# WKRP: Fastest to a clip show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2016, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514 "2016-12-12T13:17:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/21 "2016-12-12T18:43:45Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I’m not sure a clip show in episode 2 (Clerks) can really exist. I’d call it a rerun. 🙂 Not only that, but ABC decided to air _Clerks: The Animated Series_ out of sequence, with the fourth production episode airing first, and the second episode (the clip show) airing second. So the clip show basically showed clips that hadn’t aired yet. (The series itself was canceled after two episodes.) ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/22 "2016-12-12T18:46:52Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Indeed this was the first appearance of Carol Bruce\* playing Mama Carlson. Sylvia Sidney had the role in the pilot. > > But there weren’t any of the previous Sylvia Sidney scenes redone with Carol Bruce. > > Almost the entire non-clip part of the show was set in Mr. Carlson’s office with him, Mama and Andy. A little bit was in the reception area and Jennifer appeared a few times. > > - According to IMDb this was her first role in almost a decade. Worked regularly before and after. There was a much later episode, in the fourth season, called “The Creation of Venus,” which contained flashback scenes (not clips, but newly filmed material) detailing how Venus Flytrap came to work at the station. Included in that new material was a recreation of Venus’s first meeting with the staff and with Mama Carlson. This was a newly filmed scene, using the same dialogue from the pilot episode, but with Carol Bruce now playing the Sylvia Sidney role. In some ways it played like a clip show, but I’m pretty sure there was no actual footage from any earlier episode included. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/23 "2016-12-12T19:32:28Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Here I am. > > Shades of Grey was Season two. It had Pulaski. ugh… Here’s more on that truly wretched episode (which wasn’t due to a writer’s strike, but to the need to pinch pennies): [Shades of Gray (episode) | Memory Alpha | Fandom](http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Shades_of_Gray_(episode)#Production) ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/24 "2016-12-12T20:06:29Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > There was a much later episode, in the fourth season, called “The Creation of Venus,” which contained flashback scenes (not clips, but newly filmed material) detailing how Venus Flytrap came to work at the station. Included in that new material was a recreation of Venus’s first meeting with the staff and with Mama Carlson. This was a newly filmed scene, using the same dialogue from the pilot episode, but with Carol Bruce now playing the Sylvia Sidney role. In some ways it played like a clip show, but I’m pretty sure there was no actual footage from any earlier episode included. This may be what I am thinking about. I’ve seen the majority of WKRP in syndication so episode sequence is murky. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/25 "2016-12-14T01:09:24Z")
Now that we have that settled…what show had the most clip shows? I want to say _Family Ties_ - it seemed like that had one **every** season. I was never a big watcher, but every time I turned in **BAM**! another clip show! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/26 "2016-12-14T02:47:56Z")
I think[Leave It to Beaver](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050032/?ref_=nv_sr_1) has the record for the **slowest** series to get to a clip show. The final episode of the series (episode #235, season 6) was a clip show. The one and only time the producers did it. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/27 "2016-12-14T03:42:07Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > We’re watching _WKRP in Cincinnati_ as our nightly retro sitcom and I was amazed that Season 1, Episode 9 “Mama’s Review” was a clip show! Thankfully, “Turkeys Away” was Episode 7 so they were at least able to have a clip and refer to that gem. > > This has to be some sort of record, right? Is there another show out there that did a clip show sooner in its run? > > And if it is a record, by how much? What is second? > > (Apparently it happened due to being off the air for a couple months and some idjit decided a clip show would help new viewers. The network mishandling of this show is legendary.) Indeed, the show went on hiatus for a few months, because of relatively poor ratings initially. When it was returned, it was moved to the slot right after M_A_S\*H, and the concept of the show underwent some considerable change. The result was a much better product that got better ratings. The clip show was done to re-introduce people to the idea of the show when it returned. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/28 "2016-12-14T04:58:05Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I think[Leave It to Beaver](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050032/?ref_=nv_sr_1) has the record for the **slowest** series to get to a clip show. Clipping The Beaver wasn’t the fashion back then. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/29 "2016-12-14T14:42:05Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Indeed, the show went on hiatus for a few months, because of relatively poor ratings initially. When it was returned, it was moved to the slot right after M_A_S\*H, and the concept of the show underwent some considerable change. The result was a much better product that got better ratings. The clip show was done to re-introduce people to the idea of the show when it returned. We’re still in the midst of Season 1 and there’s been no considerable change yet. (Nor as I remember from watching it years ago. Although, as usual, the late episodes aren’t as good as the early ones.) In particular, the most famous, well liked and quoted episode occurred just before the break. And the worst non-clip show episode so far is the one just before the break: “Love Returns”. Where Andy’s old singer girlfriend shows up. Smaltzy walks in the park and all that. All together now: “As God is my witness …” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/30 "2016-12-14T14:57:14Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > For some reason I recall a sci-fi comedy series from about 25 years ago whose first episode was a fake clip show, to explain why one of the characters was a Fly and suchlike. Sounds like _Maniac Mansion_ (1990-93) though I don’t think I ever actually saw the first episode. I was more distracted by barely-legal Kathleen Robertson. Yowsa! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/31 "2016-12-14T16:53:57Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > We’re still in the midst of Season 1 and there’s been no considerable change yet. (Nor as I remember from watching it years ago. Although, as usual, the late episodes aren’t as good as the early ones.) > > In particular, the most famous, well liked and quoted episode occurred just before the break. > > And the worst non-clip show episode so far is the one just before the break: “Love Returns”. Where Andy’s old singer girlfriend shows up. Smaltzy walks in the park and all that. > > All together now: “As God is my witness …” Oh the humanity! I think the changes made were more subtle. Andy was supposed to be the focus of the show, the island of sanity in room full of lunatics. But the show defocused on him, and made it more of an equal ensemble. I’m not sure I really noticed the difference, though, myself. There sure are some good ones in the first 8. I am fond of “Holdup”, the remote broadcast at Dels’ Stereo Emporium that goes bad. (“What was that?” “Vibratone 250, Del!”) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/32 "2016-12-14T17:57:07Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I’m not sure I really noticed the difference, though, myself. There sure are some good ones in the first 8. I am fond of “Holdup”, the remote broadcast at Dels’ Stereo Emporium that goes bad. (“What was that?” “Vibratone 250, Del!”) Can’t find an immediate cite but I remember reading an interview with the writers/producer where they said they went on hiatus with a directive to write some new re-worked stuff and pretty much just handed in the scripts they had sitting around before the hiatus. The Powers That Be said “Hey, much better” and they went ahead even though nothing had actually changed. So you probably wouldn’t notice a big difference after the Season One midseason break. Beyond that, the show evolved some as all shows naturally do from season to season. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/33 "2016-12-14T22:04:28Z")
The _Clerks_ clip show did have the over-arching conceit of clip shows, though: the main characters got themselves trapped in a walk-in freezer, and started, “Hey, remember when”-ing. > [@buddha\_david](#): > > Not only that, but ABC decided to air _Clerks: The Animated Series_ out of sequence, with the fourth production episode airing first, and the second episode (the clip show) airing second. So the clip show basically showed clips that hadn’t aired yet. (The series itself was canceled after two episodes.) Leaving people to honestly wonder: why _were_ they walking like that? \>crash\< ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/34 "2016-12-15T01:54:05Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Can’t find an immediate cite but I remember reading an interview with the writers/producer where they said they went on hiatus with a directive to write some new re-worked stuff and pretty much just handed in the scripts they had sitting around before the hiatus. The Powers That Be said “Hey, much better” and they went ahead even though nothing had actually changed. So you probably wouldn’t notice a big difference after the Season One midseason break. Beyond that, the show evolved some as all shows naturally do from season to season. Actually, there were some differences that showed up fairly quickly. IIRC, one of the differences was that the “bullpen” was created; I don’t believe that it was shown at all in the first eight episodes. Which is sad, because had that not changed, we never would have had Les Nessman’s “office door”. The show also stopped just being about silly things that happened in the broadcast, as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/35 "2016-12-15T02:47:56Z")
[quote=“CaptMurdock, post:25, topic:774514”] Now that we have that settled…what show had the most clip shows? I want to say _Family Ties_ - it seemed like that had one **every** season. I was never a big watcher, but every time I turned in **BAM**! another clip show! :smack:[/QUOTE “Centennial” was a 12 part 26 hour mini series in the mid 1970s. I only saw it once but I’m pretty sure after episode 6 “The Longhorns” they managed to get a reminisce about a cattle drive led by Dennis Weaver in each of the remaining episodes (with appropriate footage). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/36 "2016-12-15T03:37:01Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Now that we have that settled…what show had the most clip shows? I want to say _Family Ties_ - it seemed like that had one **every** season. I was never a big watcher, but every time I turned in **BAM**! another clip show! :smack: The wiki for Friends lists seven clip shows, but it sure feels like there were more. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/37 "2016-12-15T04:01:07Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Now that we have that settled…what show had the most clip shows? _Barbershop_. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/38 "2016-12-15T04:43:13Z")
I would submit that The Menagerie (Episodes 11/12 of Season 1) of the original Star Trek qualifies as a clip show. They reused footage from the original pilot, and framed that with a new story. Now, that obviously isn’t the record, but it is pretty early in the run. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/39 "2016-12-15T04:47:04Z")
> [@D18](#): > > I would submit that The Menagerie (Episodes 11/12 of Season 1) of the original Star Trek qualifies as a clip show. They reused footage from the original pilot, and framed that with a new story. Now, that obviously isn’t the record, but it is pretty early in the run. No, that’s not a “clip” show, because the scenes in the episodes were not previously aired, in my opinion. Further, “Menagerie” was envisioned as a whole integrated episode that not only explored the prior events, but gave them better context and provided some resolution. Clip shows just surround the clips from prior episodes with meaningless drivel, kinda like porn plots. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514/40 "2016-12-15T19:26:13Z")
OP here: _The Menagerie_ is definitely not a clip show. Otherwise we’re one step from allowing an episode that got postponed and had a new scene tacked on before airing. It has to be an episode that’s mostly made up of material from previously aired episodes with a small amount of wrap-around filler material. **DSYoungEsq** ’s point about the WKRP bullpen is interesting. A quick check doesn’t show it appearing before Episode 10 (the one after the clip show). It does help with the show, IMHO. I like shows with a lot of “spaces” in them. (Sorry, _Honeymooners_ fans.) So maybe that was something worked out during the break. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wkrp-fastest-to-a-clip-show/774514.md?page=3)