February 20, 2018
Story: Ben Elisco, Teleplay: Peter Torokvei
Director: Dolores Ferraro
Original Air Date: March 14, 1981
If you are reading this blog for the first time, welcome! If you go back through these posts, you'll eventually be able to anticipate what does and doesn't impress me about "WKRP in Cincinnati". Go back as far as the third episode "Les on a Ledge" to learn my thoughts about how this show handles the 1980's staple of a "Very Special Episode (VSE)." Or check out "Who Is Gordon Sims?" or "In Concert" or as recently as "Venus and the Man" just a few episode ago to learn my thoughts.
Never mind, I can't wait for you to go back that far! Here's the gist of it: one of the great strengths of "WKRP in Cincinnati" is that, for a sit-com from the late '70's and early '80's, its writers brought topical issues to the screen without being heavy handed about the content. Their well-rounded characters act and react to difficult situations in ways we as loyal audience members recognize as being consistent. Most importantly, even when the show got very serious, it never forgot that it was, first and foremost a comedy show! Tension is regularly undercut with big laughs.
If you've watched "Out to Lunch" yet, you know why I am bringing all of this up. This episode seems like it is from a different TV show! The story is credited to Ben Elisco, who didn't write anything else for the show and only has one other writing credit on IMDB. The characters all seem disjointed from how we know them and the steady drumbeat of judgement against Herb from the rest of the staff feel forced and false. This is a poorly written episode.
But I can completely understand why the producers would want to make this episode: Frank Bonner playing drunk! Bonner once again is the WKRP MVP with a subtle, sloppy performance. He's not play "drunk" like you usually see it. He's playing someone who is amped "up"; someone who is drinking just to keep the fake smile on his face a little longer. Herb says as much to the Big Guy in their conversation at the end. He's not slurring and bleary eyed - he's wired!
This episode does feature perhaps 'KRP's most famous "before he was famous" guest stars in future "Coach" and "The Incredibles" star, Craig T. Nelson. Nelson plays media buyer Charlie Bathgate who has been stringing Herb along for a good time, pretending to be discussing a big sales deal when really he had been fired weeks earlier. Why was he fired? "Any excuse and out you go. And I'll tell you something... I don't drink that much either." Once again, the image of Herb's possible future is heavy handed, but Nelson does a really nice job being on one hand classy enough to look legitimate and on the other, obnoxious enough to be an unemployable drunk.
According to the story, Herb's only really been drinking heavily like this for a couple of months, but already the losses are piling up: fumbling the record store account, not seeing his family, the threats to his job, his relationship with his coworkers, and finally a $5,000 Irish Sweepstakes ticket. He tells Carlson "it hasn't been a good month." It tells a lot about Herb that it's the Sweepstakes ticket that really catches his attention and makes him reevaluate his life, with Mr. Carlson's help.
How '1981' is it that Carlson pours Herb and himself each a scotch before discussing alcoholism with Herb? Probably as '1981' as all of the off-handed drunk driving reference made in this episode! (example: "I have to drive because I can't walk.") But the lines sound like they are being read out of a pamphlet entitled "So You Think You're an Alcoholic." Earlier in the show, Carlson is stating how remarkable it is Herb can drink at this pace. Now he's telling Herb "statistically you are (an alcoholic)! Someone who drinks every day is an alcoholic." Then Herb responds to questions about his drinking with "But I'll tell you why I do. It helps me at my job. I just use it as a crutch." His answers sound canned; not like the Herb we know
The worst sin of this episode is that it is simply not funny. Herb and Charlie's hijinks just look sad and cautionary to us. "But I'm not lecturing you!" Carlson repeats this phrase FIVE TIMES. This is what passes for a joke in this episode, which is what makes it so different from other WKRP VSE's. There is no really great joke to undercut the action. The arm-in-arm final shot seems too pat - too regular for a sit com of WKRP's abilities.
Roy
Special Note: I was interviewed about WKRP! The excellent "Hold My Order, Terrible Dresser," the deep dive history nerd WKRP in Cincinnati podcast spoke to me about my thoughts and memories of the show. Catch it here...
http://www.holdmyorderterribledresser.com/2018/02/hmotd-051-listen-up-fellow-babies.html
I come on at about the 58 minute mark, but if you like this blog, please go back and listen to the entire podcast. Thanks to host Rob McDougall for the interview.
Other Note: I rarely discuss music that was not licensed for the boxset, but this is a VSE in a musical sense as well: it originally included the Beatles song "Hear Comes the Sun" in the background when Charlie reveals to Herb he's been fired, and the U2 song "I Will Follow" in the going to lunch epilogue. That would have been one of the first times a U2 song was played on American television. Alas, both songs were replaced in in the boxset version. They weren't prominent or important to the plot anyway. However, the Paul McCartney song "Every Night" and the Bee Gees "Jive Talkin'" are still included.
More Other Notes: Up to the mid 1970's, most lotteries were illegal in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.. So the Irish Sweepstakes was famous and quite popular. Johnny compliments Bailey out of the blue and for no particular reason. I think this may be a link from last week's episode and into their future relationship.
Tuesday, 20 February 2018
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
Ep. 61 - Secrets of Dayton Heights
February 13, 2018
Writers: Jon Smet
Director: Frank Bonner
Original Air Date: February 28, 1981
Writers: Jon Smet
Director: Frank Bonner
Original Air Date: February 28, 1981
***Very Important***
Welcome back, Sam Anderson! Anderson appears in his third of four "WKRP in Cincinnati" episodes, this time as Special Agent Berwick of the Secret Service, which of course is a division of the Treasury Department. This time, he is a little bit like Les Nesman himself, self-seriously wearing sunglasses in his office. But he actually perks up when he hears his visitors have been sent to him from Washington... D.C.! Anderson gets a great laugh from the pause when discovering the Nesman files and a bigger laugh and ooow upon pulling out the huge file on our beloved "News Beacon of the Ohio Valley." Once again, the best, most versatile guest the show ever had.
With that out of the way, this discussion can go in two directions. We can talk about the A plot of Les meeting his biological father. Or the multiple sub plots involving French, fire and hurt feelings.
We have already seen Jennifer speak French before but in this episode she speaks more French than English! Now as a Canadian, I'm suppose to be bilingual. My teachers would tell you I am definitely not! But according to my Grade 10 French, Jennifer sounds pretty accurate, even if she cranks up the accent to Brigit Bardot levels. The nice secondary joke running here is how the men, Herb and Venus specifically, are enamored of hearing her speak French, even when she is saying terrible things.
I like the continuing call backs to the fire in the control booth stretching from the first scene to the last. We are never told what the problem is, or why Bucky Dornster isn't the one fixing things. However, the little pieces of Fever taking no responsibility while Venus is looking move the blame off of himself just reinforces these characters to us a little bit more.
Gary Sandy is very good in this episode. He flips halfway through from the person in charge, wanting to get to the bottom of Les's security issues with the government to a little boy pouting in the office because his being kept out of the loop. We don't often see this swing from him and it's a nice remindier of what Sandy can do.
Bailey is mostly seen in this episode sitting at Jennifer's desk, filling in for her. She even fills in the role of ego-stroker for Andy, getting up from the desk with a heavy sigh and literally turning on the persona of cheerleader for Andy. She even uses his own words, describing Andy as an "easy-going guy with a natural ability to lead. People seem to want to do what you tell them to do!" for encouragement. Where she has heard that before, we don't know, but Andy recognizes his words back to himself.
There are a lot of subtleties to these secondary performances and I think that is probably an attribute of Frank Bonner as director. This isn't his first time directing WKRP, but I feel like he's trying to show off what every cast member can bring.
All of these small subplots underline something that is true in real life but is rarely shown on TV, even today and even in other episodes of WKRP. That is: just because something monumentally important is happening to one person personally, doesn't mean it is effecting anyone else around them. Their lives just go on.
All of this brings us to Richard Sanders' portrayal of Les Nesman in a moment when his whole personal history is ripped apart. He learns the man he thought was his father was actually his step-father. He learns his mother has been lying to him for his whole life. And he learns why she instilled in him her strong anti-communist and anti-divorce views.
If you have read this blog, you will see I'm not always kind to Sanders' acting, or over-acting as I see it. But here he is at his most restrained. The shouting match in Carlson's office comes across as believable and not showy. As the scales fall from his eyes, we see tears that are earned. I can't imagine how such stunning news would affect me. Les is confused and angry, but we can see in his face he knows the things Mr. Carlson is saying are true.
So Les goes to Kentucky to meet Harvey Moorehouse, former Pentagon barber, former "proven, card-carrying Communist" and former father. And guess what? He's a really nice guy.
Harvey is not a sneaky commie or a no-account deadbeat Dad. He's a small town goofball who people call Pops. He likes big band music and cracking corny jokes and he only charges $3 for a trim. In many ways, he's the man Les is not. Les is self-serious and intellectual; uncomfortable in his own skin. What would he have been like with Pops in his life?
Sanders the actor is very self-contained in these scenes. It was a brilliant move to set this in a barbershop, where the two men could talk naturally without looking at each other eye to eye. He is holding the lid down on a boiling pot in not exclaiming that he is Harvey's son.
We don't hear more about this story in subsequent episodes and it is a real shame. I think there could have been a lot of comedy from the idea of Les trying to rebuild this time with his Pops. And a lot more good Richard Sanders emotional work as well.
Roy
Other Notes - John Block was Reagan's Secretary of Agriculture from 1981 to 1986. Harvey was portrayed by veteran character actor Bill McLean who had 153 IMDB acting credit before he dies in 1994. Writer John Smet has no other writing credits ever and a Google search does not reveal anything about him. Is it possible this is a pseudonym for another writer?
Welcome back, Sam Anderson! Anderson appears in his third of four "WKRP in Cincinnati" episodes, this time as Special Agent Berwick of the Secret Service, which of course is a division of the Treasury Department. This time, he is a little bit like Les Nesman himself, self-seriously wearing sunglasses in his office. But he actually perks up when he hears his visitors have been sent to him from Washington... D.C.! Anderson gets a great laugh from the pause when discovering the Nesman files and a bigger laugh and ooow upon pulling out the huge file on our beloved "News Beacon of the Ohio Valley." Once again, the best, most versatile guest the show ever had.
With that out of the way, this discussion can go in two directions. We can talk about the A plot of Les meeting his biological father. Or the multiple sub plots involving French, fire and hurt feelings.
We have already seen Jennifer speak French before but in this episode she speaks more French than English! Now as a Canadian, I'm suppose to be bilingual. My teachers would tell you I am definitely not! But according to my Grade 10 French, Jennifer sounds pretty accurate, even if she cranks up the accent to Brigit Bardot levels. The nice secondary joke running here is how the men, Herb and Venus specifically, are enamored of hearing her speak French, even when she is saying terrible things.
I like the continuing call backs to the fire in the control booth stretching from the first scene to the last. We are never told what the problem is, or why Bucky Dornster isn't the one fixing things. However, the little pieces of Fever taking no responsibility while Venus is looking move the blame off of himself just reinforces these characters to us a little bit more.
Gary Sandy is very good in this episode. He flips halfway through from the person in charge, wanting to get to the bottom of Les's security issues with the government to a little boy pouting in the office because his being kept out of the loop. We don't often see this swing from him and it's a nice remindier of what Sandy can do.
Bailey is mostly seen in this episode sitting at Jennifer's desk, filling in for her. She even fills in the role of ego-stroker for Andy, getting up from the desk with a heavy sigh and literally turning on the persona of cheerleader for Andy. She even uses his own words, describing Andy as an "easy-going guy with a natural ability to lead. People seem to want to do what you tell them to do!" for encouragement. Where she has heard that before, we don't know, but Andy recognizes his words back to himself.
There are a lot of subtleties to these secondary performances and I think that is probably an attribute of Frank Bonner as director. This isn't his first time directing WKRP, but I feel like he's trying to show off what every cast member can bring.
All of these small subplots underline something that is true in real life but is rarely shown on TV, even today and even in other episodes of WKRP. That is: just because something monumentally important is happening to one person personally, doesn't mean it is effecting anyone else around them. Their lives just go on.
All of this brings us to Richard Sanders' portrayal of Les Nesman in a moment when his whole personal history is ripped apart. He learns the man he thought was his father was actually his step-father. He learns his mother has been lying to him for his whole life. And he learns why she instilled in him her strong anti-communist and anti-divorce views.
If you have read this blog, you will see I'm not always kind to Sanders' acting, or over-acting as I see it. But here he is at his most restrained. The shouting match in Carlson's office comes across as believable and not showy. As the scales fall from his eyes, we see tears that are earned. I can't imagine how such stunning news would affect me. Les is confused and angry, but we can see in his face he knows the things Mr. Carlson is saying are true.
So Les goes to Kentucky to meet Harvey Moorehouse, former Pentagon barber, former "proven, card-carrying Communist" and former father. And guess what? He's a really nice guy.
Harvey is not a sneaky commie or a no-account deadbeat Dad. He's a small town goofball who people call Pops. He likes big band music and cracking corny jokes and he only charges $3 for a trim. In many ways, he's the man Les is not. Les is self-serious and intellectual; uncomfortable in his own skin. What would he have been like with Pops in his life?
Sanders the actor is very self-contained in these scenes. It was a brilliant move to set this in a barbershop, where the two men could talk naturally without looking at each other eye to eye. He is holding the lid down on a boiling pot in not exclaiming that he is Harvey's son.
We don't hear more about this story in subsequent episodes and it is a real shame. I think there could have been a lot of comedy from the idea of Les trying to rebuild this time with his Pops. And a lot more good Richard Sanders emotional work as well.
Roy
Other Notes - John Block was Reagan's Secretary of Agriculture from 1981 to 1986. Harvey was portrayed by veteran character actor Bill McLean who had 153 IMDB acting credit before he dies in 1994. Writer John Smet has no other writing credits ever and a Google search does not reveal anything about him. Is it possible this is a pseudonym for another writer?
Tuesday, 6 February 2018
Ep. 60 - I Am Woman
February 6, 2018
Writers: Lissa Levin
Director: Linda Day
Original Air Date: February 21, 1981
Warren Buffet is said to have coined the term "skin in the game" to refer to a person's own personal investment in some dealing and how it effects that person's feelings towards that dealing. Simply put, a person is more emotionally concerned with something if they have have a personal stake in its outcome.
Here is an example: all of the staff at WKRP supported Bailey's ERA walk financially at the beginning of this episode, because they are friends with her. But Bailey actually took a day and walked 20 miles in support of the ERA. Bailey has "skin in the game."
This episode of WKRP is all about having skin in the game. It's easy to say you are in favour or opposed to something when the outcome isn't really going to effect your life very much. But how do you act when you have something important to lose on the outcome? Will you fight for the right thing to do if it means you are personally giving something up?
Bailey really doesn't have anything to lose in fighting to preserve the Flimm building (I think this is the proper spelling. I refuse to believe it would be spelled "Phlegm"). If anything, fighting for architecture just adds to her reputation as the "Lost Cause Lady" who fights for solar energy, saving the whales and the equal right amendment. When the rest of the station thinks they are going to be kicked out onto the street, they are all happy to join in the fight.
But then the Arthur Carlson Communications Centre comes along; Mr. Carlson's dream radio station. He would get his "think tank" hiding room. Les would finally get walls! Travis would get a record library (which today might get used as a storage room, I suppose). The DJ's would get new equipment and a lounge! Everybody would get something. So to continue to support preserving the Flimm building, all the rest of the staff have to put skin in the game. They all have to give up what the new building offers for the sake of Art Deco architecture.
Here's the thing - the only one who doesn't lose anything by maintaining the old building is Bailey! Her reputation is as the liberal fighter for causes. She continues to be that here. If anything, convincing everyone else to put "skin in the game" enhances her own reputation. Somehow, she becomes the hero the moment she has the least amount to lose.
She becomes "the intelligent man (who) always fights for the lost cause, realizing all others are merely effects" as Johnny paraphrases e.e. cummings to Herb. Strangely, it is Herb and Johnny together who sound the warnings against fighting for the building, primarily because they are the two least willing to sacrifice anything for this old building. Herb thinks this is all a waste of time for people who should be just running a radio station.
Johnny warns Bailey she is going up against "real estate mega bucks." He's more concerned for her than for some building. That friendship is really hinted at moving into something more at the end of the episode when Johnny asks Bailey "if I got you a pair of cut-off jeans, and I got a boat..." and she cuts him off with "Anytime." Ooooooooh!
As an aside, it's interesting that Bailey knows exactly what turns Johnny on in both women... and boats.
For an episode written by a woman, the Big Guy comes off strangely patriarchal at the end of this episode. The notion that he would call her father so see how he may punish her for running his commentary tape is weird. He would never call Andy's or Herb's fathers. He calls her "young lady" when yelling at her, as if she were his daughter. Perhaps this is to emphasis her maturity when she gives her Art Deco speech - that by the end of it, he sees her as an adult, maybe even his equal.
Herb ends the episode not understanding how Bailey could have earned Mr. Carlson's respect while acting so disrespectfully to him. He feels he would have gotten fired for acting that way and Les delivers the best line of the episode:
"The threshold of your termination is much lower, Herb."
Roy
Other Notes - What is the ERA? Oh boy, that's a big question. Most simply it is a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution stating that civil rights may not be denied on the basis of one's sex. (Thanks Google) It was THE hot button divisive issue between liberals and conservatives in the late '70 and early '80's and was defeated in 1982. There is much more to read on this topic.
The building used for the exterior shots of the Flimm building is actually the Cincinnati Enquirer Building. It still exists (yeah Bailey!) and currently houses two hotels. Shouldn't Andy be searching for a new location for the station since i) there is no guarantee Bailey's petition will work and ii) it would take years to have a new station built? The Sir Douglas Quintet was a band that had it's biggest hits in the early '70's but released a new album in 1981, just as Johnny tells us. A real B-29 SuperFortress bomber had four propellors, not two.
Writers: Lissa Levin
Director: Linda Day
Original Air Date: February 21, 1981
Warren Buffet is said to have coined the term "skin in the game" to refer to a person's own personal investment in some dealing and how it effects that person's feelings towards that dealing. Simply put, a person is more emotionally concerned with something if they have have a personal stake in its outcome.
Here is an example: all of the staff at WKRP supported Bailey's ERA walk financially at the beginning of this episode, because they are friends with her. But Bailey actually took a day and walked 20 miles in support of the ERA. Bailey has "skin in the game."
This episode of WKRP is all about having skin in the game. It's easy to say you are in favour or opposed to something when the outcome isn't really going to effect your life very much. But how do you act when you have something important to lose on the outcome? Will you fight for the right thing to do if it means you are personally giving something up?
Bailey really doesn't have anything to lose in fighting to preserve the Flimm building (I think this is the proper spelling. I refuse to believe it would be spelled "Phlegm"). If anything, fighting for architecture just adds to her reputation as the "Lost Cause Lady" who fights for solar energy, saving the whales and the equal right amendment. When the rest of the station thinks they are going to be kicked out onto the street, they are all happy to join in the fight.
But then the Arthur Carlson Communications Centre comes along; Mr. Carlson's dream radio station. He would get his "think tank" hiding room. Les would finally get walls! Travis would get a record library (which today might get used as a storage room, I suppose). The DJ's would get new equipment and a lounge! Everybody would get something. So to continue to support preserving the Flimm building, all the rest of the staff have to put skin in the game. They all have to give up what the new building offers for the sake of Art Deco architecture.
Here's the thing - the only one who doesn't lose anything by maintaining the old building is Bailey! Her reputation is as the liberal fighter for causes. She continues to be that here. If anything, convincing everyone else to put "skin in the game" enhances her own reputation. Somehow, she becomes the hero the moment she has the least amount to lose.
She becomes "the intelligent man (who) always fights for the lost cause, realizing all others are merely effects" as Johnny paraphrases e.e. cummings to Herb. Strangely, it is Herb and Johnny together who sound the warnings against fighting for the building, primarily because they are the two least willing to sacrifice anything for this old building. Herb thinks this is all a waste of time for people who should be just running a radio station.
Johnny warns Bailey she is going up against "real estate mega bucks." He's more concerned for her than for some building. That friendship is really hinted at moving into something more at the end of the episode when Johnny asks Bailey "if I got you a pair of cut-off jeans, and I got a boat..." and she cuts him off with "Anytime." Ooooooooh!
As an aside, it's interesting that Bailey knows exactly what turns Johnny on in both women... and boats.
For an episode written by a woman, the Big Guy comes off strangely patriarchal at the end of this episode. The notion that he would call her father so see how he may punish her for running his commentary tape is weird. He would never call Andy's or Herb's fathers. He calls her "young lady" when yelling at her, as if she were his daughter. Perhaps this is to emphasis her maturity when she gives her Art Deco speech - that by the end of it, he sees her as an adult, maybe even his equal.
Herb ends the episode not understanding how Bailey could have earned Mr. Carlson's respect while acting so disrespectfully to him. He feels he would have gotten fired for acting that way and Les delivers the best line of the episode:
"The threshold of your termination is much lower, Herb."
Roy
Other Notes - What is the ERA? Oh boy, that's a big question. Most simply it is a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution stating that civil rights may not be denied on the basis of one's sex. (Thanks Google) It was THE hot button divisive issue between liberals and conservatives in the late '70 and early '80's and was defeated in 1982. There is much more to read on this topic.
The building used for the exterior shots of the Flimm building is actually the Cincinnati Enquirer Building. It still exists (yeah Bailey!) and currently houses two hotels. Shouldn't Andy be searching for a new location for the station since i) there is no guarantee Bailey's petition will work and ii) it would take years to have a new station built? The Sir Douglas Quintet was a band that had it's biggest hits in the early '70's but released a new album in 1981, just as Johnny tells us. A real B-29 SuperFortress bomber had four propellors, not two.
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