History YMMV / WKRPInCincinnati

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: original broadcasts would play honest-to-God rock and popular music. The show would use songs with meaningful lyrics to underscore the plots of each episode. Of course, [[ExecutiveMeddling most rebroadcasts or home video releases]] [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks won't have the same songs]]... though as of 2016 Creator/AntennaTV is rerunning the episodes ''with the songs.'' They showed "Turkeys Away" with full Pink Floyd scene restored, and it was glorious.

** When Johnny meets his estranged daughter's boyfriend, he has them stay at his place, where they notice a picture of Johnny with Mick Jagger. The boyfriend thinks this is "far out" and suggests that Johnny "speak to Mick" about an audition for the Rolling Stones, because "Keith Richards can't last forever, am I right?" That was in 1980. As of 2016, not only is Richards still very much alive, but still touring with the Stones, despite looking like a walking corpse.

* AwardSnub: The show got a handful of Emmy nominations in its run (including Outstanding Comedy Series in its final three seasons) but never won any. Amazingly, despite the strong cast, only Howard Hesseman and Loni Anderson (both going 0 for 2 in the Supporting category) got acting nominations.

* BrokenAesop: In "Real Families," where Herb and his family are profiled for a reality TV show purporting to pay tribute to mainstream, traditional American families but instead exploiting them for profit and ratings, there is a point where the family starts letting down their guard and all is not as "one big happy family" as made out to be. Herb finally realizes this and decides he doesn't want to continue and orders the interviewers to leave. However ... rather than threaten to file a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit if their story is ever aired much less if the hosts even so much as mention them their program, he accepts what is an apparently large cash bonus to appear on a future episode, which the Tarleks do. It makes it appear that money is more important to Herb than him being a father who, while certainly far from perfect, considers [[PapaWolf protecting his family and guarding their secrets and private lives like a hawk]] his first priority.

* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Herb. He has few, if any, redeeming qualities, can't stop pursuing Jennifer despite being married and her repeatedly showing zero interest, bullies Les, the only one at the station who considers him a true friend, and is one of the biggest reasons the station is suffering. The gang lampshades how much they don't like him on several occasions. And yet somehow, unlike Bucky Dornster, Moss Steiger, Dean the Dream or Rex Erhardt, he is included in literally every out-of-the-office activity, the station has pulled together to help him on several occasions and were even willing to lie to the camera (however unconvincingly) to make him look good on TV.

* WTHCostumingDepartment: Venus's early outfits had to be seen to be believed. Perhaps the most outlandish was the "Huggy Charms" outfit from "Goodbye, Johnny."

** Herb's loud suits were part of his dishonest, used-car-salesman personality, and were not only lampshaded on numerous occasions, but actually given a justification - the sleazy businesses that buy ads at WKRP don't trust Herb when he wears a nice new suit, so he goes back to the old ones.

** Herb's relentless pursuit of Jennifer (and management's seeming tolerance of it) would likely result in a sexual harassment lawsuit nowadays.

** Bailey happens to walk in on a conversation between Les and Herb, the latter of whom has been kicked out by his wife. Herb has declared that he doesn't want to go back to her, and Les is trying to persuade him to do so. Bailey walks in [[MistakenForGay just in time to hear Herb declare "Face it, Les, whatever we had, it's over!"]] To which Les says "You can't just throw away a beautiful relationship!" and Herb counters "You can't just base a relationship on sex!" while Bailey sinks into her chair, mortified. These days she would likely start off surprised that she didn't know they were "in a relationship", but would then join in on trying to convince Herb to "go back to Les."
** On a related note, when Les is MistakenForGay it nearly destroys his professional reputation (such as it is) and drives him to the brink of suicide, which might be [[FairForItsDay expected for the time]]. However, instead of the tolerance {{Aesop}} that one would expect nowadays, the situation is resolved by the person responsible issuing an apology for making such a dire accusation against Les.

* BrokenAesop: In "Everyday Families," where Herb and his family are profiled for a reality TV show purporting to pay tribute to mainstream, traditional American families but instead exploiting them for profit and ratings, there is a point where the family starts letting down their guard and all is not as "one big happy family" as made out to be. Herb finally realizes this and decides he doesn't want to continue and orders the interviewers to leave. However ... rather than threaten to file a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit if their story is ever aired much less if the hosts even so much as mention them their program, he accepts what is an apparently large cash bonus to appear on a future episode, which the Tarleks do. It makes it appear that money is more important to Herb than him being a father who, while certainly far from perfect, considers [[PapaWolf protecting his family and guarding their secrets and private lives like a hawk]] his first priority.

** Herb's loud suits were part of his dishonest, used-car-salesman personality, and were lampshaded on numerous occasions.

** The theme song. "[[EarWorm Baby, if you've ever wondered...]]"

** Rene Enriquez appears in the season 1 episode, "Tornado", playing Jose Rodriguez, a Spanish translator who shows up to translate for a group of ''Japanese'' radio executives when they come for a tour of WKRP. Enriquez would, of course, later co-star as Lt. Ray Calletano on ''Series/HillStreetBlues'', which was also an MTM production.
** Mary Frann appears in the season 3 two-part episode, "Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide", playing Avis Dropkin, the producer of the disco-themed television show that Johnny hosts as Rip Tide. Frann would, of course, later co-star as Joanna Loudon on ''Series/{{Newhart}}'', another MTM production.

** Blake Hunter, who wrote 12 episodes, was later the co-creator and co-executive producer of ''Series/WhosTheBoss''.

* BrokenAesop: In "Everyday Families," where Herb and his family are profiled for a reality TV show purporting to pay tribute to mainstream, traditional American families, there is a point where the family starts letting down their guard and all is not as "one big happy family" as made out to be. Herb realizes this and decides he doesn't want to continue and orders the interviewers to leave. However ... rather than threaten to file a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit if their story is ever aired much less if the hosts even so much as mention them their program, he accepts what is an apparently large cash bonus to appear on a future episode, which the Tarleks do. It makes it appear that money is more important to Herb than him being a father who, while certainly far from perfect, instead considers [[PapaWolf protecting his family and guarding their secrets and private lives like a hawk]] his first priority.

* BrokenAesop: In "Everyday Families," where Herb and his family are profiled for a reality TV show purporting to pay tribute to mainstream, traditional American families, there is a point where the family starts letting down their guard and all is not as "one big happy family" as made out to be. Herb realizes this and decides he doesn't want to continue and orders the interviewers to leave. However ... rather than threaten to file a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit if their story is ever aired much less if the hosts even so much as mention them their program, he accepts what is an apparently large cash bonus to appear on a future episode, which the Tarleks do. It makes it appear that money is more important than a father who, while certainly far from perfect, [[PapaWolf protecting his family and guarding their secrets and private lives like a hawk]].

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: In "Bailey's Show", Johnny is standing in the booth with his whole head buried in a bucket that he's sifting around in. He and Bailey and Travis have a whole conversation with him returning every now and then to his bucket. Before they leave, he asks "Hey, can either of you explain this?" and he dumps a bunch of toy tiki boats on the floor. Bailey and Andy leave without comment and the moment is never brought up again.
** A result of the show being edited for syndication. In the uncut broadcast version, the origin of the bucket and the tiki toys is explained.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: original broadcasts would play honest-to-God rock and popular music. The show would use songs with meaningful lyrics to underscore the plots of each episode. Of course, [[ExecutiveMeddling most rebroadcasts or home video releases]] [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks won't have the same songs]]... though as of 2016 Creator/AntennaTV is rerunning the episodes ''with the songs.'' They showed "Turkeys Away" with full Pink Floyd scene restored, and it was glorious.

-->'''Jennifer''' (on the phone with a concerned citizen): Well sir, [[CrowningMomentOfFunny not a lot of turkeys survive Thanksgiving!]]

* DeaderThanDisco: A literal version. Though Johnny made several TakeThat comments against disco when it was still popular, "Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide," a full-length anti-disco episode, didn't appear until 1981, by which time disco was already dead.

** Jennifer quits her “Ask Arlene” advice show when a caller’s husband turns abusive after the caller asserts herself as Jennifer recommended. Jennifer blames herself for breaking up a happy marriage, and no one contradicts her. A reaction like this would be nearly unthinkable today.
*** She doesn't blame herself for breaking up a happy marriage, but rather for encouraging the caller to provoke her husband into violence, and she is promptly contradicted by the others, who assure her that she did no such thing, and that only the abuser is to blame for his actions.

** George Gaynes directed the series finale, "Up and Down the Dial." Gaynes is best known for playing Henry Warnimont on ''Series/PunkyBrewster'' and Commandant Eric Lassard in ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', which was coincidentally directed by Hugh Wilson. Amusingly, Gaynes' real life wife, Allyn Ann [=McLerie=], had a recurring role on ''Series/WKRPInCincinnati'' as Carmen Carlson, Mr. Carlson's wife.
** Blake Hunter wrote 12 episodes. Hunter is best known as co-creator and co-executive producer of ''Series/WhosTheBoss''.

* VindicatedByHistory: a middling successful TV show during its run, ''WKRP'' now regarded as one of the best WorkCom shows ''ever''.
* ValuesDissonance: Herb's relentless pursuit of Jennifer (and management's seeming tolerance of it) would likely result in a sexual harassment lawsuit nowadays.

** Lampshaded later in the series. Venus has toned down his wardrobe until he finds out he's to be interviewed by "Black Life" magazine, and decides to go all-out to impress the reporter. The reporter asks Venus if he feels silly dressed like that, and says the hippest black guys at Black Life dress in suits.

** Tim Reid (Gordon "Venus Flytrap" Sims) is also best known for playing Lt. Marcel "Downtown" Brown on ''Series/SimonAndSimon'', Mike Hanlon in the ''Literature/It'' miniseries, and Ray Campbell on ''Series/SisterSister''.

** Tim Reid (Gordon "Venus Flytrap" Sims) is also best known for playing Lt. Marcel "Downtown" Brown on ''Series/SimonAndSimon'' and Ray Campbell on ''Series/SisterSister''.

** George Gaynes directed the series finale, "Up and Down the Dial." Gaynes is best known for playing Henry Warnimont on ''Series/PunkyBrewster'' and Commandant Eric Lassard in ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', which was coincidentally directed by Hugh Wilson. Amusingly, Gaynes' real life wife, Allyn Ann McLerie, had a recurring role on ''Series/WKRPInCincinnati'' as Carmen Carlson, Mr. Carlson's wife.

** George Gaynes directed the series finale, "Up and Down the Dial." Gaynes is best known for playing Henry Warnimont on ''Series/PunkyBrewster'' and Commandant Eric Lassard in ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', which was coincidentally directed by Hugh Wilson.

** Rene Enriquez appears in the season 1 episode, "Tornado", playing Jose Rodriguez, a Spanish translator who shows up to translate for a group of ''Japanese'' radio executives when they come for a tour of WKRP. Enriquez would, of course, later co-star as Lt. Ray Calletano on ''Series/HillStreetBlues'', which was also an MTM production.
** Mary Frann appears in the season 3 two-part episode, "Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide", playing Avis Dropkin, the producer of the disco-themed television show that Johnny hosts as Rip Tide. Frann would, of course, later co-star as Joanna Loudon on ''Series/{{Newhart}}'', another MTM production.
** George Gaynes directed the series finale, "Up and Down the Dial." Gaynes would later go on to play Henry Warnimont on ''Series/PunkyBrewster'' as well as Commandant Eric Lassard in ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', which was coincidentally directed by Hugh Wilson.
** Blake Hunter wrote 12 episodes. Hunter would go on to greater success as co-creator and co-executive producer of ''Series/WhosTheBoss''.

* HilariousInHindsight: In "Baby, If You've Ever Wondered", Travis laments that the best he did was cause the station to rise two ratings points rather than go straight to number one, and says that what he should have done was get rid of Herb, Les and Mr. Carlson himself, as none of them are good at their jobs and are dragging the station down. Who are the only three employees still there during ''Series/TheNewWKRPInCincinnati''?

** Mary Frann appears in the season 3 two-part episode, "Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide", playing Avis Dropkin, the producer of the disco-themed television show which Johnny becomes host of under the stage name, Rip Tide. Frann would, of course, later co-star as Joanna Loudon on ''Series/{{Newhart}}'', another MTM production.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: original broadcasts would play honest-to-God rock and popular music. The show would use songs with meaningful lyrics to underscore the plots of each episode. Of course, [[ExecutiveMeddling unless sanity or divine intervention prevails]], any rebroadcast [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks won't have the same songs]]...
** In fact, Creator/AntennaTV is rerunning the episodes ''with the songs.'' Hand to God, this Troper just watched "Turkeys Away" with full Pink Floyd scene restored, and it was glorious.

** Wait, they've gotten the music rights back?! (insert Hallelujah chorus here)