Amazon.com

These 13 episodes from the long-running HBO series have plenty of the bells and whistles that make Arli$$ so much fun to watch: celebrity cameos, topical satire, swatches of deep poignancy, and pure silliness. Comic actor Robert Wuhl, who created and stars, plays Arliss Michaels, a sports super-agent driven by twin motivations of profit and idealism. Arliss is in the race to realize his clients' dreams of stupendous wealth, but he's just as likely to put his reputation (and big bucks) on the line to help a fading player claim his niche in history. As with HBO's The Larry Sanders Show, Arli$$ gets a lot of mileage out of verisimilitude. In these Best of shows, we meet the likes of Dave Winfield, Ernie Banks, Frank Deford, Lloyd Jones, Tommy Lasorda, and even O.J. attorney Bob Shapiro, playing themselves in some very funny stories about the perennial hopes and startling realities that drive professional sports. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

One of HBO's Two Big Mistakes
I was stunned they put out this critically bashed, unpopular show on DVD. Any disc containing something called "The Best of Arliss" should be blank. There was no "best." This stinker tied with "The Mind of the Married Man" as the worst two shows in HBO's history. How come this junk is available on DVD and either "Police Squad" or "Sledge Hammer" isn't?

Good but interesting choices
I was a huge fan of the show when it aired on HBO Sunday Nights; however I find the "Best of" choices to be quite interesting. There were many other episodes that were much better than the ones presented in this set. Where was the episode where Kirby must outdrink the Volleyball player? or the Battle in the Big ouse boxing match or the one with the Katarina Witt or
some of the other classics. Instead we are treated to episodes that make one yawn. Next time let's see more humorouse episodes.

Its about time!
First of all, I don't know what took them so long to start putting this show on DVD. I have been looking and waiting for months now. Well, it's about time because this is one of those shows that you need to get and keep. It's a good thing they put this show on HBO because it would have never worked on network or cable TV.
Arliss is one of the funniest shows I have seen. Not sitcom family funny, but adult only almost X-rated funny at times. Believe me, this show is not for the kids, it is adult humor all the way. Arliss Michaels is a sports super agent and the show basically deals with his everyday life and the headaches and problems he has to go throw. Everything from making deals between players and teams to finding the next big plan to make more money! Arliss is an original show that is very smart and funny. There are a ton of cameos from actors and sports stars that are fun to watch! If the sports world or sports agents interest you at all then you will like this show. It's a good time, pick it up!

Tones of Jerry MaGuire? Please!
I find it ridiculously dense of people who think Arli$$ is nothing more than a show trying to ride the cotails of the success of Tom Cruise's hit. Further, I think it's pretty idiotic to pigeon-hole anything involving sports agents into Jerry Maguire. The world of athlete representation is a vast one, more entertaining and intriguing than 95% of careers in this world. What Robert Wuhl has done has taken this profession, satirized it, and made it an enjoyable show for people who are sports fans and fans of comedy. Does he have some similarities to Cruise's character? Sure. But most good agents will anyway. MaGuire is a character in a profession, just as Arliss Michaels is. You'll find Arli$$ is a better representation of Drew Rosenhaus than anything, but that would require research and knowledge of the industry....something some editorials have proven otherwise. All in all, it's a great show if taken at face value. Highly reccommend to anyone.

Great Show, Great DVD Set
I'm waiting for more episodes from this smart and witty comedy series which is easily the best show from HBO in a while. Whilst The Sopranos and Sex In the City get all the critical attention and Today show fawning Arliss is the show that deserves all the accolades. It is all due to Robert Wuhl, the goofy reporter from Batman, who would have guessed? But the guy is a comic genius and this show is great. Every episode leaves you with a smile, even when they are serious, which some of them are. The sense of life in this series is very benevolent, which is what makes it so much better than the other two HBO series. The DVD is of great quality, only adding to the enjoyment. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Expanding their one-joke skit from television's Saturday NightLive, Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell are Doug and Steve Butabi, the wearers of the rayon suits and Speedo trunks who bob their heads in unison to dance music while unsuccessfully preying on women in clubs.What's funny in athree-minute piece doesn't always get funnier by expansion, but Kattan and Ferrell give it a go with fellow SNL member Molly Shannon as their ambitious neighbor.By day they work in their father's fake-plant store.By night they prowl the club scene after spraying on the cologne in their gauchely decorated bedroom.A fender-bender with Richard Grieco (playing himself) gets them into the popular club the Roxbury, but it's not all good news, as the brothers soon find themselves torn apart. Doug and Steve are pathetic but lovable, mostly due to the actors' talents for self-deprecating humor. All gifted comedians, Kattan, Ferrell, and Shannon obviously feel comfortable around each other, and their love triangle (which prompts send-ups of Say Anything and Jerry Maguire) is the funniest joke in this mostly lame comedy. Too bad, because it clocks in at about 80 minutes and could have run on television as a pretty good episode of SNL, which has been known to get a bit lame itself. --Shannon Gee ... Read more

Reviews (163)

Like many other SNL films
A lot of films based on SNL characters unsurprisingly fail at the box office because of the inability to actually develop the characters. The only exception, and everyone knows this, is "Wayne's World" with the exception of the sequel. "A Night At The Roxbury" follows the two misadventures of Steve and Doug Butabi, two hopeless romantics and brothers who spend their days irritating their dad (Dan Hedaya) at his plastic plant shop, and their nights at attempted club hopping which results in them getting shunned away by the doorman. Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan are very talented but they try to make their SNL characters real and it just doesn't work. Everyone knows the theme of the overplayed and now familiarly known as the Roxbury Theme. The problem is, the film just doesn't seem to go anywhere. It gets inevitably boring and recycles jokes in the movie continually. Look for then unknown Michael Clarke Duncan as a doorman.

Oh great, another SNL skit run right into the ground!
After watching this movie, I have to say that the jokes run out real quick and physical comedy will only get you so far. The great thing about the original skit with the Roxbury brothers is that we saw celebrities acting just like bafoons picking up chicks, but when you're watching a couple of the regular bafoons trying to pick up chicks - it makes you wonder how fast the writer wrote the script. This movie is so bad, with the over-acting by Molly Shannon, I was hoping Chris Kattan would pull it out of the water in time...but the jokes quickly drowned.

Happy Tears, in fact.. Tears of hysterical laughter
Was it a good film?
No....YES!

I absolutely adored this film. Not many films have me rolling on the floor clutching my side from too much laughter. Will Ferrell is hilarious and with Chris Kattan, what could go wrong? The two brothers are so pathetic that you just want to root for them. Eventually the underdog wins and there is a happy ending.

PS- Hey Emily, nice bulbs.

Very bad.
This was not very funny as a Saturday Night Live skit, so making it into a movie was even worse. Not funny at all, and very bad.

Nevermind if the movie is not great, it's still fun!
SNL alums Will Ferrell(before he went 'Elf' on us) and Chris Kattan play dumb, club-hopping brothers from LA. Both stars are hilarious because they never score with the ladies while at the clubs. They come up with the worst lines, which makes it even funnier.

OK, so it didn't win any Oscars, but i know it's not good. In fact, it's only the very few films I admit I enjoyed. The Butabi brothers are so over the top, I can't help myself laugh. The story is non-existent, but the characters help carry this film. It's pure escapist fun. I want to get the DVD, but I'm afraid to buy it! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

You just can't go wrong
The title scared me. I have loved MJ Fox since Family Ties and, this show does not disappoint. However, if I wanted to watch a few select episodes over and over, I would just settle to watch them in syndication. I hate to say it, but it seems like Fox is "inserted" in the production of this DVD. I would MUCH rather buy them all in order and choose which ones I want to watch. I hope they issue all the episodes in some kind of "make up" DVD. On a positive note, Fox picked some good episodes and it beats waiting 4 years to see the best of 4 seasons.
As stated above, you just can't go wrong with this show. It all comes together. It's not hard to get a bunch of great actors, and a bunch of great writers, and the end product is a bunch of crud. It is rare to bring a show together that is as consistently funny as this one.
Thank for reading

Spin it
Well the good news is Spin City is finally on DVD; The bad news is unlike other sitcom and drama that release complete seasons, DreamWorks has decided something differently: They have asked Mike to choose his favorite episodes from season 1 to season 4, and split it into two volume release which consist of 4 DVDs.

I love Spin City on DVD. However I want EVERY single episode from the Season. I know this is some typical marketing strategy: if this work, they can produce more DVD in similar strategy and at last they will also release the complete season box set. As the fan you will get them all. And on the other hands, this kind of box set which features highlights episodes and prominent guest star appearances provide a safety net in sales for DreamWorks, people it consist some best of the best work and may give a shot to the box set; And if it fail, they can simply stop continue future DVD on Spin City. (Which is something I don't want to happen, but still in this situation they have released some of the best work in the show)

Anyway, it's good if like Spin City and love Michael.

Was The Previous A Review or A WHINE?
Do you have a vcr or dvd recorder? Then RECORD each episode, they are on every night. This collection is fine and includes some memorable episodes.

Where are the rest of the episodes?
I'm a HUGE fan of Spin City, but like the 2 Married...with Children DVD's, this is just a collection of a few episodes. Where are the complete season DVD sets??? That's what I want (but, will probably never get because it won't come out). Very dissappointing... ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 2003 Friars Club-style roast of actor-comedian Denis Leary was the highest-rated program in the history of the Comedy Central network (after South Park) thanks to its barrage of raunchy and frequently hilarious routines from top comics and Hollywood stars. Leary himself produced this special (the first of several proposed for the network), which was taped at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom, and good-naturedly withstands a salty "tribute" from fellow stand-ups Jeff Garlin (who also handles host duties), Colin Quinn, Mario Cantone, and Lenny Clarke, among others. Jon Stewart, Conan O'Brien, and Christopher Walken also weigh in via videotape, and Leary's fellow Emerson College alumnus Gina Gershon contributes a Broadway/burlesque musical number. At 90 minutes, the jokes come fast and furious, and bear up to repeated viewings for Leary fans and those looking for comedy with some bite. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (2)

In Defense if I may...
ALL comedians 'take' or 'borrow' material and you would know this if you have watched years of stand up comedy! Yes Bill Hicks is certainly one of the best, but get over it! You can watch Bill religiously, remembering all his lines, and still not be able to make people laugh. Denis is a funny guy. His friends are funny guys. The roast is good entertainment for those that aren't offended or precious. It didn't rate it's arse off because everyone thinks Denis stole all his stuff from Hicks. No one cares obviously. Don't fear. Hicks memory is not being stomped on... and lets face it, imitation is the sincerest form of flatery, don't you think? This is a great show, top dvd and I had a good old laugh. Lighten up, have a smoke and knock back a beer. Life isn't to be taken too seriously!

Denis Leary STOLE EVERYTHING from BILL HICKS
This roast has some amusing moments, but no one had the balls to confront Denis about the fact that he lifted the majority of his act from Bill Hicks. His entire "angry smoking guy" shtick was lifted from Bill and Denis Leary should be ASHAMED OF HIMSELF. Besides, what kind of an ego does this guy have to PRODUCE a roast of himself? Do yourself a favor and don't buy this DVD. Go buy any of Bill Hicks' CDs from Amazon. They are all very good (except Philosophy, which is more of a disjointed greatest hits package) and they are all much better than Denis Leary will ever be. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For its brief and shining moment--12 aired episodes, to be exact--The Ben Stiller Show, which aired on Fox in 1992, recaptured the anarchic spirit and subversively funny voice of first-season Saturday Night Live and SCTV. More too-hip-for-the-room than ahead of its time, the show suffered dismal ratings and was unceremoniously cancelled. It then went on to win an Emmy for best writing and attract a fervent following, enhanced by the fact that the series has seldom been syndicated. This long-awaited DVD release fills not a void, but an abyss. To watch Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Andy Dick, and a pre-Mr. Show Bob Odenkirk at the dawn of their mostly unconventional careers, romp in the show's opening is akin to watching the Beatles frolic on that football field in A Hard Day's Night. Stiller and company's pitch-perfect and intimately observed skewering of movies, television, and show business convention could be exhilarating, as witness "Woody Allen's Bride of Frankenstein" (you'll never watch another Allen film with a straight face again), "Cape Munster," with Stiller as a psychopathic and vengeful Eddie Munster, "Skank," a potent comment on the crass programming that was initially Fox's stock in trade, and even brilliant riffs on the seminal reality series Cops, which re-imagine the series in witch-hysteric Salem, Massachussetts, ancient Egypt, and medieval times.

In addition to the cast's uncanny impersonations (Stiller's Bono, Tom Cruise, Bruce Springsteen, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Bruce Willis, and Garofalo's Juliette Lewis), The Ben Stiller Show was home to a gallery of recurring characters--agent Michael Pheret, the No, No, No Guy--who, thankfully, SNL producer Lorne Michaels was not around to parlay into godawful films. The topical humor can't help but date some of the material (the show is a veritable Trivial Pursuit of pop culture references, from The Partridge Family to Beverly Hills 90210, but the brilliance of the writing and sheer abandon of the performances are still a joy to behold. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Funny, Talented Cast with Some Great Sketches
The Ben Stiller Show had a number of excellent sketches as others have noted. I think the most memorable is the dark, hilarious Manson-as-Lassie Show; Bob Odenkirk is stellar. The cast members are very strong with Ben being perhaps the weakest straight-up comedian of the bunch. Andy D. seems under-utilized at times and Odenkirk's quirks should have been explored further. The downside for some people will be Ben's penchant for the obvious. Many sketches take the easy way out and too many rely on simple pop culture gags for their laughs. A talented cast doesn't need to hit softballs off of a tee. However many of the spoofs do make you laugh and that's the main purpose I suppose. I guess it depends on your idea of genius: do you prefer the topical-based humor of SNL or the highly inventive off-the-wall style of Kids in the Hall... much more creative but not always interested in the easy laugh. Bottom line is that this DVD is worth owning for fans of sketch-based comedy. Not a best of the genre but high quality for certain.

A show that deserved a DVD release
With every freaking show that ran for five minutes getting its own DVD of late, it's refreshing to see one that truly deserves it.

It calls to memory a time when Fox actually ran cutting edge comedy. The episodes are funny and edgy and bordering on offensive but in the right way. It's comedy meant to provoke, doesn't take itself too seriously but is still intelligent. Sadly, not a whole lot of comedy on television does that.

Some of my favorite bits are Stiller's amazing impersonations of Bono and Springsteen, Cape Munster and Pig Latin Lover. It's lovely to see such a cast of talented people - Janeane Garafalo, Stiller, Andy Dick, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross essentially free range through skits, doing what they like when they want to although it does make the lack of anything like it now glaringly obvious.

Ben Stiller Show !
If you can even relate to the pig latin in the Three Stooges then you'll be amazed as Ben takes on such an impossible role as the Latin Lover. It's insane to watch him pull it off. Try a few words yourself let alone at the break neck speed that Ben pulls it off at!
It's worth it just for those two sketches alone.

Narcissistic nepotism all the way to the bank
I finally understand why I consider this show so utterly underwhelming: Ben Stiller. I agree that he does quite a few decent impersonations--but he is pitifully incapable of doing anything but gag comedy. The funniest moments have little or nothing to do with Stiller. Since seeing him flounder in "Permanent Midnight", I have recognized how limited he is. Now that he's strung together a series of hits, I can only hope he does the only smart thing and gets himself hooked on pain medication so that he bloats up and can no longer work.

In just about every sketch, the joke falls flat after a few seconds. Thereafter, it is possible to find humour only by focusing on the individual performances. Bob Odenkirk, Andy Dick, and Janeane Garofalo are brilliant in the 'Amish Dating Game' sketch but the sketch itself is lame. Again, Dick and Odenkirk are hilarious in the 'Melrose Heights' sketch but the sketch is criminally loathsome. With the exception of Bobcat and Colin Quinn, the guest host thing is mind-numbingly awful. The Skank sketch is a terrible idea repeated half a dozen times over the course of the show. And Stiller makes a horrifically bland Bono and a simply unfathomable Springsteen. And, oh yeah, his Oliver Stone is excrementitious and annoying.

The only truly brilliant sketch is the Manson Lassie bit. That is funny primarily because Bob Odenkirk is simply inspired as Manson. He nails the Charlie we all have in our heads. It is by far the most sophisticated impersonation of the series. Stiller's Anthony Robbins is almost good but relies on sight gags that are funny for about 5 seconds. Also, the premise of that sketch is unappealing and obvious. It doesn't seem to satirize Robbins as much as attempt to ridicule him. That sketch is typical of most of Stiller's work in front of the camera during this series. Once the novelty wears off of Stiller doing Bono or any of the others, it becomes painful to continue watching him desecrate the persona of the individual being satirized/skewered. He just isn't nuanced enough to make them memorable (not to mention, funny).

I would love to see a sketch comedy show with Andy Dick and Bob Odenkirk. I've been a big fan of Dick's for quite some time and I am just now waking up to the god-like genius of Odenkirk. I have always felt that Janeane Garofalo has the potential to be a fine serious actor.

I know that Bob Odenkirk wrote for this show along with his "Mr. Show" accomplice, David Cross. If Cross had replaced Stiller, this damn show would still be on. But, as it is, it got yanked after one season. Perhaps the show could have gained some legs and turned into something consistenly brilliant. We'll never know. Instead, we get Ben Stiller's ugly mug to look at in some cretinous comedy every three months. Thank the Lord for small mercies.

The "Kill Doug Szathkey" sketch features Dick anad Odenkirk without Stiller and is excellent. Well, at least the performances of Dick and Odenkirk are great. The sketch is basically dismal. As is the "Pig Latin Lover" travesty. Buckwheat sang love songs on SNL years back and that was funny. This is vile. God, Stiller's impersonations leave no room for anything but Stiller. Certainly, not comedy. He was blessed to have such an inspired cast. Otherwise, there would be nothing of interest here. Nothing except for things like "Jake Steel, Marionette Cop"--that is short, provocative and doesn't feature Ben Stiller.

The bottom line is that Stiller is massive and the rest of the talent associated with this show are not. If there was any Justice in this world, Stiller would be making grade z flicks with monkeys and children while the rest of the cast would all be top box office draws fully capable of carrying major films with their name alone. I believe that Stiller is so big primarily because the universe is a very unfair and cold place that rewards plastic simplicity and moronic narcissism over talent and quality.

awful sketch comedy
Do yourself a favor and buy Kids In The Hall instead. This is some of the worst sketch comedy I've ever seen, even worse than new SNL and MadTV. I probably laughed once, very lightly, about every 10 minutes. Stiller is funnier in his worst movies than in this show. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pure Hilarity
Though I haven't actually seen which episodes Michael J. Fox has included has his "favorites", I can say, that after watching Spin City re-runs for the last 3 years, that the show is quite simply, hilarious. The cast are perfect for their roles (No one could have protrayed Mayor Randal Winston as perfectly as Barry Bostwick). The dialouge is witty, the story-lines creative. Several episodes I have seen numerous times I still laugh out loud at. I am pleased to see the series coming to DVD, and am anxious to see what episodes are Fox's "favorites". I'd recommend Spin City to anyone looking for some good old fashioned laugh out loud, innocent comedy. I'd bet that if Michael J. Fox hadn't been stricken with Parkinson's Disease, (thoughts and prayers for him and his family), the show would still be going strong today. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Could Have Been Better!
I watched this movie after watching some other Pauley Shore movies that I liked and though Jury Duty had it's moments and wasn't the worst movie I have ever seen it was a bit of a disappointment as I really didn't think it was as funny as it could have been though I think they really tried to make it work but for me it just fell flat.

Thank god that this is gonna be released on DVD!
I've been waiting for this one for some while to be on DVD, the movie itself is a great and funny yet entertaining comedy starring Pauly Shore as a Freeloader who becomes a juror on the biggest trial in America and wants to have it as a vacation.
I've had this movie since 2001 when i first saw it in late 2000 when i loved it! It's got fine acting, a witty script and a decent plot. This is one of the greatest movies i've ever seen in my life, i CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DVD!!!!
Long live Jury Duty!!!!

Wish I Could Rate It A Zero!
I like Pauley Shore and I have absolutely no problem with raunchy and idiotic humor but for some reason I just didn't like this movie and it just didn't do anything for me but make me wonder why I watched it!

Pauley Shore has made some good movies but sadly Jury Duty isn't one of them, I would pass on this one and watch Biodome instead or In The Army Now they are far superior!

this is a "Laugh so hard that you can't breathe" movie
This movie is two thumbs up. It's a great movie ot watch with a gorup of friends who enjoy a really good laugh. The characters in this movie are so specific and all have their own little quirks and ways of doing things. Pauly Shore has an oblivious yet somehow smart way of looking at life and hte situation that arises. The stupidly comic way of getting the others on his side pulls it otgether, along with all of the minor little things that stand out somehow (like hte song the man sings in front of the court house or Peanut's love of Jeopardy) make it all too funny. I've recommended this to all of my friends. Give it a try and watch it. Once you do, it won't be your last.

Not Pauley's best movie!
I like Pauley Shore I have seen him in other movies that I liked so I made the mistake of buying the Jury Duty video because I liked In The Army Now and Bio-Dome and assumed I would like this too, well I learned my lesson well and I learned it the hard way and wasted my money and I have learned to never assume I will like a movie because I liked the actor in another movie and from now on I will rent the movie first! Jury Duty simply was just plain awful with it's weak, boring plot and unfunny humor! In The Army Now and Bio-Dome were a lot funnier, and if you want to kick back, relax and laugh your [backside] off than watch those movies! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Why buy a collection of episodes from a TV series that lasted a mere twolow-rated seasons? Because Get a Life was so far ahead of its time, TVstill hasn't completely caught up yet. Chris Elliott, TV's original jackass,stars as Chris Peterson, a 30-year-old paperboy who still lives with hisbathrobed and perpetually embarrassed parents (the venerable Bob Elliott andElinor Donahue, who was "Princess" on Father Knows Best). The firstslacker sitcom subverts conventions with its unapologetically obnoxious anddelusional lead character in this well-chosen quartet of episodes. Chrisauditions for a local theatre production, "Zoo Animals on Wheels." In "Married,"he meets, marries, cheats on, and divorces a model all in one day. He is a fishout of water in "The Big City," and a man stuck with his father in a two-man sublodged in his own bathtub in "Neptune 2000." Since its 1992 cancellation, Geta Life has taken on a life of its own, its legend perhaps enhanced by thefact that it has not been widely syndicated. For devoted fans, this collectionis the next best thing to a Get a Life reunion (don't hold your breath).--Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Get a Life and bring out season sets!
"Get A Life" was one of the weirdest and most dementedly funny sitcoms I ever saw. It ran on Fox from September 1990 to March 1992 and totaled 35 episodes. So why oh why are they releasing 4 episode DVDs? Anyone who is going to buy a 4 episode DVD of this show is going to buy a complete season DVD set. So where is it? Anyway, fans will be pleased with "Get A Life" being released at all, but if and when the complete season 1 DVD set comes out, getting these 4 episode discs will have been a waste of money. Some people might say that a complete "Get A Life" set will never come out, but I can't remember how many times I have read that there will be no "South Park" complete season sets and now the first season is due out in November! Don't get me wrong, the contents on this "Get a Life, vol. 2" disc will be funny and deranged, but 4 episodes? What's the point? There is only 35 episodes! 22 of them make up the first season. "Mad About You" also has 22 episodes in it's first season and that's being released in October on 2 discs! How about giving "Get A Life" the same treatment and pleasing the mentally disturbed people, like myself who love this show! I'm putting my vote in for the complete collection on DVD!

Five simple words...
I'm giving this DVD 4 stars simply for lack of extras. There's a short interview with David Mirkin, but not much else. They could have at least included a few words from the man himself! Maybe Rhino's saving that for the next round, if there is one.

But Get a Life is a five star sitcom, and I am more than happy with this DVD. I have been waiting years for a good copy of "Zoo Animals...", possibly the funniest 30min in television history. The other episodes are good as well, though there are some I would have rather seen than "The Big City". "Meatlocker 2000" anyone?

Anyway, it's better than any VHS bootleg you'll ever find.

So buy this DVD...Missy!

A Sitcom You Like to Watch Again & Again
This DVD offers a rare opportunity to some of us; the diehard fans of this sitcom, which appeared on Fox Network in late 1980s and 1990s. This is one of the few funniest TV comedies ever created that did not succeed in TV ratings because it was not aired on a major network. This show is about a 30 year old paperboy who never grows up in every sense of the word. He lives with his retired parents and run into all kinds of zany, sometime off-beat antics that provides entertainment to young and old. It was quite disappointing to many of us that it did not reappear in reruns, but this DVD offers a rare opportunity to view four episodes. All episodes are funny, which offers great value for the money. Let us hope the success of this DVD may persuade producers of the show to market all episodes, and a DVD with 12 episodes is made available to all the fans.

"different" -- not for every taste...
When it first aired, 'Get a Life' was a major break from what was considered an 'acceptable' format for TV comedy. The principal character -- Chris Peterson, a 30-year-old newsboy who lives with his parents -- was weirdly asocial, perhaps even psychotic -- with no redeeming qualities. He looked 'good' only in comparison with his antagonists, who were usually even more obnoxious than he.

How do you write comedy when the protagonist is so cut-off from the conventions of normal thought and behavior that the other characters' reactions are little more than exasperated confusion? The answer is, 'with great difficulty.' It's like trying to assemble a wooden structure without nails. It's hard to get laughs through character interaction when the main character doesn't interact in any 'normal' way with the other characters.

About all you can do is mine Chris Elliot's innate weirdness. So not only is 'Get a Life' weird -- it's weird merely for the sake of being weird. The writers aren't worried whether the stories make sense, either practically or psychologically, because Chris Peterson neither worries nor makes sense. What other sitcom has ever shown a dummy of the main character being repeatedly run over by cars?

Clearly, 'Get a Life' is a show about style, not content. In trying to be different from other sitcoms, the producers painted themselves into a corner that's hard to maneuver in.

The reaction of some reviewers -- that 'Get a Life' isn't as funny as they remembered ' isn't surprising. The shock and novelty of a pointless show about someone incapable of mundane social interactions has worn off.

Nevertheless, 'Get a Life' is generally funny, and has a few really good episodes. 'Neptune 2000' remains my favorite, if only because it gives Bob Eliot the most on-screen time and the largest number of put-downs. It's a model of how this sort of humor should be done, and is arguably a classic of TV comedy.

For me, the show's greatest pleasure is Bob Eliot's deadpan-sarcastic putdowns. I grew up listening to Bob & Ray, two of the great comic geniuses of the last century, who virtually invented 'pointless' humor.

Amazon wants reviewers to focus on the content, but I can't resist taking a pot shot at Rhino. Is there any other record company that delivers so little for the consumer's hard-earned buck? There are only four episodes on each disk, where 'Red Green' delivers eight. And 'Get a Life' has a sufficiently large cult following that a multi-disk set with all the episodes would have made sense.

HILARIOUS!
Chris Elliott is one of the side-split-n-ist funny guys around!
ZOO ANIMALS ON WHEELS is BRILLIANT!!! and oddly enough, if it were a REAL show...I'd actually pay to see it!

=^..^= waiting patiently for Vol 3 to be released! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Las Vegas: Then And WOW!
This DVD has three separate sections, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. "Stories From The Strip" begins with a brief history of Las Vegas, from the legalization of gambling and prostitution, to the era of Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel and the Flamingo Hotel. This is followed by the arrival of Howard Hughes, which began the era of the corporate takeover of the casinos. Steve Wynn began buying properties and opened the Mirage in 1988, among the first of the hotels with a specific theme. Later he opened Treasure Island, a more family friendly casino. Steve Wynn's latest creation is the beautiful Bellagio, the most opulent casino in the current era of the megaresort. Speaking of megaresorts, the Venetian hotel is also profiled. A brief mention of adult entertainments and the proliferation of wedding chapels nicely completes this section.

"Destination: The Strip" also beings with a brief history of Las Vegas. This is followed by a brief history of Sin City's world class entertainers, including the always popular showgirls. The swinging era of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr. (the Rat Pack) is followed by the greatest entertainer who ever lived, Elvis Presley. Wayne Newton, Siegfied and Roy, Lance Burton (an excellent magician) and Danny Gans (a great comedian and impressionist) are also mentioned. The Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Circus Circus and the Rio Hotel are featured for their unique offerings to visiting tourists. A visit to the natural beauty of Red Rock Canyon makes a nice contrast to the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas. "Thrill Rides, Las Vegas Style" is the bonus feature. It shows the Big Shot ride on the top of the Stratosphere tower, as well as the roller coaster outside of the New York, New York casino. Bungee jumping, water slides and helicopter rides are among some of the other thrill rides featured in this section. It's an interesting extra to go along with the main sections of this well made DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Best Show EVER!
Read some of the other reviews.This was the BEST show on television!It was WAY ahead of its time...probably why it only made it 6 episodes on FOX!Thank GOD F/X showed all 13 episodes the following summer.Place your e-mail and let Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (wwwDOTspheDOTcom) know that we NEED this on dvd!Also go to wwwDOTtvshowsondvdDOTcom and vote for a season release.GOD was this the best show!

THEY BETTER RELEASE THIS ON DVD!
this is the greatest show ever!if you haven't seen it, you're really missing out.PLEASE enter your email address so maybe it will be released!!my vhs copies taped off tv are starting to wear out so PLEASE RELEASE THE DVD SOON!!!

This unparalleled TV comedy should be on DVD by now !!!
So I'm reviewing a DVD that doesn't exist (yet). The main reason I'm writing anything at all is to urge anyone who stumbles upon this to enter your email address above, requesting to be informed by Amazon should this title ever actually make it to DVD. There's no obligation to buy, but entering your email address will count as a vote toward convincing the studio to release this incredibly clever, outrageously funny and stingingly accurate TV show from 1999 (Fox). The 13 half-hour episodes, plus a few bonus features, would fit nicely on 2 discs. Starring Jay Mohr and an outstanding ensemble cast, plus some big Hollywood names playing, and satirizing, themselves, it's as good as any TV comedy I've ever seen. I've been a huge fan of The Honeymooners, Barney Miller, Taxi, Cheers, Bosom Buddies, Seinfeld, Friends, Sports Night, Arrested Development, Scrubs and, recently, The Office (the Steve Carell version - haven't caught the British original yet). If your TV comedy tastes are even remotely close to mine, you will absolutely love Action. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I want this so much
I really loved this show and it deserved better marketing and a steady place on Fox because it should not have been cancelled.I will always remember the episode with the piece of pie. =(

The Suspense Builds...
When will this be out on DVD?It is wonderful to see the placeholder in Amazon, but I hope the release comes.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe will appeal to fans of Newsradio and Arrested Development.They all make use of an ensemble cast, any one of which would, by themselves, carry any normal sitcom (I can easily see "The Byron Show"), but when put together have an amazing affect as everybody plays off everybody else and funny scenes just keep building.Unfortunately, like Newsradio and now perhaps AD, this show died an early death due to network malice.Its one thing to ignore a show entirely and put it on some strange time *and keep it on*, but the network continued to shift times, run multiple replays of the same episode (not that they weren't funny a second or fifth time) and pre-empt with specials.Then they were shocked that it wasn't an immediate hit and cancelled it.

All of the characters were really quirky and funny, even the minor recurring characters (look for Sean Gunn as a recently graduated Frat brother of Andy).And yes, as another reviewer mentioned, Irene Molloy is beautiful and funny (even when she goes on medication).The "Irish" episode is legendary, but there were certainly other winners, such as the dead guy and the trip to Milwaukee.I cannot believe that FOX didn't even bother to air five filmed episodes.I hope these make the DVD.

Well, I've waited six years for Newsradio, I can wait a few months for this...

Fans of "Arrested Development" and "Family Guy" would love..
Like "Arrested Development," this offbeat office sitcom featured a talented cast of character actors, a wicked streak of black humor, a soundtrack devoid of canned laughs, and an indifferent patron in FOX, who re-ran the same episodes over and over and eventually killed the show just when the cast was at their creative peak.Unfortunately, "Andy Richter" did not utilize the kind of stunt casting "Arrested Development" has shrewdly used to stay alive, though there were great guest spots from Erik Estrada (CHiPS), Beth Littleford (Daily Show), Lola Glaudini (Sopranos), June Lockhart, Conan O'Brien, Amy Weber and others.Check out the episode guide at http://www.tvtome.com/AndyRichterControlstheUniverse/guide.html.There were 19 episodes produced, and five of those went unaired!Andy Ackerman (Seinfeld, Frasier, Cheers), John Fortenberry (Arrested Development), Bryan Gordon (Freaks And Geeks), and Will Mackenzie (Everybody Loves Raymond) directed many of the episodes and Tom Blacha (TV Funhouse), Michael Shipley (Family Guy), and Jim Bernstein (Family Guy) were among the writers.In fact, fans of "Family Guy" will appreciate the frequent cartoonish non-sequiturs that were a staple of this show, while "Arrested" fans will appreciate the stellar cast, documentary-style direction (like "Arrested," the show was shot on film), and truly warped sense of humor.If this doesn't appear in a DVD box (and I mean, come on, FOX, you released "Greg The Bunny" and "Undeclared"), maybe we'll at least get reruns at 2am on Comedy Central or something.

Yet another brilliant show canceled in its prime.
When Andy Richter Controls The Universe premiered on FOX in 2002, it was a breath of fresh air. Instead of endless, nameless reality shows (and this was three years ago!) and whiny sitcoms about twenty-somethings whining ad nauseum about their date du jour, ARCTU dealt with an everyman (Andy), and the wacky situations he finds himself getting into, along with Family Guy-esque sequences and flashbacks. The characters were likable (my favorites being the VERY cute Wendy, and the neurotic, nebbish Byron), the writing was top-notch, and it was easily the kind of show you'd actually plan on watching Tuesday night. It carried on Seinfeld's tradition of "No Hugging, No Learning", it had no moral value, it didn't make you think about the plight of society, and I and every other fellow fan of the show would have it no other way. It just made you laugh!

Of course, this is FOX we're talking here (the same rocket scientists that canceled Family Guy, but at least that's coming back), so the second they shifted the time slot all over the place, I knew it was in trouble. Then, of course, inevitably, because it was simply too good for prime time, it got canceled in 2003. It hasn't been seen on regular cable TV since.

First, about FOX. Who the hell makes the decisions there? They leave generic, powder-puff crap and boring reality TV on, but cancel shows with actual MERIT? Let's face the facts: FOX is done. FOX has jumped the shark. I guarantee you, friends, the day the Simpsons ends (don't get me wrong, though, I love the Simpsons) is the day that FOX ends.

Now, about this being released on DVD. I'm very happy to see the Amazon page up, that gives me hope, but it still says that the studio is not working on it. So I say: GET THIS DVD OUT!!! ASAP!!! If Arrested Development gets its own set, why not ARCTU? Come on, 20th Century Fox, get cracking!

If you want to see ARCTU hit DVD, go to www.petitionspot.com/petitions/andyrichtercontrolstheuniversedvd, and sign the petition!

Come On Already!
This was one of the funniest shows of all-time to be cancelled before its prime.FOX, just put it on DVD for us already, and make the world a better place! ... Read more