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WKRP in Cincinnati

TV Series · 1978

WKRP in Cincinnati

25 min · Comedy · Ended

Composite

8.6

IMDb

8.0 / 10

12,832 votes

TMDB

7.6 / 10

98 votes

Local

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Synopsis

When a Cincinnati radio station switches from sedate music to top-40 rock 'n' roll, its staff of oddball characters is forced to switch gears quickly. New programming director Andy Travis brings in a new DJ named Venus Flytrap to work with the station's burned-out veteran, Dr. Johnny Fever. Neurotic newsman Les Nessman, eager beaver Bailey Quarters, sleazy salesman Herb Tarlek, blonde bombshell Jennifer Marlowe, who serves as the station's ultra-capable receptionist, and station manager Arthur Carlson, whose domineering mother owns WKRP, round out the eccentric bunch.

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Cast

Crew

Production

Seasons & episodes

Season 1 (22 ep)
  • 1. Pilot (1)

    Sep 18, 1978 · 25 min

    Andy tries to convince WKRP's owner that rock and roll will cure the station's ailing ratings.

  • 2. Pilot (2)

    Sep 25, 1978 · 25 min

    Andy faces a fiscal crisis: Carlson won't finance a breaking-in period for the new format.

  • 3. Les On a Ledge

    Oct 2, 1978 · 25 min

    Les is barred from locker-room interviews when his manhood is questioned.

  • 4. Hoodlum Rock

    Oct 9, 1978 · 25 min

    Andy books a rock band whose members attack their audiences.

  • 5. Hold-Up

    Oct 16, 1978 · 25 min

    A broadcast from a stereo shop is disrupted by a holdup.

  • 6. Bailey's Show

    Oct 23, 1978 · 25 min

    Bailey's show brings out the weirdest people in town.

  • 7. Turkeys Away

    Oct 30, 1978 · 25 min

    Carlson thinks up a wacko Thanksgiving promotional gimmick.

  • 8. Love Returns

    Nov 6, 1978 · 25 min

    Andy may have to leave WKRP when he rekindles his love for a touring rock star.

  • 9. Mama's Review

    Jan 15, 1979 · 25 min

    In flashbacks, Andy and Carlson update WKRP's owner Mrs. Carlson on recent station happenings.

  • 10. A Date With Jennifer

    Jan 22, 1979 · 25 min

    Les invites Jennifer to a banquet, then suspects she only accepted out of pity.

  • 11. The Contest Nobody Could Win

    Jan 29, 1979 · 25 min

    Johnny accidentally offers listeners $5000 instead of $50 as a contest prize.

  • 12. Tornado

    Feb 5, 1979 · 25 min

    A tornado strikes while Japanese businessmen are touring the station.

  • 13. Goodbye, Johnny

    Feb 19, 1979 · 25 min

    Johnny is offered a job in California, so the staff devises a scheme to keep him in Cincinnati.

  • 14. Johnny Comes Back

    Feb 26, 1979 · 25 min

    Johnny comes back to WKRP expecting to get his job back. Instead, he is assigned to the predawn show.

  • 15. Never Leave Me, Lucille

    Mar 5, 1979 · 25 min

    Temporarily separated from his wife, Herb envisions a fanciful bachelorhood.

  • 16. I Want to Keep My Baby

    Mar 12, 1979 · 25 min

    Johnny refuses to relinquish an abandoned baby left at WKRP until he can contact the mother.

  • 17. A Commercial Break

    Mar 26, 1979 · 25 min

    Andy has doubts about an upbeat ad campaign for a mortician.

  • 18. Who is Gordon Sims?

    Apr 2, 1979 · 25 min

    Venus refuses to pose for an ad because he's wanted by the law.

  • 19. I Do, I Do... For Now

    Apr 23, 1979 · 25 min

    Jennifer tries to discourage a beau by revealing she's married--to Johnny Fever.

  • 20. Young Master Carlson

    Apr 30, 1979 · 25 min

    Momma Carlson insists her grandson be allowed to roam around the station after he's booted out of military school.

  • 21. Fish Story

    May 28, 1979 · 25 min

    Andy tells a journalist that WKRP is just a "run-of-the-mill" station, even though a staffer is running around in a "carp" suit.

  • 22. Preacher

    Jun 4, 1979 · 25 min

    A wrestler turned preacher uses his radio sermon to sell merchandise.

Season 2 (24 ep)
  • 1. For Love or Money (1)

    Sep 17, 1979 · 25 min

    Johnny forgets about his date with Bailey when he gets a call from Buffy, his old girlfriend from California. He borrows Jennifer's apartment to impress Buffy; however, that plan ends when she tells him she's suing him for palimony.

  • 2. For Love or Money (2)

    Sep 24, 1979 · 25 min

    Johnny calls his friends over to Jennifer's apartment to help him deal with Buffy and her threat of a lawsuit. Buffy arrives and, after having a drink with Johnny, tells him that she put poison in his drink.

  • 3. Baseball

    Oct 15, 1979 · 25 min

    The staff plays against the team from rival station WPIG in a softball game.

  • 4. Bad Risk

    Oct 22, 1979 · 25 min

    Herb starts selling insurance as a sideline, and sells a comprehensive policy to Les, who promptly has an accident.

  • 5. Jennifer Falls in Love

    Oct 22, 1979 · 25 min

    For the first time in her life, Jennifer is in love, with a penniless but handsome repairman who turns out to be even more of a gold digger than she is. Meanwhile, Les tries to get a raise, and Johnny becomes convinced that he's the man Jennifer is in love with.

  • 6. Carlson for President

    Nov 5, 1979 · 25 min

    Mr. Carlson runs for Cincinnati City Council. When Bailey discovers a potentially damaging piece of information about the front-runner in the election, Mr. Carlson considers using that information in a televised debate.

  • 7. Mike Fright

    Nov 12, 1979 · 25 min

    During a citywide garbage strike, Johnny jokingly suggests that his listeners dump their garbage on the steps of City Hall. The joke is on him, and the station, when hundreds of listeners take him seriously. Johnny becomes aware of his power and develops a serious case of mike fright.

  • 8. The Patter of Little Feet

    Nov 26, 1979 · 25 min

    Mr. Carlson's wife Carmen announces that she is pregnant. Mr. Carlson is overjoyed, and certain that Carmen feels the same way. However, Mama Carlson points out the potential dangers of middle-aged pregnancy and recommends an abortion.

  • 9. Baby, If You've Ever Wondered

    Dec 3, 1979 · 25 min

    The new ratings book arrives, and WKRP has climbed from 16th to 14th place in the Cincinnati market. Everyone is happy about the gain except Andy, who knows that the station has not improved enough, in part because of his own unwillingness to fire incompetent employees like Herb and Les.

  • 10. Bailey's Big Break

    Dec 10, 1979 · 25 min

    When WKRP needs an assistant news reporter, Bailey applies for the job and gets it. Les, who doesn't want to work with anyone, least of all a woman, tries to keep Bailey from going on the air.

  • 11. Jennifer's Home for Christmas

    Dec 17, 1979 · 25 min

    Jennifer tells her friends that she has nothing special planned for Christmas, and that she doesn't have a tree this year. Everyone begins to suspect that she might be alone for the holidays.

  • 12. Sparky

    Dec 24, 1979 · 25 min

    Mr. Carlson hires legendary baseball manager Sparky Anderson as the host of a new sports interview show. But when the show proves a complete disaster, it falls to Mr. Carlson to fire his hero.

  • 13. God Talks to Johnny

    Dec 31, 1979 · 25 min

    When Johnny thinks he's heard God's voice talking to him, everyone, including Johnny, thinks he's going insane.

  • 14. A Family Affair

    Jan 7, 1980 · 25 min

    Andy's sister Carol visits Cincinnati, and Andy sets up a date for her and Johnny. But Carol winds up going out with Venus instead, and Andy becomes instinctively angry about it.

  • 15. Herb's Dad

    Jan 14, 1980 · 25 min

    Herb's father, a lifelong salesman who shares Herb's taste in clothes, runs away from the Shady Hills Rest Home and visits the station.

  • 16. Put Up or Shut Up

    Jan 21, 1980 · 25 min

    Bailey convinces Jennifer to accept a date with Herb in the hope that he'll get scared and back down.

  • 17. The Americanization of Ivan

    Jan 28, 1980 · 25 min

    Bailey and Les attend a press conference given by a group of visiting Russian hog experts. One of the Russians falls for Bailey and asks her to help him defect to the United States.

  • 18. Les' Groupie

    Feb 4, 1980 · 25 min

    Les goes out on a date with a female fan, who proceeds to move into his apartment and take over his life.

  • 19. In Concert

    Feb 11, 1980 · 25 min

    At a concert by the Who in Cincinnati on December 3, 1979, eleven kids were trampled to death when the crowd rushed to get seats. The first part of this episode takes place before that concert; the second act takes place the day after, and presents the characters' reactions to the tragedy.

  • 20. The Doctor's Daughter

    Feb 18, 1980 · 25 min

    Johnny's daughter shows up and moves in, and Johnny has to decide whether to express his disapproval of the shiftless boyfriend she's brought along.

  • 21. Filthy Pictures (1)

    Mar 3, 1980 · 25 min

    Mr. Carlson convinces Jennifer and Andy to pose in bathing suits for a ""Surf's Up in Cincinnati"" poster. After the photo session, the photographer secretly takes nude photos of Jennifer while she's changing.

  • 22. Filthy Pictures (2)

    Mar 3, 1980 · 25 min

    Mr. Carlson convinces Jennifer and Andy to pose in bathing suits for a ""Surf's Up in Cincinnati"" poster. After the photo session, the photographer secretly takes nude photos of Jennifer while she's changing.

  • 23. Venus Rising

    Mar 10, 1980 · 25 min

    Venus is offered a job as program director of WREQ radio, but is disillusioned when he discovers how the station is run and why they want to hire him. Meanwhile, Herb circulates a rumor that he, too, has received a job offer.

  • 24. Most Improved Station

    Mar 31, 1980 · 25 min

    Everyone starts bickering after the station loses a broadcasting award.

Season 3 (22 ep)
  • 1. The Airplane Show

    Nov 1, 1980 · 25 min

    Trying to compete with WPIG's traffic helicopter, Les starts doing traffic reports from a World War I biplane piloted by a crazy war veteran.

  • 2. Jennifer Moves

    Nov 8, 1980 · 25 min

    The staff helps Jennifer move into her new $125,000 house in the quiet suburb of Landersville. But she soon finds out that life in Landersville isn't as pleasant as she thought it would be.

  • 3. Real Families

    Nov 15, 1980 · 25 min

    When Herb's family is featured in the show ""Real Families"", he is sure that they can serve as an example of a clean living family. Unfortunately, the image Herb wants to convey is different from the reality shown on screen.

  • 4. The Baby

    Nov 22, 1980 · 25 min

    Mr. Carlson's wife goes into labor and the WKRP staffers all visit the hospital to be there when she gives birth.

  • 5. Hotel Oceanview

    Nov 29, 1980 · 25 min

    Andy, Mr. Carlson and Herb visit Dayton to try and land the advertising account for Vicky Von Vickey jeans. While Mr. Carlson worries about the notorious Dayton poisoner, Herb romances an old high school acquaintance and Andy has trouble with his slide projector.

  • 6. A Mile in My Shoes

    Dec 6, 1980 · 25 min

    When Herb is called for jury duty, Andy takes over as sales manager and soon discovers just how tough it is trying to sell advertising time or collect from deadbeat clients. Meanwhile, Venus becomes acting program director and has to deal with Les's plan to disguise himself as a black man so that he can do a series of reports based on the book Black Like Me.

  • 7. Bah, Humbug

    Dec 20, 1980 · 25 min

    Once again, Mr. Carlson plans to give the staffers almost no Christmas bonuses. But in a dream brought on by eating one of Johnny Fever's brownies, the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future visit him to show him the error of his ways.

  • 8. Baby, It's Cold Inside

    Jan 3, 1981 · 25 min

    On a day when the furnace has broken down, Mama Carlson pays a surprise visit to the station and catches Johnny drinking in the broadcast booth.

  • 9. The Painting

    Jan 10, 1981 · 25 min

    At Mr. Carlson's church auction, Herb buys a painting that Bailey loves. He tries to get Mr. Carlson or Bailey to buy it from him...until he learns that it might be valuable.

  • 10. Daydreams

    Jan 17, 1981 · 25 min

    When Mr. Carlson rehearses a dull speech in front of the WKRP staff, all the staffers drift off into daydreams about what they would most like to be: Herb as a Latin-American dictator, Jennifer as a '30s movie star, Les as a reporter covering the Blitz in 1940, Bailey as the President of the United States, Andy as a radio Mafioso, Venus as a standup comedian, and Johnny as a rock star.

  • 11. Frog Story

    Jan 24, 1981 · 25 min

    Herb has accidentally spray-painted his daughter's pet frog Greenpeace pink, and brings the frog to the station trying to find a way to save its life. Meanwhile, Les convinces Johnny that he is suffering from the dreaded ""schistosomiasis.""

  • 12. Venus and the Man

    Jan 31, 1981 · 25 min

    The station's cleaning woman asks Venus to convince her big, tough teenage son not to drop out of school.

  • 13. Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide: Part 1

    Feb 7, 1981 · 25 min

    Johnny signs a contract to host a music TV program unaware that the songs will be disco.

  • 14. Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide: Part 2

    Feb 7, 1981 · 25 min

    Johnny signs a contract to host a music TV program unaware that the songs will be disco.

  • 15. Ask Jennifer

    Feb 14, 1981 · 25 min

    When Herb's choice as host of a new call-in advice show proves unable to go on the air, Jennifer takes over and becomes an instant success.

  • 16. I Am Woman

    Feb 21, 1981 · 25 min

    When it is announced that the Flimm Building is to be torn down, Bailey starts a campaign to have the building declared a Cincinnati landmark. Everyone pitches in to help, until Mr. Carlson gets his mother's permission to build a new and better building.

  • 17. Secrets of Dayton Heights

    Feb 28, 1981 · 25 min

    The Secret Service refuses to grant Les credentials for a Presidential press conference, suspecting him of having radical affiliations. It turns out that the man who raised Les wasn't his father, and that his real father was a card-carrying Communist.

  • 18. Out to Lunch

    Mar 14, 1981 · 25 min

    Herb's three-martini business lunches with an ad agency representative are causing him to mess up even more than usual, and it begins to seem that his use of alcohol as a sales tool is turning into a drinking problem.

  • 19. A Simple Little Wedding

    Mar 21, 1981 · 25 min

    In honor of their 25th anniversary, Arthur and Carmen Carlson plan to get married again. They want a small, private ceremony, but Mama Carlson has other ideas.

  • 20. Nothing to Fear But...

    Mar 28, 1981 · 25 min

    Everyone is in the grip of urban paranoia after the station is robbed.

  • 21. Til Debt Do Us Part

    Apr 5, 1981 · 25 min

    When Johnny learns that his first ex-wife is planning to remarry, he is overjoyed at the thought of not having to pay alimony, and celebrates by inviting Bailey to take a trip with him. But he feels less happy about the situation when he meets the obnoxious womanizer his ex-wife is going to marry.

  • 22. Clean Up Radio Everywhere

    Apr 12, 1981 · 25 min

    Dr. Bob Halyers, head of the organization Clean Up Radio Broadcasting (CURB), visits Mr. Carlson with a list of obscene songs that he wants the station to stop playing.

Season 4 (1 ep)
  • 22. Up and Down the Dial

    Apr 21, 1982 · 25 min

    Just as WKRP hits #6 in the ratings, Mama Carlson announces that she plans to switch the format of the station to 24 hours a day of news.

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