One WKRP In Cincinnati Episode Required U.S. Military Approval To Air, According To Tim Reid

No sitcom captured the subversive counterculture of the '70s quite like "WKRP In Cincinnati," which is why it's so sad the series isn't available to stream anywhere. The show's pendulum swung wildly between goofy hijinks and tackling very serious topics, like the Vietnam War. That episode required involvement from the army.

While most sitcoms wait a few seasons before getting serious, "WKRP In Cincinnati" decided to jump right in. Not only did Season 1 feature one of the greatest sitcom episodes of all time, but it also included the episode "Who Is Gordon Sims?" which delves into Venus Flytrap's background as a soldier who was sent to Vietnam and deserted. In the episode, the army catches up to him and brings him in for a hearing to determine his fate. Because the episode was tackling such a sensitive topic, the network would only let them do it under one condition, says Tim Reid, who played Venus Flytrap.

"They said, 'We'll let you do it if you allow the military to come and sit in on your rehearsals,'" Reid told the Television Academy Foundation. "So, every day for four days, someone from the military — officers — would sit in the audience and watch us." In an interview with The Classic TV History Blog, Reid said those officers had final say. "It was literally going to be up to a commander from Camp Pendleton ..." said Reid. "If he said 'no,' we were not going to do the episode."

Despite its reputation as a quirky sitcom with one of the all-time great TV theme songs, "WKRP In Cincinnati" wasn't afraid to tackle serious topics. Speaking to The Classic TV History Blog, Tim Reid said "Who Is Gordon Sims?" was groundbreaking: "People don't give us credit for a few firsts, but 'WKRP' was the first television show to do an episode about Vietnam. 'Lou Grant' did one after us, but we were the first."

Following the success of that episode, the writers dove into other hot-button issues, like censorship, journalistic integrity, and race relations. Then, midway through Season 2, a real-life tragedy found its way onto the show. In December of 1979, 11 people died at a Who concert when the crowd stampeded into a Cincinnati concert venue. The writers built an entire episode around what happened, but Reid said the show found itself in a familiar position. "[The network] wouldn't allow it to air until the city council of Cincinnati viewed the episode ..." Reid said at a cast reunion panel at the Paley Center. "If they said 'no,' that episode was not going to air." Ultimately, just as with "Who Is Gordon Sims?" the show got approval and the episode aired as scheduled.