Was There ANY Character Strong Enough To Get A Spin-Off On 'WKRP In Cincinnati?' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 11-01-2011, 10:51 PM

Anybody on the show you think was strong enough to star in their own show as a spin-off?

catlover79 · 11-02-2011, 07:31 PM

I don't think so. The show was such an ensemble - I think it was bigger than the sum of its parts.

Brian Damage · 11-02-2011, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I don't think so. The show was such an ensemble - I think it was bigger than the sum of its parts.

I agree Monika, well said...

gopyle · 11-05-2011, 04:26 AM

Would have been a mistake. It was the combination that worked well.

dlemond · 11-07-2011, 12:04 PM

Johnny was probably the strongest character. (backstory, comedic presence, story potential)

The key to any spinoff is a really strong supporting cast.

I think if you took Johnny Fever and gave him a bunch of supporting characters (and actors) the caliber of sayFrasier, and put them in a decent
situation, it could work.

Miss Lisa · 12-04-2011, 02:14 AM

I don't know, something tells me that it might be good for a few episodes, but it would be hard to get used to. All the characters worked well together on the show so well that its just hard for me to see them with a different cast in a different setting.

OH Nuts! · 12-09-2011, 04:10 PM

I can think of three right off the bat. I personally would have LOVED to see a Mama Carlson show. Or a Johnny Fever show. Jennifer, would also have been cool in her own series.

steevo · 01-02-2012, 05:50 PM

I don't believe there was any character strong enough for their own show, but then again, that was what made WKRP work. The cast was strong together and in combination with the strong and funny writing, it was just magic.

Jamey Greek · 02-18-2012, 12:39 PM

well if WKRP lasted longer than it did and had a 'real' season finale than maybe there would be a spinoff where Andy and Bailey get married, move to another city, and work for another station.

gogxmagog · 01-25-2013, 07:30 AM

Gotta be Herb. It would be sort of like "Fish" or "mama's family" or that one with radar that was so bad they didnt even finish the pilot.

Herb at home, a domestic situation comedy. They would alter his personality slightly to make his pathological cowardice into lovable comedic foibles, and they would have les nessman live down the street and they would be constant companions in their adventures behind the backs of "the girls" (wives played by Edie McClurg and Beth Howland respectively)
I'd watch it.

Jamey Greek · 01-29-2013, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gogxmagog

Gotta be Herb. It would be sort of like "Fish" or "mama's family" or that one with radar that was so bad they didnt even finish the pilot.

Herb at home, a domestic situation comedy. They would alter his personality slightly to make his pathological cowardice into lovable comedic foibles, and they would have les nessman live down the street and they would be constant companions in their adventures behind the backs of "the girls" (wives played by Edie McClurg and Beth Howland respectively)
I'd watch it.

Even better, Herb and Lucille get divorced, he gets let go from WKRP in light of the supposed format change and moves in with Les. It could be like the odd couple. Herb has another job in sales while Les is a newscaster on TV!

dlemond · 01-29-2013, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamey Greek

Even better, Herb and Lucille get divorced, he gets let go from WKRP in light of the supposed format change and moves in with Les. It could be like the odd couple. Herb has another job in sales while Les is a newscaster on TV!

They carried over Les and Herb to the New WKRP (along with Mr. Carlson) and that was not enough. (granted there were a bunch of new characters that were bland)

I just don't think the two of them are strong enough to carry a show.

gogxmagog · 01-30-2013, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlemond

They carried over Les and Herb to the New WKRP (along with Mr. Carlson) and that was not enough. (granted there were a bunch of new characters that were bland)

I just don't think the two of them are strong enough to carry a show.

I disagree. The New WKRP was doomed because the setting was not different. They could make herb's wife dead, but before her demise she and herb could have adopted twins and there would be this thing like growing pains, or 3 and half men where it is all the joys and lessons of life with children, but without women involved. Also, the majority of the action would take place in the living room area of the house from a perspective that puts the viewer where the television would appear on the actual set. this always seems to work. That and changing the actual characters so that they become protagonists, which they decidedly weren't on the original program.
I thing the ideas of banality and limited expectations have not been completely dealt with in terms of narrative. especially within 3rd tier television programming, and the "spin-off" has been ignored as part of a larger arc in that narrative itself.

dlemond · 01-30-2013, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gogxmagog

I disagree. The New WKRP was doomed because the setting was not different. They could make herb's wife dead, but before her demise she and herb could have adopted twins and there would be this thing like growing pains, or 3 and half men where it is all the joys and lessons of life with children, but without women involved. Also, the majority of the action would take place in the living room area of the house from a perspective that puts the viewer where the television would appear on the actual set. this always seems to work. That and changing the actual characters so that they become protagonists, which they decidedly weren't on the original program.
I thing the ideas of banality and limited expectations have not been completely dealt with in terms of narrative. especially within 3rd tier television programming, and the "spin-off" has been ignored as part of a larger arc in that narrative itself.

Herb and Lucille already had two kids - Bunny and Herb III.

This scenario you present does not sound appealing to me. That's just my opinion. Mostly because I don't see Herb and Les as main characters. And if Herb ever had a spinoff you would need Lucille.

The Real Families episode gives you a sense of what a Tarlek spinoff would be like. Great episode, but i don't know if i could watch The Tarleks every week.

treky · 02-01-2013, 01:42 AM

in a word, no. They were best as an ensemble.

11-01-2011, 10:51 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Was There ANY Character Strong Enough To Get A Spin-Off On 'WKRP In Cincinnati?' Anybody on the show you think was strong enough to star in their own show as a spin-off?
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11-02-2011, 07:31 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	I don't think so. The show was such an ensemble - I think it was bigger than the sum of its parts.
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11-07-2011, 12:04 PM	#5
dlemond Hey, I know you. Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 03, 2001 Location: New Jersey Posts: 6,751	Johnny was probably the strongest character. (backstory, comedic presence, story potential) The key to any spinoff is a really strong supporting cast. I think if you took Johnny Fever and gave him a bunch of supporting characters (and actors) the caliber of sayFrasier, and put them in a decent situation, it could work.
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12-04-2011, 02:14 AM	#6
Miss Lisa Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 08, 2005 Location: My very own Green Acres Posts: 1,113	I don't know, something tells me that it might be good for a few episodes, but it would be hard to get used to. All the characters worked well together on the show so well that its just hard for me to see them with a different cast in a different setting.
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01-02-2012, 05:50 PM	#8
steevo It is Green Senior Member Join Date: Dec 28, 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,475	I don't believe there was any character strong enough for their own show, but then again, that was what made WKRP work. The cast was strong together and in combination with the strong and funny writing, it was just magic.
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11-05-2011, 04:26 AM	#4
gopyle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 22, 2011 Posts: 235	Would have been a mistake. It was the combination that worked well.

12-09-2011, 04:10 PM	#7
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	I can think of three right off the bat. I personally would have LOVED to see a Mama Carlson show. Or a Johnny Fever show. Jennifer, would also have been cool in her own series.

02-18-2012, 12:39 PM	#9
Jamey Greek Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 28, 2001 Location: Elba Alabama USA Posts: 877	well if WKRP lasted longer than it did and had a 'real' season finale than maybe there would be a spinoff where Andy and Bailey get married, move to another city, and work for another station.
	__________________ Jamey Greek

01-25-2013, 07:30 AM	#10
gogxmagog Television Expert Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 25, 2013 Location: Up And Down The Dial Posts: 37	Gotta be Herb. It would be sort of like "Fish" or "mama's family" or that one with radar that was so bad they didnt even finish the pilot. Herb at home, a domestic situation comedy. They would alter his personality slightly to make his pathological cowardice into lovable comedic foibles, and they would have les nessman live down the street and they would be constant companions in their adventures behind the backs of "the girls" (wives played by Edie McClurg and Beth Howland respectively) I'd watch it.

02-01-2013, 01:42 AM	#15
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	in a word, no. They were best as an ensemble.
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