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Enough already Fox. Are we EVER going to see WKRP released? (1 Viewer)

HenryDuBrow

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Great news! I wish they'd release the whole thing in one go, it's just four seasons, would save us the headache/heartache of whether it continues or not. Come on Fox, one big WKRP box-set, none of that usual by-season stuff!
 

Jon Martin

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TVSHOWSONDVD has a post about it, saying they are replacing the music, and that Hugh Wilson is happy with the way it is being done.

I'll still be buying. When I think of the show, I just think of Les and Herb and Mr. Carlson, not the music.
 

Jaime_Weinman

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Some of the music.

I don't know which songs will be kept and which replaced, but what I think is happening is that the songs more likely to be replaced are the very short snippets (five or ten seconds) that aren't essential to a scene. I hope they will have retained the songs that were really used as an essential part of a scene (like "Hot Blooded") but I guess we'll have to find out.

In any case, I will say that the possibility of this show coming out with every song intact was next to nil; look at My Name is Earl, another Fox release -- that's a current show and it still had music substitutions on DVD. It's not my favorite thing, but it's better than a) having a show out of circulation forever and b) Having WKRP exist only in those really atrociously re-dubbed Nick at Nite versions (the new versions on the DVD can't possibly be as bad).
 

Tory

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I will be buying this despite music alterations but I was wondering if anyone in the know would be able to tell if the replacement music is an actual period piece or a modern day throwback. That is, did they replace the music with more affordable / easier obtainable music from the era?
 

Nelson Au

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Wow, I find this very hard to believe! I know that for some, the substitution of music will be an issue, but if Hugh Wilson thinks they're finding good alternative songs, then I'll be open minded to it.

Though the one show where Bailey is mooning that Johnny stands her up on a date I will always associate with the Earth Wind and Fire song. And I wonder how they deal with songs that Johnny actually names, like Carl Perkins. "Jam it pizza face!"
 

Randy_Cre

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A lot of assumptions based on very little information other than Fox saying there will be replaced songs.

Could be just a random song here or there ... or it could be most songs edited out and replaced.

For me personally, it means waiting until the sets have been reviewed and the editing identified (unless Fox decides to be so forthcoming and release a list of the songs it has edited out and replaced, in advance of the release date, which I can't say that I'd expect to happen.)

I'm hoping I'll be surprised and the edits will be minimal, maybe 2-4 songs for the enitre season, which might make tolerable enough for me to buy the set.

But if this is one of those where the edits are frequent and routine throughout the season, then I really don't care if Fox can sell this for $29.99, which seems to be the standard threshold for the majority of the buying public to accept anything the studios wish to put out as being wonderful, edits or no edits.
 

Jay_B!

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if Universal can clear both Miami Vice (the 80's WKRP) and SNL, why couldn't Fox clear WKRP?
 

Jaime_Weinman

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I don't know about Miami Vice, but one difference between WKRP and a variety show like SNL is that WKRP used the original commercial recordings of the songs, which means that everything has to be cleared twice: you have to clear the song, and you have to clear the recording.
 

Anthony Hom

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It will be amazing if they end up swapping out every snippet of songs in the song contest and then overdub a new actor saying the answers, but that may be tough swapping in generic music and having them give some phony song titles and artists
 

WhitneyG

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I believe there's a loophole in U.S. copyright law that allows short clips to be used freely (though I'm hardly an expert in the area). I think the song contest might be safe. Besides, who would notice if they were replaced. I haven't seen the episode in a long time, but wasn't the whole point that it wasn't humanly possible to identify the songs?

I know this won't be a popular thing to say, but I'll buy it no matter how badly it's edited. I'm really really hoping they clear all but one or two songs. Yet, I haven't seen the show in so long and I love it so much, that I'll still pick it up. Unlike other shows I've passed on due to editing, such as Quantum Leap (S2-S4) and The Tick (due to a missing episode), I don't expect to see this one released in another region in better shape. In my perfect dream world, this will cost $40, be on DVD-9 discs, be original airing length, and will have fewer than four insignificant songs edited out. All of that is still possible at this point and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
 

Elena S

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For those who are hoping for only a few music substitutions, I doubt that that will be the case. It's likely that most of the songs lasting longer than a few lines will be replaced. I also seem to remember reading something that allows a few lines of a song to be used without violating copyright laws (which are outrageously ridiculous, btw. Why hasn't anyone done something about them???).

In any case I will probably buy the set, simply because I loved the show and its comedy aspects. Yes, the music was important, but having the episodes on DVD is more important to me than quibbling over song substitutions which are hopefully well-done.
 

Greg_S_H

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I'm not much of a fan, but this still seems like a letdown. After years of holding it back due to music rights, they just did what everyone else does and replaced the music? Why didn't they just release it years ago if they were going to do that?

"Here you go, folks! WKRP, finally!"
"So, you cleared the hurdles?"
"More like we sidestepped them."

I hope the Wonder Years people don't look to this example and do the same thing.

Of course, if it turns out they only did the most minor of replacements, forget the above.
 

Tory

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If they pay for a certain number of songs that were in it originally, could they use parts of those songs for the parts being replaced?
 

Firebee

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Am hoping that Fox does follow through with its `Coming Soon' and releases WKRP. If there's music substitution, I won't mind that much, since I really enjoyed the show more for its comedy, not the music. :crazy:
 

Anthony Hom

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The Hot Blooded sequence has been substituted in new syndication, so there is a chance it will be reaplaced in the DVD,too. Also in Gotta Dance, he introduces an Olivia Newton-John song (as Olivia Neutron Bomb), so they would have to substitute the dialog if they change the song.
 

AndrewWickliffe

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One syndicated version used to dub the intros to match the changed song (with obviously white guys in for Venus, which was funny I guess). There was talk of them getting covers, which would be cheaper...

Regardless, I'll get them. I've never seen non-syndication edits and I'd love to, especially since reading about them (most of the time, Bailey got cut).

The only guy who's really happy with though are the bootleggers with the original music copies. They're going to make even more bucks off it now...
 

Ron68

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I'm glad that this series is finally being released, it's a very funny show. The music replacement most likely won't bother me unless it's really glaring, since I barely remember any of the songs that were used anyways. My favourite episodes were the Thanksgiving one, the photographer who took the nude photos of Jennifer 2 parter and the Radio contest. This was one of the best written and cast comedies ever made.
 

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