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

[AndrewCrossett]

So "Sh-Boom" was another song they had to clear, too.

Sigh... all these alternate version and mysterious pre-syndication cuts are really challenging my OCD.

 

[Doris2k]

And we need to add Sh-Boom to the music list.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh-Boom

 

[Obtuse]

I wonder if this was cut/edited by CBS back in the day simply to fit an evening's schedule (perhaps another program ran long...) Seems more like small trims for time instead of the larger cuts used for syndication purposes.

It seems the creators of this edit had access to original footage (hence the alternate shot of Herb).

A more "out there" scenario may be that this was edited for a foreign market to eliminate some mentions of death, drinking, and the slicing of "ham" (if it came from Herb, it may not be real meat anyhow...)

 

[lj01]

"Bah, Humbug" originally aired in 1980, but was rerun during season 4, on Dec. 23, 1981 - perhaps they slice out a little to throw an extra commercial or two into the mix?

Actually, in going back and looking at episode run times - i notice that all/most of the early (fall 1981) season 4 episodes seem to have a runtime of 24:03-ish - although the later ones from S4 are more in the 24:55 range. Maybe more commercial time in the fall (to promote the fall schedule? Christmas ads?) So, quite possibly it was edited from the initial run for its re-run in '81.

 

[derosa]

Actually, in going back and looking at episode run times - i notice that all/most of the early (fall 1981) season 4 episodes seem to have a runtime of 24:03-ish - although the later ones from S4 are more in the 24:55 range. Maybe more commercial time in the fall (to promote the fall schedule? Christmas ads?)

I mentioned this a while back, because i too was skeptical that there could be more cuts in those episodes.
It's really the first 12 shows from Season 4 that are shorter than the others. It seems strange that the later
episodes in Season 4 go back to being 50 seconds longer.

When I first saw that season 4 began with shorter run times, I thought this was the season that network shows were beginning to have more commercials and less show time, but according to an article I read, that didn't happen until the abandonment of the NAB Code in 1983. I still suspect these season 4 shows have been trimmed.

On a more positive note, my sister is on holiday in Florida, and i asked her to check the local Costco, and she was able to buy me a set today as she's a member. On the downside, i know one of the things i'm getting for Christmas

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Going by what Wiki has for the '81-82 schedule, WKRP was on Wednesday nights at 8:30 through the fall, right before the Wednesday night movie.Was there a network newsbreak at 8:58 at that time? If so, that could account for the shorter episodes for the first half of the season.

 

[lj01]

Terrific - nice find - yes, I believe WKRP moved into the 8:00 slot in January '82 after Mr. Merlin got cancelled/moved. That would certainly explain why the first half episodes are a minute shorter - and indeed that cuts were made to "Bah Humbug" and unfortunately appears Shout got the post-cut version. Amazing how these things happen 33 years ago and affect us now...

 

[Hasslein]

A more "out there" scenario may be that this was edited for a foreign market to eliminate some mentions of death, drinking, and the slicing of "ham" (if it came from Herb, it may not be real meat anyhow...)

That's an interesting thought... Though Herb still has his line of dialogue telling Les that's what pigs are for...

 

[Brian Himes]

I keep going back to what Jaime Weinman said several pages back that there were two versions of some episodes. 24 minute versions and 25 minutes versions. I'm thinking that Bah Humbug might fall into this category. If this is true, then it is possible that the 24 minute version is the originally aired version. This would have aired during the Christmas season and as we all know the networks always sell more commercial time during that time of the year. The alternate Herb moment, plus the fact that these are little trims here and there versus cutting an entire scene (like is usually done in syndication) or larger chunks of time, leads me to believe that we are seeing another version of this episode. Trimmed, yes, but still an original broadcast version.

 

[jeffyoungct]

Regarding "Bah, Humbug":

I just checked my recording, and all of Brian's italicized lines were in the syndicated version aired last year by Antenna TV in the US.

Les singing "shaboom" is not present there.

TRT 24:40 to the end of the MTM logo.

 

[Brian Himes]

Maybe syndicated episodes were longer back in the early to mid-1980's compared to today?

It's possible. I remember when MASH first went into syndication. After about the third cycle through the series, scenes started to disappear that I remember seeing but were no longer there. Like the original opening to the pilot episode. That vanished really quickly. So, it is quite possible that when WKRP first went into syndication the standard was 23 minutes and over the years it got whittled down to 22 minutes.

These days due to speed ups, we are seeing more of certain shows in syndication than we have in the past. Also, some channels do their own editing and create their own unique syndicated cuts. Thus restoring some scenes while removing others. Antenna TV has done that with Soap. SyFy did that when they first aired the original Battlestar Galactica.

I tend to believe that the version of Bah, Humbug on the DVD set is an original version. Mainly due to the alternate Herb moment and the running time is longer than a syndicated cut.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

On the "home-made" DVD set I have, the episodes are mostly only 20-21 minutes long, although they have the original music.

 

[Brian Himes]

On the "home-made" DVD set I have, the episodes are mostly only 20-21 minutes long, although they have the original music.

That's not a surprise. The amount of commercials stations try to squeeze into a show is ridiculous. These days hour long shows are only 40 minutes after the commercials are removed. People complain about speed ups, but at least with speed ups you get more of the show in those 22 minutes than before speed ups.

 

[cllamont]

damn - is it really that serious? I mena, I love the show and bought the new set but the minutia discussed here treats it like it is classic peices of music or something historical

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Well, it is.There are legions of people dedicated to preserving films. These very forums include posts from a noted film preservationist.But no one seems to give a damn about the preservation of old TV. I mean, if Citizen Kane was released with two minutes missing, people would go nuts. With old TV shows, it's all too common.

 

[Obtuse]

I see the discussion of minutia as a positive thing.

We are now down to discussing mostly minor things about the DVD set, because Shout! got most of the major things right.

 

[Obtuse]

I tend to believe that the version of Bah, Humbug on the DVD set is an original version. Mainly due to the alternate Herb moment and the running time is longer than a syndicated cut.

I agree. This may have been from an edited broadcast master, as originally aired by CBS.

When the syndication cuts were created, they may have started with the original unedited version and made different (less subtle) cuts for time. Sounds like the unedited master was the source for the old VHS release as well.

 

[G.T. Keplinger]

I agree. This may have been from an edited broadcast master, as originally aired by CBS.

When the syndication cuts were created, they may have started with the original unedited version and made different (less subtle) cuts for time. Sounds like the unedited master was the source for the old VHS release as well.

They must have used source material. Syndication cuts for Baseball and Les's Groupie for instance had a number of minor edits for time compression mostly. And based on l-cuts and overlapping dialogue in edits they had to have used source material. I wonder if the original source material still exists?

 

[Doris2k]

That's not a surprise. The amount of commercials stations try to squeeze into a show is ridiculous. These days hour long shows are only 40 minutes after the commercials are removed. People complain about speed ups, but at least with speed ups you get more of the show in those 22 minutes than before speed ups.

It has its place, but I'm personally very glad digital time compression was never used on WKRP. I always notice it right away and can't stand to watch it.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

damn - is it really that serious? I mena, I love the show and bought the new set but the minutia discussed here treats it like it is classic peices of music or something historical

It's my favorite comedy TV series of all time. So yes, minutiae is good.