No Turkeys

If you set your TiVo to tape the "Turkey" episode of WKRP in Cincinnati tonight, you instead got the episode where Mr. Carlson (Gordon Jump) assisted in the delivery of his child. In tribute to the late Mr. Jump, TV Land switched around the schedule to run four episodes that spotlighted his character, none of them the one we were hoping to see. Let's all keep an eye out for it.

By the way: If you think there's something different about those WKRP episodes from their original network runs, you're right. A lot of the songs being played on the radio station have been changed from genuine hits to generic knock-offs. It costs money to use an Elton John or Beatles record on a TV show but at the time WKRP was originally produced, ASCAP charged less for a taped show (like WKRP) than for a filmed show, so the producers spent the money. Some time in the mid-90's, the discount went away and whatever company then owned the show (it's changed hands a few times) decided the rates were now prohibitive. They went in and replaced the real rock records with fake ones from some inexpensive music library. Even worse, when a line of dialogue (like a disc jockey intro) referred to one of those songs, the dialogue was redubbed, often by someone imitating the original actor. There are a few places where this kills a joke or damages the storyline.

Apparently, some stations that have been continuously running the show in syndication have been able to keep using the old, unaltered tapes but the versions on TV Land or on home video are the changed versions. Alas.