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4
Year:
1978
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1979
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1980
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1981
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1982
18 September 1978Arthur Carlson, general manager of the moribund beautiful-music station WKRP in Cincinnati, hires young hotshot program director Andy Travis to turn the station around. When Andy changes the format of the station to rock n' roll, he faces the wrath of the station's owner, who happens to be Mr. Carlson's mother.
25 September 1978Andy looks for a way to publicize the station's new format, while elderly listeners invade the station to protest the removal of their favorite music.
2 October 1978When a local athlete overhears other reporters refer to Les as a "Queer Little Guy", Les gets banned from the locker room at the stadium for being gay. Whether true or not, the rumors prompt Les to contemplate suicide by jumping off the building. Meanwhile, Jennifer asks Johnny to get Herb off her back. Johnny does it by telling Herb that Jennifer used to be a man!
9 October 1978In an attempt to relate to the new rock audience, WKRP books an up and coming British hoodlum rock band called "Scum of the Earth" to play in Cincinnati. Things get crazy when the staff discovers the band members are out-of-control on and off the air and eventually threaten to not perform. Incidentally, the difference between hoodlum rock and punk rock??? Punk rockers dress deplorably and don't physically attack their audience.
Season 1, Episode 5: Hold Up
16 October 1978Things are slowly starting to pick up when Herb sells his new client, Del's Stereo Shop, on a remote. Things go bad when Johnny broadcasts from the stereo shop, no customers show up, Bucky (the engineer) breaks tons of equipment, and an out-of-work deejay holds the store up.
23 October 1978Bailey convinces WKRP to institute a one-hour public affairs show, but getting sane guests for the Johnny-hosted show proves tough. Bailey finally finds child-psychologist Dr. Hyman Monroe for the first show. Unfortunately Dr. Monroe's credentials and theories on juvenile delinquents prove to be less than reliable on-the-air.
30 October 1978Mr. Carlson is beginning to feel useless at the new formatted rock station so he decides to create a big Thanksgiving Day promotion. His idea? Get a helicopter, with a banner attached to it saying "Happy Thanksgiving From WKRP", and drop live turkeys from the helicopter.
6 November 1978Andy's former struggling musician girlfriend, now a big country music star, shows up on tour in Cincinnati. The passion is rekindled and she wants Andy to quit WKRP and join her on tour. Can Andy turn his back on WKRP to chase love?
15 January 1979Momma comes to the station for her quarterly review for the first time since WKRP changed formats. When Momma shows up, heads usually roll! Momma, Mr. Carlson, and Andy review the different events that occurred during the first 8 episodes using significant flashback footage.
22 January 1979Les wins the Silver Sow award! WKRP will pay for Les & a date to go to the awards banquet...but he has no date until Jennifer agrees to go with him. Herb, being jealous, convinces a memo-happy Carlson to outlaw co-worker dating. But Les, wearing a toupee, stands up to Carlson and gets him to revoke the memo.
29 January 1979When Johnny misreads a contest prize as $5,000 instead of $50, Andy & Venus try to make the contest unwinnable by slicing short parts of songs together. Unfortunately someone still wins. Herb convinces Carlson that it is the "dungaree" generation sabotaging the "suits" generation and pushes Carlson to the brink of firing Andy, Venus & Johnny. However, it is Johnny to the rescue when Les & Herb accidentally give the prize money to the wrong person.
Season 1, Episode 12: Tornado
5 February 1979A tornado is striking Cincinnati! Les' warning system didn't work cause Herb unplugged it...and Les' disaster file is "What to do if the Communists attack Cincinnati!" Meanwhile, a group of Japanese radio executives arrive for a tour of WKRP, but a mix-up has them with a Spanish translator instead. Johnny gets drunk due to fear of tornadoes, Andy gets injured, and Mr. Carlson talks a scared child through the storm.
19 February 1979Johnny gets a job offer and a chance to return to the Los Angeles radio market (the place of his greatest success.) The staff of WKRP try to trick Fever into staying by showing how much they mean to him. But Johnny goes anyway.
26 February 1979With Johnny gone, Andy finds a replacement for the morning shift in Doug Winner. Meanwhile, Johnny returns after getting quickly fired in L.A. for saying something obscene on the radio. Johnny and Andy discover that Doug is taking Payola in the form of cocaine from a record promoter. The Doctor gets his morning shift back!
5 March 1979Herb's wife Lucille finally kicks him out...and Johnny gets stuck taking in Herb. Herb views the break-up as an opportunity to start dating other women and enjoying single life. The gang works hard to show Herb that the single life is not all it's cracked up to be.
12 March 1979A young mother, with no money, no friends, and nowhere to turn, leaves her baby for Johnny at the station.
26 March 1979The biggest account in years just signed with WKRP..."Ferryman's Funerals". The staff creates a jingle and runs commercials for the $600/day account. However, Carlson has second thoughts about selling upbeat commercial time to a company trying to sell funeral services to young rock music fans.
2 April 1979When Venus has an issue with his photo being used in a promotion, he reveals that his real name is Gordon Sims and that he is a Vietnam War deserter. An emotionally mixed Carlson helps Venus turn himself into the army, get his story out, and give restitution.
23 April 1979T.J. Watson, a wannabe country music star and former childhood friend of Jennifer shows up at WKRP. Jennifer is nervous that he is trying to collect on a joking pledge for her to marry him. Jennifer claims to already by married to Johnny. In reality, T.J. is hoping Jennifer can help him get his big break in the music business.
30 April 1979Mr. Carlson's son disappears from Prussian Valley Military Academy. When he turns up at the station with Momma Carlson, he is put to work at the station. He promptly gets into trouble while seemingly trying to get the attention of his parents.
Season 1, Episode 21: Fish Story
28 May 1979In an episode hated by creator Hugh Wilson, but loved by the fans, we see a day in the life of WKRP. Johnny and Venus are participating in a "Drinking and Response Time" on-air promotion. Mr. Carlson & Andy are being interviewed for a newspaper about the changes at the station. The lobby is being painted by a lazy and slow painter. And Herb, dressed like a Karp (WKRP) gets into a fight with a guy dressed like a Pig (WPIG) in a college bathroom and gets arrested with Bailey and Les.
Season 1, Episode 22: Preacher
4 June 1979The Rev. Little Ed Pembrook's Sunday morning religious show is creating problems with the religious community. It seems the Rev (a former wrestler) is selling all sorts of religious oriented merchandise. Even though everyone at WKRP is frightened of him, Andy & Carlson finally get him to move his show to 6AM on Sundays, shorten it, and stop selling stuff. How'd they do it? They threatened to call the IRS.
17 September 1979When Johnny's old live-in girlfriend Buffy from California shows up in Cincinnati, he thinks she's trying to rekindle their romance. Johnny borrows Jennifer's apartment to impress her, only to discover that she is suing him for palimony.
24 September 1979Johnny, still freaking' out from Buffy's proposed lawsuit, elicits help from the WKRP gang. They all arrive at Jennifer's apartment, including Bailey who Johnny stood-up for their date, to offer help. Buffy returns announcing that she's not suing him, but will poison herself...or Johnny.
Season 2, Episode 3: Baseball
15 October 1979Les, while never being able to participate in sports as a child, has dreams of greatness on the baseball diamond. He accepts a challenge from rival station WPIG for WKRP to play them in a softball game. Rivalries and hatred between the two stations rear their ugly heads.
Season 2, Episode 4: Bad Risk
22 October 1979Herb gets a side job selling insurance for a fly-by-night company. This means he will harass every WKRP employee into buying insurance. His first victim is Les who buys more insurance than 6 men would need. However, on the same day he signs the policy, Les is involved in a motor-scooter accident. Herb's dream of making money selling insurance goes out the window.
29 October 1979Jennifer is in love with a blonde haired model of a guy named Steel Hawthorne. The only problem? He is poor. And he also seems interested in her because she has money. Is he treating her the way she treats other men?
5 November 1979Carlson runs for city council. His only hope for victory is a bit of gossip he finds out about the incumbent's drinking problem and poor attendance at council meetings. Against the wishes of Bailey, Carlson lets the information slip during a televised debate.
12 November 1979When a garbage strike hits Cincinnati, Johnny jokingly tells the listeners to drop their garbage off on the steps of city hall. Hundreds of listeners do what he says and the city is threatening to sue. Johnny is told to apologize on-air, but he develops "mike fright" after seeing the power of his words.
26 November 1979Arthur's wife Carmen believes that she may be pregnant, causing Carlson (Gordon Jump) to consider whether or not he is ready for another child at his age.
3 December 1979When the station's ratings fail to improve to Andy's expectations, he wonders if he is accomplishing anything with the screwy staff.
10 December 1979Les is forced to hire another newsman to relieve him of some of his broadcasts. A protesting Les doesn't want anyone, especially when Andy thinks it should be Bailey.
17 December 1979Christmas is coming up and everyone at the station is anxious to leave and start their holiday plans...everyone, except for Jennifer. Jennifer seems as if she has no holiday plans and is dismayed that the rest of the staff don't want to celebrate Christmas as a family. The gang joins together to give Jennifer a warm Christmas.
Season 2, Episode 12: Sparky
24 December 1979
31 December 1979
7 January 1980
Season 2, Episode 15: Herb's Dad
14 January 1980
21 January 1980Herb's wife is out of town for 10 days. And he decides this is the time to go wild and get Jennifer to finally go out with him. When Jennifer finds out she has to deal with Herb for 10 days she tells Bailey she can't do make it. Bailey's advice to Jennifer is just give and take Herb up on it and he'll chicken out. The next time Herb asks her, she accepts and her troubles begin, because Herb doesn't seem to be backing down. As the time approaches Herb does seem to be backing down, he is thinking about his family and missing them. It's around this time that Les tells Herb what he had overheard the ladies saying about how they expected to put an end to Herbs chasing of Jennifer. With this new Herb decides he;s go to go for it. When he arrives at Jennifer's apartment, she looks fantastic (she couldn't look any other way) and Herb begins to get very cold feet. Jennifer is also pretty nervous since the last thing she wants is Herb. When all is said and done Herb can't go through with, but Jennifer, by being a good friend, helps Herb save face around the station.
28 January 1980A member of a group of visiting Russians informs the radio staff that they wish to defect. Despite Les's staunch position on Communism, the group works to help the Russian to defect while in Cincinati, only to be thwarted by bureaucracy at the last moment. A ray of light at this point shines through, giving the Russian a way through the "red" tape.
4 February 1980
Season 2, Episode 19: In Concert
11 February 1980The staff find themselves consumed with guilt for promoting a Who concert at Riverfront Coliseum when its general admission policy causes a terrible tragedy.
18 February 1980After being separated for 7 years, Johnny's daughter, Laurie, comes to visit her father, bringing with her a new boyfriend. Johnny immediately steps into the role of the disapproving father and learns that there's a lot he doesn't know about his daughter.
3 March 1980Andy and Jennifer agree do a photo shoot for a charity. While dressing after the session is done, the photographer for the photo shoot, takes nude photos of Jennifer without her knowledge and tries to blackmail her.
3 March 1980After the nude photos of Jennifer and the blackmail plot is revealed, the radio staff tries to recover the photos and negatives from the unscrupulous photographer.
10 March 1980
31 March 1980
1 November 1980In preparation for the upcoming Veteran's Day/ Flag Day celebration to be held in Cincinnati, the station hires a local biplane pilot to fly Les over the city's parade for a live remote. the pilot, a former veteran, takes Les hostage just before the broadcast and uses the broadcast to comment on his feelings on the level of apathy over the holiday, demanding that the city show it still cares about its veterans.
8 November 1980Jennifer buys a large house in a quiet suburb and asks the WKRP staffers to help her move. While moving furniture into an upper room Les hears demonic voices, and a telephone installation man appears to be a lot more sinister than he should be. Mr. Carlson has problems trying to get Jennifer's piano into the house and Jennifer begins to have second thoughts about her purchase.
15 November 1980The Tarlek family is profiled on "Real Families". Herb and people being interviewed seem rehearsed, so the producers of the show "dig deep" and expose the real Tarlek family.
Season 3, Episode 4: The Baby
22 November 1980
29 November 1980WKRP books a meeting room at the Hotel Oceanview in Dayton, to entice the Vicki Von Vicki Jeans company to advertise with them. Andy has problems with the slide projector while Mr. Carlson worries about the Dayton poisoner and whether he will be the next victim. Herb is pleasantly surprised when Ms. Vicki's personal assistant comes on to him, but his happiness is short-lived when he finds out her secret.
6 December 1980
20 December 1980
3 January 1981The heat has gone out at the Flimm Building. But Johnny (Hessman) has ideas of his own on how to keep his co-workers warm.
10 January 1981
Season 3, Episode 10: Daydreams
17 January 1981
Season 3, Episode 11: Frog Story
24 January 1981
31 January 1981
7 February 1981
7 February 1981
14 February 1981Herb finally comes up with a good idea; add a call in advice show to the stations line up. Against their better judgment they let Herb find the host. He promises he can get the job done in a week. Six months later he finally finds what they think is the perfect host. Just before she is supposed to go on the air they find out she's a bitter multiple divorcée who takes what she says is an aspirin while talking with Andy. As her time to go on the air comes closer she starts to act impaired and passes out while she's being introduced. Luckily Jennifer is there and steps up and takes over. She's a hit but doesn't want to continue. The whole group at the station talk her into continuing until a replacement can be found. She continues to do well and after a couple of calls from a women who has a philandering husband she advises her to get and attorney and tell him she leaving him. The caller follows the advice and her husband beats her. Jennifer takes the news of this very hard and resigns on the air. Andy and Mr Carlson try to console her but she asks to be left alone because she doesn't want to cry in front of anyone. Mr Carlson while not always the sharpest knife in the drawer comes up with just the right action. Watch the episode to see how he handles it.
Season 3, Episode 16: I Am Woman
21 February 1981
28 February 1981
14 March 1981
21 March 1981
28 March 1981
5 April 1981Johnny welcomes the chance to end his alimony payments...until he meets his ex-wife's intended.
12 April 1981
7 October 1981In the first of this two-part series, WKRP receives a terrorist bomb threat.
14 October 1981Conclusion of two-part series. WKRP receives a terrorist bomb threat.
Season 4, Episode 3: The Union
21 October 1981When the staff plans to unionize, Carlson's mother (Bruce) threatens to sell the station.
Season 4, Episode 4: Rumors
28 October 1981
4 November 1981
11 November 1981With Herb in the hospital, Mr. Carlson must fill in for him in order to negotiate a contract. But if Mr. Carlson is Herb, who is Mr. Carlson? In the meantime, Johnny avoids settling a poker debt.
18 November 1981When Johnny comes into a large amount of money, everyone at the station is curious to see what he will do with it.
2 December 1981When an elderly gentleman friend of Jennifer's dies, the man's family blames her for stealing his fortune.
30 December 1981Mother Carlson hires a radio doctor to evaluate the station and Andy worries when the doctor threatens to write a poor review if the station doesn't buy his services.
6 January 1982
13 January 1982
Season 4, Episode 12: Pills
20 January 1982The station sells some new commercial spots to a diet company whose 'magic pills' are not as innocuous as they seem.
Season 4, Episode 13: Changes
27 January 1982Herb decides it's time for a change in his wardrobe and enlists Jennifer to help him. Meanwhile, Venus is interviewed by a Black magazine.
3 February 1982
17 February 1982
24 February 1982
Season 4, Episode 17: Fire
17 March 1982A fire alarm sends the crew home early, However Herb and Jennifer get trapped on the elevator going down. Herb then tells Jennifer some rumors that he has been spreading about them being together.
Season 4, Episode 18: Dear Liar
24 March 1982
31 March 1982
7 April 1982
14 April 1982
21 April 1982Mama Carlson announces plans to change WKRP's format.
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