Andy Richter Controls the Universe is an American sitcom created by Victor Fresco that originally aired on Fox from March 19, 2002, to January 12, 2003. The series was Andy Richter's first starring role after leaving NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2000, and centers around Richter's eponymous character, a writer living in Chicago who works at a fictional company called Pickering Industries. The show was a joint production of Garfield Grove Productions and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Paramount Television.

Filmed in Los Angeles, California using a single-camera setup, the series was developed after Richter expressed interest in expanding his acting repertoire beyond his previous sidekick role on late-night television. It utilizes a unique narrative style, blending nonlinear storytelling with the unreliable narrator trope. The show features an ensemble cast, including Paget Brewster, Irene Molloy, Jonathan Slavin, and James Patrick Stuart.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe received critical acclaim for its inventive humor and writing, drawing comparisons to other successful Fox comedies such as The Simpsons. Despite positive reviews, the series suffered from low ratings, leading to its cancellation after two mid-season runs. The series has since gained a cult following and is regarded as a forerunner to the wave of single-camera comedies that followed, such as Arrested Development.

Andy Richter had departed his long-time role as sidekick on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2000, after performing in the role since 1993. He expressed a desire to play different roles to the "fat slob roles" he was being offered at the time, and to expand his profile and "see what's out there".

Andy Richter Controls the Universe was the first sitcom that Richter starred in. Some were unsure of Richter's acting ability due to his sidekick role on Late Night. Richter described an encounter with a Paramount executive after the table read for the series pilot in which the executive exclaimed, "Wow, you can really act!"

Richter met with many creators and writers before deciding to work with Victor Fresco, who already had a deal with Paramount Television. Actress Paget Brewster was already separately familiar with both Richter and Fresco and helped to arrange a meeting between the two. In initial meetings, Fresco and Richter developed the show's concept, including the use of narration and the unreliable narrator trope, following which Fresco wrote the show's pilot episode. He pitched the show to Fox executives by handing them the first scene to read, and leaving the room as they read it. Executives were enthusiastic, following which he wrote the pilot.

Brewster was cast in the role of Jessica Green after another actress played the part in the original pilot. Fox executives vetoed the original actress as they had previously seen her in pilots that were unsuccessful. Brewster had had a development deal with Fox for two years before the show began. She was required to audition for the show three times against many other actresses.

After Fox picked up the show, a writer's room was assembled. Writer Jim Bernstein recalled that Richter himself would sometimes be in the writer's room, bucking usual convention, to be supportive and assist. He referred to the writers as "The Nerd Tower".