Ep. 81 - I'll Take Romance

April 26, 2020

Writer: Lissa Levin
Director: Asaad Kelada
Original Air Date: February 17, 1982

Sometimes WKRP tackles important socio-political issues through the lens of comedy and sometimes it's a funny show about nerd on a date. This episode is one of the second ones. It seems every season there is an episode about Les with a woman, whether he's wearing a MACO toupee to a date with Jennifer, or inviting a groupie over to his apartment. Somehow we are always supposed to be shocked by this event because Les is just so... Les. But honestly, we've seen more dates for Les than we have for pretty boy workaholic Andy.

More about Andy at the end of this episode.

It is time for the Cincinnati Broadcasters Dinner Dance which strangely Carmen Carlson never seems to be able to attend. Who wouldn't want to hear two hours of guests speaking about radio ad rates? Jennifer remembers each cold and flu Carmen has used to get out of this event with Arthur, but Jennifer is able to reschedule the christening of a ship in order to attend with Mr. Carlson.

Carlson wouldn't have had to ask Jennifer he he had just used's Herb's new client, the "I'll Take Romance" Dating Service, wherein you fill out a questionnaire and a computer finds your perfect match.

Here is a real time capsule of attitudes towards computers in 1982. The very idea that someone would use a computer to find love seems desperate or cold in some way to the staff. The general sense is that it's not a natural or loving way to find someone. Proof of how weird it is comes simply from the fact that they are one of Herb's clients. However in our world, as of 2017, research found 39% of American heterosexual couples had met online.

The entire staff has ideas about how computers work that seem to come from sci-fi movies. Jennifer says Les' date is "programmed to like you." Today, if you are reading this blog, you have a computer. Most of us carry a computer in our pockets that are more powerful anything from 1982. Computers are a safer, more natural way for new couples to interact today than the answer Andy has from his time "I pick [women] up in bars."

The action of the story is that Herb has filled out a questionnaire but put Les's name on it, so he could see who he would get matched up with. With the Broadcaster's Dance coming up, it's a perfect reason for Les to need a date.

But Les is just as frightened of what a computer might match him with as anyone else. "I'm a complicated man," he tells Herb and Johnny. "I need a complicated woman."

While rewatching this episode, I kept thinking why isn't Mr. Carlson inviting Bailey to the dance since she is the one who might be interested and would be able to "network" with other Cincinnati broadcasters. She is friendly with and, respected by Mr. Carlson and she could certainly feel safe with him. So I was pleased to see this very notion being addressed when Andy invites Bailey, using the same logic. But it's really only as a last result because none of the "four women" Andy is currently dating wanted to attend because "the event...is dull as hell." Bailey was really just Andy's last resort, and even SHE turns him  down to go to the movies with Johnny.

So Andy gives his tickets to Les so he has a place to take his computer date.

Les still has his reservations and these are another of those early 80's time capsule issues. He genuinely asks Jennifer "What if she's one of those "feminists"?" with some real distain in his voice. He follows up by asking "Do we still hold chairs out for them?" as if 1) Jennifer isn't one of "them" and 2) women are a whole other species to be mistrusted. Those are questions that would NOT get asked today. Still the show reveals the true connection between Les and Lorraine later when he does hold out her chair and she sincerely thanks him.

But I'm getting ahead of the reveal! The whole staff nonchalantly find themselves in the lobby at the time Les' date is suppose to arrive. Lorraine enters and everyone is stunned that THIS beautiful woman is the computer match.

A couple of notes about Johnny in this episode and how shabbily he treats Bailey. When Herb is trying to convince Les to take out his computer match, Johnny seems eager to step in to take her out. Later when Johnny sees Jennifer in her gown, he stares at her agog IN FRONT OF BAILEY. He does the same when Lorraine herself shows up. In fact, the only thing that causes Johnny to leave is when Bailey reminds him she's paying for the movie. There are a lot of Bailey fans out there who would say Johnny is blind to what he already has.

I'm always surprised about the things Jennifer knows about that I wouldn't expect her to know about. We've seen in previous episodes she knows about kickback schemes and the names of the jailers in the Cincinnati vice tank. It really makes me feel a lot happened between her arriving from Rock Throw, WV and starting work at WKRP. In this episode, she reveals her knowledge of the inner workings of prostitution.

Lorraine reveals her true profession to Jennifer, because she think Jennifer is the full time "escort" for Mr. Carlson. Lorraine is a hooker and "I'll Take Romance" is just a front for prostitution. Knowing this gives us a lot of comedy, as Jennifer is now uncomfortable throughout the date. Should she tell Les, who is obviously having a wonderful night?

She tells Herb the next day, who has a fantastic retort when Jennifer asks him if he knows what this means. "It means I wasted a $200 hooker on Nesman"

She confides what's she's learned to Bailey who responds "Maybe Les is the man that will turn this girl around and make her leave that sort of life forever!" Jennifer is shocked by that naivete and asks Bailey what movie she and Johnny saw. "Cinderella!"

Finally, Jennifer pins Les down to tell him. He's been in exuberant spirits believing that he may have finally found his perfect match. But the more Jennifer tries to soft pedal her revelation, the more upset he becomes. He asks Jennifer if she thinks he's not worthy of Lorraine. "I'm trying to tell you Lorraine's not worthy of you."

Next comes the funniest line of this episode, and a classic Nesman-ism:
"Les I'm talking about the oldest profession."
"Lorraine's a farmer?"

Les is shocked and heartbroken. But Jennifer is just as shocked to learn Lorraine has asked Les out on a date herself. She told him she doesn't often meet men who just want to talk. Today, we know we are watching one of the final episodes of the show and there is never any additional talk of Les' love life after this. I think it's kind of a romantic thought that maybe Les and Lorraine stayed together for a while. Maybe Bailey wasn't so far off after all.

But don't forget about Andy! At the end of the revelation scene, Andy drops an envelope into the out mail box. In the epilogue, which is probably a week later, Andy confides to Les that he himself had sent in a questionnaire to "I'll Take Romance," and had ALSO been matched up with Lorraine. He tries to do the noble thing, assuring Les "I would never take your girl, Les."

It's sort of insulting that Andy thinks he COULD take Les's girl. Andy is obviously not the type of guy she's interested in. But this does give Les the chance to sit Andy down and explain the Facts of Life.

Roy

Other Notes - A few episodes ago, when Herb had signed a different client that was just a front for selling over-the-counter uppers, the entire station came together to shut him down. This time, nobody is very concerned about the crime. The visual joke about Mr. Carlson's tuxedo doesn't really work. Is it that just the shoes are too small or the crotch of the pants? It fits too well to be a joke suit. Actress Livia Genise played Lorraine and has had an interesting career. She was in Hollywood for about 10 years, getting small roles in TV and movies.  But she then moved to the Pacific Northwest where she became a regional theatre actor and director even up until today. She founded the Camelot Theatre in Talent, Oregon and is a very respecting acting veteran in the area.