The DVD Dissection: WKRP in Cincinnati - The Complete First Season
Posted by Chad Webb on 05.09.2007
If you tune to WKRP today, it just doesn’t sound the same.
Gary Sandy: Andy Travis
Richard Sanders: Less Nessman
Howard Hessman: Johnny “Dr. Fever” Caravella
Gordon Jump: Arthur “Big Guy” Carlson
Loni Anderson: Jennifer Elizabeth Marlowe
Tim Reid: Venus Flytrap
Frank Bonner: Herbert “Herb” Tarlek
Jan Smithers: Bailey Quarters
Created By: Hugh Wilson
Total Running Time: 532 minutes
Television Release Date: September 18, 1978
DVD Release Date: April 24, 2007
Not Rated
At long last, WKRP in Cincinnati has been released on DVD. But, was it worth the wait? After petitions, requests, and complaints, the devotees’ prayers have been answered. WKRP was a situation comedy, which became known as a sitcom, and its audiences first saw it on September 18, 1978. The storyline centered around the highs and lows of a struggling radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio where Andy Travis, the new program director has just been hired, and has changed the format to rock n’ roll music.
WKRP was the type of show one had to watch many times before really earning a strong fondness for it. The reason for that is because the plots were about the characters eccentricities, rather than just bizarre, over the top storylines from week to week. It was an ensemble cast without a definite lead, and that is what made it so affable, not to mention the expert writing. During its tenure, WKRP received many Emmy nominations, and even won some. Unfortunately, this series did not immediately start off as a huge success. The first time slot it was given was horrible, and the ratings of course were low. Despite positive reviews, which have never mattered a great deal in television, the show was placed in limbo after eight episodes. Nevertheless, enough people enjoyed the show that CBS put in back on the air before long.
The new time slot must have been similar to winning the lottery at the time, as it aired right after M*A*S*H*. WKRP lasted four seasons, and its conclusion is almost entirely because of numerous time slot changes over the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seasons. It got so confusing and bad that the cast often stated they did not know when it would be on. In addition, creator Hugh Wilson and CBS were, on many occasions, at odds about the style and course of the show. Wilson wanted to use serious themes every now and then, while CBS preferred consistent slapstick comedy. Another common disagreement was the appropriateness of the episodes. WKRP was ahead of its time in many aspects, and could have grown and matured better if given more freedom.
Primarily, the success of WKRP came when the series went into syndication. It was viewed so much that it performed better than many prime time shows. Much debate has gone on regarding the call letters. As of right now, the exact call letters are applied to some small time television station in Tennessee. No radio station has them, but stations with similar call letters are out there. For instance, “WKRC” and “WKRQ” are both based in Cincinnati. Before I touch on what everyone wants to hear about (the music), I should introduce the characters briefly.
Andy Travis (Gary Sandy) is the program director (as mentioned above), and basically he is a normal hard working cowboy type guy. Arthur “Big Buy” Carlson (Gordon Jump) is the station manager, who is in charge because his mother owns the place. He is a nice guy, buy has trouble making decisions. Dr. Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman) is a burnt out, worn down disc jockey, who has been jumping around the business for years. He is commonly overanxious and sleepy. Less Nessman (Richard Sanders) is the news reporter, who is the typical by the book employee that is always serious, yet is also an idiot. He is very nervous and wears a bow-tie. Jennifer Marlowe (Loni Anderson) is the beautiful station secretary, who is intelligent, wealthy, and calm. She always has men flirting with her. Herb Tarlek (Frank Bonner) is the overbearing and conceited advertising executive who is known for his odd clothing, and chasing Jennifer at all costs. Venus Flytrap (Tim Reid) the enigmatic evening deejay, who plays soulful tunes and is customarily laid back. Bailey Quarters (Jan Smithers) is a young female in charge of billing and other random jobs around the station. She is extremely shy and lacks confidence.
Ok, now for the music debacle. Back when WKRP was just getting on its feet; it was one of first shows to use songs by popular artists from that period. For instance, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Who, and Blondie are few, but many others had songs on the show also. This was a key part of the show because, after all, it is about a radio station. At that point music licensing enabled CBS to make deals for around ten years or so in a shot. Eventually, those rights expired, and when the show went into syndication, or was seen on any other network, the original music was replaced with bland rock tracks.
This is why the show has been pushed back for a DVD release for so long, and this is why shows like The Wonder Years will experience similar trouble. Even today, shows like Married with Children have been edited so that the theme is replaced. The studio was worried about how many people would buy these WKRP episodes on DVD when the music has been so drastically altered. This did not prevent loyal fans from demanding that it be released anyway.
Reimbursing these bands was out of the question when the issue arose recently. Yes, almost all of the music has been replaced, but how bad is it? WKRP was never a show I watched a lot. I had heard of it, but I was too young to connect with the comedy, and stuck with mainly cartoons. Anyway, even though I did not frequently watch the series, these changes are noticeable. WKRP had messages that reflected the time period when it aired. The music was the most important facet of this layout. All of those hit tunes have been switched with basic, general, and instrumental rock melodies. The best way to describe the difference is this: Compare it to being forced to go to the bathroom during a really good movie. You return, and can pick up what is transpiring, but in the back of your mind, you wonder what you missed. Or how about this, the rock group KISS was best when the original lineup was present. When Ace and Pete left, the group still had good songs, but it wasn’t the same. That, in a sense, is the same thing one will understand with this DVD release of WKRP. The show is still funny, but certain moments are weird and nonsensical due to the alterations.
The most notable episodes that are affected are “A Date with Jennifer” where Less danced to Foreigner originally, but that it has been replaced with a stupid imitation. Little observations such as Johnny Fever’s head banging and air guitar look ridiculously hilarious because the new song does not match at all. Also, when any one of the deejays makes references to a particular artist or group, one will clearly be able to hear that the music played is not the music of that person. I would guess that the bigger, more hardcore fanatic you are, the more this will bother you. To newbies, it will not matter all that much. That is why my review is in the middle somewhat because I was aware of the changes, but never paid attention to the series prior to this release.
On a high note, the theme songs at the beginning and end are still the same, so at least it is not totally messed up. I thought about pasting a link where one could view all of the changes to this DVD set, but I decide not to. Watch the show, and just admire the comedy that is still there. The show is still hysterical, heartwarming, and touching. My favorite part of this show is Howard Hesseman as Dr. Johnny Fever. I found myself laughing at almost everything he does. The other characters grew on me, and became funnier the more I kept watching. Mr. Carlson’s mother was the worst part of the show in my mind. Her character is just irritating. In 1991, The New WKRP in Cincinnati began in which Frank Bonner, Gordon Jump, and Richard Sanders all reprise their roles. The spin-off lasted only two seasons and was largely regarded as a disappointment. They should never have tried to improve a concept that was near perfect the way it was.
The Episodes
DISC 1
Pilot (Part 1) (24:52) - The series begins wonderfully as Andy Travis is hired as the new program director. He changes things right away by employing a rock ‘n roll format. However Arthur “Big Guy” Carlson, the station manager, is afraid his mother, the owner, will not like it. This was a great pilot episode, and the moment Andy unveils the KISS poster, it gives you a sense of the whole show. 10.0/10.0
Pilot (Part 2) (25:10) - Andy wants to promote the stations new format, but doesn’t know how. Meanwhile, the elderly fans of the previous music format protest, and arrive at the station in full force. This was a good follow up to the previous pilot episode, and the storyline was reasonable. Johnny Fever is absolutely hilarious in this. 8.5/10.0
Less on a Ledge (25:04) - When an athlete gets the impression that Less is a homosexual, Less gets upset and threatens to jump off a building. Also, Jennifer wants Herb off her back, so Johnny tells him she used to be a man. This was a subject matter that really wasn’t delved into very much, but it was also extremely funny and handled tastefully. I liked this episode a lot, especially Herb. 9.0/10.0
Hoodlum Rock (22:17) - In order to reach the new rock audience, WKRP decides to book a concert with a British band called “Scum of the Earth”. The station becomes a mad house when the group goes crazy. This was a terrific concept for an episode, and the band was comical, but not nearly as funny as was intended. Still, this was solid. 8.0/10.0
Hold-Up (24:16) - When things are starting to go well, Herb convinces his new client, a stereo salesman, to advertise with WKRP, but only if they do a remote broadcast from his store. Johnny arrives and no customers show up, equipment gets broken, and the store gets held up. The salesman in this episode was supremely annoying, and that ruined things. The funniest scene was Johnny describing the hold up over the air. 6.0/10.0
Bailey’s Show (24:35) - Bailey persuades Mr. Carlson to allow a public affairs show which she will produce. Unfortunately, she cannot find any guests who are normal. She thinks she discovers one person, but it turns out to be a complete mess. This was just average. Some parts were kind of laughable, but mostly it was just run of the mill. 7.5/10.0
Turkey’s Away (24:17) - Mr. Carlson is feeling left out when everybody has a set job except him. He takes more control, and proceeds to throw a Thanksgiving Day promotion. All the crew knows is that his idea involves a banner and live turkeys! This was one of the funniest episodes of the season, and one of the few in which Richard Sanders shines alone as Less. His broadcast is outstanding. 10.0/10.0
Love Returns (24:45) - An old flame of Andy’s has now become a big country music star. They reunite, and begin to have feelings for each other again. She asks Andy to quit WKRP and join her tour, and he struggles with the decision. The sappiness of the romantic angle on this episode almost ruined it, but it was decent enough I suppose.8.0/10.0
DISC 2
Mama’s Review (24:48) – Mama shows up to do a review of everything that has occurred, or changed, since the format switch. She, Mr. Carlson, and Andy discuss the events. This was basically a flashback episode, and it was way too early for it in my opinion. I didn’t see the point. 6.0/10.0
A Date with Jennifer - Less wins an award, and WKRP shows their appreciation by agreeing to pay for Less and a date to attend the banquet. Less is a timid fellow, and has no date, but Jennifer says she will go with him. Herb is jealous and convinces Mr. Carlson to implement a rule on co-workers dating. This was a funny episode in which the music loss was most noticeable. It was still humorous though. 8.5/10.0
The Contest Nobody Could Win (23:41) – Johnny accidentally misreads a new contest for being an award of $5,000 instead of $50. Andy and Venus then do their best to make the contest so difficult that no one could possibly win. The plan does not go well. A sub-plot involving Herb was sort of dumb and I didn’t care for it, but the main story was very nice. 8.0/10.0
Tornado (24:46) – When a tornado warning comes in through Less’s emergency system machine, no one realizes because Herb unplugs it. It gets worse when Less doesn’t have the correct disaster file. As the storm wrecks parts of the station, the crew tries to entertain a group of Japanese radio executives. What a fabulous episode. This was hysterical from start to finish, and Mr. Carlson was the highlight. 10.0/10.0
Goodbye Johnny (23:53) – Johnny Fever gets an offer from a top radio station in Los Angeles, where he used to work, and decides to accept. The crew bands together and tries to trick him into staying by showing how much he means to them. I felt this storyline was inevitable, but a tad too early. Still, it was effective, funny, and even moving. 8.5/10.0
Johnny Returns (24:49) – Since Johnny is gone, Andy finds a replacement with a deejay named Doug Winner. Johnny then returns, and is forced to take the night shift. When Johnny discovers that the perfect new deejay is taking payola, he does not know whether or not to tell the boss. The plot here was brilliant, and the comedy was plentiful. A top-notch ending to this two parter. 10.0/10.0
Never Leave Me, Lucille (23:52) – Herb’s wife kicks him out of the house, and Johnny gets stuck with him as a new roommate. Herb likes being single, but it drives the crew mad! They work to show him that single life sucks. The actress portraying Lucille is probably familiar to many of you, but she is quite bothersome. This was that bad, and wasn’t that good either. 8.0/10.0
I Want to Keep My Baby (23:58) – A young mother, who has no money, no companion, no friends, and no family leaves her baby for Johnny at the station. The crew gets attached. I found this to be a bizarre episode, but one that was sweet all the same. This was pretty good, but nothing special. 8.0/10.0
DISC 3
A Commercial Break (24:21) - Herb lands the biggest account ever for WKRP, and it is a funeral home. The group creates a nifty jingle and is ready to collect $600 per day, but Mr. Carlson thinks the commercial is in bad taste. This was another tremendous side-splitting episode. The funeral home director was priceless. 9.0/10.0
Who is Gordon Sims? (24:15) – Less needs a photo taken of someone from the station for a promotion. He reveals his real name and a criminal past. This is probably one of the most captivating episodes of the series because is discusses the Vietnam War. For a comedy show, this was as serious as the premise could get. 9.5/10.0
I Do, I Do…For Now (24:18) – When T.J. Watson, a childhood friend of Jennifer’s, and aspiring country musician shows up, he wants to marry her. Jennifer tells him she is married to Johnny so he will leave. Howard Hesseman was incredible in this episode. He is such a delight, and the main reason I like this show. 9.0/10.0
Young Master Carlson (24:04) – Mr. Carlson’s son has disappeared from his military academy, but he is found to be in the care of Carlson’s mother. She forces “Big Guy” to find work for his son around the station, but he causes chaos everywhere. Mr. Carlson’s son was not completely aggravating, but this plot was strange. It did supply many comical situations though. 8.0/10.0
Fish Story (23:21) – In one of the most hectic episodes ever, WKRP sends Herb out as a karp, the new station mascot, and he then fights with the mascot of a rival station. Meanwhile, Johnny and Venus are participating in a drinking experiment where they must check how their response time changes with each alcoholic drink. This is one zany and wild episode to be sure, but that is the main strength. It is slapstick comedy at its finest. 8.5/10.0
Preacher (24:19) – On Sundays, the Reverend Little Ed Pembrook has a show on WKRP, and it is making the religious listeners angry. He is selling all sorts of merchandise. Andy and Arthur want to fire him, but he is an intimidating former professional wrestler. This was not the best way to end a season, but this episode has its special moments. 7.5/10.0
The Video
WKRP was shot almost entirely on video tape, and for the most part the picture looks just as it would if you were watching it when the episodes first ran. Some grain and soft spots are observable, but don't take away from the experience. I guess I expected the transfer to be a bit more pristine, but the source material kind of prevents any significant adjustments from happening. I did not see any flickering, picture jumpiness, or worn edges. This is not flawless video quality, but I didn’t really mind it that much. I can forgive the faults to a point. By the way, each episode is in full frame or a 1.33:1 aspect ratio.
The Audio
Since the explanation necessary for the replaced music is so vital to buying this set, I discussed that in detail above. Overall, not taking too much of that into account, the sound is just fine. Everyone is clear and understandable; my volume knob rested at a comfortable level, and no distortion was discernable. This section is where it felt like the process of finally bringing this to DVD was a bit rushed though. The audio is in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, and English and Spanish subtitles are inserted.
The Packaging
WKRP in Cincinnati is distributed in a flimsy and poor cardboard slip sleeve style casing. It is easily bendable, and effortless to tear. Inside of the slip sleeve are the thin keep cases used customarily for television nowadays. I don’t care for these at all either. Two discs are jammed into one thin case to make the whole package smaller. It is disgusting that one of the most sought after shows to finally arrive on DVD is dismissed with this inferior casing. No booklets were included. The menus are also awful, as they are not interactive or clips, but just an image. The main menu even displays the entire episode list. If you needed any evidence of how sloppy the DVD employees are, this is proof.
The Extras
Do My Eyes Say Yes Featurette (6:27) – This is a short little piece on Jennifer Elizabeth Marlowe, and how popular she was. It has interviews with the cast, and creator Hugh Wilson. Loni Anderson was a “10” then, but not now. Each give some interesting tidbits, but this was way too short.
A “Fish Story” Story Featurette (3:42) – This is an even shorter bonus that describes the arguments that occurred between CBS and Hugh Wilson on what direction the show was taking. They wanted slapstick, and he didn’t. He decided to go overboard with what they wanted, and it turned out to be a hit on “Fish Story.” What a shame that a longer documentary wasn’t attached. Gary Sandy, Jan Smithers, Howard Hesseman, and others do not appear on any extras sadly.
Audio Commentaries - Only two commentary tracks exist. They are on “Pilot (Part 1)” and “Turkey’s Away”. They feature Frank Bonner, Loni Anderson, and Hugh Wilson. They are informative in some ways, but it is mostly just the three of them having fun watching the show, reminiscing on old times, and talking about cast members not there. Hugh Wilson is apparently satisfied with the changes to the music. I wish more episodes had commentary tracks because the three of them were actually nice to listen to.
The Episodes: 9.0/10.0
The Video: 8.0/10.0
The Audio: 7.5/10.0
The Packaging: 4.0/10.0
The Extras: 5.5/10.0
The 411: WKRP In Cincinnati is finally out on DVD, and fans receive a poorly generated set with bad packaging, insultingly short bonuses, and sloppy construction. I don’t even care much about the music controversy. That is forgivable considering the circumstances, but 20th Century Fox should be embarrassed for approaching this process so quickly after so many delays. Customers glancing at this in stores will not be enticed to buy it. This is a great show, just taking into account the episodes. It is hilarious, sweet, and compelling. Most of all, it has aged masterfully. The rating you see below is because of how great the episodes were, yet I cannot discount all the clumsiness of the overall product. The irresistiblity of the characters and the gags is why this set is worth buying. The music might be different, but the characters are not.
