Andy Richter Controls the Universe is<!--Do not change to "was" per WP:TENSE--> an American sitcom created by Victor Fresco that originally aired on Fox from March 19, 2002, to January 12, 2003. The series was Andy Richter's first starring role after leaving NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2000, and centers around Richter's eponymous character, a writer living in Chicago who works at a fictional company called Pickering Industries. The show was a joint production of Garfield Grove Productions and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Paramount Television.

Filmed in Los Angeles, California using a single-camera setup, the series was developed after Richter expressed interest in expanding his acting repertoire beyond his previous sidekick role on late-night television. It utilizes a unique narrative style, blending nonlinear storytelling with the unreliable narrator trope. The show features an ensemble cast, including Paget Brewster, Irene Molloy, Jonathan Slavin, and James Patrick Stuart.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe received critical acclaim for its inventive humor and writing, drawing comparisons to other successful Fox comedies such as The Simpsons. Despite positive reviews, the series suffered from low ratings, leading to its cancellation after two mid-season runs. The series has since gained a cult following and is regarded as a forerunner to the wave of single-camera comedies that followed, such as Arrested Development.

Production

Conception and development

Andy Richter had departed his long-time role as sidekick on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2000, after performing in the role since 1993. He expressed a desire to play different roles to the "fat slob roles" he was being offered at the time, and to expand his profile and "see what's out there".

Andy Richter Controls the Universe was the first sitcom that Richter starred in. Some were unsure of Richter's acting ability due to his sidekick role on Late Night. Richter described an encounter with a Paramount executive after the table read for the series pilot in which the executive exclaimed, "Wow, you can really act!"

Richter met with many creators and writers before deciding to work with Victor Fresco, who already had a deal with Paramount Television. Actress Paget Brewster was already separately familiar with both Richter and Fresco and helped to arrange a meeting between the two. In initial meetings, Fresco and Richter developed the show's concept, including the use of narration and the unreliable narrator trope, following which Fresco wrote the show's pilot episode. He pitched the show to Fox executives by handing them the first scene to read, and leaving the room as they read it. Executives were enthusiastic, following which he wrote the pilot.

Brewster was cast in the role of Jessica Green after another actress played the part in the original pilot. Fox executives vetoed the original actress as they had previously seen her in pilots that were unsuccessful. Brewster had had a development deal with Fox for two years before the show began. She was required to audition for the show three times against many other actresses.

Structure

Andy Richter Controls the Universe was heavily centered around Richter's eponymous character, who was also the narrator, continually explaining the plot and his thought processes throughout each episode. The show used nonlinear narrative techniques for comedic effect, for example in the pilot episode, rewinding the scene that had just played out in order to see an alternative version.

The series tried out different tones and styles of humor throughout its run. The premiere episode parodied political correctness in workplace hirings, and addressed race relations in a comedic manner. It was noted for its tendency to put a twist on standard sitcom plots and scenarios. One season one episode featured a live kangaroo, which was a "true test of patience" for Richter.

Soundtrack

All music from the show was written by Greg Burns, Jeff Burns, and Brian Kirk. The theme song is sung by Jason Cropper, the original guitarist for Weezer. The song was written for the show, and there is not a full version beyond the short clip in the beginning. However, a slightly longer version of the song is evident on the pilot episode.

Cancellation

Andy Richter Controls the Universe was cancelled by Fox in 2003 after two mid-season runs.

  • Jessica Green (played by Paget Brewster): Jessica worked with Andy for years before she became the head of Andy's department, and thus, his boss. They tried dating once, but it did not work out. She often has to act as an intermediary between her superiors and Andy and his co-workers, forcing her to take sides. She is fairly superficial when it comes to men.
  • Wendy McKay (played by Irene Molloy): Wendy is the receptionist at Andy's office, who Andy is attracted to.

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|ShortSummary= Andy has a crush on Wendy, but she is dating Keith. A new employee, Byron, is put in Andy's office which is barely big enough for Andy to begin with. Andy can't stay mad about it for too long, however, since Byron turns out to be a great guy.

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Season 2 (2002–03)

Reception

Andy Richter Controls the Universe received positive reviews from critics. Variety said the series "has the feel of a singular vision — there isn’t a single line in any of the three episodes that felt like it was written by a committee" and said it had the potential to be the most-talked-about comedy from the 2001–02 television season, calling it "a true water-cooler conversation generator".

Legacy

TV Guide included the series in their 2013 list of 60 shows that were "Cancelled Too Soon". ScreenRant said in 2020 that it had become "something of a cult sitcom", even going back to the airing of its second season. Vulture said it was the "most inventive and funny" of Richter's sitcoms.

The series has continued to be positively compared to similar shows such as Arrested Development, also on Fox. Brewster later said that the cast and crew "definitely got the impression that we weren't welcome on the network at the time". Andy Richter Controls the Universe was later noted as being part of a wave of similar single-camera comedies that experimented with the traditional sitcom format, such as Malcolm in the Middle and Scrubs.

Home release

On March 24, 2009, CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount) released all 19 episodes of Andy Richter Controls the Universe on DVD in Region 1. Some music cues were replaced for the home media release due to licensing issues.