Andy Barker, P.I.

Of it's all-too-brief run, "Fairway, My Lovely" is the best episode of Andy Barker, PI. All of the various parts of the show (home life, Andy and his sidekicks, the storyline) fire on all cylinders and the result is a very entertaining 30 minutes. How can you help but laugh when a dejected Andy says, "Well, I accused some people of murder today and it didn't go well" when his wife asks him about his day.



This show was funny, but inconsistent, and I don't know long it could have lasted, but if it had hit the heights of this episode, it deserved a longer run.



The ending even felt like a take-off on an old Rockford episode...confronting the killer in a chase on a golf course? Sounds like something a 70s TV PI would try!

The funniest parts of this episode was the running gag of Guy Halverson running in slow motion, sandwich flapping. As you well may know, Guy challenged Andy to a foot race. This very race leads to his death. Guy's wife believes someone killed him and it was very obvious who the guilty party was from the very get-go. This predictability is not a bad thing though, because the show is not a serious crime drama, like CSI. It's meant to be ridiculous.



I didn't quite understand why all the women (and some men!) were attracted to Guy, but that's part of the joke of the episode. And it is something one would expect from the minds of Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter. The budding relationship between Simon (of the Video Riot store) and Nicole (Andy's new secretary) seemed forced and I didn't really care for it. I'm not sure why the writers are trying put them together. Other than to make the obvious black/white jokes.



The show is still trying to get it's legs under it, so I can understand the lack of continuity from the last episode. I really enjoy the show and I think that if NBC can give it a chance, it could be really great.