Andy Richter Controls the Universe: The Complete Series DVD
 

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 03/24/2009

Amazon.com:
The DVD universe is now a far brighter and happier place with the long-awaited release of this absurdly funny workplace comedy. Andy Richter Controls the Universe was sadly short-lived, but it has amassed a cult following arguably as devoted as the Arrested Development crowd. Andy Richter stars as Andy, a Walter Mitty-esque writer who lives the surreal life as a writer of technical manuals for a Chicago conglomerate. Andy is prone to fantasies, daydreams, flashbacks and inspired non-sequitor bits of nonsense, such as wearing a coat stuffed with puppies in a bid for audience acceptance, putting "King of the Penguins" on his list of career goals, or conjuring up the "Broadway version" of a boring office conversation. The lightning in a bottle ensemble puts a fresh spin on stock office characters. Paget Brewster manages to be wonderfully funny while not sacrificing authority as Jessica, Andy's tightly-wound, career-oriented boss ("Coffee should be drinking me"). John Patrick Stewart is Keith, whose Jude Law-like handsomeness affords him all of life's little perks (in one of Andy's reveries, Keith is presented with an envelope full of money from admiring co-workers). Jonathan Slavin is Byron, a socially awkward illustrator who shares Andy's office. Irene Molloy is Wendy, the sweet and lovely new receptionist, whom Andy adores, but who is dating Keith. They are exceedingly likable company. Andy Richter Controls the Universe deftly skewers corporate culture, as in the episode, "We're All the Same, Only Different," in which Andy must take sensitivity training after making remarks about the Irish that offend a black Irish-American co-worker. But the show really takes flight with its sillier plots, as when cash-strapped Wendy participates in a drug-testing program that lowers her voice to intimidating Demi Moore levels, or when Andy is blackmailed by Jessica's bratty nephew over a Marilu Henner sex tape. "Crazy in Rio" boasts an hilarious guest turn by Conan O'Brien as a deranged executive given to gloves made of cotton candy and duct-tape weddings. A boon for this series' devoted fans are four very funny unaired episodes as well as a retrospective featuring new interviews with all of the core cast members. Andy Richter Controls the Universe is thrillingly off-center. The original series title was "Anything Can Happen," and in this series, it's true. There is perhaps no better series epitaph than words spoken by Jessica in the Conan episode: "I feel truly privileged to have witnessed whatever that was." --Donald Liebenson







Characters
The surnames of the characters are very rarely mentioned - with the exception of Andy, most are only once in the entire series.[citation needed]


Andy Richter
The character, sharing his name with the actor, was an aspiring writer living in Chicago who wanted to write short stories. However, he was forced to work as a technical manual writer for Pickering Industries, the fifth largest company in America, to pay the bills. Andy was shy and not good with women. He didn't really want to be working at the company, though he was very good at his job.


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 didn't work out. She often had 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.


Keith
Played by James Patrick Stuart, Keith was a friend and co-worker of Andy's, and one usually stuck up for the other. He was the handsome guy in the office who had things handed to him because he's good-looking.


[edit] Wendy McKay
Played by Irene Molloy, Wendy was the receptionist at Andy's office. As of the pilot, she had only been working there a month. Andy was attracted to her, but found out that since he had not made a move in a month, Keith had started dating her.

Byron Togler
Played by Jonathan Slavin, Byron was a new illustrator who moved into Andy's office, which caused Andy annoyance in the pilot episode. Byron was fairly insecure and shy.


Other characters
Pickering Industries was founded by Mr. Pickering (John Bliss) in 1880. Despite being over 170 years old, and dead, he appeared in numerous episodes and had discussions with Andy within his imagination. His viewpoints were typically antiquated and contrary to political correctness to an extreme degree. His comments often seemed to represent a negative aspect of Andy's mind, such as guilt, or self-doubt.

Teak (Charlie Finn) and Phil (Sean Gunn) lived in the same building as Andy and were in the same fraternity as him (but ten years later). As such, they looked up to him.