Andy Ackerman Movies
- 2008
This quasi-fantasy offering from ABC starred Jonny Lee Miller as Eli Stone, a successful corporate lawyer who at the outset of the series cared only about the "holy trinity" of America: "Amani, Accessories and Ambition." All this changed when Eli suddenly began experiencing weird MTV-style visions of his late, ne'er-do-well father (Tom Cavanagh)--and, weirder still, of singer George Michael (playing himself). He was also subjected to bizarre hallucinations, notably a huge fighter plane which "buzzed" him in the middle of downtown New York. Interpreting these phenomena as a Sign from Heaven, Eli told off his imperious boss Jordan Wethersby (Victor Garber) and abandoned his lucrative practice in order to got to bat for "underdog" clients, usually those victimized by society in general and corporate fat cats in particular. While Eli's former associates thought that he'd gone crazy, his neurologist Nathan (Matt Letscher) had a grimmer explanation for his radical personality change, insisting that Eli was suffering from the same sort of brain aneuryism that had killed his father. But laid-back acupuncturist Dr. Chen (James Saito) wasn't as willing to write off Eli's new condition in so coldly logical a manner, and offered to help the protagonist interpret his visions in order to best serve humanity. Others in the cast included Loretta Devine as Eli's bemused assistant Patty, Julie Gonzalo as his dewey-eyed protegee Maggie, and Natasha Henstridge as Jordan Wethersby's daughter--and Eli's fiancee--Taylor. Blithely fluctuating between the real and surreal world, Eli Stone evoked memories of such earlier cult favorites as Ally McBeal and Joan of Arcadia, which was undoubtedly the intention of co-creator Marc Guggenheim (who, like Eli, has been a lawyer before turning to scriptwriting). The series first aired on January 31, 2008. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2007
The CBS sitcom Rules of Engagement chronicled the rituals of dating, marriage and commitment, as seen through the eyes of two couples and their single friend. Former Dawson's Creek costars Adam Hudson and Biance Kajlich were respectively cast as Adam and Jennifer, who became engaged in the very first episode, much to the dismay of Adam's acerbic bachelor pal Russell, played in typical David Spade fashion by David Spade. Adam and Jennifer were subsequently befriended by Jeff (Patrick Warburton) and Audrey (Megyn Price), who after 12 years of marriage regarded themselves as experts on the subject of matrimonial harmony (though they seldom practiced what they preached!) Coproduced by comic actor Adam Sandler, Rules of Engagement premiered February 5, 2007, but despite its strong opening (its lead-in was the popular Two and a Half Men, the series was placed on hiatus as of March 19. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2007
The CBS sitcom The Rules of Engagement gets underway as long-married couple Audrey (Megyn Price) and Jeff (Patrick Warburton) invite newly engaged couple Adam (Oliver Hudson) and Jennifer (Bianca Kajlich) to an upcoming art opening. The day before the big event, however, Audrey and Jeff have a massive argument about an unused bicycle that has adorned their apartment for two years. In the aftermath of the blowout, Adam and Jennifer begin to have second thoughts about their impending marriage. But Adam and Jennifer aren't the only ones who have become cynical about marriage, because Audrey's friend Russell (David Spade) has yet to find a woman to settle down with. In a concerted attempt to change Russell's mind about marriage, Audrey sets him up on a date and hopes for the best. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2006
When CBS greenlighted the half-hour sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine, it was with the fervent hope that series star Julia Louis-Dreyfus would be the one to break the "Seinfeld" curse that had doomed the actress' Seinfeld colleagues to an embarrassing plethora of DOA TV-series projects. Louis-Dreyfus was cast as Christine, a divorced mother and the owner of Thirty Minutes to Bloom, a quick-turnover workout gym designed for busy professional women. Although Christine enjoyed a friendly relationship with her ex-husband, Richard (Clark Gregg), this status quo was in danger of going south in a hurry when Richard began dating a much-younger woman (Emily Rutherfurd), also named Christine (hence the series' title). Meanwhile, the "old" Christine was carrying on a war of nerves with Marly (Tricia O'Kelley) and Lindsay (Alex Kapp Horner), the pretentious and snobbish room parents at the expensive private school where Christine's son, Ritchie (Trevor Gagnon), was enrolled. Also featured was Hamish Linklater as the series' intended "breakout" character, Christine's slacker brother, Matthew. Created by Kari Lizer, The New Adventures of Old Christine debuted March 13, 2006, with two separate episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2006
In the series opener, Christine Campbell's world is turned upside down when she learns her ex-husband is involved with a younger, newer woman named Christine. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 2006
More "twentysomething sexual angst" in the tradition of Friends, the Fox sitcom Happy Hour also borrowed elements from The Odd Couple. The focus was on a pair of mismatched male roommates, described by the network publicity flacks thusly: "one disappointed by love, one blinded by love." The "disappointed" one was Henry Beckman (John Sloan), who after breaking up with girlfriend Heather (Brooke D'Orsay) moved in with his party-animal buddy Larry Cone (Lex Medlin). Having just lost a roommate named Brad (Nat Faxon), who defected in favor of marriage, Larry welcomed Henry as "The New Brad," assuming that both shared the same viewpoint about the opposite sex; they didn't, of course, and therein lay the series' comic contrast. Other cast members included Beth Lacke as Larry's main squeeze Amanda, and Jamie Denbo as the roommates' somewhat deranged next-door neighbor Tina. Happy Hour debuted on September 7, 2006, in tandem with another new Fox comedy series, 'Til Death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lex Medlin, John Sloan, (more)
- 2005
Hot Properties was a sitcom set in the titular real estate office, which boasted an all-female employee roster. The senior member of Hot Properties, Inc. was fortysomething Ava Summerlin (Gail O'Grady), who was happily married to a much younger man who had no idea of her real age. Ava's partners included Chloe Reid (Nicole Sullivan), a "self-help" addict who consistently struck out with guys; Lola Hernandez (Sofía Vergara), the most outspoken of the bunch, who'd recently divorced her husband of ten years upon discovering that he was gay; and junior partner Emerson Ives (Christina Moore), a wealthy, pampered young lass who'd entered the workplace when she learned that her "virginal" fiancé was anything but. Serving as receptionist for Hot Properties, Inc. was the wisecracking Mary, while occasionally dropping in to chew the fat were a brace of doctors who shared the same building, the over-analytical Charlie Thorpe (Stephen Dunham) and the libidinous Sellers Boyd (Evan Handler). Created by Frasier alumnus Suzanne Martin, the weekly, 30-minute Hot Properties premiered October 7, 2005, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gail O'Grady, Nicole Sullivan, (more)
- 2003
Originally titled Brave New World, the weekly, half-hour seriocomedy The O'Keefes was based in part on the real-life experiences of Mark O'Keefe, who also co-produced the series. Judge Reinhold and Kirsten Nelson starred as Harry and Ellen O'Keefe, a brilliant and eccentric couple who elected to home-school their three children, sheltering the kids from such insignificant distractions as TV, contemporary music, and other forms of popular culture. Though the O'Keefes were affectionate and well-intentioned, the kids -- Lauren (Tania Raymonde), Danny (Joseph Cross), and Mark (Matt Weinberg) -- eventually yearned to lead normal lives. Under protest, Harry enrolled his youngsters in public school, whereupon the erudite but unworldly O'Keefe progeny found that they may have been conversant in several languages, but "teentalk" wasn't one of them. The O'Keefes debuted May 22, 2003, on the WB network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judge Reinhold, Kirsten Nelson, (more)
- 2002
Larry (Larry David) hires a new chef (Ian Gomez of My Big Fat Greek Wedding) for the restaurant. He gets the job thanks in part to his baldness. Larry and Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) go out to eat with Stu (Don Stark) and Susan Braudy (Amy Aquino), with whom they've reconciled after the whole "terrorist attack" fiasco. Larry is annoyed when Stu implies that he knows more about wine than Larry. The Braudys mention that they want to get a dog for their kids, so Larry tells them that Susie (Susie Essman) got a "corpse-sniffing" German shepherd when she and Jeff (Jeff Garlin) separated. Now Jeff has moved back in, and he's allergic to the dog, so Larry thinks they might give it to the Braudys. Then the check comes, and Stu makes a point of picking it up. But Larry insists on thanking only Stu for the meal, and not Susan, because Susan doesn't work, so by Larry's reasoning, it's Stu's money. The restaurant is going to open in a matter of days, when Jeff brings his dog in. The dog runs into the kitchen and starts digging at the floor. Concerned that there might be a corpse down there, the restaurant folks (including Ted Danson and Michael York) call the police. The police have to dig up the floor to search for a body. Meanwhile, at Larry's suggestion, Jeff gives his young daughter Sammy (Ashly Holloway) an ultimatum: either the dog goes or he does. She chooses the dog, which leads Larry to pay her a visit and use his unique powers of persuasion. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Treat Williams starred in this warm-hearted family drama series as workaholic neurosurgeon Andrew Brown. Upon the death of his wife, Andrew realized that he had been sorely neglecting his children in favor of his work. As means of compensation, he moved his family out of Manhattan and into the mountain community of Everwood, CO, where he opened up a free clinic. Andrew's kids, 15-year-old Ephram (Gregory Smith) and nine-year-old Delia (Vivien Cardone), were at first resentful over being uprooted, while Everwood's resident doctor Harold Abbott (Tom Amandes) regarded Andrew as a threat to his own livelihood. Assembled by several former Dawson's Creek hands, Everwood made its WB Network debut on September 16, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
- Add Andy Richter Controls the Universe [TV Series] to QueueAdd Andy Richter Controls the Universe [TV Series] to top of Queue
Former Late Night With Conan O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter went solo in this (literally) imaginative Fox Network sitcom. Richter was cast as "himself," a would-be fiction writer trapped in a humdrum office job. Dissatisfied with the goings-on at the workplace and the behavior of his coworkers, Andy (who narrated each episode) frequently took refuge within the confines of his own imagination, thereby "controlling" situations over which he would otherwise have no control, and determining the outcome via Rashomon-like reworkings of the events of the day. Others in the cast included Irene Molloy as Wendy the receptionist, for whom Andy quietly carried a torch; James Patrick Stuart as Andy's best friend Keith; Paget Brewster as his boss Jessica; and Jonathan Slavin as rival coworker Byron. Andy Richter Controls the Universe debuted March 19, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Three years after her controversial ABC sitcom left the airwaves, comedian Ellen DeGeneres is back on another network. In The Ellen Show, the eponymous star plays an attractive gay woman named Ellen Richmond. When her once-thriving dot.com company goes belly-up, Ellen skedaddles from New York and returns to her Norman Rockwell-style home town, moving in with her eternally judgmental mother Dot (Cloris Leachman) and her unlucky-in-love sister Catherine (Emily Rutherfurd). After a brief period of unemployment, Ellen goes to work as a guidance counselor at her former high school, under the aegis of her old principal Mr. Munn (Martin Mull). Here she works side by side with her one-time prom date Rusty (Jim Gaffigan), who still has a crush on her, notwithstanding Ellen's radically altered lifestyle. Originally packaged by Mike Ovitz's ATG Productions, Ellen was taken over by CBS when the Ovitz enterprise died on the vine. Slated to be shown on Fridays, the series finally debuted on Monday, September 24, 2001, where it failed to make a dent in the ratings despite the strong lead-in from Everybody Loves Raymond . ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen DeGeneres, Cloris Leachman, (more)
- 2001
The title character in this WB Network sitcom was Matt Stewart, played by Full House graduate Bob Saget. A widower, Matt used wisecracks and wry comments to shoulder the responsibilities inherent in raising his two daughters, Sarah (Kat Dennings) and Emily (Brie Larson). Sound familiar? But here's the clincher: Daddy Matt was an English teacher -- in the same high school attended by Sarah and virtually all of her would-be boyfriends. Dispensing the usual sage grandfatherly advice was Matt's own live-in dad, Sam Stewart (Jerry Adler). Part of a Friday-night WB comedy block, Raising Dad (working titles: In Your Dreams and Wake Up Dad) debuted on October 5, 2001, its original September 14 premiere date preempted by continuing coverage of the World Trade Center tragedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Saget, Kat Dennings, (more)
- 1998
In the concluding half of Seinfeld's controversial series finale, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), Kramer (Michael Richards), and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) find themselves stranded in Latham, MA -- and even worse, they are facing arrest for violating the town's new Good Samaritan law (it seems there was this mugging...). Hoping to beat the rap -- and make it to California in time for Jerry to sell his proposed sitcom "about nothing" -- the gang engages the services of flamboyant lawyer Jackie Chiles (Phil Morris). Alas, the prosecution has managed to round up a daunting array of witnesses to bolster their case against the foursome, including Sidra (Teri Hatcher) of "they're real and they're spectacular" fame, the Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas), Marla the Virgin (Jane Leeves), and the Bubble Boy (Jon Hayman) -- while the sour-faced judge (Stanley Anderson) with the familiar-sounding name fumes, and a vengeful Newman (Wayne Knight) chuckles from the sidelines. As for the now-legendary final scene...haven't we had this conversation before? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
The first half of the penultimate Seinfeld episode is a clip show, consisting of highlights from the series' past seasons. Highlighted are segments about sexual relationships and the "special terminology" that has made the show famous. But the real "money" scenes (the Soup Nazi, the "contest," etc.) occur in the second half of the program. Also known as "The Chronicles," "The Clip Show" originally aired as a single episode, but was subdivided into two installments for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
The concluding half of the penultimate Seinfeld episode is a clip show, consisting of highlights from the series' past seasons. Bookended by a sequence in which the gang prepares to go to a movie, the episode includes such unforgettable moments as "The Bubble Boy," "The Soup Nazi," "Not that there's anything wrong with that" -- and, of course, "Are you master of your own domain?" Originally telecast as a single, extra-length episode (45 minutes), and later re-edited and expanded for syndication, "The Clip Show" (aka "The Chronicles") concludes with a montage backed up by Green Day's ballad "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
In the first half of Seinfeld's controversial series finale, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) receives word that NBC is very interested in his concept of a sitcom "about nothing."Almost immediately, Jerry and George (Jason Alexander) draw up plans to move to California -- but not before taking fiendish delight in refusing to take Newman (Wayne Knight) along. Things come to a head in a private jet, as Jerry, George, Kramer (Michael Richards), and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) are forced down in Latham, MA...and then.... ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
This just in: Nightline meets The Mary Tyler Moore Show in Lateline, an ensemble TV sitcom about a late-night news-and-issues series with a show-within-a-show format, incorporating real-life guests and using digital time updates and video to contrast "on-air" scenes with the filmed footage of the main story. Al Freundlich (Al Franken) is a correspondent on the latenight Lateline, a series headed by the somewhat sinister executive producer Vic Karp (Miguel Ferrer), with the help of sharp producer Gale Ingersoll (Megyn Price), assistant Mona (Catherine Lloyd Burns), witty guest booker Briana (Sanaa Lathan), intern Raji (Ajay Naidu), and anchorman Pearce McKenzie (Robert Foxworth). Al Franken (Saturday Night Live) and John Markus (Cosby Show) are the creators and executive producers, with Andy Ackerman (Seinfeld) producing and directing. Variety praised Lateline as "sly, edgy, spirited, charmingly cynical and populated by a bevy of lovable eccentrics who don't treat a punch line like a medicine ball." Premiered March 17, 1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Franken, Robert Foxworth, (more)
