I don't get it... many people were pushing for Fox to finally do something about releasing WKRP on DVD, and now that that struggle has become a reality, people are ganging up on Fox for the syndicated episodes. They originally were NOT going to release this show as you probably all know, and the issue seemed CLOSED. I thought, oh well, there's always YouTube. There was never a glimmer of hope, until a light started to shine at the end of the tunnel... out of the blue Fox surrendered to our pleas and decided to release the long-awaited hit sitcom in the digital format. I knew from the start that something would go awry with the music rights, but I still said to myself that having all of the non-music related material finally on DVD was a victory in its own. So, we may've only won 1/2 the battle, but it's better than having lost it all together. Fox likely thought people wouldn't notice this music-cutting issue this early and were counting on the mega-hit sitcom to do even better on DVD. They realized that this was what the fans wanted... "So let's give them what they want... but the music rights, uh... we'll hold off on that little minor issue for a little bit." Well it turned into a DVD "travesty," and fans were quickly turning their parties into funerals... cancelling their orders... and just thinking of how they were longing to finally see WKRP on DVD.

Well, as I said I knew that music rights were not going to be an easy issue to pass by when it came time to transfer the episodes to disc. I knew it from the start, that we were going to here generic music over Dr. Johnny Fever's vivacious and fun-to-sing-along D-J-ing hits.

I'm still buying the set for the Turkey Drop... for the extras... for the pilot... and for about 19 other episodes making their way to the digital format (in some way anyway) for the first time. I never saw the episodes in their original broadcasts, so I guess your diehard fan since the show premiered in the late 70s would be more disappointed at the music rights issue than I am. But truth be told, I just want to see WKRP on DVD, myself not having seen that many episodes of the show (a few on TVLand and some clips on YouTube), and even though the music rights issue are unfortunate, the reality is that we're dealing with a bunch of corporate bastards here that we're not going to be able to change. Trying to make a statement on the issue by holding off on the set is only going to worsen our luck for future releases. If anything, it would be making a statement if all the diehards would give in to this mediocre release and say to Fox, "Yeah, this is how much we care about WKRP." Then they may realize that WKRP could potentially be a REALLY big DVD franchise for Fox (like FAMILY GUY and THE SIMPSONS), and release season one UNCUT, and the remaining three uncut as well. Cross your fingers and hope for the best.

If they ever run it on cable again, I for one will be taping it. I'd like to have the DVD too but they don't seem to be in a hurry to get it out.

i am getting it no matter what, but I will probably try to get a copy of the original episodes through trades if I can

I'm still buying it. I'd buy it even if ALL of the episodes were syndicated versions. I have all the season 1 episodes on tape but the tapes are in such poor condition that I can't really watch them anymore. It will be great to see this show again and though it sucks that episodes are edited, at least the picture quality will be good. :)

I AM!! I've wanted to own the Thanksgiving Turkey Drop for a long time, as well as the Del's Stereo remote. Since Fox didn't pony up the cash for the music licensing rights, they'd better come up with some decent extras. I heard Loni Anderson say in some interview that she'd love to do some extras. Maybe even a tribute to Gordon Jump. I know even that's asking for too much, as Fox has been known to release bare bones season sets in the past. *SIGH* We can dream, can't we?? :rolleyes:

I plan to buy it!!

I also heard Loni Anderson say (in an interview about 10 or 11 years ago) that she'd LOVE to also do a reunion of it.

Well I'm glad the true fans are here on the SO message boards. If you head on over to the Home Theater Forum, people claiming to be diehards are not buying the release. I say if you're a diehard, you should buy the release in hopes that eventually the full versions of the episodes will soon make it to DVD. (I'd re-buy my ALF sets for the full uncut versions.)

I'm going to buy it as well!!

I'm buying it and I'm hoping everyone else who loves WKRP will also.

There has to be a first for everything, and I'm hoping that in time WKRP will be the first show to see a re-release of a season on DVD.

If someone sees to it and pays for the music, why not?

How many movies have had 2 to 3 re-releases on DVD?
A LOT.

Eventually a TV show will have a new "Special Edition" release just like countless movies that do it- sometimes within a year of the original release!

Let's just all hope for a new trend of Special Original Music Editions of TV DVDs. Charge more. Just like SE of movies.

Somebody is buying movies- even crappy ones- 3 times.

How about some great TV?

i'am buying the first season through Sitcoms Online and amazon.com;)

but i still hope that Fox will license the show to a smaller company like SHOUT!
i would pay a lot more to have ALL episodes Uncut with all original music and some special features like
a tribute for Gordon Jump

uncensored bloopers

the entire Family Fued episode with the cast of WKRP in CINCINNATI

footage of Howard Hesseman and Jan Smithers on Battle of the Network Stars

new interviews with the surviving cast members

maybe an interview with Jerry Springer who was mayor of Cincinnati when WKRP was originally broadcast(i would love to here his comments of the episode Mike Fright like if their were any copycat incidences)

more information on the Wkrp saturday morning cartoon that cbs turned down

I still plan to buy it even if the music's replaced. This way, I can throw out the VHS versions recorded about 5 years ago on the Comedy Network.

I still plan to buy it even if the music's replaced. This way, I can throw out the VHS versions recorded about 5 years ago on the Comedy Network.

Don't throw out those tapes. The Comedy Network episodes had quite a bit of music that has been changed or cut on this DVD set.

I'm still buying WKRP. It was one of my favorite shows!! Even if the episodes are cut. Well I havent seen them in years so I'm ready!!

I can't watch my VHS tapes anyway because the VCR ate them and I had to throw the VCR out.

I've thought about this and decided I will either get this or get someone to get it for my birthday gift. It angers me how the show is chopped up now, and how little Hugh Wilson cares about purity but on the other hand, if sales are poor, there won't be further seasons released and you can probably forget about deluxe re-releases.

As a music fan I'm used to buying several incarnations of the same product, I'll buy a remaster of an album to hear improved/ different mixes then raid sales, used stores, vinyl, downloads or whatever to hear the pure original release. Then I can enjoy an improved or at least cleaner mix and the way people originaly heard the music.

Anyway, yeah somehow I'll get the season one set, and if at some point Fox or another company does a better release I'll sell my copy of the Fox version, and then I get some money back and buy the better one. And if no one will give me money for the DVD I'll donate it to a library so as many people as possible can enjoy WKRP.

I also have my favorite WKRP episodes taped off the Comedy Network and the WKRP 3 vhs tape set from MTM (a Christmas gift from my sister) and I will transcribe them to DVD-R to preserve the tapes and be able to watch my favorite episodes closer to the orginally aired versions anywhere anytime.

My hubby & I got the WKRP dvd set. We figured it's the only way to be able to watch the show again. I hate how it's cut up & songs missing. But it's either that or not see the show again...

I wasn't born when the first season originally aired, so the music replacements don't bother me. I'm used to hearing the generic music in the reruns anyway. I like the song 'You're much too much' when Les tries on the wig and 'Nowhere band' where Doug fills in for Johnny. Lots of scenes crack me up everytime. I finished watching my season 1 DVD's last night.

I just got the set and it's been a while since I've seen the syndicated shows, so I don't think I'll miss the music that much.

The only exception will be for one of the future seasons, in which Carlson runs for city council. There is a great moment in which the gang cuts a TV commercial that uses the Star Wars theme. Unfortunately, the joke was ruined for subsequent syndicated episodes, where the theme was replaced by generic sci-fi music, which was poortly edited in.

Still, this was one of the funniest shows of the late 70's, and with or without music, I'm still giong to enjoy it.

BTW, you can pretty much blame the record industry. This is the same industry whose short-sightedness has had almost of an impact on their lost record sales as the internet. Now, instead of doing anything like negotiating REASONABLE extensions to the various copyrights, they force the DVD releases to be chopped up. If they were smart, they could have let WKRP use the songs, in exchange for the producers putting a bonus music credit section, in which the viewers could find out what songs were in various episodes, as well as the albums they could track them down. THis would have benefited everyone--the viewers as well as the artists. And I wouldn't have minded paying up to $40-50 per season if that was all it took to keep the music intact (over 50 is too much for a sitcom).

I am as frustrated as every fan is, but there is a reality that must be faced.

There will be NO complete version. Not while music publishers (not the record labels) want to rape every production company for $30-40,000 per song.

It is not remotely feasible for the uncut episodes to be released.

I picked up the set and have only been able to sit down and wtach a few episodes and yes some changes make me cringe, but fo the most part I get to watch 22 minutes of a great, classic sitcom. It's better than watching them on tv, if they ever will be on again anyway.

This is it.

I've thought about this and decided I will either get this or get someone to get it for my birthday gift. It angers me how the show is chopped up now, and how little Hugh Wilson cares about purity but on the other hand, if sales are poor, there won't be further seasons released and you can probably forget about deluxe re-releases...

sales for WKRP have NOT been poor - no matter what the DVD companies will say, it made #18 in sales for ALL dvd's last week http://www.dvdinformation.com/TitleSearch/titles.cfm

it is very sad that most of the old shows will never be seen again as they originally aired, just because of a few greedy individuals...

Being one who saw the show during it's original run, I just can't buy it without the original music. It just wouldn't be the same for me I'm afraid. Part of me doesn't want to buy it just purely out of protest. Could you imagine if all products used on television shows weren't allowed to be seen in reruns or DVD releases? It's the same thing.

Heck, what are they going to do with the ep about the tragic Who concert? Try changing the name of the band? To me, that's what they're doing to the music. It's changing history in a small way.

it is very sad that most of the old shows will never be seen again as they originally aired, just because of a few greedy individuals...


My point exactly. If we all ignored these subpar releases, it might change some minds. Better to get something than nothing right?

Being one who saw the show during it's original run, I just can't buy it without the original music. It just wouldn't be the same for me I'm afraid. Part of me doesn't want to buy it just purely out of protest. Could you imagine if all products used on television shows weren't allowed to be seen in reruns or DVD releases? It's the same thing.

Heck, what are they going to do with the ep about the tragic Who concert? Try changing the name of the band? To me, that's what they're doing to the music. It's changing history in a small way.

Did they refer to the band by name in the episode? If memory serves, they kept the name out of the show entirely, only having it in the closing dedication.

I have most of them from CBS so I won't buy this bastardized release.