WKRP in Cincinnati: Season 4

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Wkrp In Cincinnati

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Season Details & Credits

CBS | Season Premiere Date: October 7, 1981

Starring: Gordon Jump, Frank Bonner, Tim Reid

Summary: WKRP in Cincinnati, an MTM production, was created by Hugh Wilson, who had previously written scripts for MTM's The Bob Newhart Show and served as a producer on the short-lived MTM production The Tony Randall Show. MTM, which had not had a big comedy hit since Rhoda several years earlier, was counting on WKRP to revive the company'sWKRP in Cincinnati, an MTM production, was created by Hugh Wilson, who had previously written scripts for MTM's The Bob Newhart Show and served as a producer on the short-lived MTM production The Tony Randall Show. MTM, which had not had a big comedy hit since Rhoda several years earlier, was counting on WKRP to revive the company's reputation as the best producer of situation comedies.

WKRP debuted in a tough slot, 8:00 on Monday nights, followed by a forgettable and short-lived show called People. Despite strong reviews for the pilot episode, and some positive buzz for an episode called "Turkeys Away," WKRP did poorly in the ratings and was put on hiatus by CBS with five episodes still unaired. Most reports at the time suggested that this "hiatus" was likely to be permanent, but CBS surprised many by bringing the show back in January of 1979, again on Monday nights but this time following the long-running hit M*A*S*H. Though CBS claimed that the series had been "retooled" in the interim, not much had changed except the construction of a new set (the "bullpen" with desks for Les, Bailey, Herb and the DJs) and a slight shift in emphasis: Whereas earlier episodes had focused mostly on Andy Travis, Mr. Carlson and Johnny Fever, WKRP re-emerged as a true ensemble series in which all eight regular characters were of roughly equal importance.
In this new time slot, WKRP was a hit, part of a high-quality CBS Monday night lineup of M*A*S*H followed by three series from MTM: WKRP In Cincinnati, The White Shadow, and Lou Grant. Loni Anderson, as Jennifer, became a national sex symbol, while Howard Hesseman as Johnny Fever almost matched her in popularity. Early in 1980, however, CBS moved WKRP away from Monday nights, trying to find a night where it could anchor an uneven lineup. Unfortunately some CBS executives apparently did not care for WKRP, and other executives mistook it for a kids' show based on the rock n' roll music and loud clothes. Thus they had a habit of preceding and following it with shows that were much more lowbrow than the MTM-style humor of WKRP -- for example, on one night WKRP was followed by the Alice spin-off, Flo. In time slots like these, WKRP's ratings dropped badly.

The time-slot changes eventually became more frequent and more ill-considered as CBS looked for a spot where WKRP would finally fit in. The show also seems to have received only limited support from MTM (particularly after the departure of MTM founder Grant Tinker, who left to run NBC), which was busy conquering the world of hour long drama with shows like Hill Street Blues. In the summer of 1982, CBS announced that WKRP had been canceled.

To the surprise of almost everyone, WKRP finally became a breakout hit when its 90 episodes were released to syndication; its long life in syndication eventually made it, according to Grant Tinker, the biggest moneymaker in the history of MTM. Some cast members remarked that WKRP was a hit in reruns because viewers finally new where to find it.… Expand

Creator: Hugh Wilson

Genre(s): Comedy

Season 4 Episodes

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S4:E26. Johnny Comes Back
Air Date: April 29, 2019
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S4:E23. Clean up Radio Everywhere
Air Date: November 1, 2018
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S4:E22. Up and Down the Dial
Air Date: April 21, 1982

See all Seasons and Episodes

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Seasons & Episodes

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Series Overview
Season 4

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- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: October 7, 1981
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  S4:E26. Johnny Comes Back
  Air Date: April 29, 2019
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  S4:E23. Clean up Radio Everywhere
  Air Date: November 1, 2018
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  S4:E22. Up and Down the Dial
  Air Date: April 21, 1982
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  S4:E21. To Err is Human
  Air Date: April 14, 1982
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  S4:E20. The Impossible Dream
  Air Date: April 7, 1982
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  S4:E19. The Creation of Venus
  Air Date: March 31, 1982
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  S4:E18. Dear Liar
  Air Date: March 24, 1982
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  S4:E17. Fire
  Air Date: March 17, 1982
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  S4:E16. Circumstantial Evidence
  Air Date: February 24, 1982
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  S4:E15. I'll Take Romance
  Air Date: February 17, 1982
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  S4:E14. Jennifer and Johnny's Charity
  Air Date: February 3, 1982
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  S4:E13. Changes
  Air Date: January 27, 1982
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  S4:E12. Pills
  Air Date: January 20, 1982
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  S4:E11. You Can't Go Out of Town Again
  Air Date: January 13, 1982
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  S4:E10. Love, Exciting and New
  Air Date: January 6, 1982
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  S4:E9. The Consultant
  Air Date: December 30, 1981
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  S4:E8. Jennifer and the Will
  Air Date: December 25, 1981
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  S4:E7. Three Days of the Condo
  Air Date: November 18, 1981
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  S4:E6. Who's On First?
  Air Date: November 11, 1981
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  S4:E5. Straight From the Heart
  Air Date: November 4, 1981
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  S4:E4. Rumors
  Air Date: October 28, 1981
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  S4:E3. The Union
  Air Date: October 21, 1981
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  S4:E2. An Explosive Affair (2)
  Air Date: October 14, 1981
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  S4:E1. An Explosive Affair (1)
  Air Date: October 7, 1981
Season 3

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- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: November 1, 1980
Season 2

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- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 17, 1979
Season 1

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- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 18, 1978