SnoopyStyle Andy Barker (Andy Richter) is a mild-mannered Certified Public Accountant who moves into a professional office. The previous tenant was private eye Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell) who has retired. Clients keep coming to hire a P.I. and Andy starts taking on cases. Andy's wife Jenny (Clea Lewis) at first disapproves. He befriends Simon (Tony Hale), the manager of a local video store, who wants to be his partner. Wally (Marshall Manesh) is the super-patriotic Afgani restaurateur.This is playing with the noir hard-boiled detective genre. This show tries very hard to be wacky. Somehow much of it fails to connect. The jokes don't come off quite so funny. It is more awkward and uneven than anything else. The cast is a nice funny group, but they are all sidekicks. Like it or not, this needs a pretty leading man type to solidify the center. Andy could play against that type of character while still being the lead.

boxerdz "The Lady Varnishes" is the second of the last two episodes of Andy Barker P.I. that aired on a Saturday, April 14, 2007. Andy and Lew visit Lew's former detective office which is being torn down. Andy finds in the door's mail slot a 45-year-old letter from a Rita Spaulding (AmySedaris) addressed to Lew about her innocence in the murder of her gangster boyfriend suave Johnny Zambrano (Vincent De Paul) which got her life. Andy visits her and finds she has a wooden leg. He and Simon go to a photographer named Johnny Leibowitz who was at Gene Kelly's birthday party the night of the murder. The photos taken there place Rita at the scene which becomes her alibi. Andy gets the pictures but gets beaten by Mickey Doyle (Ed Asner), Lew's former partner and the real killer. The next day Andy meets Doyle at Wally's restaurant where Simon attempts to record the confession but keeps having technical difficulties. Eventually, all is cleared...Another funny episode that,unfortunately, is the very last that was filmed. Great reveal of Leibowitz as an Asian who changed his name because, "Everyone loves a Jew!" Also loved the way Simon had to tell Andy without telling Mickey about his trouble recording their conversation and a subplot about Wally's having to hire some bikini-clad girls that he later ends up firing. As for Andy Richter, good luck on whatever comes in the future! A very good final installment of this show..

MARKROXY What a refreshing show for a change. We have looked forward to each episode but the network seems to replace it with other programs. Why? The premise/cast is/are fabulous. Seeing Harve Presnell again adds icing on the fun cake. Please give the show a chance! The joy of the video store guy helping determine the crime via his knowledge of movies and how they fit in with the stories is magic. When Andy tries to solve the week's 'problem' and continues to fall into hysterically funny situations knock's us out. All we can say is that having a program on the air that we look forward to means a great deal. Please, again, continue the fun by allowing us to view a rare fun series.

S.R. Dipaling APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!!!Actually,this show has only run three episodes so far(so for all I know,this show might go downhill after all),but after having seen these shows,I LIKE like like the potential this show has.Likable accountant Andy BArker(Andy Richter,returning to NBC as himself,somewhat)moves his business into an empty lot in a strip mall,only to find out that the business that was there--a Private Investigator's office--still seems to draw clientèle. Presented with the chance to earn extra money to supplement his secure accounting job,he casts aside his apprehensions and misgivings about chasing leads and following clues and takes on being a "Private Dick". The group of people helping him out are a motley bunch: Simon(Tony Hale,great in "Arrested Development"),a wildly imaginative video store manager,WAlly(Marshall Manesh),the owner of a nearby deli who is a surveillance whiz,Nicole,the secretary he "inherits" when his first case gets her fired from her previous job and Lew(HArve Presnell,gruff one-time musical leading man),the P.I. himself,a gruff old gentleman who's retired but still around to mentor the accountant-cum-gumshoe. In the background is supportive but pensive wife Jenny(Clea Duvall),who seems to lose her apprehensions about her hubby's newfound side work as quickly as he has.Produced by Andy's old sidekick/pal Conan O'Brien,it really has the LOOK of something that would have Mr. O'Brien's sensibilities:absurd situations,dry-to-madcap humor and plenty of situational background music that sounds lifted STRAIGHT out of 70s detective/cop shows. Since I've always appreciated Conan's show,this is good. Given the fact that Andy's last two shows were punched out early,here's hoping that NBC(And given their current love for Mr.O'Brien,I can't see why not)will give this show as long a chance as possible,because this sitcom has a great,funny ironic attitude,something that non-animated T.V. comedy seems to be in short supply.