Ep. 8 - Love Returns

December 12, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roy