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.
While being nominated for the civic honour "Man of Our Times," Arliss must juggle one client's plans for a same-sex marriage on the opening night of a huge ice-skating tour, Kirby's gambling habit, and another client's financial ruin and impending unemployment.
While high-school hoops sensation Shaler Halimon announces he'll skip college and jump straight to the NBA, Arliss positions himself as Shaler's agent and uses the opportunity to settle a score with team owner Buddy Reingold.
Temptation gets the better of squeaky-clean QB Dan Hendricks. Arliss battles with a client's desire to confess his sins to the world, while keeping the suspicious media and a scorned wife at bay.
AMM client and boxing champ Sucre Rey Santos finally gives in and grants top contender Cohones Ochonez a title fight. The huge payday means Arliss can finally buy that Gulfstream Jet he's had his eyes on. But when Ochonez is arrested and tossed in jail, the fight is no mas. However, Arliss gets the governor to sign off and approve the fight, allowing HBO to televise the Battle in the Bighouse, live from the state penitentiary.
L.A. Kings owner Flora Lansing dangles part-ownership in front of Arliss if he can find a new home for her hockey team - provided there's a new stadium, complete with luxury boxes and PSLs. But this must kept a secret! So Arliss shops the team to three prospective homes: Raleigh-Durham, Las Vegas and New Mexico.
Mike Armstrong, president of multinational CSM, is interested in buying AMM. Arliss never dreamed of selling until he hears what Armstrong's paying. AMM staffers, particularly Kirby, Rita and Stanley, know their boss is up to something and begin to worry about their job security.
A reporter overhears Arliss talking about the Jaboos of South Street, a rival stickball team from his old neighbourhood, and interprets this as a racial slur. A media siege begins and Arliss is under fire. Meanwhile, free-agent relief pitcher (and white supremacist) Trevor Heath decides to let Arliss represent him upon hearing the comments.
Why would Arliss even consider representing Anya Slovachek, the 186th ranked women tennis player whose father is a psychotic maniac? Well, when he sees Anya with his own eyes, Arliss' mind is made up for him.
Arliss and Kirby decide to take beach volleyball to the next level by creating a new made-for-TV indoor tour with high-level glitz, oiled bodies, fluorescent sand and heavy promotion. But everything goes afoul as the tour's top women's pair have irreconcilable differences, and one of the top guys infects his toe on a petrified kelp pod.
In the 12th annual Den of Thieves Rotisserie Baseball League, Arliss and Kirby hope their Frozen Ropes can bring the title back where it belongs, away from cosmetic surgeon Vic Freed and his hated Silicone Valley. Arliss must resolve a conflict of interest between the good of the Frozen Ropes, and the good of AMM client and Phillies ace Ned Bastille.
As a kid, Arliss idolized Hall of Fame outfielder Rocky Framaggio so much that he still carries around the Rock's rookie card. After a chance meeting at the racetrack, Arliss decides to help the downtrodden Rock make some scratch and get back on his feet. But after the Rock strikes out at three job attempts, Arliss comes up with a stroke of marketing genius.
Catcher Zack Bowers can barley get the ball back to the mound, let alone to second base. The source of his problems: he suspects his wife is unfaithful. He demands that Arliss hire a private investigator to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Kirby is asked to housesit Bruce Smith's 'cat'.
One of Arliss' long-term friends and clients leaves him when his fiancée declares it's time for a "fresh start." Meanwhile, Rita is dating a client and Arliss wants it to stop, or else.
Arliss is invited to dinner at the White House and he can't decide whom to invite as his escort. That becomes the least of his worries when his bowling champion client the controversial Turkey Reeves, gets in trouble with the law.
Kahoutec "Comet" Evans is a can't-miss tennis phenom whom Arliss discovered years ago when the boy stood as tall as his racket. Now that Comet has come of age, Arliss must juggle the boy's mother's wish for her son to go to college with his own wish to cash in on the young superstar's talents.
Sports Illustrated is planning an article about sports agents, and will select one to grace the magazine's cover. Despite some early maneuvering, Arliss thinks he's out of the running. In the meantime Arliss is also tasked to negotiate a contract extension for his client Damian Niles, in the process displaying a brilliant grasp of NBA salary capology.
When Arliss throws out his back, his dream of playing in the Crosby Pro-Am with golf client Ryan Mason III is shattered. Kirby steps in to partner with Mason, and assist the pro with his club selection.
AMM client Dan Manville is closing in on his 500th home run. Add that to the 500 stolen bases he's already chalked up, and he's the charter member of the 500/500 club. Arliss has everything in position for the "500/500 Experience," a huge Manville memorabilia tour on wheels. All that's left is for Manville to hit his 500th dinger - and for Arliss to get the ball.
Arliss is dazzled by marketing whiz Giselle Jaynes. She's charming, clever and sexy, and she's filled with brilliant, cutting-edge ideas for AMM clients - despite knowing nothing about the sports world.
It's a day from hell for Arliss Michaels: Stanley is considering leaving AMM, while client Sammy Stilton is about to be suspended for "assaulting" an umpire. All this as Arliss tries to get to the airport for a top-priority "secret meeting."
Arliss manages to get Kirby some airtime as a sports talk-radio host. What better way to promote his own clientele - especially Yoshi Kobiashi, the latest pitching phenom nobody's ever seen. Before you know it, Kirby starts to rule the airwaves and a star is born - and a huge deal for Arliss may be on the rocks.
After Kirby signs hockey star Luc Cassoulet to the biggest contract in AMM history, an extremely delicate situation develops: how does AMM get paid its commissions without going public that the client is a deadbeat? Meanwhile, Arliss has his hands full defending NBA star Dewayne Troy for assaulting a referee.
AMM client Theo Holt is the kind of football player that every team needs: a reliable backup quarterback capable of winning games. But when Theo's team decides to let him go and there a no other takers for his services, Arliss begins to wonder. When Arliss learns about a league-wide rumour that Theo is gay, he resurrects Theo's career as only Arliss can.
Arliss deals with a steroid-abusing linebacker's faltering career and a star running back's contract.
Disaster hits AMM when Defensive Player of the Year Lucian Balboa is stabbed by a crazed fan at the office's annual Super Bowl party. Where was the security? How did the stabber get into the party? These are the questions Arliss has to answer. And now Lucian has decided not to play on Super Sunday unless Arliss can guarantee that the stabber will be locked up.
Whenever a rival agent passes away, Arliss always leads the feeding frenzy to sign the available clients. But when Leo Maroni bites the dust, Jeremy Brenner gives Arliss a battle in the scramble for new business. That's why Arliss signs Kit Ballew, a loser on the NASCAR circuit. But with nothing to live for, Kit starts tearing up the field, giving Arliss more then he bargained for.
Arliss has a comfortable arrangement with a Midwestern football powerhouse university: Arliss negotiates the school's exclusive network TV deal pro bono, and teaches an ethics class at the school. This provides him access to the student-athletes and creates a pipeline straight from the dorm to AMM. However, the pipeline may dry up when an investigation into legendary coach Duffy's program reveals some improprieties.
AMM client Amadou M'Bow is in love. And the NBA center from Senegal plans to marry his beloved, Miss Lisa Klein of Long Island. When Arliss insists Amadou get his betrothed to sign a prenuptial agreement, Lisa balks, wedding bells are put on hold and Amadou plans to hang up the hightops.
As a fierce rainstorm brings the city to a standstill, Arliss is virtually alone at AMM. That is, until pitching sensation Diego Sanchez, arrives at the office after defecting from Cuba. But Arliss must rely on some unexpected assistance to overcome the obstacles of the day.
AMM's financial whiz Stanley Babson is fed up with his conservative reputation. But when Arliss accuses him of always playing it safe, Stanley puts the company at risk by using clients' funds to purchase a racehorse.
Lockouts and strikes are unfortunately a part of pro sports, and nothing does more to alienate the fans. But when a ballplayer crosses the picket line, he knows the true meaning of alienation. Arliss must consider the consequences of representing replacement player Jim Greenbriar after Greenbriar saves Arliss' life.
Complete episode guide for Arli$$ with detailed information about every season and episode including air dates, summaries, ratings, and streaming availability in United States.
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