Ep. 9 - Mama's Review

December 22, 2014

Writer: Hugh Wilson
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: January 15, 1979

So if you missed all the earlier blogs, that's okay! This is a recap blog of all the best parts of the first eight blogs because you probably missed all those earlier blogs!

Okay not really. But that's the theme of this episode and begins a reoccurring pattern in the history of "WKRP in Cincinnati" - the show is close to cancellation and we need to remind you all about what's going on in the show.

Let's leave the repeated parts for a while and let's talk about new stuff that happens. The show has been off the air for six weeks. Critics and audience have given their opinions and some changes have been made. First off - cold opening! Tap, tap, tap, tap as Carlson and Andy are waiting for Mrs. Carlson to arrive for the quarterly station inspection. There is no dialing though the radio stations of Cincinnati. That gives us a couple of extra minutes of jokes and less sightseeing of downtown 1970's Cincy.

New graphics! White, instead of blue lettering that looks steadier and, oddly, more professional.

But the most important new addition is Carol Bruce at Mama Carlson, taking over the role from Sylvia Sidney. By the end of the show's run, she becomes the de facto ninth cast member. But here, she establishes all of Mama's important characteristics: imperious; smart; joyless; icy business woman; but in the end, a mother who cares (?) about her son.

Mama's review goes through all the highlights of the station since Andy arrived, showing all the funniest moments and showcases each of the characters. It begins with Johnny scratching the needle across the record and announcing it is "times for this town to get down!" (Ep. 1) and goes quickly to the scene of Johnny yelling at the elderly protesters in the studio(Ep. 2)

Since we've now had two Johnny spots, it's time to introduce the other characters, and if you are trying to keep this show alive, the smart move is to bring out Loni Anderson first. It is revealed that Jennifer makes an extraordinary amount of money: $24,000 a year! (oh, inflation!) and we see the scene in which she reminds Mr. Carlson that she doesn't do any of the things you imagine a secretary making $24,000 would (Ep. 7)

It is important to remember that throughout this quarterly review, Mr. Carlson's main objective is to try to keep his staff from getting fired, so a lot of the comedy comes from him attempting to defend the undefendable. Calling Les a "crackerjack news reporter" and following it with the clip of Les calling a golfer "Chai Chai Rod-ra-queeze" (Ep. 3) just gives Mama more ammunition for firings.

The next clip is the strangest, as it had never appeared in the show before. It is a short monologue of Venus, talking to his audience in his full "child of the cosmos" persona. It's a nice little illustration of what Venus does but it is a wonder why we've never seen it before.

Because the show started with two Johnny clips, Johnny gets discussed and moved past without a clip, to go straight to Bailey Quarters. But Bailey doesn't get a clip either. Instead we get a call back to a running joke that Mr. Carlson doesn't know who Bailey is. Frankly, I've never understood this joke. Only eight people work at this station - how hard can it be to remember all of their names?

Herb is up next with the clip of him being told Jennifer was once a man (Ep. 3) to show how stupid he is. When Mama asks Carlson why he didn't fire Herb years ago, Andy says "Firing Herb wouldn't solve anything." How is that true? Herb might be the worst salesman in Ohio, and the entire station's fortunes depend on him selling this new format change to the businesses of Cincinnati. Firing Herb was probably the first thing Andy should have done, even before changing the format!

But I digress. The characters are all introduced, so let's see some top clips! Here's Johnny describing on-air getting held up at the stereo store remote (Ep. 5). And then to finish, let's show the clip you're friends have told you about... it's Les and the Turkey Drop! (Ep. 7). This is by far the longest clip shown because, as we have discussed in the blog before, it's the most important clip in the show's history.

The episode ends with Mr. Carlson, no longer defending his employees, but taking responsibility for them and the actions of the station. He stands up to his mother when she begins to threaten Andy, for the first time in his life! "You're 20 minutes? They're up!" It's a very nice ending to a pretty unnecessary episode because it really puts the Mr. Carlson character into focus. He will become the lovable, sometimes bumbling father-protector of the station and it's staff. Gordon Jump plays down the shrillness of the character from the earliest episodes in favour of a well-meaning man just out of his element.

Roy

Ep. 8 - Love Returns

December 12, 2014

Writer: Bill Dial
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: November 6, 1978

"Baby, if you ever wondered
Wondered, what the theme song is all about
Turns out it's the ballad of Linda and Andy
Lovers torn apart by drive and doubt,
Doubt that anyone else could run 'KaaRrrPeee"

I'm imagining a time in 1978 when someone told a friend about this incredible funny show he had just watched, about a radio station and its manager who threw live turkeys from a helicopter. It was so funny, this friend needed to watch it next week. So the friend watches and sees this episode (written by the same writer) and wonders "What's so funny about this?"

There are definitely some funny bits to this episode, but they are all relegated to the B stories. In fact, there is a B story (Les reporting/ pestering Mr. Carlson), C story (the Date a DJ contest), D story (Herb freaking out) AND a E story (Bailey is jealous?). In my opinion, there has to be so much support, because the main love story isn't strong enough to carry the show.

Here's the problem: the central conflict is flawed. Andy has two loves in his life - rock music and Linda Ronstadt, er Taylor, the girl he once knew who has become a big rock star. He is torn between joining her on the road, living in that rock music world with the beautiful woman her loves, or staying in a job he's been at for about three months, turning around a rickety radio station. If he really loves her, that's not even a question! "Good luck, Cincinnati! Linda's waiting on the bus!"

But you have to believe he loves her to make any of this interesting. So I'm now going to give you some life advice: Love isn't how you feel about someone when they are at their best; it's about if you still feel that way when that someone is at their worst. It's easy for Andy to love Linda when they are walking through the woods and drinking wine by the fire. Heck "I" love her then! But Andy sees her stressing out two minutes before she goes on stage for the last of three nights (?!?) of shows in Cincinnati, telling the roaring crowd that she loves them, and THAT makes him choose WKRP?

Not only is that not believable, even worse for a first year sit-com - it's not funny.

So let's look at that B story with Les instead. I'm really struck re-watching the show how certain elements in which the comedy was suppose to come from one direction in the 70's now come from a different direction in the '10's. Les may be asking silly questions, but the questions coming from his WPIG colleague are offensive, borderline slanderous, and today would get him fired! The are suppose to look sophisticated compared to Les's questions, but today TMZ wouldn't ask this stuff at a press conference. The first question is asking to confirm a rumour that she is sleeping with a senator. The second question is asking if the music industry is run by the mafia! Les asking if Linda knew Elvis Presley less than a year after he died is not that foolish by comparison. The Snooky Lanson question is pretty random, however. (Just a note - Lanson was a real singer and TV personality in the '50's. Thanks Wikipedia!)

Lastly, I wish I knew more about that "Linda Taylor" song that plays at the end of the episode. No credits are given, but I would imagine actress Barrie Youngfellow, who plays Linda, is singing it and that the writers, including Bill Dial,  wrote the lyrics. "You were right for me but I was wrong" seems a little on-the-nose for the themes of this show.

It's a really nice performance by Gary Sandy (including the dramatic flair with which he writes his goodbye note), but the show is quite a drop off from the last episode.

Roy

Ep. 7 - Turkeys Away

December 7, 2014

Writer: Bill Dial
Director: Michael Zinberg
Original Air Date: October 30, 1978
***VERY IMPORTANT***
^^^FAMOUSLY FUNNY^^^


Here it is!

If you are reading this blog, chances are good you jumped right to this post. TV Guide ranked it as one of the 50 funniest episodes of TV ever! It is the episode that saved the show from getting cancelled in its first season. Frankly, it would be impossible for me to overstate the importance of this particular episode to the history of WKRP.

It's the Thanksgiving episode.

Mr. Carlson throws live turkeys out of a helicopter. Chaos ensues.

That famously happens in the second half of the show. This episode can be divided into two very distinct halves. The first half follows Mr. Carlson's attempts to become relevant within his own station. Everything has been working for so long WITHOUT his involvement, the staff (both young and old) become suspicious when he wants to be in on the action.

It sets up the comeuppance of Herb, who literal "got in line" to complain about Carlson, but later brown-nosed his way into being "right by his side" at this moment of his greatest defeat. By the way, that "get in line" site gag is extremely funny. Yet it might be the fifth or sixth funniest thing in this one episode!

This also sets up the first of what, in my opinion, are the two best and most important aspects of this episode. First, there are no wasted moments - no throwaway lines. For example, one of Carlson's first attempts to help is with Bailey doing a promotion. Although we've seen she has done this before, we know from just the last episode that she has many other jobs in the station, including producing her own show. But this particular task sets up that Carlson has done "thousands of promotions" and that he will make a snap decision without getting all the facts.

The second important aspect is that the magic of this episode mirrors the magic of radio itself: it's all about the theatre of the mind. Radio is a medium that paints pictures with words. We see it performed in spectacular fashion on three separate occasions, kicking off the second half of the show.

First, Johnny tells Venus the story of the Guatemalan earthquake relief project. It could have been two minutes of filler on a different show. But it gets the audience in the practice of imagining ridiculous things. Johnny even says "I still have this picture in my mind of quake victims stumbling through the rubble... all looking like Dolly Parton!" Venus laughs at the mental image Johnny paints for us. But this only leads to the images we will create of the Pinedale Shopping Mall!

(Another quick example about no wasted moments: Les is yelled at by a shop owner before the promotion. It's funny but it doesn't mean much... until later when you realize that this encounter is the reason Les doesn't just take shelter in the store, but stays outside for the entire... promotion. No wasted moments.)

Nothing in the next few minutes of the show is not funny.

Starting from Les being unable to distinguish a banner he himself had made and the staff back at the station miming along, the comedy builds. And all the action occurs from the description Les gives us, as well as the reactions from the staff. When Les cries out "Oh My God! They're Turkeys!" we are watching the reactions of Andy, Bailey, Venus and Johnny. Andy throws his head back in recognition of the trouble the station is about to face. Johnny just smiles and shakes his head.

Les's news report is obviously an aping of Herbert Morrison's famous reporting of the 1937 Hindenburg disaster, specifically when he says "Oh the Humanity!" Les is equating turkeys hitting a parking lot with deaths of dozens of people in a fiery zeppelin crash! But the screaming, destruction and confused terror from the crowd must make Les think about the worst.

Then the remote feed suddenly goes dead. Again, we are watching the reactions of the staff as the "theatre of the mind" comes to a sudden jarring end and reality snaps back in. Johnny is naturally the person who can handle that jar the best, with what is personally my favourite line in the show: "Les? Are you there? [pause] Les isn't there."

Back at the station, Andy and Jennifer are handling the fallout from the turkey disaster when Herb and Mr. Carlson return, disheveled and covered in turkey feathers.They are soon followed by an even more disheveled Les, who proceeds to tell everyone the aftermath of the turkey drop in the last great "theatre of the mind" piece. "It's like the turkeys mounted a counterattack!" No filmed footage could ever match what is in your mind's eye upon hearing a line like that!

Finally, as the credits start to roll, Mr. Carlson comes out of his office to deliver the single most memorable line in WKRP's history: "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

It has taken me a while to write this post. I've wanted to touch on as many points as I could for this, the quintessential episode of a program about which I've promised to write 83 more posts. I may even come back to it again in the future. (Jennifer won't get coffee, but Bailey brings everyone in the control room coffee. Herb feels Carlson thinks off him as a son. Oh, there's so much here!!)

I see there are a number of people who have read these posts, and I thank you.  I'd love to hear about your memories of the show, your comments about this blog, what you think of the new box set or even just what brought you here.

Thanks
Happy Thanksgiving, whenever you're reading this
Roy

Ep. 6 - Bailey's Show

November 27, 2014

Writers: Joyce Armor and Judie Neer
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: October 23, 1978

Let's start discussing this episode without talking about gender.

This is the story of a young, wannabe executive who embraces an opportunity that no one else even cares about. This person soon discovers the job is much more difficult then they imagined, filled with difficult people, so this person has a breakdown. Bullies tell them they are no good at this job, so there is another breakdown. But the young wannabe moves forward, and... it turns into a terrible disaster! The wannabe has another breakdown! Finally this person summons up the courage to fight for another chance, shouting down the bullies in the process. Courage wins the day and new respect is found.

That's a pretty standard story as it stands. What makes this episode funny is the specific stuff that happens within this episode. In this way, it is very different from the episodes we've already seen, wherein the premise itself is ridiculous, and the show just piles more funny stuff on to that (ie elderly protesters invading the station or a remote show getting hijacked)

Also, count all of those breakdowns! Three in 22 minutes. That just comes off as manipulative by the writers. Wouldn't this character have our support with even just one crying jag?

But then my opinion flips again. There is some very funny stuff in  here.  Mrs. Woodruff's story about her alien abduction is straightforwardly crazy, but Venus' reactions are fantastic. His "Did this place have heavy metal screens on the windows" line puts the whole rest of her story in context and makes Bailey's squirming even funnier. In fact, this is Venus' best show so far. As well, the sight of Johnny digging through the trash, finding the remnants from Venus' late night date, is also good.

Of course, Johnny's interview with Dr. Hyman Monroe is the gonzo highlight of the show. If you have ever listened to talk radio, you know that opening up the phone lines is almost always a clarion call for crackpot opinion.  I don't know what makes him so crazy though... I have children and their eating habits ARE disgusting.

The show all builds to that one very funny scene. Which is good, but I don't think this is a particularly interesting episode... until you add back in the gender factor.

Because this isn't just any "young wannabe executive" - this is Bailey. It's a young WOMAN who cries three times, once in front of her boss. How much of Herb's bullying is because he feels a woman shouldn't be producing this show? How much would Jennifer be backing Bailey up if she were a man? Having said this, how would you as an audience member react to what Bailey goes through if she were a man?

Look who the writers of this show are. It's two women, for the first time ever on this show. Remember this is 1978. You would have to think this is some reflection of experiences this writers have had to face in reality.

In the end, I wish the writers had given Bailey even more craziness to deal with with less manipulation of me. Six episodes in, I already like Bailey because she's been a likable PERSON. I already want to see her succeed. Show me how much she really can handle.

Roy

Ep. 5 - Hold Up

November 23, 2014

Writer: Tom Chehak
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: October 16, 1978

^^^FAMOUSLY FUNNY^^^

Last thing's first. The cop with the perm at the end of the show? That's show creator and writer Hugh Wilson!

And Bucky Dornster? That is story editor and writer Bill Dial. Which isn't as cool as the creator of the show being onscreen, but it's still something.

Now back to the show, which is suppose to be about the plight of Disc Jockeys in the modern world, but is really about how much dialogue writer Tom Chehak can squeeze into one script. And he needs all that talking to fill the mouths of two salesmen trying to out-salesman each other. In another life, Del Murdoch and Herb Tarlek could have switched roles. Both are motor-mouth, insincere sales sleezes who don't even know themselves if they are telling the truth.

It's nice to see an episode about what Herb does and why he does it. Why does he wear those suits? Because his clients compliment him on them. Does he know what he's talking about? He discusses about "increasing floor traffic," "inventory backing up" and customer demographics. Does he know what he's doing? Well, he bought a couple of thousand dollars worth of stereo equipment to earn a $700 sale, so clearly not.

The opening scene, in Del's Stereo Shop is as good of a scene as Frank Bonner, as Herb Tarlek, would ever enjoy. You can see the joy with which he is sparring with Del, the give and take from being fully Herb Tarlek, salesman and not Herb, foil to the DJ's or Lothario to Jennifer.

Back to the main plot, once again, Johnny is the one explaining to the audience some of the hardships of being a Disk Jockey. Herb (and most people) see the glamour side of the job, when he suggests to Andy that he (Herb) should host the remote ("Gosh darn! What a waste!") But Johnny explains to the audience what an automated station does to the livelihood of DJ's like Bobby Boogie. Six months out of work; jumping from format to format "up and down the dial." Is it worth pulling a gun on a stereo store owner? No, but Johnny still sympathizes.

By the way. today almost every radio station you listen to is automated. The also play their music from hard drives rather than vinyl records or CDs. So Johnny was right - the machines are going to take over!

Other notes from this episode - another episode without Bailey or Venus. At this early stage, they seem to be the Professor and Mary Ann of WKRP ("...and the rest!")

The car-driving-through-Cincinnati-while-Carlson-and-Andy-speak-over-the-shot scene (as it might be called) is one of the very rare times the show uses footage filmed in Cincinnati. In fact, I can't think of another time that it happens.

You might not recognize it today, the police sketch Johnny holds up at the end of the episode is a picture of Richard Nixon.


Roy

Ep. 4 - Hoodlum Rock

November 21, 2014
(sorry for the delay - computer problems)

Writer: Hugh Wilson
Director: Michael Zinberg
Original Air Date: October 9, 1978

The main selling feature of this new box set is the re-licensed music - having the original songs put back in their proper places in the show. But something just as great is the getting the full performances of songs that have been trimmed for syndication.

I have never seen the full two minute plus performance from "Scum of the Earth" and it's a lot of fun to watch! It is equal parts a Michael Des Barres time capsule, and example of filming within budget constraints and a strangely quaint opinion of what Punk Rock (excuse me, Hoodlum Rock) looked like to the producers of the show.

Let me draw your attention to the first scene in Andy's office, in which Mr. Carlson comes in to speak with Andy, who is sitting at his desk. The modern viewer, who is experienced at spotting product placement, will immediately see the album cover for the band Detective. It couldn't be more blatant if the band's name were Pepsi. It will also make the modern viewer ask: who is Detective?

I'm glad you asked!

Detective was a band in the mid-late seventies made up of former members of Steppenwolf and Yes, but fronted by newcomer Michael Des Barres. For fans of a certain age (like the age you would have been if you grew up watching WKRP) Des Barres became best known as either the guy who replaced Robert Palmer in the Power Station or the ex-husband of famous groupie Pamela Des Barres. Detective was signed to Led Zeppelin's label and that's pretty much what they sounded like. How do I know this? Remember that performance from Scum of the Earth I talked about before? THAT is Detective.

Here's where the budget constraint stuff comes in. You hear the MUSIC of Detective, but Scum of the Earth is played by two actors and Des Barres (in the role of "Dog"). Watch the performance again. After each Scum insults the audience, the camera focuses almost entirely on the lead singer. When we do see the band, they are obviously not really playing anything. It's a rock spectacular that barely shows the band.

Such a band! Even Andy. Venus and perpetual man-child Johnny have to shake their heads at the kids these days and what passes for music. Imagine insulting the radio host or spraying the audience with a fire extinguisher! Shocking!

This is a TV show whose central conflict is old vs young and now, only FOUR EPISODES IN, Andy is talking about music back in his day. They literally have to beat some sense into these young whipper snappers!

Movies and TV shows will often cast a piece of music in a role, no differently than an actor. The role might be "showstopping ballad" or "proof singer has gone crazy." The trick is, with bad casting, you're taken out of the performance and you just end up wondering how this person got the role. So when we are given a song that sounds like Led Zeppelin lite (aka Bad Company), and are told it's "several grades below punk rock" our ears tell us something isn't right. And what THAT is, is that the producers don't understand this new "punk" movement any more than Mr. Carlson does.

One last thought. I loved the Jennifer/Herb banter when he asks "Where have you been?" and she takes full control by answering "Out with other men Herb." Loni Anderson lights up the screen in five seconds flat!

Roy

Ep. 3- Les On a Ledge

November 9, 2014

Writer: Hugh Wilson
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: October 2, 1978

^^^FAMOUSLY FUNNY^^^


Could you IMAGINE this episode airing today?!? This is only the third episode! It is the first episode that doesn't deal specifically with the new Rock format. And what topic does Hugh Wilson want to tackle with this new show of his? The Stigma of Homosexuality in 1978!

So let's be clear, this episode is about the STIGMA of homosexuality. Look at some of things that happen in this episode: Johnny tricks Herb into staying away from Jennifer by suggesting she had a sex change operation; Les is banned from the Cincinnati Reds locker room after a player complains that Les might be "queer"; Les is prepared to commit SUICIDE because his fellow journalists might find out he has been accused of homosexuality.

Although the episode tries to take great pains to say it doesn't matter is Les is gay or not, even the most liberal characters are reserving their reactions until there is an answer. And EVERY character is in attack mode against the allegations, because that allegation is what could really ruin Les's career.

That's a lot to take in now in 2014. It's almost impossible to see any of those things being possible in today's world in middle America. Let's work backwards. Les' career (not just sports, but news and award-winning farm reports) could have been ruined by the Stigma of Homosexuality. Today, it could be ruined by the fact he is a sports journalist who doesn't know a contest of baseball teams is called a "Game."  Today, a professional ball player could have his career ruined for making any sort of homophobic statement (Hello, John Rocker!) much less using that as a pretext for banning a reporter from a locker room. Trying to ban any journalist from a locker room would also probably hurt his career.

Thirdly, in a world with Laverne Cox and Carmen Carrera, the idea of a beautiful transgendered woman isn't as ridiculous as the running joke of Jennifer once being a man. I understand in this case it is really just the crux of a farce, used to make Herb look stupid, rather than a discussion of gender acceptance but today, the joke falls back against the audience. Originally, the audience is laughing so hard because Herb is actually believing a woman as beautiful as Jennifer Marlowe might once have been a man! Silly Herb! But today, that is a reasonable outcome to gender reassignment. Okay, Loni Anderson style beauty is possibly a bit much to hope for, but it's not as ridiculous as the audience seems to think it is.

Kind of a twisty Mobius strip of social norms and comedy, isn't it? Let look at some of the other stuff in this episode.

Notice there was no Bailey or Venus? Tim Reid only ever missed three episodes of the show. Jan Smithers only missed four. Just two too many more opinions for this episode?

At the end of his phone call with the player who made the accusation, Les says "Goodbye, Bruce" and the audience roars with laughter. There was no one named Bruce on the Reds in 1978. This is just a reference to a stereotypical "Gay" name that the audience recognizes as a 'Gay' name. This was such a stereotype in the 70's that the comic book character of Dr. Bruce Banner on had his name changed to David for "The Incredible Hulk" TV series.

I understand the script is calling for Les to spout Shakespeare while contemplating his death, but the delivery is given like he's trying to reach the balcony of the Globe Theatre, not like he's standing on a ledge in Cincinnati. Les is reciting the Cardinal Wolsey soliloquy from Henry VIII ("Farewell to all my greatness."). It's a good choice, because in the play, Wolsey is addressing his rivals, who have driven him out. But Les can remember this whole passage and still thinks a golfer is named "Chai Chai Rodraqueeze"?

Roy

Ep. 2 - Pilot. Part Two

November 7, 2014

Writer: Hugh Wilson
Director: Michael Zinberg
Original Air Date: September 25, 1978


Going through the newly released WKRP box set, I'm happy to have the restored series. But I do wish there were commentaries or a booklet explaining some of the history from the show. For example, why is this called "Pilot, Part Two" and not "A Small But Determined Fringe Element." There's no way this episode could have been a replacement pilot - only the first episode introduces everything.

This is the first episode where we see Jennifer Marlowe as "miracle worker." This time it's played for laughs as Mr. Carlson asks more and more for her to get Andy and Herb into his office right away. She agrees but doesn't move, frustrating Mr. Carlson more and more, until he finally goes into his office, where both Andy and Herb have been waiting all along.

As well, we see Jennifer in her most common role as Mr. Carlson's confidant, helping him plan an escape route and graciously accepting his ham-fitted compliment. It's quite a change from the pilot in which she called him "The jerk who runs this place." This will become one of the sweetest relationships on the show.

Two particularly great scenes I want to focus on with this episode. The first is when Wayne R. Coe (in his facist-signaling Col. Sanders tie) goes to see Mr. Carlson at his office, but is confronted by Herb, who Carlson has said is him so he (Carlson) could get out of the confrontation... get all that? It makes way more sense in the scene. However, the wonderful thing to watch here is how Herb acts when he thinks he is the boss, even if just for a minute. He's rude, dismissive and insulting but won't back down, completely unlike the real boss. One episode earlier, he was almost named Program Director. Now he gives the great kiss-off line "Up your nose, Mr. Coe!"

The second great scene finds Johnny in the DJ booth, having just given a wonderfully overblown introduction to "Old Time Rock and Roll," closing his eyes to rest. At that moment, two protesters sneak in and one of them (actress Nedra Volz who would later become a regular on "Diff'rent Strokes") beats the turntable with an umbrella! Johnny calmly jumps on the air to apologize for the technical difficulties, then turns and screams at the old couple like a cop breaking up a grow-op. The best part is his next reaction when he says "I don't know what you want, but I should tell you, I've killed a lot of old people in my time." The terrified old timers run away, but moments later, he's calling the lady "Ma'am" and apologizing for not finding her cat.

The only thing that has always bothered me about this episode is the very final gag, Having teased all episode that the lady's cat is lost, at the very end, after an exhausting day, Mr. Carlson sits in his chair, only for us to hear the cat scream. What bothers me is how fake this one shot looks. There is obviously no cat in the chair. The scream sounds like a needle on a record. It just looks sloppy have a well run machine of an episode like this end on such a cheap note.

Roy

Ep. 1 - Pilot (One)

November 3, 2014

Writer (and Creator): Hugh Wilson
Directed: Jay Sandrich
Original Air Date: September 18, 1978

***VERY IMPORTANT***


Okay, here we go! The introduction to everything!

One of the first things we see looks like the set up to a bad joke: a cowboy walks into a lobby and meets a beautiful blonde.

Watching now, I'm struck by how FAST the pacing is. Sales Manager Herb is introduced as a generally harmless scumbag in under 30 seconds.  Already, distinct character archetypes are being drawn. The beautiful blonde is not a ditz - she's already shown she's smarter than Herb and not about to be objectified.

Gordon Jump's portrayal of Arthur Carlson becomes much more nuanced as the season goes on. Here, he's still shrill and panicky. But he sets up what will be the central conflict of the entire series - the generation gap between the old-timers (Arthur, Les and Herb) and everyone else, as led by new Program Director Andy Travis.

Ah Andy, the urban cowboy, using charm, flattery and a 1000 watts smile to get all the things he wants by quickly discovering all the things everybody wants from the station and promising it to them IF they come aboard his Rock n' Roll ride. Mr. Carlson, you want to show what a good manager you are; Bailey, you want to be respected; Johnny, you want to go back to doing the only thing you ever wanted to do - play rock music on the radio; Les, you want a traffic helicopter! Just follow the charming cowboy and all your dreams can come true.

So here is Dr. Johnny Fever, perhaps the most iconic of all the archetypes WKRP produced. But to me, the appearance of Johnny always means we are going to get some huge chunk of exposition brought to us in a way that seems the most entertaining. Look what we learn from his time on Andy's couch in his very first scene: he used to be one of the top rock DJ's in the LA (so we can assume he'd be more than fine for Cincinnati), he explains what Les and Herb are up to, he explains just how far down this radio station is, he explains why he's always sleeping (this is 1978. You can't quite discuss recreational drug use on TV yet) and he shows how afraid everybody is of Mamma. All of this and it never feels like you're being spoon fed medicine.

Then at last we get the moment of the format change, from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing "You're Having My Baby" (one of the worst songs ever written even if the Mormon Tabernacle Choir isn't singing it) to Ted Nugent's "Queen of the Forest." Remember, The Nuge wasn't a bow-hunting crazy man yet. He was a Rock n' Roll crazy man - big difference. And we get to one of the most beloved and remembered moments in the show - Johnny scrapping the needle across the old record and cranking up the Rock, all while creating the Dr. Fever persona before our eyes. He is quite literally awoken by the power of Rock!

But all that follows a little more exposition. Johnny turns down the offer to DJ at first, telling Andy he's about 15 years too old to do it. And THAT's when Johnny Fever turns into the fulcrum of the show; the man who is as old as Herb but with the mindset of Venus Fly Trap. Johnny is the middle ground who often acts as a sort of translator of the old guard to the new. (Jennifer does the same thing in reverse).

Finally, we meet Mamma, who for the only time is played by the late Silvia Sidney (perhaps best remembered for her role in "Beetlejuice") and that fast pace from early now seems rushed. Carlson goes from firing Andy for making the format change to being prepared to sacrifice himself for Andy if Mamma carries out the firing. Note that this change of heart has nothing to do with the power of Rock, but everything to do with the power of money. The promise of breaking even this year and $800,000 the next is enough for Carlson to jump to Andy's defense. I shouldn't be too harsh - if they had fired Andy, it wouldn't have been much of a series, would it?

There are so many things to conclude from this episode, but it is probably enough to say that it does everything a pilot is suppose to do: introduce every main character, introduce the central conflict, introduce a great theme song and introduce the world to the skyline of Cincinnati Ohio.

Roy

Introduction

November 2, 2014

WKRP in Cincinnati is my favourite TV show of all time and I don't know why. It's certainly not the best show of all time, or the funniest. It wasn't even the best show back when it was originally on the air!

To mark the long-awaited release of the complete series on DVD, I am starting this blog, in which I will write a review for every episode, in order, across the four seasons. Or at least, that is my intention. I've never written a blog before, and I may find writing one so terrible that I lose interest about four blogs in. But I hope not, and my hope is to blog about two episodes each week.

So, who am I to talk about this subject. Really, I'm nobody - just a white Canadian guy in his mid-forties who still makes Venus Fly Trap references in casual conversation. But I've watched and rewatch this show and have built up opinions about it over the years that I'd like to share with... someone. Opinions such as Johnny Fever being the greatest expositionary character ever on TV, or the tyranny that is the acting of Richard Sanders or that Loni Anderson was a better actor than you remember her being. I hope to touch on all these things in the postings to come.

Oh, and by the way, I was going to give this blog a cool name like "Flying Turkeys" or "Up and Down the Dial" but those names were already taken. Which leads me to believe there are either a LOT more WKRP blogs and I think there are, or someone actually has a blog about teaching turkeys how to fly.

Roy