Product Details

• Actors: Andy Richter, Tony Hale
• Directors: Jason Ensler
• Format: NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Shout! Factory
• DVD Release Date: November 17, 2009
• Run Time: 132 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002JYPVRW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,361 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Andy Barker, P.I.: The Complete Series" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The unfortunately short-lived Andy Barker, P.I. had Conan O'Brien as one of its creators, writers, and executive producers, and it showcases many of the comedian's most likable assets. Foremost among them is Andy Richter, O'Brien's talk show sidekick, in the title role. CPA Andy Barker has barely set up shop in his new office in a strip mall when a beautiful, mysterious widow in a tight dress (shades of Faye Dunaway in Chinatown, one of the show's numerous show biz references) barges in, drops a few grand in his lap, and demands that he find her husband, who may not be dead after all. Why Andy? Seems his office used to be occupied by a now-retired private investigator named Lew Staziak (amusingly played by Harve Presnell), and since Andy's regular business is slow, off he goes, embarking on a dual career as an accountant/P.I. It's an absurd notion, of course. But thanks to some snappy dialogue ("You look lower than the nipples on a wet nurse at the orphanage," says Lew to Andy), some clever setups (like a "murderous chicken cartel" trying to monopolize the fast food business, or a morbidly obese client who croaks… or was he murdered?… on the golf course), a silly-but-not-stupid tone, and Barker's guileless, no-nonsense approach (he usually solves crimes by doing what he does best: crunching numbers), it all works. Given O'Brien's occasional proclivity for smugness, that might not have been the case. But Andy Barker, P.I. favors charm over smarm, and with Richter's appealing performance bolstered by regulars Tony Hale, Clea Lewis, and Marshall Manesh, one can only wonder where the show might have gone had NBC given it more than six episodes (only four of which actually aired) as a replacement for 30 Rock. Bonus features include cast and crew audio commentaries and a couple of featurettes. --Sam Graham

Product Description

From the hilarious minds of Conan OBrien (The Tonight Show) and Jonathan Groff comes Andy Barker P.I., an off-the-wall comedy about earnest, hard-working CPA-turned-detective, Andy Barker (played by Andy Richter, Late Night with Conan OBrien), and featuring the extraordinary writing talents of Conan OBrien (The Simpsons), Jonathan Groff (How I Met Your Mother), Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Josh Bycel (Psych). The show premiered on the NBC network and was immediately greeted with critical praise.

Bonus Features:

* Going Where The Numbers Take You: An intimate look back at the series with Andy Richter, Conan O Brien, Jonathan Groff, Tony Hale, Clea Lewis, Marshall Manesh and Jason Ensler.

* Writers Class 101: A look at what it takes to write a series like Andy Barker P.I. with co-creator Jonathan Groff and writers Jane Espenson, Josh Bycel and Jon Ross.

* Cast and crew commentaries.

* Gag reel.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly witty, fun show December 10, 2009

By Angela Wilson VINE™ VOICE

Andy Barker, P.I., was a short-lived NBC comedy created by Conan O'Brien. I don't care for O'Brien's humor and was surprised at how much I liked this show. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments packed into the 6 episodes, it was better than a night of comedies in Prime Time. There is a dry, quick humor that you have listen to closely so you don't miss anything. If you watch the episodes a second time, I guarantee you will hear/see something different, but equally hilarious.

Andy Richter is spot on with his comedic delivery, as are all of the supporting characters of this sharp, funny series. I just wish there were more episodes. I would even watch it online if it were revived.

If you only watch one episode, watch the one about the chickens.

Note: There are only six episodes of the show in this DVD set - all that were created. The series was canceled very quickly for low ratings. What some forget is that NBC released ALL of the episodes online before running them in Prime Time.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant overlooked comedy January 4, 2010

By T. Dewey

I watched this again on DVD recently and was depressed that this brilliant and laugh-out-loud comedy was overlooked and was not renewed in Fall 2007. The casting, writing, directing are all spot-on. Even the pilot ep is good- which doesn't often happen. This series should have run at least 2 years. Buy or rent the DVD- you won't be sorry.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Only six episodes, but more than a million laughs December 30, 2009

By Steve Reina VINE™ VOICE

While this show may only have six episodes, each episode is hilarilously funny.

So if you think of the purchase price in terms of the number of times you actually laugh out loud, you'll actually find this DVD to be a better buy than some regular purchases. (In any event, the total running time exceeds three hours anyway so in comparison, to say, a DVD of a comedy movie, you especially come out ahead on the deal.)

For its entertainment value, take the first episode, for instance, where we meet Andy Barker, an accountant ready to open his new CPA office at a strip mall (funny stuff, eh?). Played by Andy Richter, Barker is just funny sitting still. But no sooner than the first scene at his new office, he stands up and gets even funnier when a mysterous blond comes to him seeking PI work.

Before he gets to explain that he's just an accountant (or is he?), he gets four thousand dollars pushed into his hands with a mission to find the woman's husband (or is he?).

So as not to spoil the plot, let's just say that Andy spends the rest of the show proving that if you make enough wrong steps, you can actually end up going in the right direction again.

As you watch other episodes, you meet other quirky and fun characters from the Barker universe including a morbidly obese man who's death breaks the hearts of a shocking number of women, an evil chicken cartel, and a doctor (played by that guy who never ages from Lost) who's main practice consists of romancing young wives out of their husbands' fortunes.

It's pretty funny stuff and while I certainly would've been happier if they'd run and sold more episodes, I'm at least glad we've got these ones to watch, and re-watch and re-watch.