March 25, 2017
Writer: Lissa Levin
Director: Frank Bonner
Original Air Date: February 18, 1980
Some episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati hold subtle messages that have taken on new meanings over 35 years, and this blog is an effort to peel back those layers to reveal those hidden story telling tricks. This is not one of those episodes. If you can't figure out that Johnny is coming face to face with his younger self, you need to stop reading this blog and go back to high school English.
So much of the show is taken up with Johnny being on the "parent" side of conversations we are certain he had 25 year earlier as the "rebellious teenager," there is almost no more room for anyone else. We've also heard enough about Johnny's first wife / Laurie's mother to imagine that Johnny was the rebellious teenage in arguments with her, when she needed to be the responsible parent to both Laurie and Johnny.
The thing that makes this episode work at all is the actress playing Laurie, Patrie Allen, who comes across as sweet and open. She's not cynical to the world in the least and really believes she can drift through her life in whichever way life takes her. The audience has to believe that SHE believes this is the way life works. We feel just as protective of her as Johnny does. Johnny's life has made him cynical (and it's those cynical bon mots of his that have kept him relevant in the intervening years). She isn't like Justin, who turns out to be not just a burn out, but rude and ungrateful, as we see in the departure scene from Johnny's apartment.
Herb Tarlek himself, Frank Bonner, is the director of this episode. It is the first episode of TV he ever directed, but after WKRP's run, he became a regular television director. There are a few nice touches he includes, most notably the number of two-shots (I counted four) of Johnny and Laurie facing each other, dressed similarly (black sweatshirt and jeans) with similar hair, emphasizing the "mirror" Johnny is looking into. Another is the physical examples showing how old Johnny is getting, like his trouble climbing up on Carlson's desk.
So at what age is someone a grown up? Johnny thinks it's the legal age of 19, but Carlson doesn't think that makes sense. It's a very appropriate point that Jennifer jokes (?) that Mr. Carlson isn't grown up yet! Johnny asks this question to those people he respects the most at the station: Mr. Carlson, Jennifer, Venus and Bailey. The writers show the interestingly point that each character answers with the age each of them believe they became an adult - Jennifer out on her own at 17; Bailey still dealing with father issues.
Does Johnny feel he is grown up? He warns Laurie not to end up living like he is when she "... forty... one." Maybe this is the first time, looking at the woman his daughter is becoming, that he has ever been on the adult side of the conversation.
Roy
Other notes: The episode ends with a terrible dub of obviously-not Gary Sandy yelling that Johnny is finally playing a hit. Shout Factory couldn't get the rights to The Eagles' "The Long Run," so an odd sound alike is being played instead. That is a real picture of Hesseman with Mick Jagger. It was taken in 1968 when Hesseman was part of the improv group The Committee. Justin says "Keith Richards can't last forever! Am I right?" Keep waiting, Justin! In her letter to Johnny, Laurie writes that she is staying with "Aunt Leela and Uncle Frank." Is that a reference to director Frank Bonner and his wife, Lillian?
Saturday 25 March 2017
Wednesday 15 March 2017
Ep. 41 - In Concert
March 15, 2017
Writer: Steven Kampmann
Director: Linda Day
Original Air Date: February 11, 1980
***VERY IMPORTANT***
This is the episode that only "WKRP in Cincinnati" could have made. A vitally important episode in the show's canon, I think most people who know about this tragic event in rock history know it because of this episode.
Before I discuss what happened, I want to look at how the episode itself was constructed and plays out.
Notice everything in this episode is kept in-house. Steven Kampmann is a staff writer credited on many episodes. Linda Day is a regular associate director helming her first episode. There are no guest stars or location shots. This episode aired a mere 70 days after the concert took place.
The episode is divided evenly in half - before and after the concert. Before the concert is very funny, and when you first watch this in syndication, you will have no idea what is about to take place. Mr. Carlson gets a lot of laughs from forgetting he is wearing an European Face Pack to help cure his cold. Johnny, becoming ever more desperate in his search for a date to the show, culminating in his "break-up exchange" with Les, is crisp, if standard WKRP fare. But watch what else is being established.
Venus will be the guest DJ, driven to the concert in a yellow limo with a group of women in "gold ankle braclets." That's sexy fun, but it also sets us up with a voice from backstage, letting us know when and where the band knew what was happening. Carlson is going to his first rock concert, giving the audience his newcomers' view of the experience. One newsperson, Bailey is established as going to the show but Les, in his conversation with Johnny, lets the audience know he will not be there.
The event is referred to in the first half of the show strictly as the "big concert." When Mr. Carlson gives the staff the afternoon off at about the eight minute mark, that is the first mention of general admission seating. The band is specifically not named until the last line of the first half, in which Johnny says of Mr. Carlson, that it looks like he's "going to see The Who in the company of a narc!" Fade to commercial.
As stated in the show, on December 3, 1979, about 18,000 people gathered at Riverfront Coliseum to see The Who on tour in support of their "Who Are You" album. This was the first tour with new drummer Kenney Jones, as Keith Moon had died previous year. Only 25 police officers had been hired for security for the entire event. Although crowds were gathered by every entrance, one set of doors was opened early and people rushed to get through those doors. Eleven people were killed by asphyxiation and another 26 people were injured in the crush. It was at the time the deadliest concert tragedy in U.S. history.
Back to the show and the action opens in the bullpen, with most of the cast discussing the night's events. The box set reveals about ten seconds of dialogue not usually shown in syndication, with Herb blaming rock music for riling up the kids. This scene typically begins where Jennifer says "It just seems so unreal." Mr. Carlson enters humming and happy that he's been to his first rock concert, to the astonishment of his employees. The exposition needed to have the events of this tragedy explained to him is even more important to those of us watching this show 37 years after the fact. Although handled fairly even-handedly, a biggest chunk of the blame is given to "festival seating." Carlson is as shocked as we would be if this were out first introduction to this tragedy.
The episode wraps up with Venus and Mr. Carlson speaking in the booth. It's a gentle conversation and keeping Bill Evans' "Remembering the Rain" jazz song is fittingly gentle - a choice that shows how Venus is in touch with the needs of the city (playing jazz on a rock station). It's also another reason to love that the box set got most of the music rights. Mr. Carlson offering Venus the European Aqua Mask here finally gives us the laugh we have been so desperately waiting for.
In my Ep. 40 blog post, I criticized Richard Sanders' over the top performance of an emotional Les. In this episode, in these scenes with a very upset Bailey, he shows the warmth, compassion and strength he didn't just last week. Bailey is "so sad and so angry" she doesn't believe she can even report properly on this story. Anyone who has ever suffered through a grieving process recognizes that combination of sadness and anger. When Les says the two of them could handle this story better than anyone "local or national," he could just as well be talking about WKRP in Cincinnati itself! There will never be another TV show situated in a rock radio station in the city where the deaths took place at the time they took place. Only one show EVER did an episode about this event. Only one show ever could.
Roy
Other Notes: This is the first television episode Linda Day is ever credited with directing. She would go on to direct over 350 episodes of television, mostly sit-coms, most notably on "Married With Children. She would even be nominated for an Emmy later in her career. A memorial plaque was finally installed at US Bank Arena (the new name for Riverfront Coliseum)... in 2015.
Writer: Steven Kampmann
Director: Linda Day
Original Air Date: February 11, 1980
***VERY IMPORTANT***
This is the episode that only "WKRP in Cincinnati" could have made. A vitally important episode in the show's canon, I think most people who know about this tragic event in rock history know it because of this episode.
Before I discuss what happened, I want to look at how the episode itself was constructed and plays out.
Notice everything in this episode is kept in-house. Steven Kampmann is a staff writer credited on many episodes. Linda Day is a regular associate director helming her first episode. There are no guest stars or location shots. This episode aired a mere 70 days after the concert took place.
The episode is divided evenly in half - before and after the concert. Before the concert is very funny, and when you first watch this in syndication, you will have no idea what is about to take place. Mr. Carlson gets a lot of laughs from forgetting he is wearing an European Face Pack to help cure his cold. Johnny, becoming ever more desperate in his search for a date to the show, culminating in his "break-up exchange" with Les, is crisp, if standard WKRP fare. But watch what else is being established.
Venus will be the guest DJ, driven to the concert in a yellow limo with a group of women in "gold ankle braclets." That's sexy fun, but it also sets us up with a voice from backstage, letting us know when and where the band knew what was happening. Carlson is going to his first rock concert, giving the audience his newcomers' view of the experience. One newsperson, Bailey is established as going to the show but Les, in his conversation with Johnny, lets the audience know he will not be there.
The event is referred to in the first half of the show strictly as the "big concert." When Mr. Carlson gives the staff the afternoon off at about the eight minute mark, that is the first mention of general admission seating. The band is specifically not named until the last line of the first half, in which Johnny says of Mr. Carlson, that it looks like he's "going to see The Who in the company of a narc!" Fade to commercial.
As stated in the show, on December 3, 1979, about 18,000 people gathered at Riverfront Coliseum to see The Who on tour in support of their "Who Are You" album. This was the first tour with new drummer Kenney Jones, as Keith Moon had died previous year. Only 25 police officers had been hired for security for the entire event. Although crowds were gathered by every entrance, one set of doors was opened early and people rushed to get through those doors. Eleven people were killed by asphyxiation and another 26 people were injured in the crush. It was at the time the deadliest concert tragedy in U.S. history.
Back to the show and the action opens in the bullpen, with most of the cast discussing the night's events. The box set reveals about ten seconds of dialogue not usually shown in syndication, with Herb blaming rock music for riling up the kids. This scene typically begins where Jennifer says "It just seems so unreal." Mr. Carlson enters humming and happy that he's been to his first rock concert, to the astonishment of his employees. The exposition needed to have the events of this tragedy explained to him is even more important to those of us watching this show 37 years after the fact. Although handled fairly even-handedly, a biggest chunk of the blame is given to "festival seating." Carlson is as shocked as we would be if this were out first introduction to this tragedy.
The episode wraps up with Venus and Mr. Carlson speaking in the booth. It's a gentle conversation and keeping Bill Evans' "Remembering the Rain" jazz song is fittingly gentle - a choice that shows how Venus is in touch with the needs of the city (playing jazz on a rock station). It's also another reason to love that the box set got most of the music rights. Mr. Carlson offering Venus the European Aqua Mask here finally gives us the laugh we have been so desperately waiting for.
In my Ep. 40 blog post, I criticized Richard Sanders' over the top performance of an emotional Les. In this episode, in these scenes with a very upset Bailey, he shows the warmth, compassion and strength he didn't just last week. Bailey is "so sad and so angry" she doesn't believe she can even report properly on this story. Anyone who has ever suffered through a grieving process recognizes that combination of sadness and anger. When Les says the two of them could handle this story better than anyone "local or national," he could just as well be talking about WKRP in Cincinnati itself! There will never be another TV show situated in a rock radio station in the city where the deaths took place at the time they took place. Only one show EVER did an episode about this event. Only one show ever could.
Roy
Other Notes: This is the first television episode Linda Day is ever credited with directing. She would go on to direct over 350 episodes of television, mostly sit-coms, most notably on "Married With Children. She would even be nominated for an Emmy later in her career. A memorial plaque was finally installed at US Bank Arena (the new name for Riverfront Coliseum)... in 2015.
Tuesday 7 March 2017
Ep. 40 - Les' Groupie
March 7, 2017
Story: Paul Hunter
Teleplay: Steve Marshall
Director: Rod Daniel
Original Air Date: February 4, 1980
I was shocked to learn Richard Sanders didn't write this episode! I've discussed in the past (Ep. 10) that at his worst, Sanders comes off as "actorly" as in "Watch me! I'm Acting here!!" So in an episode concerned with Les' sex life and heartbreak, Sanders goes into overdrive.
The late '70's-early 80's sit-coms, especially those produced by MTM Productions (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and of course, WKRP in Cincinnati) introduced the idea of the "workplace family;" that the audience sees a group of people not just doing jobs together, but supporting each other in their ambitions and hopes and dreams. They even come to love one another in a way we don't see them do with their own families. In this episode, we see the WKRP staff being the ones who respect and care for Les, whereas the person who proposes to love him is not interested in any of that. Now I realize that Les' admirer, Darleen, is crazy - that's the joke. I mean, how many local radio news journalists have groupies anyway, especially in Cincinnati? (Note - if you actually do know of any, please let me or a health care professional know)
Darleen is able to give Les things that no one at the station is able to give him: deep looks into his eyes, an admiration for his announcing voice. And a reason to sing "Chances Are" in a meeting! However, she is only slotting Les into her preconceived ideas of what their relationship should look like, not taking the man himself into account.
I want to talk about the character of Darleen for a minute before I get into Richard Sanders' performance. I don't think the writers had any clear idea of what they thought someone attracted to Les would be like. She is presumptuous, knows what she wants and goes after it; first by saying she's going to stay over to the morning at Les' apartment and later by claiming they are engaged. Yet, she is also doing yoga in his living room, making friends with his neighbour and dog and cooking Les meals. Are these things supposed to be turn offs? He could probably do with all of those things in his life. She seems like the kind of strong-willed woman his mother is, which might actually be a good thing for Les, if of course she wasn't crazy.
I think this is unintentional, but the writers are equating a strong-willed woman with a crazy woman. Herb uses the the term "whipped" and it gets a big laugh. It's only after Les literally kicks and screams that he recovers his, lets call it, manhood and dignity. For a show that tried to be so liberal, this episode treads very closely to the theme of a "woman in her place." It's not a good fit and makes the script feel clunky.
So what is the crazy, bridge-too-far thing she does to show how wrong for Les she is? Darleen rips up the tape that make up Les' office walls. The same tape we and his co-workers have been mocking for a season and a half. Les is petulant in wanting walls. Somehow he has convinced all the people he works with to believe the tape really does represent walls. But when Darleen comes in from the outside and calls everyone on the silliness of tape walls, she's the character Les and the audience turn against.
Just two episodes ago, I wrote glowingly about Frank Bonner's performance and how it goes from loving to cocky to panicky in a few moments. I thought he really brought depth to the Herb character. Richard Sanders is trying to do the same thing here; showing many facets of emotion is a few strokes. But where Bonner's performance made the entire episode funnier and richer, Sanders here is jumpy, shrill and only in service to himself. To be fair, I don't think he was given much of a script to work with. The very IDEA that someone would be attracted to Les is suppose to be hysterical but we've already seen how sweet, devoted and intelligent he can be. So as an audience it's not so far out of our imaginations.
When Les is titillated and excited, he giggles and blushes like a small child. When Les is depressed, he doesn't just walk with his head down - his entire body is slumped over. When he's angry, this intelligent man can't just have an argument. He needs to kick trash cans, yell and storm out. It's suppose to show strength but I feel it shows Les is not in control of his emotions. So I wonder, is that Les over reacting or is it Sanders over acting?
Roy
Other notes: This is the only episode in which we go into Les' home. Before "Thriller" or "Rumours," the best selling album of all time was 1959's "Johnny's Greatest Hits" by Johnny Mathis, featuring his classic "Chances Are." It seems this is the only album Les ever bought.
Story: Paul Hunter
Teleplay: Steve Marshall
Director: Rod Daniel
Original Air Date: February 4, 1980
I was shocked to learn Richard Sanders didn't write this episode! I've discussed in the past (Ep. 10) that at his worst, Sanders comes off as "actorly" as in "Watch me! I'm Acting here!!" So in an episode concerned with Les' sex life and heartbreak, Sanders goes into overdrive.
The late '70's-early 80's sit-coms, especially those produced by MTM Productions (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and of course, WKRP in Cincinnati) introduced the idea of the "workplace family;" that the audience sees a group of people not just doing jobs together, but supporting each other in their ambitions and hopes and dreams. They even come to love one another in a way we don't see them do with their own families. In this episode, we see the WKRP staff being the ones who respect and care for Les, whereas the person who proposes to love him is not interested in any of that. Now I realize that Les' admirer, Darleen, is crazy - that's the joke. I mean, how many local radio news journalists have groupies anyway, especially in Cincinnati? (Note - if you actually do know of any, please let me or a health care professional know)
Darleen is able to give Les things that no one at the station is able to give him: deep looks into his eyes, an admiration for his announcing voice. And a reason to sing "Chances Are" in a meeting! However, she is only slotting Les into her preconceived ideas of what their relationship should look like, not taking the man himself into account.
I want to talk about the character of Darleen for a minute before I get into Richard Sanders' performance. I don't think the writers had any clear idea of what they thought someone attracted to Les would be like. She is presumptuous, knows what she wants and goes after it; first by saying she's going to stay over to the morning at Les' apartment and later by claiming they are engaged. Yet, she is also doing yoga in his living room, making friends with his neighbour and dog and cooking Les meals. Are these things supposed to be turn offs? He could probably do with all of those things in his life. She seems like the kind of strong-willed woman his mother is, which might actually be a good thing for Les, if of course she wasn't crazy.
I think this is unintentional, but the writers are equating a strong-willed woman with a crazy woman. Herb uses the the term "whipped" and it gets a big laugh. It's only after Les literally kicks and screams that he recovers his, lets call it, manhood and dignity. For a show that tried to be so liberal, this episode treads very closely to the theme of a "woman in her place." It's not a good fit and makes the script feel clunky.
So what is the crazy, bridge-too-far thing she does to show how wrong for Les she is? Darleen rips up the tape that make up Les' office walls. The same tape we and his co-workers have been mocking for a season and a half. Les is petulant in wanting walls. Somehow he has convinced all the people he works with to believe the tape really does represent walls. But when Darleen comes in from the outside and calls everyone on the silliness of tape walls, she's the character Les and the audience turn against.
Just two episodes ago, I wrote glowingly about Frank Bonner's performance and how it goes from loving to cocky to panicky in a few moments. I thought he really brought depth to the Herb character. Richard Sanders is trying to do the same thing here; showing many facets of emotion is a few strokes. But where Bonner's performance made the entire episode funnier and richer, Sanders here is jumpy, shrill and only in service to himself. To be fair, I don't think he was given much of a script to work with. The very IDEA that someone would be attracted to Les is suppose to be hysterical but we've already seen how sweet, devoted and intelligent he can be. So as an audience it's not so far out of our imaginations.
When Les is titillated and excited, he giggles and blushes like a small child. When Les is depressed, he doesn't just walk with his head down - his entire body is slumped over. When he's angry, this intelligent man can't just have an argument. He needs to kick trash cans, yell and storm out. It's suppose to show strength but I feel it shows Les is not in control of his emotions. So I wonder, is that Les over reacting or is it Sanders over acting?
Roy
Other notes: This is the only episode in which we go into Les' home. Before "Thriller" or "Rumours," the best selling album of all time was 1959's "Johnny's Greatest Hits" by Johnny Mathis, featuring his classic "Chances Are." It seems this is the only album Les ever bought.
Friday 3 March 2017
Ep. 39 - The Americanization of Ivan
March 3, 2017
Story: Hugh Wilson
Teleplay: Dan Guntzelman and Steve Marshall
Director: Hugh Wilson
Original Air Date: January 28, 1980
^^^FAMOUSLY FUNNY^^^
"Hogs. Communists. Think about it!"
That is all Les needs to say, because in 1980, that's about as nuanced as U.S./Russian relations were to mainstream America. This episode's credits are that Hugh Wilson came up with the story idea of a Russian trying to defect to WKRP, but the regular story editors Guntzelman and Marshall actually wrote the script. We have seen throughout the history of WKRP that Wilson has very high ideals about the messaging he wants the show to bring into American homes, but in this case, the execution is pretty two-dimensional, whether you (or our characters) think Ivan is a hero or enemy.
I'm going to give some examples of where this episode falls down, but I want you to know now that I believe this is one of the classic WKRP episodes, and I'll explain why later on. So please bear with the negative first.
Why does the Russian delegation even bother to have a press conference in a Cincinnati conference room if only one reporter (and his babysitter) are going to show up? Where are the people who hand out the Silver Sow Award to Les every year? How can Ivan possibly get away from the delegation to meet up with Bailey? How can any of Venus' clothes fit Ivan? If Ivan defects to Cleveland, why would he never come back to visit Bailey? He wouldn't even have to cross state lines!
Let's count how many jokes are not about a Russian in America, but just jabs at any foreigners? The funny, slightly sweary last name of "Popa-son-of-a-something....," the way Andy slowly yells at Ivan as if he's deaf, all of the malaprops in Ivan's speaking.
We laugh at how uninformed and closed minded Les is in this episode. For someone who imagines himself a tough journalist, he completely turns his back on the opportunity for a clandestine meeting with a possible defector. He projects every negative attribute he knows onto Ivan and Russians in general: they can't be trusted, they are trying to "pull" something, they are probably even (gasp!) all gay!.
However, the Dungarees side of the station also have their own misconceptions about Ivan. Andy introduces Ivan to Mr. Carlson as Russian, but then explains he is from Kiev in the Ukraine. Having some Ukrainians in my own family, I'll tell you they would not stand for being called Russian. The Dungarees are eager to show Ivan the most hedonistic parts of America: women, fancy clothes, "funny cigarettes." Most revealingly, when Ivan goes back to his delegation, Andy and Bailey very easily believe they are the ones that have been duped. Quickly, they are ready to believe the communist was lying to them.
Now, all the great stuff!
Welcome back Sam Anderson (see Ep. 14)! WKRP in Cincinnati's greatest guest star is back in what is, in my opinion, his best role of the series. It's so good, they name him Mr. Anderson! As the immigration officer/drone, he has the best line of the show in "There are a lot of things you can't do in Cincinnati... That's one of them."
This episode was a famous example of not having the licensing rights for songs when it went into syndication because one particular Elton John song plays such a prominent role. (see the "Other Notes" at the end for most about this) The Shout Factory box set corrects this and it makes the laughter make sense.
Bailey is a sex object! Okay, so that's probably not so great in retrospect but for a character that never gets shown in that light, especially next to Jennifer, it comes across as more sweet than threatening. A lot of humour is rung out of Ivan's infatuation. Bailey really is the kind of "blue jean baby" Elton might be singing about in "Tiny Dancer."
Les starts the episode commenting about Detente, and Hugh Wilson is trying to beat home the point that we won't really get to a detente until we see the Soviets as people and not caricatures. Ivan Popasonaviski may not quite be that three dimensional profile Wilson was looking for, but he is a memorable and beloved piece of WKRP history.
Other Notes: character actor Michael Pataki played Ivan. Ironically born in Ohio, he carved out a bit of a niche playing Russians, most famously as Drogo's manager in Rocky IV. Also, in the year this episode came out, he was a regular in a short-lived sit-com about a Russian Olympian who defects to the U.S. (remember, 1980 was the year of the boycotted Olympics in Moscow) called "Phyl and Michy." And if you wonder how I remember so much about a 37 year old sit-com like WKRP, I will tell you I ALSO remember watching "Phyl and Michy!"
The scene in the hallway in which Johnny talks to Andy about "funny cigarettes" was cut from syndication. It's not that funny anyway.
Elton John famously was the first western pop musician to play in the USSR, in May 1979.
Because of the licensing rights, even those times that Ivan quoted the song "Tiny Dancer" had to be dubbed out for syndication. So ridiculously, in the final scene in which Ivan holds Bailey and looks into her eyes, a voice that is definitely not Michael Pataki's coos the phrase "Hold My Order, Terrible Dresser." This has became the title of the best WKRP in Cincinnati podcast in the world. If you have read this far, you need to start listening to the Hold My Order Terrible Dresser Podcast on Itunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/hold-my-order-terrible-dresser-wkrp-in-cincinnati-podcast/id1047286425?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
If you do, let them know I sent you!
Roy
Story: Hugh Wilson
Teleplay: Dan Guntzelman and Steve Marshall
Director: Hugh Wilson
Original Air Date: January 28, 1980
^^^FAMOUSLY FUNNY^^^
"Hogs. Communists. Think about it!"
That is all Les needs to say, because in 1980, that's about as nuanced as U.S./Russian relations were to mainstream America. This episode's credits are that Hugh Wilson came up with the story idea of a Russian trying to defect to WKRP, but the regular story editors Guntzelman and Marshall actually wrote the script. We have seen throughout the history of WKRP that Wilson has very high ideals about the messaging he wants the show to bring into American homes, but in this case, the execution is pretty two-dimensional, whether you (or our characters) think Ivan is a hero or enemy.
I'm going to give some examples of where this episode falls down, but I want you to know now that I believe this is one of the classic WKRP episodes, and I'll explain why later on. So please bear with the negative first.
Why does the Russian delegation even bother to have a press conference in a Cincinnati conference room if only one reporter (and his babysitter) are going to show up? Where are the people who hand out the Silver Sow Award to Les every year? How can Ivan possibly get away from the delegation to meet up with Bailey? How can any of Venus' clothes fit Ivan? If Ivan defects to Cleveland, why would he never come back to visit Bailey? He wouldn't even have to cross state lines!
Let's count how many jokes are not about a Russian in America, but just jabs at any foreigners? The funny, slightly sweary last name of "Popa-son-of-a-something....," the way Andy slowly yells at Ivan as if he's deaf, all of the malaprops in Ivan's speaking.
We laugh at how uninformed and closed minded Les is in this episode. For someone who imagines himself a tough journalist, he completely turns his back on the opportunity for a clandestine meeting with a possible defector. He projects every negative attribute he knows onto Ivan and Russians in general: they can't be trusted, they are trying to "pull" something, they are probably even (gasp!) all gay!.
However, the Dungarees side of the station also have their own misconceptions about Ivan. Andy introduces Ivan to Mr. Carlson as Russian, but then explains he is from Kiev in the Ukraine. Having some Ukrainians in my own family, I'll tell you they would not stand for being called Russian. The Dungarees are eager to show Ivan the most hedonistic parts of America: women, fancy clothes, "funny cigarettes." Most revealingly, when Ivan goes back to his delegation, Andy and Bailey very easily believe they are the ones that have been duped. Quickly, they are ready to believe the communist was lying to them.
Now, all the great stuff!
Welcome back Sam Anderson (see Ep. 14)! WKRP in Cincinnati's greatest guest star is back in what is, in my opinion, his best role of the series. It's so good, they name him Mr. Anderson! As the immigration officer/drone, he has the best line of the show in "There are a lot of things you can't do in Cincinnati... That's one of them."
This episode was a famous example of not having the licensing rights for songs when it went into syndication because one particular Elton John song plays such a prominent role. (see the "Other Notes" at the end for most about this) The Shout Factory box set corrects this and it makes the laughter make sense.
Bailey is a sex object! Okay, so that's probably not so great in retrospect but for a character that never gets shown in that light, especially next to Jennifer, it comes across as more sweet than threatening. A lot of humour is rung out of Ivan's infatuation. Bailey really is the kind of "blue jean baby" Elton might be singing about in "Tiny Dancer."
Les starts the episode commenting about Detente, and Hugh Wilson is trying to beat home the point that we won't really get to a detente until we see the Soviets as people and not caricatures. Ivan Popasonaviski may not quite be that three dimensional profile Wilson was looking for, but he is a memorable and beloved piece of WKRP history.
Other Notes: character actor Michael Pataki played Ivan. Ironically born in Ohio, he carved out a bit of a niche playing Russians, most famously as Drogo's manager in Rocky IV. Also, in the year this episode came out, he was a regular in a short-lived sit-com about a Russian Olympian who defects to the U.S. (remember, 1980 was the year of the boycotted Olympics in Moscow) called "Phyl and Michy." And if you wonder how I remember so much about a 37 year old sit-com like WKRP, I will tell you I ALSO remember watching "Phyl and Michy!"
The scene in the hallway in which Johnny talks to Andy about "funny cigarettes" was cut from syndication. It's not that funny anyway.
Elton John famously was the first western pop musician to play in the USSR, in May 1979.
Because of the licensing rights, even those times that Ivan quoted the song "Tiny Dancer" had to be dubbed out for syndication. So ridiculously, in the final scene in which Ivan holds Bailey and looks into her eyes, a voice that is definitely not Michael Pataki's coos the phrase "Hold My Order, Terrible Dresser." This has became the title of the best WKRP in Cincinnati podcast in the world. If you have read this far, you need to start listening to the Hold My Order Terrible Dresser Podcast on Itunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/hold-my-order-terrible-dresser-wkrp-in-cincinnati-podcast/id1047286425?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
If you do, let them know I sent you!
Roy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)