WKRP in Cincinnati

[GORDON]

This is one of my childhood memories.... Dad used to watch this.

Anyway, I've noticed that a couple times in the release I'm watching, my memory isn't matching what I'm seeing.

There's an episode in S1 where a thief scams $5k in contest money from the station, and Johnny Fever saves the day last minute. This isn't what I just saw, and I went to the internet to see if I was trippin....

Nope. There was an alternate ending to that.

https://wkrp-relived.blogspot.com/2015/ ... d-win.html

So there you go. I remembered a TV show from like 1979 or something. GenX rules.

[GORDON]

Also I remember Andy having a conversation in the first episodes with the black DJ about what his radio name would be, and he was resisting "Venus" because it was a woman's name. That also wasn't in this version.

[GORDON]

Also I remember Andy having a conversation in the first episodes with the black DJ about what his radio name would be, and he was resisting "Venus" because it was a woman's name. That also wasn't in this version.

I was right. This scene was missing from the version currently on plex.



I'm not saying anything needs to be fixed..... I believe there were a few versions of this show getting released, due to trying to get the original music rights because the RIAA is trash. But it's just weird the things they've changed in this "final" version.

[GORDON]

I don't remember Les Nesman being stealth macho. My memory of him was one-note nebbish, but here he is being quick with a good "dude" comeback, and having a secret fitness routine.

[GORDON]

Damn. I remembered the "army deserter" episode, but I don't remember it being that fucked up.

[TheCatt]

I remember very little of WKRP, I was young when it was on (4-8)

[GORDON]

I'm almost done with season 3, of 4.

There was a slight tonal shift after season 1. When the show was new and unproven, I feel like the acting and ideas were more loose, and willing to take risks. Which fit perfectly for a show about an AM radio station, ranked 16 in an 18 station market. But I feel like the show blew up, and in later seasons they're playing it a little safer, trying to keep the audience/advertisers they had. It loses something.

Anyway, I just watched an episode over lunch an I'm still struck how all of these characters seem 1-note at a glance, but then there's an episode that focuses on them and they get fleshed out and they become 3 dimensional. It was well done.

And I still get a good chuckle once or twice an episode, which I can't say about a lot of current comedy shows.

There wasn't internet back then. Peeps got to watch it 40 years later and analyze after the fact.

[GORDON]

Late season 3, a local preacher threatens the station with boycott if they don't stop playing sinfully rock and roll music. There are a few scenes of gentle Mr. Carlson arguing with the guy, civilly, about the nature of censorship, religion, morality, and coercion.

The preacher says WKRP has the right to play whatever it wants, but he has the right to weaponize his flock to threaten WKRP's advertisers. And they do, one of their oldest clients comes to Carlson and says he feels shame, but he's wanting to retire and sell his business, but he can't if those religious people shut him down.

WKRP addressed cancel culture in 1981.

[TheCatt]

I mean, cancel culture has been around for centuries.

[Leisher]

I mean, cancel culture has been around for centuries.

True, but previously they had the balls to burn you at the stake.

[GORDON]

Also I remember Andy having a conversation in the first episodes with the black DJ about what his radio name would be, and he was resisting "Venus" because it was a woman's name. That also wasn't in this version.

Aha! I knew I remembered correctly.... the scene I remember was from an episode near the end of its run. They're looking back at how they all first met.