Weakest episodes? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

RamOntheRun · 04-23-2002, 12:54 AM

I think these are weak in my opinion:

-Fish Story: very overrrated, few laughs.

-Young Master Carlson: well this one may actually be the worst, it's unappealing and again no laughs at all.

-The Painting: boring.

-Frog Story: stupid premise, almost embarrassing to watch- the weakest by far.

-Jennifer and the will: corny, no laughs.

that's about it for me...out of the 90 episodes, I think around 60 are classics, the others are pretty good, but these 5 are real stinkers.

jaime_weinman · 04-23-2002, 01:26 AM

My choices for weakest episodes:

"Love Returns": This early episode is totally out of character for the show: Sentimental, slow, and with Andy's soap-opera problems at the forefront while all the other characters play second banana. No wonder the show went on hiatus after this one!

"You Can't Go Out of Town Again": I think they were trying to experiment with an almost plotless episode here, but it doesn't get many laughs. I don't think Howard Hesseman did a very good job directing it.

"Pills": Too preachy, and Dave Wickerman is too much of a one-dimensional villain (unlike, say, Dr. Bob Halyers, who was portrayed with some sympathy)

These are the only episodes I really don't enjoy watching in reruns (and even they contain some bright moments). One other I'd mention is "Ask Jennifer," which is a good episode for most of its length but has one scene that really does not work at all, the scene where Jennifer finds out that the woman she gave advice to has been beaten up. It's way too melodramatic for what is otherwise a lighthearted episode.

I have to disagree with you about some of your choices, especially Frog Story; I've watched it with people who were new to the show and it got huge laughs from them (and me), more so than most episodes. But to each his own.

APPLEI · 04-24-2002, 02:11 PM

THEY'RE NO BAD EPISODES OF WKRP IN CINCINNATI!

SOME EPISODES ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS.

MANY OF THEM ARE CLASSICS THAT RANK AS THE BEST
HALF HOURS IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION!

THATS MY OPINION

dlemond · 04-26-2002, 01:30 PM

"Love Returns" and "Till Debt Do Us Part"
are the weakest in my opinion.

"Love Returns" for the same reasons Jamie gave and
"Till Debt" for the reason I didn't find it very funny or
enjoyable. Both were kind of boring and one dimensional.

I'd still watch them over the rest of the crap out there
that people continue to watch.

I wasn't very fond of "Young Master Carlson" either.

DetectiveGriffin · 04-26-2002, 02:54 PM

An ep I never enjoy watching is the one where Les steals Baileys story. I dont know if Ive seen it too many times, or what. I'll watch it over somethign else, but Im bored of it. Another one I dont care for big time is one of y'all's fav, For Love or Money.
I think it just rubs me the wrong way, with that girlfriend being a greedy air head. I think she's one of those types I look at and say, "OK, now this is why people hate women so much."

Cant think of anything esle right now.

RamOntheRun · 04-27-2002, 03:33 AM

In regards to the post on "For Love or Money": I think the CHARACTER(keep in mind it's a character_or better yet a caricture in this specidic case) of "Buffy"- Johnny's ex from California serves as a recurring theme in that things from Johnny's past come back to haunt him. Other examples- when one of his ex wive's comes back, when he has an acid flashback ( implied) when his daughter comes back. All of these episodes give us a glimpse into what Johnny used to be...and how this has led him to WKRP. It's very good writing as Johnny is probably the most well developed character because we get to see these glimpses of his past.

karma · 09-11-2002, 01:05 AM

"Love Returns:" I agree with most everybody on this one, it's pretty lame. It comes close to redeeming itself near the end though, when Johnny's date is that guy and Venus proceeds to rag on him...

"The Airplane Show": Does little for any of the characters, and the laughs are pretty predictable.

"The Doctor's Daughter": This is one of the worst. No laughs, and the acting by the girl who played Johnny's daughter is ATROCIOUS.

I must say that even these shows are a lot better than a lot of crap I've seen passed as "sitcoms" lately.

Now on the other hand...

Some of my favourites are "Hotel Oceanview", "Filthy Pictures", "Real Families", "Who is Gordon Sims"; the list goes on and on. I can't remember the exact episode, but the one where Carlson is trying to straighten his blinds and he eventually ends up tossing his desk drawer out the window... I nearly died the first time I saw that, and I don't even know why. It's not particularly a funny scene in it's own right, but it was carried off so well. I think that's why a lot of people loved (love?) the show: the humour caught you off guard.

Anyway I know this is an old topic but I just wanted to add.

dlemond · 09-11-2002, 11:32 AM

Finally, somebody is talking about WKRP.

I think "The Doctor's Daughter" is ok, not one of the better episodes, but not as bad as "Till Debt Do Us Part," another episode focusing on Johnny.

Great Johnny episodes include "Mike Fright, "God Talks to Johnny,"
and "For Love or Money."

04-23-2002, 12:54 AM	#1
RamOntheRun Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 08, 2002 Location: usa Posts: 38	Weakest episodes? I think these are weak in my opinion: -Fish Story: very overrrated, few laughs. -Young Master Carlson: well this one may actually be the worst, it's unappealing and again no laughs at all. -The Painting: boring. -Frog Story: stupid premise, almost embarrassing to watch- the weakest by far. -Jennifer and the will: corny, no laughs. that's about it for me...out of the 90 episodes, I think around 60 are classics, the others are pretty good, but these 5 are real stinkers.

04-23-2002, 01:26 AM	#2
jaime_weinman Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 22, 2000 Posts: 122	My choices for weakest episodes: "Love Returns": This early episode is totally out of character for the show: Sentimental, slow, and with Andy's soap-opera problems at the forefront while all the other characters play second banana. No wonder the show went on hiatus after this one! "You Can't Go Out of Town Again": I think they were trying to experiment with an almost plotless episode here, but it doesn't get many laughs. I don't think Howard Hesseman did a very good job directing it. "Pills": Too preachy, and Dave Wickerman is too much of a one-dimensional villain (unlike, say, Dr. Bob Halyers, who was portrayed with some sympathy) These are the only episodes I really don't enjoy watching in reruns (and even they contain some bright moments). One other I'd mention is "Ask Jennifer," which is a good episode for most of its length but has one scene that really does not work at all, the scene where Jennifer finds out that the woman she gave advice to has been beaten up. It's way too melodramatic for what is otherwise a lighthearted episode. I have to disagree with you about some of your choices, especially Frog Story; I've watched it with people who were new to the show and it got huge laughs from them (and me), more so than most episodes. But to each his own.

04-24-2002, 02:11 PM	#3
APPLEI Member Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 16, 2000 Location: JACKSON MI. 49203 Posts: 810	THEY'RE NO BAD EPISODES OF WKRP IN CINCINNATI! SOME EPISODES ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS. MANY OF THEM ARE CLASSICS THAT RANK AS THE BEST HALF HOURS IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION! THATS MY OPINION

04-26-2002, 01:30 PM	#4
dlemond Hey, I know you. Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 03, 2001 Location: New Jersey Posts: 6,751	"Love Returns" and "Till Debt Do Us Part" are the weakest in my opinion. "Love Returns" for the same reasons Jamie gave and "Till Debt" for the reason I didn't find it very funny or enjoyable. Both were kind of boring and one dimensional. I'd still watch them over the rest of the crap out there that people continue to watch. I wasn't very fond of "Young Master Carlson" either.

04-26-2002, 02:54 PM	#5
DetectiveGriffin Sankontessou! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2001 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 1,288	An ep I never enjoy watching is the one where Les steals Baileys story. I dont know if Ive seen it too many times, or what. I'll watch it over somethign else, but Im bored of it. Another one I dont care for big time is one of y'all's fav, For Love or Money. I think it just rubs me the wrong way, with that girlfriend being a greedy air head. I think she's one of those types I look at and say, "OK, now this is why people hate women so much." Cant think of anything esle right now.

04-27-2002, 03:33 AM	#6
RamOntheRun Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 08, 2002 Location: usa Posts: 38	In regards to the post on "For Love or Money": I think the CHARACTER(keep in mind it's a character_or better yet a caricture in this specidic case) of "Buffy"- Johnny's ex from California serves as a recurring theme in that things from Johnny's past come back to haunt him. Other examples- when one of his ex wive's comes back, when he has an acid flashback ( implied) when his daughter comes back. All of these episodes give us a glimpse into what Johnny used to be...and how this has led him to WKRP. It's very good writing as Johnny is probably the most well developed character because we get to see these glimpses of his past.

09-11-2002, 01:05 AM	#7
karma Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 04, 2002 Location: edmonton Posts: 41	"Love Returns:" I agree with most everybody on this one, it's pretty lame. It comes close to redeeming itself near the end though, when Johnny's date is that guy and Venus proceeds to rag on him... "The Airplane Show": Does little for any of the characters, and the laughs are pretty predictable. "The Doctor's Daughter": This is one of the worst. No laughs, and the acting by the girl who played Johnny's daughter is ATROCIOUS. I must say that even these shows are a lot better than a lot of crap I've seen passed as "sitcoms" lately. Now on the other hand... Some of my favourites are "Hotel Oceanview", "Filthy Pictures", "Real Families", "Who is Gordon Sims"; the list goes on and on. I can't remember the exact episode, but the one where Carlson is trying to straighten his blinds and he eventually ends up tossing his desk drawer out the window... I nearly died the first time I saw that, and I don't even know why. It's not particularly a funny scene in it's own right, but it was carried off so well. I think that's why a lot of people loved (love?) the show: the humour caught you off guard. Anyway I know this is an old topic but I just wanted to add.

09-11-2002, 11:32 AM	#8
dlemond Hey, I know you. Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 03, 2001 Location: New Jersey Posts: 6,751	Finally, somebody is talking about WKRP. I think "The Doctor's Daughter" is ok, not one of the better episodes, but not as bad as "Till Debt Do Us Part," another episode focusing on Johnny. Great Johnny episodes include "Mike Fright, "God Talks to Johnny," and "For Love or Money."