Re: Andy Richter Rules

Subject: Re: Andy Richter Rules
From: Jeff Hanvey <techwriter -at- jewahe -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2002 05:18:42 -0800 (PST)

--- Ed Gregory <edgregory -at- comcast -dot- net> wrote:
>Okay, so the show gave folks a vague idea about what tech writers do and it
>made it look interesting. For starters:
>
>--Andy has a private office with a window. In the first episode, he is
>forced to share his office with a newly hired illustrator.

How lucky is he. The only private office I ever had was a renovated closet. Literally. It was still bigger than a cube, and I shared it with the document archives, the fax machine, and several broken computers (which were later moved to make room for yet another intern).

>--All the male TWs wear jacket and tie.

Well, there was only one TW, and the illustrator. We have NO idea what the "attractive" guy does (nor does he, I suspect).

Andy wore the suit in, but looked sufficiently rumpled after he took it off...

>--All the females wear $400 business suits that are suitable for evening
>wear.

Yep, even the newly-hired receptionist. What's the pay for reception work in Chicago, anyway? Maybe that's where I need to be...

>--All of the employees are noticeably 20-30 or so.

In the show's defense, we are talking about the middle-management arena, which is just about right for this age.

>--Andy's current project is documenting a missile system. One missile
>system, one writer. No sign of SMEs in the first episode.

SME's - who needs 'em. We're smart enough to figure it out (or maybe Andy just dreams the documents).

Weren't the missile effects kind of neat? Not cutting-edge, but they were attention-grabbing, especially when he blew up Arial's palace (Disney reference alert!)

>The show was fast-paced. My wife and I both were surpised that it ended so
>quickly. 30 minutes seemed like 5. We're eager for the next installment.
>
>The show alternates seamlessly between "reality" and Andy's
>stream-of-consciousness fantasies about work, his dead boss, and the
>attractive receptionist. Andy is a modern day Walter Mitty, but not as
>pathetic. He has imaginary conversations with the dead and still obnoxious
>founder of the megacorp he works for. He fantasizes about the receptionist
>and resents the pretty people of the world, believing everything is handed
>to them on a silver platter. (Actually, I've heard that it's gold and
>diamond-encrusted.)

Unfortunately, Andy narrarated the entire thing. That was a distraction, and will become trite rather quickly. The writing was fairly good, and I found myself laughing out loud several times.

The characters are pretty well-thought out, too - extremes of people I've really encountered in the corporate environment. It has the potential to be the satire of corporate America that Dilbert the series only aspired to (and the Drew Carey couldn't be).

If this show is given a chance, it could do well. Unfortunately, Fox's track record isn't that good. Andy will probably be replaced with more celebrity boxing matches, so I'm not going to get too attached...I will continue watching, however. Who knows?

>Andy is likeable, but a bit devious. He did something dishonest in a
>document and later fessed up to it. That really set me on edge and was only
>thing I didn't like.

Well, he was trying to get his office back!

>But heck, I enjoy an occasional bit of mindless drivel. YMMV.


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