Product Description

Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 04/24/2007

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3631 in DVD
• Brand: Twentieth Century Fox
• Released on: 2007-04-24
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 532 minutes

Amazon.com
One of DVD's most requested titles, WKRP in Cincinnati is a blast from the past and an absolutely golden oldie. But this first-season set is bound to cause static with fans who have eagerly anticipated its release. Because of pesky music rights, the songs don't remain the same. "Hot Blooded" is not playing when mild-mannered newsman Les Nessman (Richard Sanders) puts on a toupee in anticipation of an awards-dinner date with bombshell station receptionist Jennifer (Loni Anderson). It's "Beautiful Dreamer" and not "Fly Me to the Moon" that chimes when Jennifer's doorbell is sounded. Any number of generic songs have replaced the contemporary and classic rock so vital to WKRP, which is, after all, set at a radio station, albeit one that is best known for its farm reports. Enter Andy Travis (Gary Sandy), the new program director charged with turning the station around, beginning with changing the format to rock & roll. Andy, the series anchor, is something of the head guard at a nut farm. In seasons to come, he will wonder if he is one of the nuts, which include: "Big Man," Mr. Carlson (Gordon Jump), who is easily flustered, especially by his formidable mother, the station owner; polyester-clad sales director, Herb Tarleck (Frank Bonner), hopelessly old school and on the make for "Jenni-poo"; and morning DJ, Johnny Caravella (Howard Hesseman), a former "boss jock" now reduced to playing "You're Having My Baby" by the Hallelujah Tabernacle Choir. Also on staff is Bailey (Jan Smithers), Mary-Ann to Jennifer's Ginger, and who lacks the confidence to assert herself at the station; and Venus Flytrap (Tim Reid), whom Andy hires to be the nighttime DJ. It's a seamless ensemble of likable characters on par with The Mary Tyler Moore Show's WJM news team. WKRP is one of those rare series that hit its irresistible groove from the get-go. Hesseman sounds all the right notes as Johnny, reborn as Dr. Johnny Fever (ranked no. 73 on the Bravo "100 Greatest TV Characters" chart).

As the season unfolds, the hits just keep on comin', including the classic "Turkeys Away," about a Thanksgiving stunt that goes hilariously awry ("As God is my witness," Mr. Carlson insists, "I thought turkeys could fly"), the "Goodbye Johnny" two-parter in which the (briefly) departed Johnny's replacement is involved in payola (resulting in Mr. Carlson mistaking cocaine for foot powder), and "Never Leave Me, Lucille," in which Jennifer desperately tries to reunite Herb with his wife. Purists may balk at the replaced songs, but the sharp writing and performances provide WKRP's real music. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews

Pre-order cancelled
After reading the news about what is actually on these DVDs, I had to cancel the pre-order. I was so excited when I heard this was coming out. The early info said that Hugh Wilson was involved, and I had hoped it would be the same quality effort as was put into the short lived Sledge Hammer! series when it came to DVD.

I can live with the music changes to get the DVD's out, but I cannot justify spending money for episodes that are just 22-minute syndication cuts. I can hardly watch them on TV-Land or wherever they show up now and then because of that the cut scenes.

Can't get Pink Floyd "dogs"? Don't cut the scene! Go get some audio of some freak'n dogs barking and dub it in!

Unbelievable.

Sorry Fox, you will have to do MUCH better for me to spend money on this.

Just to make sure there is no confusion; I *LOVE* WKRP, but not enough to spend money on crappy DVDs.

Would Have Bought It Had They Retained The Original Music And The Original Cuts
This is one of my all time favorite shows, and I would have happily paid more for the original versions of the shows, with the original music. It's a show about a radio station - OF COURSE the original music is important. I will not pay, however, for truncated versions of the shows with altered music. WKRP is one of the classic shows of TV, deeply influential and smartly written and directed and excellently acted. It's a shame Fox doesn't have the sense to treat one of its finest moments with even an ounce of care or respect. I don't buy the argument that by not buying this substandard product I'm guaranteeing I won't see a better release of WKRP in the future. Why not just release a GOOD product first, and I'll buy that right away? What happened to that business model? And if the RIAA shares blame, too, well, their business model is clearly outmoded, anyway. Instead of guaranteeing renewed revenue from these shows for the artists it represents, it now guarantees them nothing at all from this DVD release. Nice work!

This DVD is an insult to the people behind WKRP and its many devoted fans.

What?! No ZERO STAR option??
If it were possible, I would have rated this set 0 stars! I am saddened & dismayed that I must negatively rate this set. I loved WKRP. It was the only TV show that I would never miss when I was young.

I understand about the enormous expense with the music rights. I can even see where some editing had to be done due to music editing. In other words, I was ready to forgive a lot, just to view these episodes again.
Well, I have a friend who has got a hold of a copy of the advance DVD set. We watched it over the last few nights.

Since this was a copy of the DVD, I cannot comment on the picture quality with any authority. What I CAN comment on, was what has been done to the shows.

It is WORSE, WAY WORSE than you can imagine from reading these reviews. I had read the reviews, and I thought I was mentally prepared, but I still came away with a sick feeling in my stomach. I can imagine some first time viewers of this set actually having a hard time following the plot due to cut scenes & music changes.

PLEASE DO NOT ORDER THIS SET. It is a travesty, & Fox should NOT be rewarded for this effort!

FOX: Charge $150 per season, if you have to, but release this set intact! You should be ashamed & embarrassed over this shambles!