The Michael Richards Show (2000) User Reviews

Disappointing

[kyrat · 5/10 · 16 March 2007]

I watched the show when it was out and was disappointed. I think Michael Richards has a talent for physical comedy and as a fan of Seinfeld, figured I would give it a try. I don't really remember specifically why I did not like it.

I do remember one funny episode where they had a racist dog that kept trying to get away from Tim Meadows and kept getting injured in the process.

Though given the current revelations about Michael Richard's racist outburst this episode is probably a lot less funny now.

That's really all I can think of to say. I think brevity should be valued. How about a five line minimum to just weed out the "it sucked" comments?

Not horrible, but not very good either

[mattiasflgrtll6 · 6/10 · 28 November 2020]

The premise revolves around private detective Vic Nardozza. Every week he gets a case assigned and he tries his best to solve them, always with wacky consequences. We also get to see the personal lives of his boss and co-workers.

This show really takes its sweet time to find its footing. The first couple episodes are hard to watch in every single way. The writing and humor feels awkward, the characters don't gel together and Michael Richards, as talented as he is, can still barely squeeze a laugh out of me. He gets a few nice slapstick moments, but that's it. The theme song is nice at least.

The cases are also dealt with in a very labored way, as if the writer can't think of how to make them interesting.

About halfway through, it starts to get a little better. Some of the jokes are actually legitimately funny, the characters start to click more and even the acting in some areas improves.

I inititally found Tim Meadows the most annoying part of the cast, but he gets to prove his worth after a while. William Devane gets the bad luck of portraying one of the most boring characters, but in the final episode he finally has a chance to prove he has comedic chops.

It's fun to see guest stars like Gregory Itzin, Ed Begley Jr. and Jeff Garlin(!) make appearances as well.

There are even some successful attempts at satire, which was definitely unexpected.

However, even when the series gets better there are still parts where I just feel bored, and due to ending so quickly it never reaches its full potential. Who knows, maybe in season 2 this could have been one of the better post-Seinfeld projects Richards acted in.

But because it got cancelled after only 8 episodes this simply remains a curiosity at best.

You'll Laugh, You'll Cry, and not always for the right reasons

[Mr. OpEd · 28 October 2000]

A titan of physical comedy and nonsense syllables, Richards does provide what one expects from a comedy: laughs. I was tickled at least a few times (yes, laugh-out-loud funny, not just a smile).

He manages to distance himself almost completely from Kramer which is no mean trick considering he's meant to deliver a similar level of yucks. So, I laughed.

But I also cried. Much of the show just sits there. William Devane enters and, despite his charm, seems like he's accidentally stumbled onto the wrong stage and then just tries to fit in. The Tim Meadows character is even more displaced. Bill Cobbs and Amy Farrington have potential. Mind, this isn't because two actors can act and two can't. They all CAN, but only the last two are remotely integral characters to the show (at least as the premier was written). I'll certainly give it another chance and hope Devane and Meadow's get better lines and plotting.

Deserved its quick demise

[willhowcoop · 1/10 · 1 November 2020]

Watched this recently on YouTube; it was only Richards rehashing his Kramer mannerisms with lousy scripts and a supporting cast that looks like they were held hostage at gunpoint. Richards' "Seinfeld" reputation must have been the only reason this horribly written show made it to air; it seems like two failed pilots would have given NBC a clue as to what they were in for. Awful.

Not good.

[ThunderKing6 · 2/10 · 13 June 2021]

This show had crusty written all over it. It wasn't funny at all. It tries to be and failed at it.

Most of the episodes are dry. To get past 3 of them then you must have a strong will power.

Last Words: Horrible show coming after the titan Seinfeld.

Worth Wathcing

[wileyschmitt · 7/10 · 20 February 2021]

Don't listen to the negative Nancy's, this show is fun and at least worth checking out once (plus it won't take you very long being that there are only 8 episodes). Michael Richards is great in this, and not too far off at all from Kramer, which I think was a wise choice not to change what works and makes people laugh about his natural humor. The other characters are okay, and the writing is decent, but it certainly has the feeling of a show that wouldn't be around for very long, and it definitely reminds one of similar shows that didn't take and had a bit of a rushed feeling to them, like Norm Macdonald's show 'Norm', which was fortunate enough to get 3 seasons. Without Kramer Seinfeld would have never hit the stratosphere level that it did, and The Michael Richard's Show showcases some of what made Cosmo Kramer everyone's favorite Seinfeld character and had, and still has, them laughing out loud at his silly, yet brilliant, antics.

Must-Seek TV

[Bolesroor · 8/10 · 19 September 2008]

Can someone please explain to me why this show was greeted with so much hostility? Everyone in America ostensibly loved the character of Kramer on "Seinfeld," the number one show on TV when it ended in 1998. When "The Michael Richards Show" premiered two seasons later, critics and viewers were waiting with bibs on and knives raised... they called it "horrible," "terrible," and refused to watch it. With that type of public sentiment its no surprise the show only lasted seven episodes.

"The Michael Richards Show" was good... sometimes great. I loved him from his brilliant physicality on Seinfeld but before that as retarded janitor Stanley Spadowski in "UHF" and as the Bow-Tie Killer in "Problem Child." TMRS featured not only Richards and a colorful ensemble cast but- best yet- the writers from "Seinfeld"! (Including Spike Feresten, Gregg Kavet & Andy Robin) Sure, Richards was basically playing Kramer but the premise of him as a private detective allowed him to get into a wide variety of physical and comical jams. The writing was always smart, never cheap sitcom humor, and like Seinfeld every episode featured multiple story lines. In one episode the elderly Bill Cobb is particularly mean to Tim Meadows... when Meadows asks Richards for advice Richards informs him that Cobb has "death grumpiness," an ailment that all old people get just before they die. Meadows goes through the rest of the episode treating Cobb like a fragile baby, telling him how much he loves him and how much he's going to miss him. The old crank, of course, has no idea what's going on. It was hilarious.

Was TMRS television's greatest product? No. Should the show have gone on another 8 seasons? Never. Was it a funny and intelligent series that deserved better treatment from fans and critics? Absolutely. If they release the DVD you'll see what I mean.

GRADE: B+

He knows every trick, He's pretty slick, Michael Richards is a private... Investigator !

[lopezemm · 7/10 · 13 March 2021]

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards have each attempted to launch new sitcoms as title-role characters. Despite decent acclaim and even some respectable ratings, almost every show was canceled quickly, usually within the first season. This gave rise to the term Seinfeld curse: the failure of a sitcom starring one of the three, despite the conventional wisdom that each person's Seinfeld popularity should almost guarantee a strong, built-in audience for the actor's new show.

The Michael Richards Show is one of these shows. The show revolved around Vic Nardozza (Michael Richards), an inept and clumsy private investigator working for McKay Investigative Services. Throughout the show, misunderstandings and poor decisions get in the way of the cases, but Nardozza always ends up getting the job done.

This shows flaws are clear from a viewing, missed potential. Cases aren't used to make character driven comedy, they are only excuses to use Richards incredible psychical talent. Although entertaining, the cases are rarely the focus of the episodes. In a mystery-comedy show, you would expect there would be more mystery. Meanwhile everyone in the acting department is a great actor, but there underutilized, there is great chemistry among Bill Cobbs and Tim Meadows characters but most of the time it's usually just Tim Meadows for the subplots. Amy Farrington as Stacy is used somewhat for a couple capers, and storylines but nothing as major as Tim Meadow's Kevin. Lastly William Devane, he is the least used, and when he was used it was already at sharp decline. Episodes start to give up half way through Episode 5 (including the pilot).

This show could have worked, its not as awful as people say it is. If it was able to be nominated for a People's Choice Award for Outstanding Male in a New Comedy series, there was potential. It's definitely a cut above the rest for obscure sitcom. Its a good start for more Kramer action, I really recommend it.

I would have loved to have seen Kevin and Jacks work relationship evolve, into mutual respect for each other. Some episodes I would have loved to seen would be Richards facing his altered persona in this series Roland in real life. Perhaps this series could have saved Michael Richards. Maybe he wasn't suited for heading a sitcom, but then again nor was he suited to do stand up comedy...

A hilarious show that shows Richards' talents

[mohrandy · 28 December 2000]

My wife and I loved this show. I thought it was absolutely hysterical, and Tim Meadows shined here as well (compared to his mundane SNL stint). I'm saddened to hear that the show was cancelled. It was a terrific sitcom, very funny and very smart.

Glad it got cancelled

[mattymatt4ever · 18 March 2002]

Michael Richards is a hugely talented comic actor, who stole almost every scene as Cosmo Kramer on "Seinfeld." He is one of the best physical comics out there, and one day I hope he will hit it big in either TV or the movies (hopefully he'll make more comedies like "UHF" and "Unstrung Heroes" and not ones like the hugely disappointing "Trial and Error"). But this show is as lame as can be! And I guess the creators thought it would add flair to assemble one of the biggest ensemble casts in sitcom history. That way Tim Meadows, William Devane and Bill Cobbs can have equal time at wasting their talents. As Robert DeNiro said in "A Bronx Tale," "There's nothing worse than wasted talent." "The Michael Richards Show" is a prime example.

My score: 2 (out of 10)

Quite disappointed.

[Anthony-65 · 23 October 2000]

I expected to see a lot more from the series premiere of the Michael Richards show. All of the actors, who are all quite seasoned, did a very shabby job. Especially Mr.Devane. Tim Meadows also didn't give us much in the way of a character, just a lot of meaningless lines. And Mr.Richards himself- I was quite disappointed, he wasn't funny, he tried to be and failed, which is the worst type! To me the writing is one punchline after the other, but the most irritating part of the whole show was the very loud and very untimely laugh tracks. I will continue to watch, praying that it gets better.

He shoots, he very nearly scores!

[shrek2004 · 15 September 2003]

It was okay. It had lots of potential. I think they should have called it something other than "The Michael Richards Show" and maybe didn't have one main charactar, like Friends (which doesn't have any one main charactar, but focuses on all the cast) It would have been done quite successfully. Because it really was funny, but had too many flaws. Oh well :(