The BEST episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati
Every episode of WKRP in Cincinnati ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati!
When a Cincinnati radio station switches from sedate music to top-40 rock 'n' roll, its staff of oddball characters is forced to switch gears quickly. New programming director Andy Travis brings in a new DJ named Venus Flytrap to work with the station's burned-out veteran, Dr. Johnny Fever. Neurotic newsman Les Nessman, eager beaver Bailey Quarters, sleazy salesman Herb Tarlek, blonde bombshell Jennifer Marlowe, who serves as the station's ultra-capable receptionist, and station manager Arthur Carlson, whose domineering mother owns WKRP, round out the eccentric bunch.
#1 - Turkeys Away
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/30/1978
Feeling left out at the station, Mr. Carlson comes up with a top-secret Thanksgiving promotion involving twenty live turkeys.
#2 - Jennifer's Home for Christmas
Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/17/1979
Jennifer tells her friends that she has nothing special planned for Christmas, and that she doesn't have a tree this year. Everyone begins to suspect that she might be alone for the holidays.
#3 - Baseball
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/1979
The staff plays against the team from rival station WPIG in a softball game.
#4 - In Concert
Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/11/1980
At a concert by the Who in Cincinnati on December 3, 1979, eleven kids were trampled to death when the crowd rushed to get seats. The first part of this episode takes place before that concert; the second act takes place the day after, and presents the characters' reactions to the tragedy.
#5 - Baby, It's Cold Inside
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/3/1981
On a day when the furnace has broken down, Mama Carlson pays a surprise visit to the station and catches Johnny drinking in the broadcast booth.
#6 - An Explosive Affair (Part 2)
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/14/1981
Andy is unable to warn Johnny and Venus when he realizes that the bomb is at the transmitter.
#7 - Three Days of the Condo
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/18/1981
When Johnny receives $24,000 in a legal settlement, Venus convinces him to use the money to invest in a condominium at Gone With the Wind Estates.
#8 - Pilot
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1978
Andy Travis, a young program director from Santa Fe, takes over at Cincinnati radio station WKRP and changes the format to rock and roll.
#9 - Hoodlum Rock
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/9/1978
Andy arranges for the station to sponsor a concert by a rowdy English rock group.
#10 - Hold-Up
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/16/1978
During a live remote from Del's Stereo and Sound, an unemployed DJ shows up with a gun and hijacks the broadcast.
#11 - Most Improved Station
Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/31/1980
Everyone starts bickering after the station loses a broadcasting award.
#12 - Baby, If You've Ever Wondered
Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/3/1979
The new ratings book arrives, and WKRP has climbed from 16th to 14th place in the Cincinnati market. Everyone is happy about the gain except Andy, who knows that the station has not improved enough, in part because of his own unwillingness to fire incompetent employees like Herb and Les.
#13 - Pilot, Part 2
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/25/1978
While Andy tries to come up with a publicity stunt to get the station in the news, a group of irate former listeners demands a return to the old format.
#14 - Rumors
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/28/1981
While his apartment is being fumigated, Johnny accepts Bailey's offer to stay at her place, causing everyone at the station to think that the two are sleeping together. Johnny's also afraid that he's in danger of losing his time slot to Rex, the afternoon DJ, and when Bailey tries to cheer him up, he mistakes her friendliness for a come-on.
#15 - Bah, Humbug
Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/20/1980
Once again, Mr. Carlson plans to give the staffers almost no Christmas bonuses. But in a dream brought on by eating one of Johnny Fever's brownies, the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future visit him to show him the error of his ways.
#16 - Jennifer Moves
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/8/1980
The staff helps Jennifer move into her new $125,000 house in the quiet suburb of Landersville. But she soon finds out that life in Landersville isn't as pleasant as she thought it would be.
#17 - The Airplane Show
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/1/1980
Trying to compete with WPIG's traffic helicopter, Les starts doing traffic reports from a World War I biplane piloted by a crazy war veteran.
#18 - Venus and the Man
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/31/1981
The station's cleaning woman asks Venus to convince her big, tough teenage son not to drop out of school.
#19 - Who's on First?
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/11/1981
With Herb in the hospital, Mr. Carlson pretends he is Herb and is impersonated by Les for an advertising client.
#20 - Les on a Ledge
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/2/1978
Mortified by a personal accusation, Les climbs out on the ledge of the Flimm building and threatens to jump.
#21 - Bailey's Big Break
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/10/1979
When WKRP needs an assistant news reporter, Bailey applies for the job and gets it. Les, who doesn't want to work with anyone, least of all a woman, tries to keep Bailey from going on the air.
#22 - Filthy Pictures (1)
Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/3/1980
Mr. Carlson convinces Jennifer and Andy to pose in bathing suits for a "Surf's Up in Cincinnati" poster. After the photo session, the photographer secretly takes nude photos of Jennifer while she's changing.
#23 - A Family Affair
Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/7/1980
Andy's sister Carol visits Cincinnati, and Andy sets up a date for her and Johnny. But Carol winds up going out with Venus instead, and Andy becomes instinctively angry about it.
#24 - Venus Rising
Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/10/1980
Venus is offered a job as program director of WREQ radio, but is disillusioned when he discovers how the station is run and why they want to hire him. Meanwhile, Herb circulates a rumor that he, too, has received a job offer.
#25 - Mike Fright
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/12/1979
During a citywide garbage strike, Johnny jokingly suggests that his listeners dump their garbage on the steps of City Hall. The joke is on him, and the station, when hundreds of listeners take him seriously. Johnny becomes aware of his power and develops a serious case of mike fright.
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