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

[cmoxie]

C'mon, I'm sure he has detailed information on Shout's budget, the point where they'd break even with the set, the cost of the songs involved. If not, he'd just be some guy spouting off about things that he has no clue about and that's a rarity on the internet.

Hey! Where did you get the sarcasm font? I've been looking for one for years!

 

[cmoxie]

I just read all 602 posts in anticipation of picking up my copy tomorrow at Costco (I called tonight and they have 7 copies left) and didn't see my pressing question answered in any of the finely detailed posts on what songs are in what episode.

Tell me this:
Is "Nowhere Band" on the "Johnny Comes Back" episode? I know it was a song written for the episode, but just want to be sure it's in there.

BTW - Outside of Jaime Weinman's commentary on the song which just states that it was written for the show by Hugh Wilson and Tom Wells - I have never seen anything written about who the actual musicians were that recorded the tune and if there was ever a full version of the song recorded.

"Everybody, everywhere. Know nobody, go nowhere.
Get on the bus, travel with the nowhere band.
Atlanta, next stop Cincinnati, cmon Stockton getting batty.
Get on the bus, travel with the nowhere band..."
-Soundtastics

 

[Obtuse]

I just read all 602 posts in anticipation of picking up my copy tomorrow at Costco (I called tonight and they have 7 copies left) and didn't see my pressing question answered in any of the finely detailed posts on what songs are in what episode.

Tell me this:
Is "Nowhere Band" on the "Johnny Comes Back" episode? I know it was a song written for the episode, but just want to be sure it's in there.

BTW - Outside of Jaime Weinman's commentary on the song which just states that it was written for the show by Hugh Wilson and Tom Wells - I have never seen anything written about who the actual musicians were that recorded the tune and if there was ever a full version of the song recorded.

"Everybody, everywhere. Know nobody, go nowhere.
Get on the bus, travel with the nowhere band.
Atlanta, next stop Cincinnati, cmon Stockton getting batty.
Get on the bus, travel with the nowhere band..."
-Soundtastics

Yes. It's there.
Johnny Comes Back:
Soundtastics: Nowhere Band
Linda Ronstadt: Ooh Baby Baby
Van Morrison: Into The Mystic
Styx: Blue Collar Man
Chicago: Alive Again
Derek & The Dominos: Layla

 

[Neil Brock]

No, the extras were the two featurettes that were on the original Fox set, the Paley Center cast reunion (minus Gary Sandy, Frank Bonner and Richard Sanders) and a Gary Sandy looks back interview. Nothing spectacular.

What is the treasury film? I don't think I've ever heard of it.

 

[Moore Maxx]

Got the set yesterday and started watching "The Pilot". Anyone else notice the edging or video lacing on the right side of the screen? It's minor but since I'm watching on a 55 inch screen probably more noticeable.

 

[TJSBEATLES]

Nothing revelatory here - plus there's some misinformation ("every song included" "a CD set", they use the re-recording of the theme song as found on the Tee Vee Toons TV themes of the 80's compilation), but it's still an interview with Hugh Wilson and I figured I'd post it. It's about 10 minutes in.

http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/gist/2014/11/the_gist_hugh_wilson_on_wkrp_in_cincinnati_and_jamelle_bouie_on_voters.html

By the way, still loving the set - though the pre-credits, opening scene in "Mike Fright" is bugging me to no end; and might be, after "Dogs", my least favorite moment of the set. Where "Rock & Roll Music" is supposed to come in, it sounds like Fever is having a stroke, then there's a forced laugh track moment to a generic instrumental that has nothing to do with anything. And I never thought I'd miss a minor tune like "Who Listens To The Radio", but from an energy, relevance, and familiarity standpoint, I definitely do.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

"Mike Fright" is definitely one of the handful of episodes where I'm gonna leave the DVD on the shelf and watch the original instead.

 

[Doris2k]

Nothing revelatory here - plus there's some misinformation ("every song included" "a CD set", they use the re-recording of the theme song as found on the Tee Vee Toons TV themes of the 80's compilation), but it's still an interview with Hugh Wilson and I figured I'd post it. It's about 10 minutes in.

http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/gist/2014/11/the_gist_hugh_wilson_on_wkrp_in_cincinnati_and_jamelle_bouie_on_voters.html

By the way, still loving the set - though the pre-credits, opening scene in "Mike Fright" is bugging me to no end; and might be, after "Dogs", my least favorite moment of the set. Where "Rock & Roll Music" is supposed to come in, it sounds like Fever is having a stroke, then there's a forced laugh track moment to a generic instrumental that has nothing to do with anything. And I never thought I'd miss a minor tune like "Who Listens To The Radio", but from an energy, relevance, and familiarity standpoint, I definitely do.

For those that don't want to listen to the whole thing, the WKRP segment starts at 11:56.

 

[Hasslein]

The Don't Stop til You Get Enough at the end of Baby If You've Ever Wondered is the sole music replacement that I have been ok with so far. It is louder than the Jackson song was, but it doesn't drown out the dialogue like the other replacements. It sounds very similar, and I can live with it.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

The Don't Stop til You Get Enough at the end of Baby If You've Ever Wondered is the sole music replacement that I have been ok with so far. It is louder than the Jackson song was, but it doesn't drown out the dialogue like the other replacements. It sounds very similar, and I can live with it.

I haven't noticed the replacement music drowning out the dialog.

In fact, there's a weird effect in the episode where Herb is a drunk where you have replacement music, then you hear Jive Talkin' when Herb and Craig T. Nelson speak, then back to replacement, and back and forth and back and forth throughout the scene (nobody tell the Bee Gees rights holders). The replacement song and Jive Talkin' back and forth actually sounded pretty seamless to me, to the point that I was wondering if it was an extended dance mix of the song or something.

Anyway, The Union...

Starting in late season 3 (disc 3 of the S3 set), WKRP started getting serious, IMO. Still a funny show, but Herb's a drunk, Les's dad is a communist (and alive), Mr. Carlson wondering about an affair while Johnny and Venus try not to get blown up, and the Religion in Radio episode... and for me, The Union drove it home.

The ending surprised me, though all the clues were there. Andy flat out said he'd make a deal with the devil to get money for the station. And he did.

 

[Hasslein]

I haven't noticed the replacement music drowning out the dialog.

In fact, there's a weird effect in the episode where Herb is a drunk where you have replacement music, then you hear Jive Talkin' when Herb and Craig T. Nelson speak, then back to replacement, and back and forth and back and forth throughout the scene (nobody tell the Bee Gees rights holders). The replacement song and Jive Talkin' back and forth actually sounded pretty seamless to me, to the point that I was wondering if it was an extended dance mix of the song or something.

I haven't watched the dvd yet, but in Dr. Fever & Mr Tide, the sympathy for the devil replacement is really loud in syndicated version (I'm assuming the dvd is the same) and Sympathy faded in the original, but replacement keeps blaring through scene. I feel like I'm at a party and everyone is trying to scream (or should I say SHOUT! ) over the music.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I haven't watched the dvd yet, but in Dr. Fever & Mr Tide, the sympathy for the devil replacement is really loud in syndicated version (I'm assuming the dvd is the same) and Sympathy faded in the original, but replacement keeps blaring through scene. I feel like I'm at a party and everyone is trying to scream (or should I say SHOUT! ) over the music.

The only replacement that really stood out for me in that episode was the replacement for Le Freak. Not because it was bad or anything, but because disco music is so generic, it fit perfectly even though I knew it was a replacement.

Though I do get what you're saying about the music blaring in the Sympathy replacement.

Anyway, more on season 4...

They went serialized this season, didn't they? One episode affects the next, and they build on each other. The repainting of reception in the background each episode, one story carries over into the next week (Herb's heart, for example), Andy's more calculating since his deal... I'm surprised anyone outside of Soap or the soaps tried this in the early 80s.

 

[Hasslein]

You should post your Hell Freezing Over photo here too

 

[Obtuse]

I think we may have a winner for the missing "Carlson For President" track! (This is the one that airs just before the campaign ad).



So close...but no cigar. Same chord, but the guitar is a little different.

 

[GrapeApe64]

^ Great song! I forgot all about this one!

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Jennifer and the Will...

What the hell happened to the master tape for this episode? Did they have to source this episode from a syndication master or something? It's blurry, faded... it looks bad.

Good episode, though.

 

[Obtuse]

Looks like I've found one more "musical mystery"....

From "Venus And The Man"

In the scene in Andy's office (following Herb's exchange with Venus and Arnold), there is some music playing on the speaker which Andy turns down.

It sounds like it may be replacement music on the DVD and on Jaime's online version of the episode (same music). Software is unable to recognize it (and it sounds somewhat generic). Seems like there's some other music underneath as well....

The scene doesn't exist on the syndication cut I have, so the only way to know for sure is to compare it with an original CBS recording.

Jaime, you wouldn't happen to have that one, would you?

 

[Brian Himes]

Jennifer and the Will...

What the hell happened to the master tape for this episode? Did they have to source this episode from a syndication master or something? It's blurry, faded... it looks bad.

Good episode, though.

I watched the episode on an HD TV and didn't notice it looking all that bad. Hmmm. I'll have to double check it.

Also, we need to ramp up the thread. The Batman one is beating us on page length. We were ahead until Tuesday night.

It's also rather strange that the Wonder Years thread went quiet rather quickly.

 

[Obtuse]

Looks like I've found one more "musical mystery"....

From "Venus And The Man"

In the scene in Andy's office (following Herb's exchange with Venus and Arnold), there is some music playing on the speaker which Andy turns down.

It sounds like it may be replacement music on the DVD and on Jaime's online version of the episode (same music). Software is unable to recognize it (and it sounds somewhat generic). Seems like there's some other music underneath as well....

The scene doesn't exist on the syndication cut I have, so the only way to know for sure is to compare it with an original CBS recording.

Jaime, you wouldn't happen to have that one, would you?

If all else fails..it's available to view at the Paley Center. Too bad I'm not in New York or LA.....

 

[G.T. Keplinger]

In comparing the Shout set and the Fox Season One set I have noticed some differences in color balance between the two. On some episodes on the Fox set-- Hold Up for example-- the color looks more saturated/ vibrant and more faded/ washed out on the Shout set. The versions aired on Antenna TV seem to be more like the Fox set in terms of color balance too.

Also, the episode Goodbye Johnny on the Shout set still has music replacement in the scene after Les leaves and Johnny turns the speaker back up and dances. In the original version of the scene you can here the Rolling Stones song still playing and laughter. The Shout set uses the same replacement music from the Fox set even though they use the Stones song earlier in the scene.