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List of WKRP in Cincinnati episodes

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WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy television series that features the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The series was created by Hugh Wilson and originally aired on the CBS from September 1978 to April 1982.

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
122September 18, 1978June 4, 1979
224September 17, 1979March 31, 1980
322November 1, 1980April 12, 1981
422October 7, 1981April 21, 1982
Special1980

Episodes

Season 1 (1978–79)

  • Producer: Hugh Wilson
  • Story editors: Tom Chehak, Bill Dial, Blake Hunter
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Pilot"Jay SandrichHugh WilsonSeptember 18, 1978 (1978-09-18)
Andy Travis takes over as program director at WKRP, a Cincinnati easy listening station, and his first act is to change the format to rock music.
22"Pilot, Part 2"Michael ZinbergHugh WilsonSeptember 25, 1978 (1978-09-25)
While Andy tries to come up with a publicity stunt to advertise the format change, a group of elderly listeners invades the station protesting the removal of their favorite music.
33"Les on a Ledge"Asaad KeladaHugh WilsonOctober 2, 1978 (1978-10-02)
When an athlete accuses him of being gay, Les climbs out on the ledge of WKRP's building and threatens to jump.
44"Hoodlum Rock"Michael ZinbergHugh WilsonOctober 9, 1978 (1978-10-09)
WKRP sponsors its first rock concert, by the British "hoodlum" group ("we're... several cuts below punk") Scum of the Earth, whose members (Michael Des Barres, Peter Elbling, and Jim Henderson) are well-dressed, articulate, and initially well-behaved, but that soon changes. Des Barres and his real band, Detective, performed the Scum of the Earth music.
55"Hold-Up"Asaad KeladaTom ChehakOctober 16, 1978 (1978-10-16)
Johnny does a live remote from a stereo shop owned by huckster Del Murdoch (Hamilton Camp), but an out-of-work DJ (Garry Goodrow) shows up with a gun and hijacks the broadcast.
66"Bailey's Show"Asaad KeladaJoyce Armor & Judie NeerOctober 23, 1978 (1978-10-23)
Shy, unassertive Bailey finally gets her chance to produce when WKRP does a public service interview show, but her first guest (Woodrow Parfrey), purportedly a child psychologist, turns out on the air to be nothing of the sort.
77"Turkeys Away"Michael ZinbergBill DialOctober 30, 1978 (1978-10-30)
Mr. Carlson decides to take a more hands-on managerial approach by doing the greatest Thanksgiving promotion in radio history - dropping live turkeys from a helicopter. Trivia: In 1997 TV Guide ranked this episode at number 40 on its '100 Greatest Episodes of All Time' list.[1] In 2009, it moved to #65.[2] It is based on a real event that happened at WQXI, the station many of the WKRP characters were based on.[3]
88"Love Returns"Asaad KeladaBill DialNovember 6, 1978 (1978-11-06)
Andy has to choose between love and work when his ex-girlfriend, country singing star Linda Taylor (Barrie Youngfellow), offers him the chance to go on the road with her. NOTE: The show was placed on hiatus for two months after this episode aired.
99"Mama's Review"Asaad KeladaHugh WilsonJanuary 15, 1979 (1979-01-15)
In a clip show, Andy and Mr. Carlson recount to Mama Carlson what has been happening at the station since it switched to a rock format. This episode was designed to reintroduce audiences to the show after the two-month hiatus.
1010"A Date with Jennifer"Asaad KeladaRichard Sanders & Michael FairmanJanuary 22, 1979 (1979-01-22)
When Les wins the coveted Silver Sow Award, he asks Jennifer to be his date for the banquet, and she says yes. A jealous Herb tries to get Mr. Carlson to institute a policy against employee dating.
1111"The Contest Nobody Could Win"Asaad KeladaCasey PiotrowskiJanuary 29, 1979 (1979-01-29)
Thanks to an on-air slip-of-the-lip by Johnny Fever, WKRP is forced to offer a $5,000 contest prize instead of just the intended $50.00, but Andy and Venus hatch a plan to make the contest unwinnable. There are two versions of this episode with different characters and different endings. [4]
1212"Tornado"Will MackenzieBlake HunterFebruary 5, 1979 (1979-02-05)
A tornado hits Cincinnati. When Andy gets injured by a breaking window, Johnny Fever becomes too emotional, and Les' disaster readiness plan turns out to have more to do with communists than natural disasters, Mr. Carlson has to go on the air and take charge.
1313"Goodbye, Johnny"Asaad KeladaBlake HunterFebruary 19, 1979 (1979-02-19)
Johnny is offered a better-paying job in Los Angeles, and his co-workers at WKRP try to manipulate him into staying in Cincinnati.
1414"Johnny Comes Back"Asaad KeladaBlake HunterFebruary 26, 1979 (1979-02-26)
Johnny leaves for the job in L.A. but is soon fired. He returns to WKRP, where the new morning man (Philip Charles Mackenzie) seems like a nice guy but turns out to have a dirty secret.
1515"Never Leave Me, Lucille"Asaad KeladaBill DialMarch 5, 1979 (1979-03-05)
Herb breaks up with his wife Lucille (Edie McClurg) and moves in with Johnny. Jennifer tries to get Herb and Lucille back together again so she won't have to put up with Herb's advances.
1616"I Want to Keep My Baby"Asaad KeladaHugh WilsonMarch 19, 1979 (1979-03-19)
A woman who listens to Johnny's show leaves her baby at the station. Johnny refuses to turn the baby over to child services until he has contacted the mother.
1717"A Commercial Break"Rod DanielRichard Sanders & Michael FairmanMarch 26, 1979 (1979-03-26)
Herb lines up the biggest sales contract in the station's history—over $200,000 per year to record and run a commercial jingle for the owner of a funeral home chain (Fred Stuthman), who wants to sell plots to a younger demographic.
1818"Who Is Gordon Sims?"Rod DanielTom ChehakApril 2, 1979 (1979-04-02)
Venus has to reveal that he is wanted as a deserter from the United States Army because he went AWOL just days after returning Stateside at the end of his Vietnam service, eight years before joining WKRP.
1919"I Do, I Do... For Now"Will MackenzieTom ChehakApril 23, 1979 (1979-04-23)
Jennifer pretends Johnny is her husband to ward off a childhood friend from West Virginia (Hoyt Axton) who shows up in Cincinnati expecting her to go through on their teenage agreement to get married.
2020"Young Master Carlson"Will MackenzieHugh WilsonApril 30, 1979 (1979-04-30)
Mr. Carlson's obnoxious son (Sparky Marcus) runs away from military school, and Mama Carlson decides that he should be given a short-term job at the station.
2121"Fish Story"Asaad KeladaRaoul PlagerMay 28, 1979 (1979-05-28)
Herb dresses up as the WKRP mascot, a carp, and gets into a fight with the WPIG pig (played by Lee Bergere). Johnny and Venus take an on-air alcohol test with a police officer (Jerry Hardin), with Johnny's reflexes strangely improving with each drink. The script for this episode is credited to "Raoul Plager," who does not exist. Series creator Hugh Wilson actually wrote the episode under duress from the network to infuse the show with more physical comedy, and used the alias to signal his frustration with their demands.[citation needed]
2222"Preacher"Michael ZinbergBill DialJune 4, 1979 (1979-06-04)
Andy tries to fire the Reverend Little Ed Pembrook (Michael Keenan), who sells John the Baptist shower curtains and The World Is Coming to an End lawn furniture on his show.

Season 2 (1979–80)

  • Executive producer: Hugh Wilson
  • Producers: Bill Dial, Rod Daniel
  • Executive story consultant: Blake Hunter
  • Story editors: Dan Guntzelman, Steve Marshall, Steven Kampmann, Peter Torokvei
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
231"For Love or Money: Part 1"Will MackenzieMary MaguireSeptember 17, 1979 (1979-09-17)
Johnny makes a date with Bailey for a movie, then stands her up when he gets a call from Buffy (Julie Payne), his demented ex-girlfriend who is suing him for palimony.
242"For Love or Money: Part 2"Will MackenzieMary MaguireSeptember 24, 1979 (1979-09-24)
Johnny's friends rush over to help him deal with Buffy's threat of a lawsuit.
253"Baseball"Hugh WilsonHugh WilsonOctober 15, 1979 (1979-10-15)
Les accepts a challenge for WKRP to play a softball game against the number one station in town, WPIG.
264"Bad Risk"Will MackenzieTom Joachim & Gene FournierOctober 22, 1979 (1979-10-22)
Herb moonlights as an insurance salesman and sells a comprehensive policy to a depressed Les, who promptly has a bizarre accident with his motor scooter.
275"Jennifer Falls in Love"Will MackenziePaul Robinson HunterOctober 29, 1979 (1979-10-29)
Jennifer falls in love for the first time in her life, with a man named Steel (Thomas Callaway) who is almost her male equivalent; blonde, beautiful, and a gold-digger.
286"Carlson for President"Will MackenzieJim PaddockNovember 5, 1979 (1979-11-05)
While running for City Council, Mr. Carlson blurts out a damaging piece of information about the incumbent (Howard Witt) during a televised debate. Feeling guilty, he tries to throw the election.
297"Mike Fright"Will MackenzieDan GuntzelmanNovember 12, 1979 (1979-11-12)
During a garbage strike, Johnny jokingly tells his listeners to dump their trash on the steps of City Hall. When hundreds of people actually do so, Johnny becomes so self-conscious about his influence that he finds himself unable to talk on the air.
308"Patter of Little Feet"Will MackenzieBlake HunterNovember 26, 1979 (1979-11-26)
Mr. Carlson's wife Carmen (Allyn Ann McLerie) reveals that she's pregnant. Mr. Carlson's initial joy turns to worry as he starts to think she is having the baby only to please him, while his mother recommends an abortion.
319"Baby, If You've Ever Wondered"Rod DanielBill DialDecember 3, 1979 (1979-12-03)
In the latest ratings, WKRP goes from #16 to #14 in the Cincinnati market. Everyone considers this a cause for celebration except Andy, who feels like a failure because the climb in ratings isn't greater.
3210"Bailey's Big Break"Will MackenzieSteve MarshallDecember 10, 1979 (1979-12-10)
Bailey gets the job of assistant newscaster, but a jealous Les tries to keep her from getting a regular spot on the air.
3311"Jennifer's Home for Christmas"Rod DanielDan Guntzelman & Steve MarshallDecember 17, 1979 (1979-12-17)
Jennifer's friends think she is going to be alone for Christmas, so each of them arrives at her apartment with a tree.
3412"Sparky"Rod DanielSteven Kampmann & Peter TorokveiDecember 24, 1979 (1979-12-24)
Mr. Carlson hires former Reds manager Sparky Anderson as the host of a sports interview show "The Bullpen", which turns out to be such a disaster that Carlson has no choice but to fire his hero.
3513"God Talks to Johnny"Will MackenzieHugh WilsonDecember 31, 1979 (1979-12-31)
After Johnny hears what he thinks might be God speaking to him, everybody thinks he's going crazy, including Johnny himself.
3614"A Family Affair"Rod DanielTim ReidJanuary 7, 1980 (1980-01-07)
After getting angry at Venus for going out with his sister Carol (Allison Argo), Andy overcompensates to prove he is not a racist.
3715"Herb's Dad"Rod DanielSteven Kampmann & Peter TorokveiJanuary 14, 1980 (1980-01-14)
Herb's father, the salesman Herb Tarlek Sr. (Bert Parks), runs away from the Shady Rest nursing home and asks his son to lend him money so he can go to California on yet another scheme.
3816"Put Up or Shut Up"Will MackenzieBlake Hunter, Steve Marshall, Steven KampmannJanuary 21, 1980 (1980-01-21)
Jennifer is tired of Herb making passes at her. At Bailey's suggestion, she tries to call Herb's bluff by actually accepting a date with him.
3917"The Americanization of Ivan"Hugh WilsonHugh Wilson (story)
Dan Guntzelman & Steve Marshall (teleplay)
January 28, 1980 (1980-01-28)
A visiting Soviet hog expert (Michael Pataki) asks Bailey to help him defect to the United States.
4018"Les's Groupie"Rod DanielPaul Robinson Hunter (story)
Steve Marshall (teleplay)
February 4, 1980 (1980-02-04)
Les goes out on a date with a woman (Kristina Callahan) who listens to his show, and after they spend one night together, she moves into his house and takes over his entire life.
4119"In Concert"Linda DaySteven KampmannFebruary 11, 1980 (1980-02-11)

The entire WKRP staff is overcome with feelings of guilt and anger after a major rock concert they helped to promote results in the deaths of eleven concertgoers.

Trivia: This episode directly referenced The Who concert disaster at Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum on December 3, 1979.
Controversial by nature, the episode was facing preemption in Cincinnati by Robert Gordon, then-vice president of Cincinnati's CBS affiliate; Gordon initially felt the episode was in poor taste, but reconsidered after watching a preview and realizing the episode dealt not with the concert tragedy itself, but the solemn aftereffects and the growing need to prohibit "festival seating", which was viewed as a main catalyst for the disaster. [5]
4220"The Doctor's Daughter"Frank BonnerLissa LevinFebruary 18, 1980 (1980-02-18)
Johnny has to figure out how to act like a father when his college-aged daughter Laurie (Patrie Allen) comes to visit with her obnoxious boyfriend (Derrel Maury).
43–4421–22"Filthy Pictures"Rod DanielHugh Wilson (story)
Dan Guntzelman & Steve Marshall (teleplay)
March 3, 1980 (1980-03-03)
A sleazy photographer (George Wyner) takes nude pictures of an unsuspecting Jennifer while she's in a changing room, and her friends try to find a way to steal the photos before he sells them to a magazine. (This one-hour episode aired in two parts for syndication.)
4523"Venus Rising"Nicholas StamosDan Guntzelman & Steve MarshallMarch 10, 1980 (1980-03-10)
Venus is tempted by a job offer from WREQ, but learns it's an automated station that only wants him as a token hire. Meanwhile, Herb makes a bogus claim of another job offer, hoping for a raise, but it backfires. Venus negotiates a deal with Andy that settles all issues.
4624"Most Improved Station"Rod DanielRichard Sanders & Michael FairmanMarch 31, 1980 (1980-03-31)
After WKRP loses a "Most Improved Station" broadcasting award while Johnny wins one for "Best Radio Personality," in-fighting starts among the WKRP staffers, and a special meeting is called so they can work out their problems.

Season 3 (1980–81)

  • Executive producer: Hugh Wilson
  • Supervising producer: Rod Daniel
  • Producers: Blake Hunter, Steven Kampmann, Peter Torokvei
  • Story consultants: Dan Guntzelman, Steve Marshall
  • Story editor: Lissa Levin
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
471"The Airplane Show"Rod DanielRichard Sanders & Michael FairmanNovember 1, 1980 (1980-11-01)
To compete with WPIG's traffic helicopter, Les starts reporting the news from a pre-World-War-II biplane (specifically, a 1934 Waco UMF) piloted by a deranged veteran (Michael Fairman) on Veterans Day. Trivia: This is the fourth of five episodes in which the script is co-credited to Richard Sanders (Les Nessman) and actor/writer Michael Fairman, who previously appeared as the shoe store owner who complains that Les is blocking his doorway in the season 1 episode "Turkeys Away." Flying stunts were performed by Harold Johnson, an accomplished aviator and then-serving mayor of Moraine, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, and childhood hometown of series star Gary Sandy.[6]
482"Jennifer Moves"Linda DayHugh WilsonNovember 8, 1980 (1980-11-08)
Jennifer buys a house in the suburbs. As the staff helps her move, the neighbors prove to be cheating husbands, jealous wives, corrupt phone servicemen, and worse; meanwhile, Les hears voices on the upper floor and Herb can't successfully negotiate the piano into the house.
493"Real Families"Rod DanielPeter TorokveiNovember 15, 1980 (1980-11-15)
The reality show "Real Families" does an episode about Herb and Lucille (Edie McClurg) and their kids, where the hosts (Peter Marshall and Daphne Maxwell, pre-Reid) seem eager to disprove the unconvincing claim by Herb's colleagues that he's a "hard worker, loyal husband, and all-around fine person."
504"The Baby"Rod DanielBlake HunterNovember 22, 1980 (1980-11-22)
Mr. Carlson's wife goes into labor. The whole gang goes to the hospital to be there when she gives birth, but Mr. Carlson has second thoughts about being in the delivery room with her.
515"Hotel Oceanview"Rod DanielSteven KampmannNovember 29, 1980 (1980-11-29)
To land the coveted Vicky Von Vickey jeans account, Andy, Mr. Carlson, and Herb travel to a hotel in Dayton to make a presentation to the company president (guest star Dr. Joyce Brothers). While there, Andy deals with projector issues, Herb makes time with Ms. Vickey's sexy assistant (Linda Carlson), who is now a woman but was once a guy Herb went to school with, and everyone is afraid of becoming the next victim of the Dayton Poisoner.
526"A Mile in My Shoes"Rod DanielDan GuntzelmanDecember 6, 1980 (1980-12-06)
When Herb has jury duty, Andy takes over sales and Venus takes over programming.
537"Bah, Humbug"Rod DanielLissa LevinDecember 20, 1980 (1980-12-20)
In a dream brought on by eating one of Johnny's brownies, Mr. Carlson encounters three ghosts who show him why he's making a mistake by not giving generous Christmas bonuses.
548"Baby, It's Cold Inside"Rod DanielBlake HunterJanuary 3, 1981 (1981-01-03)
On a day when the heat is not working at the station, Mama Carlson comes to visit, gets drunk on liquor confiscated from Johnny Fever, and starts reminiscing about her late husband.
559"The Painting"Rod DanielSteven KampmannJanuary 10, 1981 (1981-01-10)
Bailey is enamored of a painting Herb bought at Mr. Carlson's church auction, while Herb only cares about finding a way to make some money on it.
5610"Daydreams"Rod DanielPeter TorokveiJanuary 17, 1981 (1981-01-17)
While Mr. Carlson rehearses a boring speech about radio history that he has written for an upcoming conference/banquet, his employees drift off into a series of personal daydreams.
5711"Frog Story"Rod DanielBob DolmanJanuary 24, 1981 (1981-01-24)
After Herb accidentally sprays pink paint over his daughter's pet frog, Greenpeace, he brings it to the station looking for a way to save it.
5812"Venus and the Man"Rod DanielHugh WilsonJanuary 31, 1981 (1981-01-31)
Trying to talk a gang leader (Keny Long) out of quitting school, Venus bets the young man that he can teach him about the structure of the atom in only two minutes. The original broadcast of this episode featured a pre-credits sequence in which Loni Anderson, surrounded by the entire cast and crew, spoke directly to the viewing audience, breaking the Fourth Wall to welcome home those who had just returned from the Iran Hostage Crisis.
5913"Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide: Part 1"Rod DanielSteve MarshallFebruary 7, 1981 (1981-02-07)
A network employee with eyes for Johnny (Mary Frann) convinces him to take on hosting duties for a TV show with a large salary; when he realizes it is a disco show, he realizes he cannot back out of the deal without a protracted legal fight, so he creates a new persona, the disco-loving Rip Tide. Initially hoping to keep Johnny Fever and Rip Tide separate, Johnny finds it increasingly difficult to keep Rip Tide off WKRP's airwaves.
6014"Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide: Part 2"Rod DanielSteve MarshallFebruary 7, 1981 (1981-02-07)
Conclusion. Rip Tide begins to spill even further into John Caravella's personal life, as he goes out as Rip Tide at night and finds he enjoys the money and fame. With Les concluding Johnny has developed a schizoid disorder, the staff of WKRP are divided: Andy and Herb would rather keep Rip, but the others would much rather have the old Johnny. Johnny finally finds the will to abandon Rip and sends his alter ego off with an on-air meltdown.
6115"Ask Jennifer"Linda DayJoyce Armor & Judie NeerFebruary 14, 1981 (1981-02-14)
Jennifer steps in as the voice of an advice talk show titled "Ask Arlene" when the planned host turns out to be a pill-popper. Jennifer quickly finds success, but wants out once a piece of advice goes wrong.
6216"I Am Woman"Linda DayLissa LevinFebruary 21, 1981 (1981-02-21)
Bailey leads a campaign to save the home of WKRP, the Flimm Building, from being torn down. Mr. Carlson withdraws his support after Mama Carlson offers to finance a new home for the station, leading to a confrontation.
6317"Secrets of Dayton Heights"Frank BonnerJon SmetFebruary 28, 1981 (1981-02-28)
Les learns that the man who raised him was not his biological father, and that his real father (Bill McLean) was once a Communist and is now a barber in a nearby town.
6418"Out to Lunch"Dolores FerraroBen Elisco (story)
Peter Torokvei (teleplay)
March 14, 1981 (1981-03-14)
Co-workers suggest to Herb that his three-martini lunches with clients are turning him into an alcoholic. Guest star: Craig T. Nelson.
6519"A Simple Little Wedding"Nicholas StamosBlake HunterMarch 21, 1981 (1981-03-21)
Mr. Carlson and his wife decide to renew their marriage vows. Just as she did with the planned first wedding, Mama Carlson tries to take over the event, while Herb throws a predictably tacky bachelor party for Mr. Carlson.
6620"Nothing to Fear But..."Asaad KeladaTim Reid (story)
Dan Guntzelman (teleplay)
March 28, 1981 (1981-03-28)
Everyone becomes paranoid after the station is robbed.
6721"Till Debt Do Us Part"Frank BonnerHoward Hesseman & Steven KampmannApril 5, 1981 (1981-04-05)
When his first ex-wife gets engaged, Johnny is overjoyed about no longer having to pay her alimony, but worries that her fiancé (Hamilton Camp) is a womanizing creep.
6822"Clean Up Radio Everywhere"Linda DayHugh Wilson and Max TashApril 12, 1981 (1981-04-12)
Evangelist Dr. Bob Halyers (Richard Paul), a take-off on Jerry Falwell, threatens WKRP with a boycott unless they stop playing songs with "obscene" lyrics.

Season 4 (1981–82)

  • Executive producer: Hugh Wilson
  • Producers: Blake Hunter, Peter Torokvei, Dan Guntzelman, Steve Marshall
  • Story consultant: Lissa Levin
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
691"An Explosive Affair: Part 1"Linda DaySteve MarshallOctober 7, 1981 (1981-10-07)
WKRP receives a bomb threat from the terrorist group "Black Monday," and Andy sends Johnny and Venus to broadcast from the transmitter while the station is being searched. Meanwhile, Mr. Carlson's former secretary (Rosemary Forsyth) visits, and he misreads her desire to meet for lunch.
702"An Explosive Affair: Part 2"Linda DaySteve MarshallOctober 14, 1981 (1981-10-14)
Andy realizes the threatened bomb is actually at the transmitter where he's sent Johnny and Venus. He tries to contact them, but Johnny has smashed the phone out of frustration over a missed bet on a horse. Luckily, with help from the police, Johnny and Venus get out before the bomb explodes.
713"The Union"Linda DayBlake HunterOctober 21, 1981 (1981-10-21)
While the station's employees consider unionizing, Mr. Carlson deals with feelings of betrayal.
724"Rumors"Linda DayPeter TorokveiOctober 28, 1981 (1981-10-28)
Johnny stays at Bailey's place while his apartment is being fumigated, leading to rumors that the two are having a sexual affair.
735"Straight from the Heart"Dan GuntzelmanDan GuntzelmanNovember 4, 1981 (1981-11-04)
Herb secretly checks into a hospital for heart tests, but then sneaks out and takes Les to a 3D pornographic movie.
746"Who's on First?"Dan GuntzelmanDan GuntzelmanNovember 11, 1981 (1981-11-11)
Mr. Carlson has to pretend to be Herb to make a sale while Herb is in the hospital, while Les pretends to be Mr. Carlson, and Johnny pretends to be Andy to avoid paying a gambling debt.
757"Three Days of the Condo"Linda DayLissa LevinNovember 18, 1981 (1981-11-18)
Johnny receives a $24,000 legal settlement from the L.A. station that fired him. To stop Johnny from wasting the windfall, Venus advises Fever to invest in a condo at Gone With the Wind Estates.
768"Jennifer and the Will"Dolores FerraroBlake HunterDecember 2, 1981 (1981-12-02)
After Jennifer's elderly boyfriend Colonel Buchanan (Pat O'Brien) dies while out on a date with her, she discovers she has been named executrix of his will.
779"The Consultant"Dolores FerraroHugh WilsonDecember 30, 1981 (1981-12-30)
Mama Carlson hires a professional radio consultant (David Clennon) to evaluate WKRP, and the consultant threatens Andy with a bad report unless the station subscribes to his programming services.
7810"Love, Exciting and New"Frank BonnerLissa LevinJanuary 6, 1982 (1982-01-06)
Andy spends time with Mama Carlson in order to talk her into replacing the station's transmitter, but he starts to think she might be sexually harassing him. Actress Colleen Camp plays herself on air for Les Nessman's "Show Beat" segment, talking about her (actual) appearance in the 1981 film They All Laughed.
7911"You Can't Go Out of Town Again"Howard HessemanDan GuntzelmanJanuary 13, 1982 (1982-01-13)
Mr. Carlson learns that his wife Carmen first went out with him in college only because her sorority dared her to date someone on the "dip list."
8012"Pills"Asaad KeladaSteve MarshallJanuary 20, 1982 (1982-01-20)
WKRP has to do commercials for a client (Robert Ridgely) whose "diet pills" are actually a legalized form of speed.
8113"Changes"Will MackenziePeter TorokveiJanuary 27, 1982 (1982-01-27)
Venus tries to act and dress more stereotypically "black" to prepare for an interview with a militant magazine, whose writer (Tom Dreesen) turns out to be white; meanwhile, Herb adopts a classier image with Jennifer's help.
8214"Jennifer and Johnny's Charity"Will MackenzieBlake HunterFebruary 3, 1982 (1982-02-03)
Class conflict is in the air when Johnny's friends from the fire-damaged Vine Street Mission meet Jennifer's wealthy friends who are preparing to donate money to rebuild it.
8315"I'll Take Romance"Asaad KeladaLissa LevinFebruary 17, 1982 (1982-02-17)
Les goes out with a woman (Livia Ginise) he met through a computer dating service, not realizing the service is a front for prostitution.
8416"Circumstantial Evidence"Frank BonnerTim Reid & Peter TorokveiFebruary 24, 1982 (1982-02-24)
A woman (Daphne Maxwell Reid) frames Venus as her accomplice in an armed robbery.
8517"Fire"Will MackenzieDan GuntzelmanMarch 17, 1982 (1982-03-17)
Herb and Jennifer are stuck in an elevator together when a fire shuts down the Flimm Building.
8618"Dear Liar"Frank BonnerSteve MarshallMarch 24, 1982 (1982-03-24)
In a take-off on the Janet Cooke scandal, Bailey drafts a fictional character to serve as the focus of a news story on a children's hospital, only to have Les read it on-air when she leaves for lunch.
8719"The Creation of Venus"Gordon JumpBlake HunterMarch 31, 1982 (1982-03-31)
Venus and Andy tell Mama Carlson the real story of how Venus came to work at WKRP.
8820"The Impossible Dream"Nicholas StamosRichard Sanders & Michael FairmanApril 7, 1982 (1982-04-07)
Egged on by his mother, Les announces that he is going to fulfil his lifelong dream by going to New York to audition for the CBS Evening News.
8921"To Err Is Human"Linda DayLissa LevinApril 14, 1982 (1982-04-14)
Herb screws up yet again and Mr. Carlson is finally ready to fire him, but Jennifer tries to find a way to save Herb's job by talking to the businessman (Tom Sullivan) Herb offended.
9022"Up and Down the Dial"George GaynesDan GuntzelmanApril 21, 1982 (1982-04-21)
The new ratings arrive, and WKRP has finally become a successful station, rising to #6 in the Cincinnati market with Johnny Fever as the #1 DJ. But when a new news director (Nicholas Hormann) shows up and says he was hired by Mama Carlson, Andy soon finds out that she plans to change the station to a 24-hour news format.

Special (1980)

This 11-minute special, a production of the U.S. Treasury Department, uses an abbreviated version of the opening credits of the series (crediting only Gary Sandy and Gordon Jump) but is not a full episode of the series, nor was it televised. It contains no laugh track and is part of a long-running series from the Treasury in which sitcoms were adapted into commercials for Savings Bonds. For reasons unknown, Universal City Studios claimed copyright on the film despite no involvement with the series (and, as a work for hire for the U.S. government, its copyright eligibility is questionable in and of itself).

TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
"A Sure Thing"Rod DanielHugh Wilson, Steve Marshall1980 (1980)
The gang (except Jennifer, who is away) listen to Mr. Carlson's pitch for U.S. Savings Bonds.

References

  1. ^ TV Guide Book of Lists. Running Press. 2007. pp. 185. ISBN 0-7624-3007-9.
  2. ^ "TV Guide's Top 100 Episodes". Rev/Views. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  3. ^ "Turkeys Away: An Oral History".
  4. ^ "WKRP in Cincinnati Season 1 Episode 11: The Contest Nobody Could Win". TV Guide.
  5. ^ http://ultimateclassicrock.com/the-who-wkrp-in-concert/ How ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ Broke the Rules to Cover the Who’s Concert Tragedy By Dw Dunphy December 3, 2014 12:07 PM
  6. ^ Kristin McAllister (2011-01-13). "Harold Johnson, Moraine's flying mayor, dies in Florida". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 2015-05-08.