WKRP in Cincinnati

Many sitcoms start out with great promise, but over successive seasons settle and turn dimensionally less realistic. Take for example Tony Danza's spiral down in "Taxi" into the "dumb guy." In WKRP in Cincinnati, the complete opposite was true. Two dimensional stereotypes at the beginning (cowboy programmer, dim-witted receptionist, lazy mama's boy manager, city-wise black DJ, etc.) were allowed over the show's course to become psychologically real. The on-going harassment by married salesman Herb Tarlek towards Jennifer the receptionist was finally confronted, and in subsequent episodes he was never quite the pig towards her as before. Alcoholism and drug abuse were addressed, but never in the "hit you over the head" PC style of today. The show could be simultaneously hilarious and of dire seriousness. If you can, catch the episodes in rerun in order. The final season is amazing, especially when the previous years have set you up for it. Carol Bruce (Mama Carlson) episodes are especially stunning. And always look for Les Nessman's roaming band-aid.

Two TV programs are burned into my humor memory banks...the first from youth...Ernie Kovacs and his cigar MC-ing the Blackstone Magicians Convention TV Special in the 50's (before his ridiculous death in that ridiculous subcompact car). The image of Kovacs (and the cigar) inserting swords into a cabinet with a studio volunteer inside...the last thrust...just before a commercial break...accompanied by a gasp and moan. Kovacs watches as the handle of the sword rises, turns full face to the camera with a shrug and a complex of wicked humor, confusion, and phlegmatic acceptance on his face as the screen fades to black. The second from adulthood...WKRP's Thanksgiving show...Les Nessman's breathless redux of Pittsburgh broadcaster Herb (damn, sorry Herb I've forgotten the last name!) report on the Hindenberg disaster...as he described hapless, live turkeys hurled from a helicopter hovering above a shopping center parking lot. Herb Tarlek's anguished, "I swear to God Big Guy, I thought turkeys could fly!" as the denemois (so much for my recollection of high school French)to the "horror" and the "audience" response to his promotional gimmick.

I'd just had abdominal surgery 2 days before the Kovac's show so you can imagine my truly experiencing "laugh till you cry." I was preparing a turkey for my annual "y'all come" TG potluck, when the WKRP program aired...the turkey and dressing were everywhere as I thrashed about with unrestrained rib cracking laughter. I've told literally thousands of people about these two shows and would sure like to show them.

Bottomline: Are there DVD's or VCR's of the original shows available?

What can I add to what's already been said in the other comments? With the above quote and the unveiling of the KISS poster, WKRP IN CINCINATTI jumped in with both feet and made viewer (if not critical) history. Real people, losers who refused to be losers, teamed together to help and validate one another in great situations all in the little space of a couple of offices. Big theme and social consciousness issues without the big speech, hit you over the head approach. An ensemble cast with great writing and dialogue. Who cares whether or not it was low-budget? It was GREAT stuff. Favorite moments? Les wanting to commit suicide cuz the rumor is that he's gay. Herb painting his daughter's frog PINK. All the guys pitching in to get back the nudie shots the photographer took of Jennifer. The concert where the kids were crushed against the not yet opened gates. (I couldn't stop crying, watching that one.) Les feeding his dog, wearing the giant dog-trainer glove. The "phone police" blowing up the transmitter station. (That was my Dad's favorite.) But most of all for me, Venus teaching the cleaning lady's kid about the atom, using the analogy of gangs in the hood. The comedy capper on that one was Johnny waking up from behind some shelves and saying something like, "So that's how that works." And, yeah, folks -- Bailey was HOT and should've been showcased more. In closing, "Oh, yeah ... BOOGER!"

Only a very few comedies have reached what I consider the height of mixing pathos, characterization, slapstick, verbal byplay. Night Court, Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore...and WKRP manages to surpass them all. WKRP comes out ahead of most of these (except maybe Night Court) because it was a true ensemble. It didn't focus on just Sam & Diane, or just Mary, but equally covered each of its cast members, giving them almost-equal screen time.

These were also folks who had _lives_ that didn't revolve entirely around the office or resolving the problem at the office: families, social lives, etc.

The recent Nick at Nite marathon (40 hours, five nights) just brought back home to me that this show was so funny, and why even some of the worst episodes are still a heck of a lot funnier than most "comedies" on the air today.

Hopefully WKRP will be settling into a long stay on Nick at Nite once the marathon runs its course.

I remember during its second season a real life event happened in Cincinatti where 11 people were killed at Riverfront Stadium during a Who concert. Wkrp I thought handled this extremely well on one of their shows. I thought they handled this very well like the class act they were. One of their more memorable serious shows. The boss had come in the nest day and hadn't heard what had happened. The Music group The Who was performing a concert on December 3, 1979 and when the doors were opened for general admission there was a crowd serge and 11 people were trampled to death. It led to several changes of how concerts were promoted and also pretty much the end of general admission first come first serve seating