WKRP is one of the best sitcoms of all time. It ranks up there with Taxi, early M*A*S*H, MTM, Seinfeld, and the often forgotten, and, IMHO, best sitcom of all time, Barney Miller (mushy, mushy, mushy!). The characters and the stories were well-rounded and believable. And the music on Johnny's morning show was the best. Too bad it can't be found up or down the dial these days. And yes, I'm a Bailey man, too!
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jejozi11 September 2003
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DeanNYC25 August 2010Hugh Wilson is something of a television genius. I doubt that anyone thought that doing a television show about a little radio station in a small market city would work, but he got MTM to produce it and CBS to air it and "WKRP in Cincinnati" hit the airwaves (and I'm sure that "NewsRadio" owes a debt of thanks to this series for paving the way)!
Populated with some of the most hilarious and memorable characters in television and with some brilliant, meaningful and sometimes outrageous story lines, WKRP always provided its audience with a worthwhile viewing experience that often extended beyond the events that occurred on the air.
The reason the show worked is because of the characters, and perhaps more importantly, the actors that played them. Jennifer Marlowe could have been just a bubble head or a snappy comeback responder in the hands of a lesser actress, but Loni Anderson was brilliant. Dr. Johnny Fever could have been just a waste product, but Howard Hesseman gave him attitude and subtle subtext. Venus Flytrap might have just been the token minority, but Tim Reid turned him into a deep, meaningful spirit. Bailey Quarters could have been totally wooden and forgotten, but Jan Smithers made her quietly determined and caring. Les Nessman might have just been the virginal boy scout, but Richard Saunders gave him humor and texture. Herb Tarlek might have just been the bad dressing (even for the late 70s - early 80s!) fast talking salesman, but Frank Bonner made him amusing and even at times sympathetic. Arthur Carlson could have just been the no-nothing owner, but Gordon Jump's long time experience in sitcoms certainly prevented that! And Andy Travis might have been a total control freak in the midst of everyone else, but Gary Sandy was the perfect stability for everyone: the eye of this hilarious storm!
I mourn the fact that this series will never truly be seen again, because of the royalty issues over the use of music in the episodes. It just isn't WKRP if you don't have the songs! It's like seeing a loved one you cared about, now horribly disfigured. Yes, you still care about them, but nothing will ever again be the same.
Unfortunately, unless you visit the Paley Center for Media, either in New York or Los Angeles, where the original episodes are preserved in their broadcast state, you'll just have to remember the eps the way they were. -
classicalsteve26 April 2007There are few jokes in the best TV sitcoms and films. The funniest moments happen when well-defined characters are in unusual situations in which they react as themselves. One of the funniest scenes in "The Graduate" is Benjamin Braddock trying to avoid drawing attention to himself when he wants to check into a hotel because he's having an affair. Or when muggers accosting Jack Benny say "You're gonna give us $10,000, or we're gonna break both your legs" to which Benny replies, "Does it have to be both?" (Benny's character in both his radio and TV shows was that he was stingy and would do anything to avoid giving or paying money.)
WKRP was lucky to have the kind of writers who also understood the power of character to create comedy. The characters of WKRP rarely make self-conscious wise-cracks. Herb Tarlek would sometimes try to be witty but often with catastrophic results. The chemistry that made WKRP work was the writers' understanding of their characters which in turn manifested dialog that appeared spontaneous yet funny. The humor evolved from the characters simply being themselves without the writers having to force jokes into the script. This is the most effective kind of comedy writing in the narrative style but it depends on interesting and quirky characters.
A few quick examples: when Les Nesman is asked what he thinks about radio stations in Cincinatti playing mostly "rock 'n' roll" music he replies that "it must be some sort of conspiratorial plot." When a visitor asks to see Mr Carlson (in front of Mr Carlson), Carlson (trying to avoid people in general) replies "He's dead." And when Jennifer the receptionist is asked to do some note-taking and filing she says "I don't do typing. I don't do filing. Anything else?"
This was an outstanding comedy that may have been a bit overlooked at that time since it was broadcast at the tale-end of a 20-year run of great television comedy that began with shows like the Dick Van Dyke Show, I Dream of Jeanie, MASH, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Mork and Mindy. The only two sitcoms that were truly great after that were Cheers and Seinfeld. MASH relied more on the wise-cracks but that was an attribute of Hawkeye's character. (I have never felt the writing in "Friends" was that strong relying almost exclusively on wise-cracks rather than situations although it is very popular.) WKRP is one of the few shows that still seems fresh and lively despite having been first broadcast almost 30 years ago. The writers had the uncommon ability to give the cast interesting lines that were funny, unexpected and yet totally believable and within character. And unlike most current TV comedy writing, wise-cracks and jokes were a rarity. -
WKRP is the show that I may have the toughest time reviewing. I would like to make my love for this show clear without simply stating it was the best show of all time, but there may be no other way. I Love Lucy, MASH, Cheers, Seinfeld, Mary Tyler Moore, and any other sitcom regarded as classic all pale in comparison to WKRP in Cincinnati. This show focused on eight characters, rarely devoting too much time to any one individual. The cast did not change in four years. They didn't even add anybody for a few episodes to play a love interest or something like that. They didn't have to. Each one of the eight could have carried the show by themselves.
I was born during WKRP's initial run and I have grown up in an era where almost every sitcom is populated by characters whose personality is exaggerated beyond reality, and who can't seem to laugh at anything that doesn't involve sex. KRP had its share of these types of jokes, but they never dominated the show. There were rarely any episodes trying to figure out who's dating whom. There was never a season ending cliffhanger wondering which two characters were going to get together. In fact, the episodes where this did happen are some of the show's weakest such as Andy's country western girlfriend, and the episode where Johnny stays at Bailey's apartment prompting rumors around the office. That being said, there is not one single episode of WKRP in Cincinnati that isn't funny. Even the two I referenced earlier have their moments.
The character development and subtlety of this show is unmatched. Each character built a relationship with the other seven, and the writers were able to tap into those relationships whenever it was needed. There are episodes that you have to watch several times to get the full effect of what is going on. The union episode is one of the best because of the way Andy deals with the other characters, but this is something that goes unnoticed unless you pay attention to all the little details that you can see watching the episode a second time. Everything down to his wardrobe is just perfectly crafted. Another great KRP moment comes when station critic Norris Breeze refers to Jennifer as a "total airhead" in front of Mama Carlson. The one person Mrs. Carlson considers her equal, and she is called a "total airhead." What a great moment.
The final episode ties everything together perfectly. It was not guaranteed at that time whether KRP was returning, so they made an episode that could be the last, but it didn't have to be. Johnny's explanation of how KRP is supposed to lose money explains why Mrs. Carlson went along with the new format in the first place four years earlier.
There has certainly never been a more socially consious sitcom, and there are many great dramas that didn't deal with as many issues as WKRP. Every political issue that is important even today is tackled in a KRP episode. Abortion, racism, homosexuality, censorship, unions, alcoholism, drug abuse, and education to name a few. There are also episodes involving the rich vs. poor, and a classic involving lying, scheming politicians. I have literally tried to think of an issue that wasn't addressed on WKRP, and I can't do it.
It's unfortunate that none of the eight actors ever made a real splash after WKRP. Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman, and Loni Anderson have had their moments, but none of these actors are considered to be big stars. For four great years, they created a show that a lot of people missed. For those of us who have gotten to see it, we will never forget. -
frankfob30 May 2003Amid the cookie-cutter, assembly-line sitcoms of the late '70s and early '80s, "WKRP in Cincinnati" stood out like a breath of fresh air. It had all the qualities necessary for a classic comedy: the show was character-driven, not dependent on a never-ending stream of glib and not-so-glib one-liners (and, thank God, no "cute" kids); the writing was sharp, clever, and at times absolutely brilliant; the ensemble cast worked together like a well-oiled machine, with each character having its own distinctive--and, unusual for television, three-dimensional--qualities, both good and not so good; and in addition to wringing laughs out of everyday situations, it wasn't afraid to tackle more serious subjects, either, such as parental responsibility, censorship, shady business practices in the industry, drug use and, of course, one of the most barbaric problems to have confronted America in this century: the practice of using live turkeys in promotional campaigns ("As God is my witness, I thought they could fly!").
Many episodes stand out, of course, the main one probably being the above-mentioned turkey extravaganza, but there were others that were equally as memorable: the staff's discomfort at being sponsored by a chain of funeral homes and having to come up with a catchy "slogan" for them; the inspired casting of Bert Parks as Herb Tarlek's charming, but even more obnoxious, father; Johnny Fever's "selling out" by hosting a cheesy TV dance show; Les Nessman's being barred from sports locker rooms because of a false rumor spread around that he was gay; a dark secret from Venus Flytrap's past finally catching up with him; and a host of other brilliant episodes dealing with serious and not-so-serious issues.
This is one of the class acts of sitcomdom, and ranks up there with "Taxi", "Mary Tyler Moore," "Cheers" and "Seinfeld" as among the finest sitcoms ever made. Unfortunately, unlike the aforementioned shows, "WKRP" never really got the respect it so richly deserved. But at least we can keep enjoying it on reruns. Thank God for small favors. -
Pro Jury16 March 2003Dr. Johnny Fever. Venus Flytrap. The Big Guy. Les Nessman with the news! Remember the WKRP carp fish mascot fighting the WPIG pig mascot in the men's room? In real life things were much more friendly. The cast and crew of WKRP still meet each year which is a remarkable thing.
WKRP has the most vivid (and funny) off-camera moment in the history of TV sitcoms: Herb and Mr. Carlson dropping live turkeys from a helicopter above a shopping center parking lot. "My God, the humanity!"
WKRP was the Cadillac of late 70's sitcoms. Ignored by TV critics and the Hollywood establishment, but much loved by TV viewers and that is what counts. The last first-run episode of WKRP was the 7th highest rated network program for the week it aired. -
sonya9002816 July 2009WKRP is a quality sitcom, from top to bottom. It was based on the real WKRP radio station, which existed in Cincinnati. Back in the late 70s when WKRP premiered, there were still a few sitcoms on the tube, that took place in middle America. Other examples of such shows, were Mary Tyler Moore, and Bob Newhart. As a heartland-based show, WKRP certainly conveyed lots of heart.
WKRP revolved around a group of lovable misfits. And they all wound-up, for one reason or another, working together at the marginal WKRP. The station Manager, Mr. Carlson (played with great comedic flair, by Gordon Jump), wants to improve the station's low ratings. So, he brings in a hip new programmer, who switches the format from old-time easy-listing music, to rock and roll. Day-to-day, the station still tries to hold its own, despite it's eccentric, and often incompetent staff.
Best thing about this show, was the great ensemble cast. All of the characters, had distinctly different personalities. And the friction between them all, could be quite hilarious. The characters also displayed very human flaws, which the viewer could identify with. These days, most sitcoms have characters that have more than their share of good things; sexy looks, great careers, plenty of money, etc. By contrast, the characters on WKRP were lacking in many ways. But this managed to make these characters quite endearing to the average viewer, whose life may not be the least bit glamorous.
Hands-down, WKRP is among the best of the classic sitcoms. Watch it on DVD when you can, and you'll definitely see why. -
ChuckCunningham31 January 2022With nothing to watch on TV yesterday morning, I pulled out my DVD collection of the entire series and watched the episode where Johnny thinks God is talking to him. Later in the day I heard Howard Hesseman had gone off to morning drive in the sky. Rock on, fellow babies!
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bkoganbing24 May 2019WKRP in Cincinnati was about the folks who run a local radio station in, where else but Cincinnati. Back in the 70s television was making an effort to locate TV series in places other than New York or Los Angeles. They kind of struck a gold mine with Cincinnati because the 70s were the years of Cincinnati glory baseball years with their Big Red Machine. I remember references to the team and even Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson made a guest appearance on one of the shows.
Gary Sandy was the new station manager as the station was transitioning to a rock format. Owner Gordon Jump wasn't crazy about it, but he was going with the times.
A couple of new disc jockeys are hired, a pair of unique characters Howard Hesseman as Dr. Johnny Fever and Tim Reid as Venus Fly Trap. These two were definitely people of their time.
The news was the preserve of Richard Sanders a rather peevish person who jealously guarded his turf. Jan Smithers was a young intern who did all kinds of work assisting where needed.
WKRP in Cincinnati was the first big break for Loni Anderson who is this gorgeous platinum blond in the Jean Harlow/Marilyn Monroe tradition. But that was in looks only. Anderson was Jump's assistant and she was smart and used words of more than two syllables quite effectively.
This was a pretty funny show and the humor was both topical and timeless at the same time. Glad the MeTv network is running these old shows. -
beaconb31 January 2022Just saw that Howard Hesseman ("Johnny Fever") has died, and felt the need to check out IMDB for WKRP info, and post a review. I rate almost nothing a perfect 10 on this site, but as far as TV situation comedies go, this show is clearly a 10, and even today is totally enjoyable to watch! The characters are extremely well developed (and some physically well developed ;) ) and the stories from week to week are always entertaining. The raunch factor of situation comedies of the past 20 years is absent. This show reveals that you don't have to have cheap and blatant sexually-related jokes to get a laugh.
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johnnysam224 April 2007but this was/is one of those shows that was just too good to be true. Along with "Freaks & Geeks, Arrested Development, and The Powers That Be," WKRP was perfection on a 19 inch TV. CBS exec's should have been fired for treating this classic show with such disrespect. I remember the excitement of waiting for the show to begin, when all of a sudden, CBS did the unthinkable, and replaced it with some mundane piece of garbage. Oh well, thank God for DVD's. Now it will live in infamy and anytime I want to hear Les proclaim, "Oh the humanity, " or Mother Carlson shouting, "Hirsch!" It will be at my finger tips!!! So, along with "Cheers, Newhart, and a few other" the classics live on! Now, if only FOX would release "Duet" on DVD. It would be heaven on Earth!
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LukeCoolHand27 November 2022Just watched one half of an episode of this drivel. I watched an episode or two when it was on over 40 years ago and hated it. Now that I'm older and tried it again it is AWFUL -way worse than I remember. I would rather watch Bosom Buddies, My Mother the Car or Car 54 Where Are You which were also terrible but a hundred times funnier than this thing. It is really a head scratcher why it was so popular and to this day remains loved and has a lot of hype. The laugh track is very annoying and is unleashed at every line said. Every character on the show has a very low IQ - lower than the 3 Stooges which BTW was funnier than this show. Will never watch it again.
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mamahid3 December 2000Many sitcoms start out with great promise, but over successive seasons settle and turn dimensionally less realistic. Take for example Tony Danza's spiral down in "Taxi" into the "dumb guy." In WKRP in Cincinnati, the complete opposite was true. Two dimensional stereotypes at the beginning (cowboy programmer, dim-witted receptionist, lazy mama's boy manager, city-wise black DJ, etc.) were allowed over the show's course to become psychologically real. The on-going harassment by married salesman Herb Tarlek towards Jennifer the receptionist was finally confronted, and in subsequent episodes he was never quite the pig towards her as before. Alcoholism and drug abuse were addressed, but never in the "hit you over the head" PC style of today. The show could be simultaneously hilarious and of dire seriousness. If you can, catch the episodes in rerun in order. The final season is amazing, especially when the previous years have set you up for it. Carol Bruce (Mama Carlson) episodes are especially stunning. And always look for Les Nessman's roaming band-aid.
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culwin17 September 1999This show is one of the best ever. The stories are original and clever, and all of the characters have their own unique personalities. These are the classic underdogs that everyone can relate to. Why was this series cancelled?? Perhaps like Seinfeld, they decided to leave at the height of their success. Anyways, I can actually remember watching this show when it was on, and I was only 6 or 7! Now with reruns I must have seen every episode 10 times. I only wish they had made more episodes. Unfortunately, the 1991 "New WKRP in Cincinnati" was a far cry from the original series. If they could have had some sort of "reunion movie", and not tried to make a whole new series, it could have been good. But perhaps sometimes you just can't relive the past. It's over and we should move on. Like the song says, "just maybe think of WKRP once in awhile". *sigh*
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Sylviastel25 November 2006WKRP in Cincinatti was a great show with a stellar cast including Gordon Jump who played the station's owner. Gary Sandy who played one of the disc jockeys. Of course, the unforgettable Howard Hesseman as another disc jockey. The guy who played Les Nessman was also memorable as the news guy. Frank Bonner who played sleazy Herb as the advertising salesman and of course the ladies played by Loni Anderson and I forget the other girl's name but she was good too. Anyway, the show was well-written, acted, and performed that it left a timeless impression on us. Of course, Tim Reid was also excellent as well. The show had a first rate cast which worked very well together comically and produced some of the finest moments on television.
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widsith-5860213 September 2015In an era before cellphones, the internet or i-things, this was a little slice of heaven. The small, ensemble cast mesh wonderfully together. It takes a while for the angles and humour to work themselves out in the first few episodes, but like M*A*S*H or Friends, the cast stealthily grow on you until you catch yourself aping their mannerisms and quotes in daily life.
The basic premise is a family-run classical music radio station that has to reinvent itself as a rock station to survive, for which they hire Gary Sandy as a new station director. He inherits a dysfunctional but enthusiastic set of individuals, including utterly self-possessed advertising salesman Frank Bonner, much loved but totally ineffectual office manager Gordon Jump, gorgeous secretary Loni Anderson and utterly gullible and forever earnest news presenter Richard Sanders.
As a comedy it never makes the mistake of taking itself too seriously, but does have quiet fun having a crack at racism, sexism and gay issues occasionally. It's really a character driven affair, and one watches episode again and again for the pleasure of seeing how the crew of the station either wind each other up or manage to pull together when crises hit.
In spite of finishing a third of a century ago, it still comes over as fresh, and a league above many far more plush and 'daring' comedies of recent times. It doesn't have the answer to life, the universe and everything in it, it is just plain, heart-warming fun. -
shanakin31 January 2022After all the positive reviews here it's hard not to agree or say the same of what has already been said about this series. Perfect casting all the way down the line, yes there were a few episodes that fell into the TV tropes at the time but to have episodes like the Turkeys Away episode that everyone seems to remember, to an episode of the tragedy at The Who concert. Or Venus teaching a kid in a gang about the Atom in such a way that even I remember, what incredibly smart TV to make you think and laugh at the same time.
This series was also placed after M. A. S. H. for a time on Mondays when M. A. S. H. was the number one series on TV and WKRP actually scored higher in the Nielsen ratings really says something. CBS floated this series all over the place for four seasons squeaking out 90 episodes. The series was so popular in reruns during the 80's that in the early 90's they brought it back in syndication called the New WKRP in Cincinnati.
I guess most of all I always enjoyed it since it's original run and in reruns, it brought a huge smile to me and some laugh out loud moments. Comfort TV when I needed it the most. Thank you Dr. Johnny Fever, The Big Guy Carlson , Venus, Andy, Bailey, Herb, Les, Jennifer you made this TV watcher very happy.
R. I. P. To Howard Hessman, Frank Bonner and Gordon Jump, hopefully Led Zepplins song Stairway to Heaven sang them off to that Rock-N-Roll station in the sky... -
sarahtobin15 May 2012This is the best TV show ever aired. The episodes are all so classic and memorable. The characters are perfect. They all seem to compliment each other. Herb, Les, Johnny, Bailey, Jennifer, Mr.Carlson, Andy, Venus. Whenever I watch them it feels like I am with family. I love this show. If you haven't seen it yet, go out and get it. It is great for the family. Here is a list of some of the best episodes. Pilot 1, Pilot 2, Turkey's Away, Fish Story, Preacher, Fire, Daydreams, Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide (1 and 2), Tornado, An Explosive Affair (1 and 2), A Simple Little Wedding, Baseball, Frog Story, And so many, many more... OVERALL RATING:11/10
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hfan7713 July 2010As someone who has been interested in broadcasting and trying to get into this very competitive field, I really enjoyed WKRP in Cincinnati. It was a very funny, well-written show that had one of the best ensemble casts of any sitcom.
The cast was anchored by a young Gary Sandy, who played Andy, the program director and Gordon Jump as Arthur (Big Guy) Carlson, the station manager. His overbearing mother owned the station. There was also Howard Hesseman and Tim Reid as DJs Johnny Fever and Venus Flytrap, Richard Sanders as newsman and farm reporter Les Nessman, Frank Bonner as Herb, though married was crazy about Jennifer, the lovely receptionist played by fellow Minnesotan Loni Anderson. There was also Jan Smithers as Bailey,
Some memorable episodes included former Reds manager Sparky Anderson hosting a sports talk show and Herb's family being featured on a TV show which was co-hosted by former Hollywood Squares host Peter Marshall and Reid's wife Daphne Maxwell.
But the most memorable WKRP episode was the Tone around Thanksgiving where turkeys came out of an airplane. To me, it's the known of the 90 episodes.
Unfortunately, CBS kept moving the show around to different time slots and that's why I felt it contributed to a shorter than expected run. If it stayed in the same slot, there would have been more than 100 episodes and a longer and more successful run in syndication.
But WKRP wasn't a great success in reruns as well as home video because of clearance issues regarding the music used on the show. Other than that, it was a very funny show that spoofed radio and I'll close with Les Nessman's sign off "May the good news be yours." -
mm-3917 July 2004I really hate this show. I don't know why? I use too love it as a kid. Many years later seeing this show on re-runs I found it just doesn't have it. Maybe I have sit com burn out. Some of the episodes have the 70's liberal social message, like in "All in the Family" and other episodes are zaney. What I found that I HATE about the show now is the characters of Herb, Less and Mr Carlson. Hey, these guys are capital L losers. Surprised no one wiged out at the station on them. I like the old Cincinnati Stingers pennet in the back ground. I wonder if I could get one off e bay? That was cool, and keeps me from changing the channel. Maybe, I got repetive TV re run sickness. I seen this show and MASH way too much. I can't eat samli anymore after 3 millions serving, maybe the same goes with this show too.
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Gislef9 July 1999Only a very few comedies have reached what I consider the height of mixing pathos, characterization, slapstick, verbal byplay. Night Court, Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore...and WKRP manages to surpass them all. WKRP comes out ahead of most of these (except maybe Night Court) because it was a true ensemble. It didn't focus on just Sam & Diane, or just Mary, but equally covered each of its cast members, giving them almost-equal screen time.
These were also folks who had _lives_ that didn't revolve entirely around the office or resolving the problem at the office: families, social lives, etc.
The recent Nick at Nite marathon (40 hours, five nights) just brought back home to me that this show was so funny, and why even some of the worst episodes are still a heck of a lot funnier than most "comedies" on the air today.
Hopefully WKRP will be settling into a long stay on Nick at Nite once the marathon runs its course. -
Running only four short seasons from 1978-1982, this was one of the most perfect shows of its time, and a near dead on commentary on small media outlets.
The story is supposed to be about Andy Travis (Gary Sandy), as he leaves the Southwest to become program director of small station WKRP. When he arrives it is playing elevator music and nothing works well, which is how station owner Mama Carleson wants it - it is later revealed that WKRP is supposed to operate as a tax write-off and that's why she's put her rather incompetent son (Gordon Jump as Arthur Carleson) in charge of the station. The whole show is really about the comic conflict between "the jeans" and "the suits". Andy, Bailey, and DJs Venus Flytrap and Doctor Johnny Fever are "the jeans". "The suits" are Arthur Carleson, sales manager Herb Tarlek, and news director Les Nessman. The whole show is just a comic take on the younger characters trying to right the station in spite of the hang-ups and incompetence of the older ones. By "young" and "old" I'm really talking young at heart versus old at heart. Chronologically, Dr. Johnny Fever is probably older than Herb Tarlek, but they are definitely on different sides of the establishment/anti-establishment demarcation line. Although that doesn't mean that the younger characters are not without their comic quirks. In the middle, never really taking sides, is secretary Jennifer Marlowe (Loni Anderson) who knows many wealthy men, lives way beyond the means of a secretary, and who is a good soul and a woman whose private life is shrouded in mystery.
Don't think that these guys are adversaries though. When they have to they can work together, and everybody honors Les' fake walls - marked by tape on the floor - regardless of what they think of his abilities.
WKRP was a refreshing little show during a time when many of the sitcoms were taking on serious tones. Its writers understood the comedy part of situation-comedy. Although I was sad when it was canceled, the fact that it was on just four seasons meant that it never really had to change its format and in retrospect probably had a perfect show life. All the actors were hilarious and they complemented each other extremely well. One of the reasons WKRP remains popular and beloved today is because it didn't wear out its welcome. Three's Company is a perfect example of a sitcom that made that mistake. It was just as hilarious, but it just hung around way too long.
The sad thing is this show in its entirety will remain only in our memories unless you had an early VHS recorder and had the foresight to record episodes. That is because the music, so integral to the show, had no legal provisions for release to home video in any form. In 1978 such an idea was just a concept not a reality. Someone who worked at CBS and should be in the know said that the masters of the film containing the music were destroyed years ago. That's one reason the only season ever released on DVD lacked the original music and was a complete failure. -
grendelkhan19 April 2010WKRP was a brilliant show that attempted to carry on the early legacy of MASH; that is, to skillfully combine hilarious comedy with poignant drama. For the most part, it succeeded. Episodes shifted from pure comedy, like the Thanksgiving episode, to mostly drama, like "Who is Gordon Simms?" Other episodes combined both for excellent television.
The premise of the show is built around a small, barely surviving radio station, "run" by Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson. Beautiful receptionist Jennifer Marlowe keeps the salesmen at bay, though none moreso than the station's own sales manager, the sartorially challenged Herb Tarlek. Newsman Les Nessman (5 time winner of the Buckeye Newshawk Award) brings the days events to listeners, in often bizarre and porcine heavy doses. Shy Bailey Quarters writes copy and assists where needed. Then there is burnt out DJ, Johnny Caravella, formerly known as Johnny Duke, Johnny Sunshine, Johnny Cool, Johnny Midnight, etc.. John found himself in this broken down station after uttering a forbidden word on the air on an LA station. Into this mess comes new Program Director Andy Travis, with definite ideas about how to fix things; change the format to rock 'n' roll. Accompanying Andy is Venus Flytrap, a cool new DJ who speaks of the stars to his children. With this new mix, chaos ensues, as the station slowly climbs out of the basement of radio.
The cast are all brilliant and the mature scripts give everyone a focus over time. Gary Sandy and Howard Hessmen carry much of the show, with Gordon Jump, spinning in and out of things, brilliantly portraying the befuddled but caring Big Guy. Lonnie Anderson gets to deliver wisecracks and sage advice, but she also gets a few episodes to round out her character. Richard Sanders is unequaled as Les, the newsman who never seems to know what is going on, but that there is a Communist conspiracy at the heart of it. Frank Bonner carries of the ugly suits and slimy personality of Herb, but manages to humanize him and make you generally like him. Tim Reid gets to be both a wise voice and a participant in the madness. Reid had built a name in the stand-up circuit and proved equally brilliant here. Partner Tom Driessen gets to put in an appearance in the final season. Jan Smithers portrays Bailey as brilliant and beautiful, but painfully shy. Bailey slowly comes out of her shell as the series progresses. Bailey gets her moments, but is the more neglected member of the cast. Finally, Carol Bruce is wonderful as "Mama" Carlson, the Machiavellian owner of the station and the Big Guy's mother. Bruce is given a few tender moments to soften the hard edge, but she is a treasure as the terror of the station. The addition of Ian Wolfe as her butler, Hirsch, was a stroke of genius in the later days.
WKRP is filled with laughs, but is tempered with a humanity and real issues, including: censorship, race, parenting, love, health scares, troubled marriages, alcoholism, abuse, honoring veterans, and many more. The show rarely struck a false note with these complex issues, allowing comedy and drama to arise naturally. They rarely presented easy solutions and strove to maintain a balance with controversial topics.
WKRP is much missed and is a poster child for the problems of video releases. It is one of the most sought after shows, but one that is too expensive to release with the original music intact. The music was so integral to the show's plots and dialogue that substitution doesn't really work. The lone season 1 release is hollow, with edits made to cover the greatest omissions and comedy beats affected by music changes. Fans didn't support the release, so it is unlikely that further releases will launch. It's a shame, as this series really stands above its contemporaries. -
maryann45105 November 2020Best sitcom EVER !! We would laugh until we couldn't breathe .the whole family " as God is my witness i thought turkeys could fly " was one of the best .. But each one was a #10. Loved loved loved it
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grantss13 April 2022The fun and games of the employees of WKRP, a radio station in Cincinnati.
A wonderfully funny show set in a radio station. Original, off-beat humour and good fun. The mix of characters made for some very interesting plots and skits.
Crowning it all off was the music. Generally 70s rock (i.e. The best kind of music), it certainly gave a great vibe to the show.
Sadly, most of this music is missing from the DVDs of the show, due to copyright/royalty issues. A great pity.