It's even crazier in the later years when everybody gets the applause, even Potsie. He only gets a little bit of applause, which in a way is more of an insult than getting none at all.

Also, as Todd notes, Marshall was very sensitive to changing tastes. When HAPPY DAYS started it rode the nostalgia boom of 1973-74 (THE STING, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT - everything was a nostalgia period piece). When that boom wore off in 1975, it was still a good show but it was just a soft little…

Also, as Todd notes, Marshall was very sensitive to changing tastes. When HAPPY DAYS started it rode the nostalgia boom of 1973-74 (THE STING, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT - everything was a nostalgia period piece). When that boom wore off in 1975, it was still a good show but it was just a soft little…

English actors doing American accents sure have come a long way since the 20th Century Vole sketch.

English actors doing American accents sure have come a long way since the 20th Century Vole sketch.

Technically, except "Guys With Kids," these really aren't New Broad Comedies any more than COMMUNITY was originally. That was supposed to be a broad-appeal comedy with heart, and it abandoned that when it turned out, midway through the first season, that people liked the quirky stuff better and the mass audience…

Technically, except "Guys With Kids," these really aren't New Broad Comedies any more than COMMUNITY was originally. That was supposed to be a broad-appeal comedy with heart, and it abandoned that when it turned out, midway through the first season, that people liked the quirky stuff better and the mass audience…

Wilson more or less copped to this in "The Consultant" where the evil cokehead corporate consultant points out that it's ridiculous for WKRP's morning man, the one with the most valuable air time, to be playing so many oldies. Almost all that guy's criticisms of the station are accurate from a business standpoint.

Wilson more or less copped to this in "The Consultant" where the evil cokehead corporate consultant points out that it's ridiculous for WKRP's morning man, the one with the most valuable air time, to be playing so many oldies. Almost all that guy's criticisms of the station are accurate from a business standpoint.

And don't forget the disco episode, "Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide," which not only came out after disco was dead, but actually included a line acknowledging that disco was dead. It may actually play better now than it did then because they waited too long to do it (possibly because of the actors' strike that interrupted TV…

And don't forget the disco episode, "Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide," which not only came out after disco was dead, but actually included a line acknowledging that disco was dead. It may actually play better now than it did then because they waited too long to do it (possibly because of the actors' strike that interrupted TV…

Loni Anderson was funnier than Jan Smithers though. Anderson could get a huge laugh with her delivery of lines that look like nothing on paper (one of the lesser episodes is saved by her saying "Put on the damn hat!"). She's sort of the female Ted Knight — a very funny actor who wasn't believable as anything except a…

Loni Anderson was funnier than Jan Smithers though. Anderson could get a huge laugh with her delivery of lines that look like nothing on paper (one of the lesser episodes is saved by her saying "Put on the damn hat!"). She's sort of the female Ted Knight — a very funny actor who wasn't believable as anything except a…

One thing I noticed about the cheap look of it was that there were hardly any extras ever — not just at the radio station, where famously you only saw the eight regular characters and any other employee was just "offscreen" — but even when they went to an outside set they'd try to have as few extras as possible. I'm…

One thing I noticed about the cheap look of it was that there were hardly any extras ever — not just at the radio station, where famously you only saw the eight regular characters and any other employee was just "offscreen" — but even when they went to an outside set they'd try to have as few extras as possible. I'm…

Since I helped pick this one I feel I should apologize to anyone who wanted a more memorable one to discuss. This is just one that always popped into my head as one of the best-executed examples of a typical episode that was about broadcasting and embodied the fascination radio has for us. (The bomb scare two-parter…

Since I helped pick this one I feel I should apologize to anyone who wanted a more memorable one to discuss. This is just one that always popped into my head as one of the best-executed examples of a typical episode that was about broadcasting and embodied the fascination radio has for us. (The bomb scare two-parter…

Exactly. There's also this thing where WKRP was never mentioned in the Literature (if it can be called that) on sitcoms. The bible for a young sitcom fan was Rick Mitz's "The Great TV Sitcom Book," which had big chapters on important shows — like Barney Miller and Taxi — and brief paragraphs on less significant shows.…

Exactly. There's also this thing where WKRP was never mentioned in the Literature (if it can be called that) on sitcoms. The bible for a young sitcom fan was Rick Mitz's "The Great TV Sitcom Book," which had big chapters on important shows — like Barney Miller and Taxi — and brief paragraphs on less significant shows.…

I wouldn't necessarily assume that the rest of the series will come off any better, but the general public basically reacted to the first seven episodes the way you did — that's why, after a promising pilot, the show did so badly that it was yanked from the air and all but canceled. The turkey episode did well enough…