having never been a Conan fan). But I do like him in this role of a hapless "cheese and crackers"-cussing accountant resigned to a vanilla office in a vanilla strip mall, then seduced by the invitation — from the Wrigley's Orbit gum gal — to walk on the wild side as a private dick.
Andy Barker ups the ante further by surrounding Richter with a winning ensemble. Clea Lewis (Ellen) is perfect as Jenny, the dutiful, geeky-flirty and never-nagging wife. Tony Hale of Arrested Development fame pairs sympathetic despair with gung-ho zeal as bored-out-of-his-gourd video-store clerk Simon. Harve Presnell as mentor PI Lew Staziak? I could listen to him bark out the phone book. But the icing on the cake is Madtv's Nicole Randall Johnson as Andy's never-hired secretary. If line delivery were currency, she'd be filthy rich.
This week's "case" was so-so, I'll admit — Wally's 24-caliber security cameras? How'd Andy know there'd be a PA system at hand in the abandoned warehouse? — but next week's is a howler.
That said, my bullets (aka fave lines or moments):
• Jenny to her hubby: "That Judging Amy we TiVo'd isn't going to watch itself."
• "I didn't think they could top Miss Congeniality 1, but boy, did they come close."
• The "overboard" signage at Wally's kebabs: "Go USA People!" and "No MSG, Yes USA."
• Andy re: Chinatown: "Is that with Jackie Chan?"
• Simon re: Wally: "This man came to America in the wheel well of a jumbo jet."
• "Ohh, a tax return. Things just got interesting."
• One of Nicole Randall Johnson's best lines: <fake smile> "Sure! I'd do anything for you!" </fake smile>
• Simon telling a caller to the store, "We don't have Meet the Fockers" — all the while a whole Fockers display is in the background behind him. Simon then hanging up on Andy to tend to "a beefy goth chic in horror."
• Lew advising Andy: "You got your boy into hot water. Let's see if you got the Mike and Ikes to get him out."
• Andy telling Nadia her Russian gang is "throwing money away" by renting the abandoned warehouse.
• Andy revving it up to a responsible 45 mph during the chase.
• The end, when Andy deciding to keep at the PI biz even though, "I've got hot links I was going to grill."
All six Andy Barker episodes are streaming, I believe, at NBC.com already, but please, let's all be considerate and not "read ahead" and spoil specifics, since some here will be watching in real time. Thank you!
|
TVGuide Links:
|
|
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 7:21 AM
|
It was a decent show, though I really did miss 30 Rock. I was so happy to hear you report it will return a week earlier in a more preferable time slot.
This show did seem to have a good cast. I am for anything that brings back any of the Arrested Development cast... well, except for Twenty Good Years. What a stinker that one was (not the actors fault though.)
You caught the funny lines that stood out to me; the signage being my favorite gag. I am looking forward to next weeks "howler."
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 8:50 AM
|
Good start -- shows potential for sure.
I enjoyed it overall, but I pretty much expected to. Between Tony Hale (yeah Arrested Development alum!) and Andy Richter in more of the Andy Richter Controls the Universe mode than the (insert terrible Fox sitcom name here) mode, it has the makings to be good.
I wasn't let down! Now NBC has 5 30 min shows. What are they gonna do?!
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 9:13 AM
|
Was not planning on watching this show but boy am I glad I did.
It was very enjoyable. I love the security camera'a in the presidents heads....."No Nixon is watching the parking lot".
Also how about the back ground music....some great scene combinations with that music.
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 9:49 AM
|
I loved the car chase scene, when Barker is talking about accounting stuff and how that seemed to be his "super power" ya know? lol
I'm glad I tried it out.
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 9:57 AM
|
Very funny, I laughed at the "MSG NO! USA YES!" sign in the Afghan restaurant. It reminded me of this seafood restaurant we have here in Baltimore, it's owned by a guy from the Middle East. After 9-11, he put American flags all over the exterior of his restaurant. Cracked me up.
Anyway, I enjoyed the show. It's silly, but it's supposed to be. I'll watch it in 30 Rock's absence.
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 10:13 AM
|
|
I really liked it, plus I'll keep watching cause I LOVE Andy Richter. I hope it does well, cause I really like the other characters as well, especially BUSTER!!!
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 10:15 AM
|
And how about that background music
I swear, that bed (and chase scene) was straight out of "Struck and Stone," a senior thesis project I helped out on, about a high-paid bodyguard and high-school football coach who become police detectives. The "stunt" guy killed the clutch on my Nissan. 
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 10:21 AM
|
Even with recent praise from several critics I still didn't know what to expect. After all, "The Winner" received relatively high marks but it was a jar of cheese wiz with a laugh track. I planned to watch the show irregardless of the reviews since I've always liked Richter's dry humor , while Hale's "Buster" is one of my favorite tv characters in the past decade...
Now, it's very difficult to judge a show after its pilot (Studio 60 looked like a blockbuster, while Seinfeld, The Office, and Scrubs appeared DOA). That said, the episode had a rather nice pace to its introduction to characters. Simon's scenes were particularly funny, especially with the Sandra Bullock talking doll. Nicole Randall did steal the show in her only scene, and I'm ecstatic to learn that she'll be a regular. The casting director picked a perfect actress for the sweet, neurotic wife and the restaurant owner has potential to be a "go-to" character for hilarious dialogue (i.e. Gary from The Knights of Prosperity).
I hope the show will increase it's over the top zaniness in the next few episodes on the level on 30 Rock, Scrubs, and the aforementioned Knights (NOTE: I can and will never expect a show to reach the heights of Arrested). Otherwise, it won't develop enough of a cult following to stick around.
BTW, Matt why don't you like Conan? Do you have something against original comedy? Please tell us that you're not a Leno guy. You'll lose all credibility.
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 11:02 AM
|
I thought this was great...for a start. I'm looking forward to the remaining episodes, hopefully it's not a flash in the pan.
One question, is this set in Fair Oaks, California? Mom lives there.
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 11:06 AM
|
|
I enjoyed this, and the biggest surprise for me was Tony Hale. As a huge AD fan, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see him as anything other than Buster, but he was a pleasant surprise on this show. I hope this show did well enough in the ratings because I really liked it.
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 11:20 AM
|
BTW, Matt why don't you like Conan? Do you have something against original comedy? Please tell us that you're not a Leno guy. You'll lose all credibility.
No, I'm a Letterman loyalist, so I guess I bore some sort of "grudge" against "the new guy." I know Conan's funny, he just came after my time (i.e. college).
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 11:34 AM
|
|
I tried to like it. I really did. I failed.
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 11:41 AM
|
Well achyfakey, I'm kinda there too.
I have to admit I was disappointed. I thought it moved slow and I actually fell asleep on it. When I hit rewind on my tivo it didn't seem like I really missed much. This comes as a total surprise to me as I am a HUGE Andy Richter fan and was absolutely devastated when Fox cancelled the Universe. I think that show was tremendously funnier than this one but I do love the cast. The idea of seeing Buster Bluth every week excites me and I haven't seen Clea since Ellen and Friends. The secretary got the only laugh out loud moment I had.
Nevertheless I'll watch it because I'm one of the 3 people in the universe that does not watch Grey's Anatomy and as I mentioned, I love Andy. I look forward to next week as I'm sure it'll be funnier soon, just wasn't moved by the pilot. But I wasn't moved by the pilot for The Office either and now it's one of my favorite shows so I'm totally open minded.
But there's no way this show could ever replace 30 Rock so I'm breathing easier at least......
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 1:00 PM
|
I thought it was great but I wasn’t surprised by that. Loved seeing Buster again and I loved his Miss Congeniality 2 (thought that line that Sandra Bullock said was from the first movie) talking doll. Too funny! And I especially loved the Afghani kabob restaurant owner who is overly patriotic post 9-11! Hope to see more of him in future episodes.
I also like the way that they a) put a lot of thought into the actual mystery, it wasn’t just a clear cut plot that only served the purpose of providing gags for Andy and b) made Andy an intelligent guy who uses his expertise (accounting) to solve the mystery as opposed to a dim-witted bulb who just stumbles upon answers.
Loved the way Tony freaked when he realized that the guns were real. It was so very Buster.
I will be watching all the episodes for this show until 30 Rock comes back (a week earlier!) and hope it does well so that they can find somewhere to put it on their schedule.
|
|
Mar 16, 2007 1:05 PM
|
|
|
