You often imagine the work of a private eye to be exciting: solving murders, looking for clues, meeting new and or dangerous people. Never mind that most of that stuff is typically done by the police. The allure of Marlow and Spade still lives on. Even as spin-off vehicles for rising comedy stars. In the year 2000, the cases of Nardozza and Devers were broadcast briefly on The Michael Richards Show.

Vic Nardozza might appear to be far from the best when it comes to Private Investigators, that is because he isn’t, but yet paired with his new partner, one who is capable, diligent, and wanting to prove her potential. As they navigate the wild world of corporate espionage, secrets and much more, laughter is in store. 

As someone who is a bit of a fan of your typical sitcom, The Michael Richards Show does follow the standard to a delightful letter. While the plot does follow the similar trappings of a workplace comedy, the investigation aspect does give each episode a refreshing edge, with new characters and locals on the regular. This being Michael Richards, Kramer, vehicle just after the success of Seinfeld, the show sure leans into the popular aspects of that character here. His physical comedy does work well here, from his facial expressions and pratfalls. Appearing alongside Vic, as a comedic foil, is Devers, played by Amy Farrington, whose appearance on The Michael Richards show makes for her first big break into acting. She handles the straight man role well enough, and I like the almost meta move of having an actor having to, in a sense, prove themselves as well as their character.

Vic isn’t alone, of course, even if you don’t include his (for lack of a better term) protégée we see his boss and some other equally-matched employees, such as Kevin, who is a voyeur by trade, who often engages in busman’s holidays. Eccentric personalities help the format out best, and The Michael Richards Show has a few from its clients to the aforementioned staff. With just enough of each to ensure that if the show did survive, it would have ample ammunition to provide episode after episode of comedy.

Nine episodes of the show were made, and fans, archivists and the like diligently keep the tapes available, if you know where to look, while certain incidents have made the idea of its eponymous star from branching out into another headlining project all the more challenging. Here, Richards’ physicality and delivery do find a suitable home in a post-Seinfeld setting, but not an audience, as it was promptly dropped. But there is enough in the surviving episodes that you get a feel for what could have been. The evidence is there, Nardozza makes the idea of a sitcom just after Seinfeld a compelling case.

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