Customer Reviews

Andy Richter Controls the Universe: The Complete Series

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I also never thought this would see the light of day, after it was timeslot-mangled and unceremoniously canceled by FOX. When I tell people it's in my list of top 10 sitcoms of all time they look at me like I just landed in a spaceship, but it's true (not the spaceship part, the top 10 part.) Fantastic cast, great writing, great use of gimmicky concept. I can't wait to get my hands on this.

It's hard to describe Andy Richter Controls the Universe. It seems as if several shows that have sprung up on television in recent years have "borrowed" mightily from Universe. Scrubs, Arrested Development, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 30 Rock...I think all these shows owe a debt to Universe.

Andy Richter is the most average fellow on the outside, but what goes on in his head is so bizarre and hilarious that words cannot do justice to this gem of a show. Fox did its usual job of switching the show to several different nights, never allowing an audience to develop. For the few of us that did watch the show, it was a delight and a treat.

I never thought this would be released on DVD but thank goodness it will be. The first episode of this series is the best first show I've ever seen,it just blew my mind and even though it would seem hard to follow up,they did a great job with the rest of this wonderful short lived series. I can't wait to own this! Another example of one that the masses just missed and it's their loss.

I am SOOOO happy this show was finally released. It is brilliantly written, acted, etc. The show itself is worth every bit of a 5 star review. My only gripe, however, is the replacement of some of music within the episodes. I realize it was a necessary concession to get this released, but I found it very jarring as I watched the eps. Also, the video quality isn't quite up to snuff. I've seen the eps in HD so I know they could have mastered this a bit better. HOWEVER, don't let any of this stop you from picking up this amazing series!

So I've been awaiting these DVDs forever, ever since the show was cancelled, and I've had them for a little over a month now. I had my pre-order in since the day it was available, and for the most part I could not be happier. The show still holds up today, despite all the great shows that have popped us since then, it still holds its own. The main actors play their characters amazingly well with all of their quirks and intricacies. A very funny, extremely well written, and tragically short-lived piece of comedy genius.

But enough about the show, by now you either know if you will like it or not I hope, what I really wanted to talk about is the DVDs. Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad these are out and I don't have to keep watching my downloaded copies on my computer screen, but I do have a couple gripes.

First off, the picture is cropped down from the original. Like Pan & Scan in reverse. Instead of cutting down a widescreen image to fit an old-style squarish TV screen, they cut down the original squarish picture of the TV show to fit today's widescreen TVs. So the bottom part of the original image and sometimes the top are chopped off. Not a huge problem, because obviously it was done in a way where you can still see what's going on all the time, but a bit annoying having about a third of the picture missing.

Secondly, (something that "N. Smith" touched on a little) is that some of the original music from the series was changed. Instrumental snippets of songs like "Teenage Riot" by the Ataris and "Cyclone" by the Dub Pistols were used to great effect in some episodes but now they've been replaced by generic pieces of music that convey vaguely the same feeling. Most people won't miss them, but it's just something I noticed while watching. The music that was specifically written for the show is great on its own, the other songs just added to that.

So there you go, a couple things that I didn't like, but which by no means drop this to less than a must-buy for me. 5 Stars, no doubt.

"Wow, we're really making a killing. Can't wait to go home, put on seven aprons and a couple of wigs and enjoy a highball out of a chipped State Bird glass."

When I was but a young fourteen year old I used to stay up til 2am every Tuesday night to watch this show. I saw the first episode completely by accident and I'm so glad I did.
Aside from my little brother, a brief mention on an Irish TV show that mostly reviewed amateur zombie movies and similarly frustrated fans I've encountered online, I've never met anyone who's even heard of it. Hopefully, this DVD will go some way towards fixing that.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe: The Complete Series
I had given up hope of this day ever coming. I'm so thrilled I'm close to tears,
I hope they decide to release Oliver Beene too another hilarious sitcom that fell
through the cracks at Fox.

I didn't think they were ever going to come out with one of the best shows ever. I'm actually hoping for kind of a Family Guy type of resurgence where everyone gets the DVD and realizes how funny the show is, and Fox, or whoever buys the rights to produce more episodes. Either way, I'm buying it and going to be damn happy for the ability to do so. Thanks uncle Rupert.

I stumbled across the pilot episode of this show way-back-when and absolutely fell in love! What a great cast! What a unique (and much copied since) premise! I even regularly posted to the FOX ARCU blog. I was absolutely devastated when it was cancelled. Believe it or not, Andy was in many ways the straight man character in this comedy, surrounded by characters we not only enjoyed laughing at but came to love. I felt like a friend has died when it was cancelled. That's how much I loved it. When we were supposed to be comforted by the premiere of "Andy Barker: PI," I thought, "What? No Jonathan Slavin? No Paget Brewster? HOW will I ever enjoy this show like I did ARCU?" I am SO thankful that this has finally been released on DVD. Better late than never (a la "Dr. Katz" and "Freaks & Geeks"). I can't wait to share ARCU with my teenaged stepson, who has a warped sense of humor like me. This has set us up for a hilarious summer!

I'm sure I am saying nothing new here, but I have to add my voice to the chorus. I still think back to some of the brilliant, I-can't-believe-they-did-that premises they had on this show. And for it then to get cancelled? It's painful to think about. At least we have this DVD set . . .