Andy Richter Controls the Universe is an American sitcom created by Victor Fresco that originally aired on Fox from March 19, 2002, to January 12, 2003.
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.
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.
"[2] 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.
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 premiere episode parodied political correctness in workplace hirings, and addressed race relations in a comedic manner.
[9] Its changing timeslot was later cited as making the show hard to find for viewers, at a time when scheduling was important for television success, and potentially a reason for the poor ratings.
[9][6] Other stars to have guest roles include Cedric Yarbrough, Jon Cryer, Molly Sims, Beth Littleford, Rick Peters, Bree Turner, Jarrad Paul, Rex Lee, Lola Glaudini, Patricia Belcher and June Lockhart, who plays Andy's grandmother.
[6] Tim Goodman of SFGATE praised the series, particularly the writing, saying that it had "smart wit" and favorably comparing it to fellow Fox sitcom The Simpsons.
[22] 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".
[6] Tara Ariano of Cracked called it an "extremely underrated surrealist sitcom", and lamented its lack of inclusion on modern streaming services.
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.
[3] Creator and writer Victor Fresco was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 2002 for his work on the show.