Ep. 15 - Never Leave Me, Lucille

January 24, 2015

Writer: Bill Dial
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: March 5, 1979

Here is a script that doesn't get written today. Herb and Lucille have a fight and he leaves her (or, more likely, she kicked him out. But he said he left so who am I to argue). There's no discussion of counselling or child custody or lawyers. All Herb can see is his chance to do all the things he thinks everybody else is doing - namely picking up ladies in singles clubs and eating dip without chips!

Maybe it's because divorce is more prevalent in our world today or, I think more likely, more TV shows have tackled the topic of separation and divorce in the past 30 years, that this take seems superficial. In the previous episode, WKRP tackled payola because it was the only show on TV that could. But LOTS of shows involve families and so many have tackled separation better.

Let's be real though. Separation is just a frame used to set up a few very funny bits. Starting right off with the image of Les coming into the office early to strip? do calisthenics while singing like Elvis, leading into a "Three's Company"-like misunderstanding of Bailey thinking Les and Herb are having a lovers quarrel. (I know he's not the writer of record, but that scene seems like it would have been Richard Sanders's idea)

Personally, I love the scene of Venus and Johnny in the control room when Les comes in and double-talks Johnny into taking Herb in for a few days. The scene runs like architecture to get to the payoff line "You're Dummy sign is on crooked." (Bill Engvall... you're welcome)

There are two big set pieces in this episode. The first is in Johnny's apartment and we have never seen it before. It looks like the apartment of a college student which is pretty much how Johnny has described his life in past shows. All the single and newly single guys at the station gather to take Herb out for a night on the town. Of course, all the guys really want to do is demonstrate to Herb how hard it is to be single in the 70's. Even Les tells him "One night stands gets old after a while." It seems too simple that just looking at a few pictures of his family is enough to convince Herb he has made a mistake.

You kids today (the blogger yelled, shaking his fist) will never know the panic that is visiting someone's house to see they have set up a slide projector and a screen. You know how on Facebook someone will post 350 vacation pictures? You have a choice whether you want to view any, some of all of those pics. But a personal slide show? You would have been in for the entire run, complete with narration. Herb having slides of his car mixed in with ONE picture from Disneyland is a pure slice of seventies. (It also gives us the classic WKRP line "The other guy is Goofy.")

Finally, we have the scene in the bar between Jennifer and Lucille (Welcome back, Edie McClug!). As much as Herb is looking for a chance to get out on the town, Lucille also wants to go even more. She is so excited someone would ever send a drink over to her, she is immediately ready to go say hi. Jennifer is of course a little more experienced with this, as the ridiculous number of drinks coming to the table shows us. I think, if Lucille learns anything from Jennifer here, it's that maybe she doesn't have to jump at the first offer. Eventually, Lucile even makes Herb squirm a bit before agreeing to take him back.

As hard as I've been on how blithely the issue of separation has been dealt with on this episode, the genuine fondness you feel between Herb and Lucille is well acted and very sweet. They are a couple who should be together - neither is too bright (one doesn't know you serve chips with dip; the other doesn't realized that "primitive" isn't a compliment in pottery class); both dress in colourful suits and both just want to have fun with each other.

The waiter droning "Short man in bow tie. Tall black man. Cowboy and Longshoreman" is funny enough; then you see the four men he's talking about, it's even better. The episode ends with each of the guys giving their opening lines to Jennifer. This is the last piece of our '70's flashback - only Les's pick up line would still work today. Ladies, would you turn your head for a guy asking "What's your sign?" or "Looking for a little action, sugar?" But who wouldn't look at the guy who sits down, lifts his drink and states:

"Hi! I'm incredibly wealthy!"

Roy

Ep, 14 - Welcome Home Johnny

January 23, 2015

Writer: Blake Hunter
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: February 26, 1979

This is a strange episode to be the second part of "Goodbye Johnny" as it is VERY different in tone and story from the first part. WKRP goes back to "very special episode" territory with this episode about both cocaine and payola. What do either of these topics have to do with last week's topic of friendship? Not too much.

The seventies were a time of tremendous corruption in the music industry, as organized crime had gotten its claws into many corners of the industry. Lots of fast cash could be made that wasn't being closely monitored. Although payola had been illegal since the '50's, many DJs and program directors were used to receiving "gifts" of backstage passes, drugs, women or cash in return for increased airplay or promotion of certain acts. With the passing of the RICO act, organized crime was targeted by law enforcement and the payola scandals of the '70s were brought to light.

"WKRP in Cincinnati" was a show in the unique position to handle this topic directly. What other show in the seventies was about the business of rock and roll? Going back to the third episode about the stigma of homosexuality, WKRP liked to work on topics no other show even attempted to touch.

At one point, Venus says he doesn't like the new morning man because there was something about him that was "too white." Could they have found a whiter name than "Doug Winter"? Brought to Andy by Murray Glessler the sleezy promoter of fictional Onslaught Records, Doug blatantly sucks up to Les and Herb, which is a signal to the audience he is not to be trusted. It's not surprising Herb likes Doug; Herb would love to be a record company promoter and work in a world of free stuff, drugs, women and cash.

To beat the point home, Doug seems to only play one song every time he is on the air. "Nowhere Band" by the Soundtastics is a fictional song by a fictional band, which means it never had any rights issues in syndication or other releases. I actually find it kind of catchy. I don't know why Andy wouldn't want to promote it.

Johnny comes back to Cincinnati after getting fired in LA and nothing more is made of his time in California. This, to me, is another indication that the "Johnny leaving" plot of the last episode was shoehorned into this episode, perhaps to make the controversial topics in this episode more palatable. He goes back on the air as "Heavy Early" the midnight to 6 am DJ. My question is, why is Johnny just as sleep deprived as when he worked morning drive time? He's sleeping all around the station the same way he always does. What time wouldn't be so "Heavy" for Johnny?

My other question is why it takes so long for Andy to look into Doug's background? I know he was anxious to hire someone, but didn't Doug provide three references, like I have had to for every job I've ever had? Was Murray, a guy Andy doesn't even want to talk to, reference enough?

A very nice touch at the end is a joyous Dr. Fever returning to the air after Winter has been fired. He's skipping and singing along to the Red Wigglers commercial that was driving him crazy a few shifts ago. Johnny is rarely this exuberant and it's fun to see him playing along with the worm song!

Other note: Welcome Sam Anderson! Anderson might now be best known for his recurring role on "Lost" but he is legend in the WKRP universe. He will have a number of guest shots throughout the shows run and NEVER as the same character. I don't know if we were never meant to notice or if it was an intentional running joke but it will now definitely be a checklist item for this blog.

Roy

Ep. 13 - Goodbye Johnny

January 20, 2015

Writer: Blake Hunter
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: February 19, 1979

As I write this blog, the weather is pretty close to what Johnny describes in the cold open (get it? COLD open? Ha!). "A blistery 14 degrees (-10 C) with winds from the north at about a thousand miles an hour." I want to move to LA right now too.

That is probably my biggest issue with this episode: there is no good reason for Johnny to stay in the 24th ranked station in Cincinnati when he has a chance to go back to the second largest market in the country, that has 12 months of beach weather, to join the competition of the station that fired him for saying "Booger" on the air. Why shouldn't he? Because he has friends? Because Jennifer may, might, possible, someday sleep with him maybe?

Perhaps part of what makes "WKRP in Cincinnati" important to anyone reading a blog about it, is that the characters considered that station and the people in it so important to their own lives, that they continuously chose WKRP over what are objectively better offers from life. I'll keep that idea in mind as I watch future episodes.

I also noticed Venus' recurring roll now, as the guy who comes to Andy's rescue. In "The Contest Nobody Could Win" Venus thinks up the idea to splice the songs together too closely to be guessed. Here, when Andy is in jeopardy of losing his top DJ, it's Venus who comes up with the plan of shaming him into staying.

This whole episode is just building up to the banquet scene; a chance to see how each character dresses and acts outside of the station environment.

Before I get into that, may I just point out that this scene would never be filmed this way today? All the characters are sitting on one side of a long table like a recreation of "The Last Supper." Today, in a single-camera universe, one steadicam would be constantly circling the table, darting in and out of conversations.

Let's go down the table. Look where Johnny is: the very end of the table with practically one foot out the door, separated from the regular cast by a character we've never met before. This is a party to show Johnny how much he is loved and he couldn't be further away from his friends

Next is Herb and his wife Lucille (played by the incredible Edie McClurg. For a certain generation, this is probably the first thing you remember seeing her in, but just go to IMDB and see how many amazing supporting roles she has had; my favourite being in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles."). Herb is embarrassed to have brought his wife and that's because she's acting embarrassingly. Herb, who is so concerned about appearances, is embarrassed to have a wife who is eating like a prisoner released from solitary. The question is not why wasn't Herb's wife invited but why was Herb invited. He obviously doesn't like Johnny, Johnny doesn't like him and he couldn't care less if Johnny stayed.

Frank Bonner and the great Edie McClurg

Andy is wearing the child of a suit and a leather couch. He's the one who needs Johnny to stay the most, but he's the one who can't go two sentences without telling Johnny the banquet is a scam. For all his smooth talking ways, Andy just can't be disingenuous. The funny thing is, he's NOT going to be disingenuous in his speech - he really DOES want Johnny to stay and really DOES feel they are friends. Way to go, Cowboy!

Master of Ceremonies Venus is next wearing the opposite of the traditional tux Mr. Carlson is wearing. The aspect of his personality we see hear is his ability to smile and push forward when everything is collapsing around him.

Next is Jennifer, and I wonder if Andy and Venus came to her and asked her to literally seduce Johnny into staying or if she just naturally knows that is her role. The reveal of that dress, the speech and her arm gestures as she speaks are all calculated. I also wonder what she would have done if Johnny had stayed. If Johnny came to work the next day and said "Jennifer, I really thought about everything you said and I really want to give us a try" would she have gone for that? I don't think it's likely and I think Johnny would know that too.

The funniest character is seeing Mr. Carlson drunk, although Gordon Jump doesn't really play drunk that well. It's funny to see that when drunk, Mr. Carlson is really just a loud version of himself - talking about fishing and distracted from what's really going on around him. Also that the only person who puts up listening to him at those times is Jennifer.

Bailey is no different at all. She is wearing the sort of flowing, belted outfits she almost always wears to work. She starts out painfully shy and then builds up her courage to give the most poignant speech of the night - like she always does, Honestly, Andy could have sent Johnny and Bailey out to lunch to get the same results.

Finally, Les is at his cockiest, which is nearly as funny as his most confused. Past president of the speech-makers club, this night has nothing to do about Johnny for him, but is a chance to impress his co-workers with his speech making abilities. What does stand out is, as things don't go well for him, how quickly he his ready to blame those around him, like Bailey and the waitress.

But Johnny does leave for LA. What will happen next?

"To Be Continued"

Also a note. The insert picture of the banquet hall is the Cricket Restaurant. This is a classic old restaurant in the grand Cincinnati Hotel. It was remodeled in 1987 and renamed the Cricket Lounge.

Roy

Ep. 12 - Tornado

January 12, 2015

Writer: Blake Hunter
Director: Will Mackenzie
Original Air Date:  February 5, 1979

"I'm in charge here now."

With those words at about the halfway mark, this episode takes a 90 degree turn from wacky slapstick to a deeper character study of Arthur Carlson. And my thought was "Aren't you always in charge? You're the station manager!"

But sometimes he has to remind everyone of that, including himself. I enjoy Mr. Carlson when he takes charge and leads the way. His humanity and goodness of spirit come to the fore and we can see why people would want to stay at this crazy radio station to work for him.

As we watched with the "Turkey Drop" episode, this one relies in the theatre of the mind elements of radio. If anything, the most unbelievable shot is the obvious stock footage insert of some generic tornado. However, when Mr. Carlson is talking a little seven year old girls into going down to her basement to hide from the storm, we completely believe she is there although we only ever see his side of the conversation.

Carlson shows some of that Marine leadership training in this moment (Does it seem odd that Carlson is a former Marine? Is this how you imagine most Marines are treated by their mothers?) , much better than the Marine training he uses early, when he demanded the Japanese businessmen to surrender.

The whole scene involving the arrival of the Japanese businessmen plays very favourably for "WKRP" in regards to a surprisingly positive treatment of minorities. This is 1979 and a lot of shows at this time would have gone for the easy racial stereotypes for the source of their humour. But "WKRP" goes for something different here. The mix-ups of a Spanish translator (actor Rene Enriquez, who later achieved fame on "Hill Street Blues") translating mid-west English to the Japanese is ridiculous without being insulting to either of those cultures. About the worst it gets is the stereotype of the Japanese being camera happy.

The mockery is saved for the dumbest characters: Herb calling his maid a "Kraut" and Les' obsession with a "godless Russian" attack.

Every so often, one of these episodes is a time capsule of the late 70's or early 80's and this is very much one of those time capsules. Look a technology! From the very first shot of Les pecking away on a manual typewriter to Les' teletype machine, with an actual bell attached, this does not look like any newsroom you would walk into today. No computers on any desks. Digging through paper filing cabinets for important documents. Even some of that basic translation we discussed earlier could have been fixed with an iPhone translation app today!

What makes it stand out is how much of what happens in this episode is dependent on that technology.

Other notes: No Bailey or Venus. They were wise enough to stay home in the storm I guess. I don't think Venus misses anymore shows after this one.
Johnny's speech about being trapped in a tornado with his mother is sweet but it gets left behind with so much else going on in this episode.
Herb might be on to something... it does seem like Andy and Jennifer have had that kiss before...
If you've been waiting for the WKRP episode with all the special effects, this is the one that has one! Enjoy that window!!

Roy

Ep, 11 - The Contest Nobody Could Win

January 6, 2015

Writer: Casey Piotrowski
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: January 29, 1979

I was watching this episode, noting how much of the original music is used and named, when I hit the 16:20 minute point and a show I'd never seen before rolled out before me.

If you had watched WKRP in syndication, or from the 2006 first season DVD set, you know that Vincent Schiavelli played the "impostor" Don Pesola. This famous character actor is easily recognizable from films such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"; "Fast Times at Ridgemount High" and "Ghost." You might remember Jennifer and Mr. Carlson discussing the "Dungarees vs Suits" argument. You certainly remember that, after causing the problem in the first place, Johnny ends up saving the day.

None of those things happened.

Which sent this intrepid blogger to the Internet!

It turns out that, in their move to preserve the original episodes as much as possible, Shout Factory came across an "original" version of the episode with a much different ending. So they included this version in the box set.

Now we have Carlson confronting Andy directly with the "Dungarees vs Suits" argument and Andy taking full responsibility for Johnny's mistake. We have the episode ending with Johnny making a plea directly to the listeners to help pay off his debt to the station. But most importantly, we have a completely different Don Pesola!

Here's the con man we know and love!

And here's the guy Shout Factory saved from the dustbin of history, John Wheeler!

Nothing in the box set explains why two endings would have been shot, but watching both (I went back and re-watched the 2006 version, just to make sure I wasn't going crazy) I can understand the reasons for the change.

The original episode (the one on our new box set) gets very slow and serious in the middle, with Carlson, Herb and Les ganging up against Andy, and Andy taking the loss of responsibilities poorly. When he leaves Carlson's office, we're not sure if he might just pack up from WKRP and go find Linda Taylor (Ep. 8 call back!). The impostor gag is telegraphed right from the start, with Mr. PES-ola literally jerking the briefcase of cash away from Mr. Carlson. Finally, the episode ends with an overly long gag of Johnny begging for donations from listeners.

But perhaps the biggest problem with the original version is that the con man gets away with his crime! Johnny is pleading for $10,000, not $5,000 which means WKRP never got the original cash back. In the syndicated version, Johnny walks Mr. Pe-SO-la downstairs then quickly returns with the money. This is speculation on my part, but I can imagine CBS telling the producers "you can't show the criminal walking away without consequence. Criminals need to face justice on TV."

The original is a darker episode and I kind of enjoy watching Andy not being the golden boy all the time. But personally, I think the syndicated version moves better and delivers bigger laughs.

Now, how about we discuss what actually happens in the show!

I've written in this blog before that the primary theme of WKRP in Cincinnati is the conflict between the younger and older generations. I've called it a battle between the Rock and Roll Generation and the older staff. Herb sees the same theme around him and breaks it all down to his theory of the Dungarees versus the Suits.

Perhaps it's not surprising that a man who spends so much time and effort in his appearance would break down the generational divide of the 1960's and '70's as a clothing issue but what I found the funniest is, he isn't using "Dungarees versus the Suits" symbolically. Herb is literally telling Les that the issues are a "smoke screen;" this is a battle of what people are wearing. Herb's life view is people are what they wear! When he says "Some of the fathers are wearing Dungarees too!" he quite honestly believes that it's the pants that are causing the problem.

Of course, Herb's biggest problem is Dungaree wearer Andy, and that young upstart Andy has been taking responsibilities and importance away from Herb simply through intelligence and competence at work. Andy hasn't put in years, sucked up to the Big Guy and worn the right clothes to get to where he is, and those are the only ways Herb knows how to do his job. We saw Herb's insecurity and jealousy of Andy right from the pilot. Herb has been waiting for Andy to mess up but unfortunately for him (and humorously for us), Herb can't take advantage of the opportunity.

For those fans whose deepest wish with this box set was the reestablishment of the original music, this episode is a Godsend. Even the contest clips, which were SUPPOSE to be too short to recognize, have been restored! The names of the songs and artists in the contest had to be redubbed in syndication. On top of those, a lot more music is played: Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign" and Captain Beefheart's "Suction Prints" both get played and named here. (The audience even laughs at the album title "Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)" as if they believe it to be a made up joke album. It's not. Captain Beefheart was just crazy).

Roy

Late edit (April 2016) - this posting of "WKRP ReLived) is far and away my most popular, because of the explanation of the edit. Thank you for reading it! I'd love for you to check out the other postings here and perhaps even leave some of your own comments and thoughts about WKRP. I can assure you, this blog in not about making any money - it's about reliving our love of a quirky TV show! Please share this love and thank you again.

Ep. 10 - A Date With Jennifer

January 3, 2015

Writers: Richard Sanders and Michael Fairman
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: January 22, 1979

Happy New Year everyone! My New Year's resolution is to write these reviews with a bit more regularity no matter what life throws in the way. So this is a good episode for new beginnings!

With Ep. 9 being a recap episode, Ep. 10 looks and feels like what the show would be for the remaining 80 episodes. Cold opening; character studies; one huge joke set piece. Some of the most famous stuff, that casual fans remember best, happened before now. The stuff that would have made you buy the box set and read "WKRP Relived" happens now.

Before we get into the episode, we have to deal with the bow tie wearing elephant in the room... look at who wrote this episode. Richard Sanders aka Les Nesman and his long-time writing partner (fun fact: he played the shop keeper in the "Turkeys Away" episode.) Sanders would go on to write a handful of episodes throughout WKRP's run and it is usually pretty easy to tell which ones are his. They are the ones in which he is trying to win himself an Emmy.

What I'm saying right now is simply my opinion and impressions, but I have always found Sanders' Les Nesman to be "actorly," to coin a phrase. He wants you to SEE the acting that is going on. His famous decision to always wear an unexplained bandage is a primary example. No character on the show has more eccentric ticks, and that is saying something - tape for walls, fear of communist invasion, whining for a traffic helicopter, whining about EVERYTHING! So in an episode he writes for himself, Les is FULL of his eccentricities. Some people would say he is showing commitment to his craft, even when he is in a broad situation comedy. I have always looked at it as a grab for the spotlight that doesn't fit an ensemble cast.

Having gotten that off of my chest, this is still a pretty good episode!

Eventually, somebody on the show had to go on a date with Jennifer (in later episodes, Mr. Carlson and Herb also went out with her), so the fact that someone is Les is funny itself.

We quickly peel back the over-compensating Les Nesman with the bombastic news intro who has just won the "coveted" Silver Sow award to the Les who feels like "the insipid jerk who makes other people want to throw up;" ugly and unlovable. This is a tremendous honour for him and he has no one to share it with.

It's interesting to observe the advice Les gets about how to ask a woman on a date. He must have done it in the past because he talks about having a girlfriend last year, who moved to St. Louis to "find herself." Both Johnny and Herb basically say the same thing... just ask her! Both both assume one has a certain amount of confidence to do it. Johnny with a "nonchalant" casualness; Herb with a ridiculous over-the-top set up line (which Jennifer shoots down with the best line of the episode "I don't like 'little gustos' Herb."). This entire episode is about Les finding confidence.

Now of course this is a pity date for Jennifer, but we all see the sincerity in Les as his confidence builds while asking her. I think that's why I really like her asking Les to put on a bow tie and plucking off his wig before they go the the ceremony. It's the sincere Les she wants to date.

Do we talk about that wig now? Or should we just go to the big set piece of the show? The selling point for the box set is the return of most of the original music and the best example so far has been Foreigner's "Hot Blooded" as the theme behind Les' transformation scene. Has anyone in television ever tied an ascot more dramatically? The wig, which all the boys mocked when they saw it, is every bit as absurd as you would hope from a store called Mr. Macho. ("That's M-C-H-O -- Macho!")

Other notes from this episode - Hello bullpen! This is the first time we see the back offices of the station, and with it, some of the most iconic WKRP images, including Herb's scissor-hinged mirror and Les' taped walls. Bonus points for Mr. Carlson's full embrace of the fake door and walls.

Jennifer is taking memos? Just a few episodes ago, she wouldn't take dictation. Must have been a job review after Mama Carlson left last episode.

Did you notice the book Les is reading is William Hedgepeth's "The Hog Book?"

I've stayed away from the theme of Les standing up to "the Man" and going against the rules because that's just a reflection of the major theme of the show - the younger generation having the confidence (here's that word again) to take on the older generation. These young folks, who all congratulate and accept Les for what he really is, are rubbing off on him. He can see the difference now between following a rule just because it's a policy and standing up for the right thing. Les has become Hot Blooded!

Roy