WKRP In Cincinnati: The Complete Series Review (See Posts #218 & 356 for Info) (1 Viewer)

[Gary Seven]

The Blu-Rays for one have the original music back in. I think the new DVDs do as well.

 

[Doris2k]

Funny how they can keep the scene of Johnny sniffing white chalk but not the line that makes Herb out to be an insensitive ignorant jerk. My how times have changed. This wasn't a PC edit in my opinion. The line as it originally aired shows much more effectively just how clueless Herb really is. Changing the line doesn't make Herb any more likeable in the scene. He's still insensitive. So the edit is just pointless.

I haven't been able to find the version prior to that edit. I wonder if it even exists?

 

[The Obsolete Man]

From Wiki, to clear up the Trek question...

In addition to the standard Star Trek themes used in many episodes, this episode has some original music by Fred Steiner. Originally, this episode used music from the popular 1931 song "Goodnight, Sweetheart". This music was included, unaltered, in the first home video release, in both Beta and VHS. When the complete series was released on VHS, the "Goodnight, Sweetheart" portion was replaced by generic music because of copyright issues (J. Peter Robinson composed the replacement music). With the release of the first DVD of the episode, the plan was to again avoid copyrighted music and issue the DVD with a disclaimer on the box, "Some music has been changed for this DVD." However, the original "Goodnight, Sweetheart" portion was erroneously included and Paramount reportedly had to pay royalties. Since the royalties had been paid, all subsequent DVD and Blu-ray releases have included the original "Goodnight, Sweetheart" music.


So, the earlier poster was suggesting Shout "accidentally" include Dogs, apologize, and pay for the song.

Of course, what would probably have happened would have been a recall of the sets, destroying of the ones with Dogs on it, and new sets issued with replacement music. In the end, very few people would have ever gotten the "accidentally" released version, Shoult would have had to pay for new discs for the whole run, lost money, and the episode still wouldn't have been complete.

Paramount could do that with Trek. With WKRP? It would have been more like MST3K Volume 10, with the improperly cleared Godzilla movie.

 

[Brian Himes]

I haven't been able to find the version prior to that edit. I wonder if it even exists?

I'm not sure. Les On A Ledge is one of the three episodes that Jaime Weinman didn't have on his blog. The only way I was able to determine that there was no music edits was to compare the Shout version with the Fox version. Since both had the line redubbed, I didn't think anything about it. So this went unnoticed by me because I've seen episodes of other series that had similar redubbs that were done in post production because it was cheaper to have the actor loop in a new line than reshoot the entire scene due to a minor flub.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I'm not sure. Les On A Ledge is one of the three episodes that Jaime Weinman didn't have on his blog. The only way I was able to determine that there was no music edits was to compare the Shout version with the Fox version. Since both had the line redubbed, I didn't think anything about it. So this went unnoticed by me because I've seen episodes of other series that had similar redubbs that were done in post production because it was cheaper to have the actor loop in a new line than reshoot the entire scene due to a minor flub.

Assuming Shout used the original broadcast masters, this edit was seemingly done to the original, not a syndication master. And, since that's Frank Bonner's voice and not a soundalike, odds are it was done during the original run. So maybe "homo" was used in the original broadcast and changed soon afterward. Remember, WKRP bounced around in some eary "family hour" timeslots for a while... maybe that was a change made because of the earlier slot.


Anyway, finished season 1... looks like Preacher was supposed to air before the show went on hiatus, and was eventually burned off at the end of the season. The blue end credits are a giveaway, since they went to white after the show came back.

Also, I wonder if any thought was given to using Aerosmith's version of "I'm Down" in place of The Beatles, or if Beatles music is just too damn expensive no matter who performs it.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

Also, I wonder if any thought was given to using Aerosmith's version of "I'm Down" in place of The Beatles, or if Beatles music is just too damn expensive no matter who performs it.

Probably the latter. In that case they'd have had to pay Sony/ATV for the song itself AND Aerosmith for the recording.

(Though that might still have been cheaper than licensing the Beatles recording.)

Plus, the Aerosmith version didn't come out until 1987, so it would have been an anachronism.

 

[Hasslein]

Hasslein: what do you mean about: "...a Star Trek "City on the Edge of Forever"..." - I have the VHS HiFi tape and I believe it says on the sleeve that some of the music has been changed from the original episode - what format DOES have the original version of COTEOF from TOS?

Back to WKRP - are there anything useful on the MTM videotapes that can be edited into these DVD's to 'restore' a scene, or were they already modified by the VHS releases?

It has been explained, but my Star Trek comment was tongue in cheek... I never would expect it, but whomever did that on City on the Edge deserves a huge reward. A classic television episode, not just Star Trek episode, restored,complete as aired because of his ballsy move... Since Turkey's Away is ranked as one of the greatest episodes of television ever, I do think a day will come when Waters & Gilmour will allow it.... the rest of KRP music, I think we got the best its going to get...

The quality of the MTM videotapes is worse than on air recordings, they are in EP mode, and blurry as ****... But Turkey's away has Floyd.

As far as Les on the Ledge goes, my money is on that the line was changed before the initial airing...

 

[Brian Himes]

Assuming Shout used the original broadcast masters, this edit was seemingly done to the original, not a syndication master. And, since that's Frank Bonner's voice and not a soundalike, odds are it was done during the original run. So maybe "homo" was used in the original broadcast and changed soon afterward. Remember, WKRP bounced around in some early "family hour" timeslots for a while... maybe that was a change made because of the earlier slot.

Anything is possible.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

It has been explained, but my Star Trek comment was tongue in cheek... I never would expect it, but whomever did that on City on the Edge deserves a huge reward. A classic television episode, not just Star Trek episode, restored,complete as aired because of his ballsy move... Since Turkey's Away is ranked as one of the greatest episodes of television ever, I do think a day will come when Waters & Gilmour will allow it.... the rest of KRP music, I think we got the best its going to get...

Heirs of Waters and Gilmour, maybe.

I expect the Beatles catalog will be a bit more obtainable after McCartney gets his rights back in a few years.

Anyway, made it through Baseball. Another appearance by Producer/Writer Bill Dial as Bucky Dornster. I only knew of him as one of the few voices of reason on the production crew during the Sci-Fi years of Sliders.

He reminds me of Scruffy from Futurama. Or maybe Scruffy is Bucky.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

I just finally sat down to watch the pilot. Very happy with the quality.

So, the first piece of music played on the show was Johnny playing "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away?" Was that the Dan Hicks original?

Also, I assume that version of "You're Having My Baby" was recorded specially for the show, right? Pretty elaborate production there.

 

[Hasslein]

So, the earlier poster was suggesting Shout "accidentally" include Dogs, apologize, and pay for the song.

Of course, what would probably have happened would have been a recall of the sets, destroying of the ones with Dogs on it, and new sets issued with replacement music. In the end, very few people would have ever gotten the "accidentally" released version, Shoult would have had to pay for new discs for the whole run, lost money, and the episode still wouldn't have been complete.

Paramount could do that with Trek. With WKRP? It would have been more like MST3K Volume 10, with the improperly cleared Godzilla movie.

I don't know, there was the Devil's Advocate press that was allowed to circulate, Bad Lieutenant as well, so one really never knows...

I've been skipping to my favorites, watched Dear Liar, and realized, I think Bailey storylines were consistantly more satisfying than any other character IMHO.

The blood of the rutabega is on your hands, pal!

 

[Doris2k]

Tonight I watched both versions of "The Contest Nobody Could Win." The briefcase in the Shout version has WKRP imprinted on it, while the other version's briefcase does not. Just a nerdy thing I noticed.

 

[Gary Seven]

As far as Les on the Ledge goes, my money is on that the line was changed before the initial airing...

No it wasn't.

 

[TravisR]

No it wasn't.

I tend to think you're right but what's your source?

 

[kitt1987]

I tend to think that maybe the script for "Les on a Ledge" originally had Herb refer to Les as "homo" but maybe when it came to taping the episode it was quickly changed and never actually recorded with him saying that. This could be a simple case of urban legend and the mind playing tricks after all these years. I know some people that insist they saw deleted footage in the original showing of Star Wars in '77.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I know we're analyzing this like the Zapruder film, but I you watch his mouth and listen to the audio, it's obvious he didn't say "gay" live at the taping.

 

[kitt1987]

I do agree that overanalyzing this set will detract from further enjoyment so I'm just going to leave it at that.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Grrr. I received a notice from Overstock.com this morning that they were cancelling my order and issuing a refund due to "an inventory error". Let's see, they charged my credit card immediately on 10/4 when I placed the order, and a customer service rep on Wednesday assured me that the order status would move from "processing" to "shipped" in 1-4 days (why it would take that long on an order they'd had for weeks was a question he could not answer). This was my first experience with Overstock, and it will definitely be my last one, too.

So I'll place an order with Amazon, as I should have done in the first place (no Costco membership, so that's not an option).

Sorry, but I just had to vent a little.

 

[Hasslein]

No it wasn't.

Well I know for sure it wasn't a recent change, he was saying gay in syndicated versions since the beginning.

 

[TonyD]

Grrr. I received a notice from Overstock.com this morning that they were cancelling my order and issuing a refund due to "an inventory error". Let's see, they charged my credit card immediately on 10/4 when I placed the order, and a customer service rep on Wednesday assured me that the order status would move from "processing" to "shipped" in 1-4 days (why it would take that long on an order they'd had for weeks was a question he could not answer). This was my first experience with Overstock, and it will definitely be my last one, too. So I'll place an order with Amazon, as I should have done in the first place (no Costco membership, so that's not an option). Sorry, but I just had to vent a little.

The difference from a membership to Costco and buying there is about the same as buying from Amazon.