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!

A cast of odd characters must run a struggling Cincinnati radio station.

Last Updated: 8/29/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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Turkeys Away
star
9.05
256 votes

#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.

Directors: Michael Zinberg
Writer: Bill Dial
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Jennifer's Home for Christmas
star
8.26
84 votes

#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.

Directors: Rod Daniel
Watch Now:Amazon
Baseball
star
8.03
73 votes

#3 - Baseball

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/1979

The staff plays against the team from rival station WPIG in a softball game.

Directors: Hugh Wilson
Writer: Hugh Wilson
Watch Now:Amazon
In Concert
star
7.98
52 votes

#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.

Watch Now:Amazon
Baby, It's Cold Inside
star
7.89
37 votes

#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.

Writer: Blake Hunter
Watch Now:Amazon
An Explosive Affair (Part 2)
star
7.77
39 votes

#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.

Directors: Linda Day
Watch Now:Amazon
Pilot
star
7.75
326 votes

#7 - 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.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Hugh Wilson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Three Days of the Condo
star
7.75
32 votes

#8 - Three Days of the Condo

Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/18/1981

Johnny receives a large legal settlement and buys a condominium.

Directors: Linda Day
Writer: Lissa Levin
Watch Now:Amazon
Hoodlum Rock
star
7.71
259 votes

#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.

Directors: Michael Zinberg
Writer: Hugh Wilson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Hold-Up
star
7.71
219 votes

#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.

Directors: Asaad Kelada
Writer: Tom Chehak
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Bah, Humbug
star
7.70
43 votes

#11 - 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.

Directors: Rod Daniel
Writer: Lissa Levin
Watch Now:Amazon
Most Improved Station
star
7.67
39 votes

#12 - Most Improved Station

Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/31/1980

Everyone starts bickering after the station loses a broadcasting award.

Directors: Rod Daniel
Watch Now:Amazon
Baby, If You've Ever Wondered
star
7.65
106 votes

#13 - 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.

Writer: Bill Dial
Watch Now:Amazon
Pilot, Part 2
star
7.60
299 votes

#14 - 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.

Directors: Michael Zinberg
Writer: Hugh Wilson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Les on a Ledge
star
7.59
223 votes

#15 - 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.

Writer: Hugh Wilson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Rumors
star
7.58
67 votes

#16 - Rumors

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/28/1981

While his apartment is being fumigated, Johnny stays with Bailey, causing everyone at the station to jump to conclusions.

Directors: Linda Day
Watch Now:Amazon
Venus and the Man
star
7.57
40 votes

#17 - 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.

Directors: Rod Daniel
Writer: Hugh Wilson
Watch Now:Amazon
Jennifer Moves
star
7.54
46 votes

#18 - 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.

Directors: Linda Day
Writer: Hugh Wilson
Watch Now:Amazon
Who's on First?
star
7.52
69 votes

#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.

Directors: Dan Guntzelman
Watch Now:Amazon
Bailey's Big Break
star
7.50
101 votes

#20 - 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.

Watch Now:Amazon
A Family Affair
star
7.49
47 votes

#21 - 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.

Directors: Rod Daniel
Writer: Tim Reid
Watch Now:Amazon
Venus Rising
star
7.49
43 votes

#22 - 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.

Directors: Nick Stamos
Watch Now:Amazon
Filthy Pictures (1)
star
7.49
41 votes

#23 - 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.

Watch Now:Amazon
Mike Fright
star
7.48
106 votes

#24 - 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.

Directors: Will Mackenzie
Watch Now:Amazon
Jennifer Falls in Love
star
7.45
77 votes

#25 - Jennifer Falls in Love

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/1979

For the first time in her life, Jennifer is in love, with a penniless but handsome repairman who turns out to be even more of a gold digger than she is. Meanwhile, Les tries to get a raise, and Johnny becomes convinced that he's the man Jennifer is in love with.

Directors: Will Mackenzie
Watch Now:Amazon