Jason Ensler Movies

Coproduced and cowritten by latenight host Conan O'Brien, Andy Barker PI was conceived as a vehicle for O'Brien's longtime cohort Andy Richter. The star was cast as doltish CPA Andy Barker, who after opening his own business is mistaken for Lew Staziak (Harve Presnell), a two-fisted private eye whose office Andy had inherited. Our hero also inherited Lew's clients and caseload, obliging him to carry on an exhausting double life, handling both expense accounts and baffling murder cases--doing rather better in the latter pursuit because of his uncanny math skills. Andy's partner was Simon (Tony Hale), a video store owner, while his chief contact man and confidant was Wally (Marshall Manesh), the neurotic manager of an Afghan restaurant. Packed with clever references to earlier detective movies and TV shows, Andy Barker PI joined NBC's powerhouse Thursday-night lineup on March 15, 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Characterized by many observers as a somewhat down-and-dirtier The O.C., the weekly, hour-long drama series South Beach starred Marcus Coloma as Matt and Chris Johnson as Vincent, two Brooklyn buddies who relocated to South Beach, Miami in hopes of bettering their prospects. Matt was running away from family problems, while Vince seemed to be running away from life itself. Through the auspices of Matt's ruthlessly ambitious former girlfriend Arielle (Odette Yustman), our two heroes get themselves enmeshed in the cutthroat world of professional modeling. Much of the action took place in the upscale Hotel Soleil, owned by Elizabeth Bauer (Vanessa L. Williams), the somewhat contentious mother of Alex Bauer (Lee Thompson Young), who ran the trendy Nocturnal club where Matt and Vincent hung out. Also oiling his way through the proceedings was Robert Fuentes (Giancarlo Esposito), a self-styled "venture capitalist" with strong mob ties. South Beach premiered January 11, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the tradition of the previous "backstage" TV movies about such iconic series as Batman, The Partridge Family, Gilligan's Island, and The Brady Bunch, this NBC effort promised to give the lowdown on the long-running (1977-1984) ABC sitcom Three's Company. In truth, there is little in this film that was not already common knowledge when it first aired on May 12, 2003, but it's still fun to see a cast of attractive actors portraying another cast of attractive actors. In case anyone needs reminding, Three's Company was the popular tickle-and-tease comedy series based upon the British Man About the House, in which a virile young heterosexual man was forced to pose as a homosexual so that he could remain the roommate of two sexy young ladies. It was perhaps the quintessential "jiggle" sitcom, thanks primarily to its well-endowed co-star Suzanne Somers (here played by Judy Tylor). Because of its risqué (but basically inoffensive) content, Three's Company was turned down by both NBC and CBS before ambitious ABC CEO Fred Silverman (played by Brian Dennehy) decided to take a chance on the property. The rest, as they say, is history, with Three's Company not only setting ratings records but also establishing a whole new threshold for what was and wasn't acceptable in network prime time. Inevitably, the show collapsed under its own weight, especially after the revolving-door cast changes which followed in the wake of the acrimonious defection of Suzanne Somers, but it was fun while it lasted. For the record, the other Three's Company stars were the multi-talented John Ritter (played by Bret Anthony) and the underrated Joyce DeWitt (Melanie Deane-Moore). The actual Joyce DeWitt also appears as herself in this movie, serving as narrator and sidelines commentator. Though the film often pulls its punches regarding the original series' backstage intrigues and legal entanglements, there is enough authentic detail remaining to satisfy the casual sitcom buff. Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company was filmed under the title Three's Company Revisited. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide