I saw all the previews, which looked pretty funny. But sitcoms have a habit of using all the A-list stuff in the previews then forgetting to actually hold something back for the show. But I think ARCtU pulled it off.
Of course I’ve been a fan of Andy’s since his Conan days. There’s just something about the guy I like, kinda like Nick Bakay. The supporting cast looks competent enough, and the writing seems sharp for a first episode.
(Best line: “Dear Jessica, I hate you. And I’m stealing toner too”)
Even the dead guy is pretty funny.
It’s doomed though. Too quirky for most of America I would think. I was almost peeing myself at a couple of points, but a lot of people won’t like “but that’s not what really happened” moments.
Damn you Why A Duck. I was just coming in here to start this thread.
I thought the show was great! Really, just the kind of stuff I like. I love the premise of Andy narrating his life with all the side thoughts and flights-of-fancy that go along.
The dead guy cracked me up. And the fact that they were willing to destroy a whole city of Mer-People was great.
What’s really scary is that it shows what my thoughts are like:
Boss: I need those calculations by noon tomorrow.
Duck: Then maybe you should’ve told me about them last week? I’ll get to them right after I do the emergency status report that’s due every Tuesday.
But what I really said was:
Duck: Okay.
The mer-people were cool too. The fact that I work on submarine design and read tech-manuals almost every day like the one he was writing just added to the humor.
I thought it was surprisingly good—I don’t watch late-night talkshows, so I had no idea who this fellow is. OK, so my Tues. nights are set from eight till nine!
Of course, after the Bataan Death March that was “Watching Ellie,” “Leap of Faith” and “American Embassy,” I am pathetically grateful for ANY show that doesn’t make me want to put out my eyes with a fireplace poker.
I enjoyed it – it was somewhat rough around the edges and I don’t think I laughed out loud for the first 10 minutes, but after that it picked up quite a bit, enough to get me to watch a second time at least.
It wasn’t bad. I can’t say I’ll tune into it regularly, since I don’t tune into anything regularly. I can’t even say I’ll watch it sporadically, but it wasn’t too bad.
I wish, though, instead of the constant, “Well that didn’t REALLY happen, but…” they’d instead either assumed I wasn’t an idiot and didn’t tell me, or hell, make it really have happened. Make it really true that they wrote letters to Amnesty International and danced and he wors ea suit of puppies. Would it really upset the show if these things were in its reality? Doesn’t seem to hurt the Simpsons.
Speaking of whcih, I didn’t like the dead guy. I saw him as just a pretty pale swipe off Monty Burns.
I was worried from the promos that the show would be just plain dumb. But the promos didn’t capture the context that made him a sympathetic character. This is far more of a “reality” show than those artificial settings that they dump people into. I’m a short story writer (no, really, published more than his one:) ) who does technical writing for real money, so maybe I could identify more than most people. But the comments here show that what goes through his head is in everybody’s who works in siturations like his. Or maybe everybody who just works.
I hope it’s a hit. And yes, the 8 to 9 block (8 to 10 with 24) is solid Tuesday viewing now.
I thought the dead guy was hilarious. “Back in my day, if you wanted to ruin a man, you’d liquor him up good, stuff him in a duffel bag and mail him to the Kaiser!”
And I don’t think that it’s too quirky to succeed. It’s like a non-crappy version of Ally McBeal, and look how well that succeeded. However, America does have a tendency to ignore good shows when they see them…
Well, it would have been, except that ‘24’ took a left turn into suckage and imploded faster than I’ve ever seen a great show implode before.
I suppose they can still turn it around, but I’m not holding my breath.
I liked the Andy Richter show, but it was pretty rough around the edges in spots. Hopefully they’ll clean it up. Here’s a review that isn’t quite as kind as you guys, and he makes some valid points: http://www.msnbc.com/news/726320.asp?pne=msn
I loved the previews and liked first episode , but unfortunately I don’t think it has a future. I really hate the standard sitcom BS that every other show has. I like quirky shows that just have fun and have some good surprising moments. Thats why I love the Simpsons, they just decided to throw logic and continuity out the window and just make people laugh. I also loved an old show called Herman’s Head. I don’t know if anybody remembers it but it was another quirky wierd show tha I found funny as hell. But nobody else on Earth did so it was canceled. But that review Sam Stone linked is exactly what i expected a reviewer to say and I don’t think it will last. The again maybe the next few episodes do suck, so I will at least watch a few more before bitching that reviewers never get it.
ahhhhhh, I remember not too long ago when I predicted Malcolm in the Middle was too off kilter to last… man I’m not just eating my hat and I’m not just eating crow… I’m eating a crow’s hat.
While I found parts funny, there were a few tip-offs that the show won’t last.
negligee scene in first 5 minutes. Pandering to adolescent males (and those with adolescent minds)
reliance on devices (non-reality sequences) and not plot.
Well, this was the biggest (and only one I remember)
I don’t see a great future for this show. People don’t really like to be “tricked” by what is real and what is not. (Though I LOVED the scene where Andy put the trash can on Byron’s head and whacked it with the phone.) Audiences will tolerate a bit of this, but not too much. The show seems to rely on this more than plot and story. (Ah! That’s point 2). I’ll add that now.)
Also, people don’t tolerate interruptions in story line too well. This was the death knell to shows like Herman’s Head (that and, I suspect, people didn’t want to see Yeardly Smith and Hank Azaria; they just wanted to hear the Simpsons characters. Puting a real face to the voices was a bit of a subconscious letdown.) and Inside Shwartz (or whatever the sportsy type show was called.)
Oh well, That 70s Show is still the only reason to turn on network on Tuesdays (MPT shows NOVA at 8:00 pm).
I really like the potential for the show. The first show wasn’t as funny as I was expecting, but I think as the season rolls the show will get better and better.
I like the theme, a fiction writer stuck in a dead in job- I can relate to that. Plus I really like Andy Richter.
I like the department manager… finally an interesting female character with something between the ears.
I especially enjoyed how well she handled Mr. Golgo-13 (the strange looking guy from “Wall $treet”).
She’s strong and cute and helps out Andy without being a bitch.
Contrast this with the Wendy character, who is nothing more than eye-candy for the lingerie fantasy scenes. Wendy is offended by Andy’s offhand remark that good-looking people get stuff handed to them, yet most of the time, a shallow female character like her don’t do anything to earn respect. I’ll be amazed if she doesn’t just passively sit back to be woo’ed by the 2 competing men.
As for Andy’s character, the whiny and annoying personality is starting to grate on me. Also, I agree they need to change the non-stop “what really happened” crap.
I liked it. My one nitpick, as a tech writer, I’ve never seen a tech writer who wears a tie to work.
I also give it a bit of leeway on plot because this was the first episode. I think they set up the characters, and their relationships pretty well for the amount of time given in the show.
Paget Brewster (Jessica, the department manager) has been a favorite for a long time.
