The successful, four-season-long sitcom began with the introduction of the character Andy Travis (Gary Sandy), formerly of New Mexico, to a Cincinnati radio station as its new program director. He proceeds to truly shake things up with his ideas, chief among them that the station will change its musical selections from easy listening to rock 'n' roll.
While there are no real belly laughs with this debut episode, this is overall a pleasant, engaging beginning that does generate some decent laugh-out-loud moments. Johnny Caravella (Howard Hesseman), the stations' morning man, gets most of them as a guy bored with his job and who practically sleeps on the job. But he finds newfound enthusiasm for it thanks to the new format. (And so "Dr. Johnny Fever" is born.). Andy throws station manager Arthur Carlson (Gordon Jump) and his mother (guest star Sylvia Sidney), who actually owns the station, for a loop, but she is reasonably impressed with his sales pitch and decides to give him a chance.
Amusing details include secretary Jennifer Marlowe (Loni Anderson) accustomed to such a slow flow of work that three calls overwhelm her, and nerdy news director Les Nessman (Richard Sanders) obliged to make "helicopter" noises on his chest when he's giving his "helicopter weather report". Jan Smithers as the pretty and eager-to-please Bailey Quarters, Frank Bonner as shifty sales manager Herb Tarlek, and Tim Reid as hip & happening new D. J. "Venus Flytrap" round out this highly agreeable ensemble. (For the record, I can totally understand some guys preferring Bailey to the admittedly flashier Jennifer; I feel the same way myself.)
Good fun overall, with series creator Hugh Wilson (future director of the feature film "Police Academy") also writing the script for this pilot.
Seven out of 10.
While there are no real belly laughs with this debut episode, this is overall a pleasant, engaging beginning that does generate some decent laugh-out-loud moments. Johnny Caravella (Howard Hesseman), the stations' morning man, gets most of them as a guy bored with his job and who practically sleeps on the job. But he finds newfound enthusiasm for it thanks to the new format. (And so "Dr. Johnny Fever" is born.). Andy throws station manager Arthur Carlson (Gordon Jump) and his mother (guest star Sylvia Sidney), who actually owns the station, for a loop, but she is reasonably impressed with his sales pitch and decides to give him a chance.
Amusing details include secretary Jennifer Marlowe (Loni Anderson) accustomed to such a slow flow of work that three calls overwhelm her, and nerdy news director Les Nessman (Richard Sanders) obliged to make "helicopter" noises on his chest when he's giving his "helicopter weather report". Jan Smithers as the pretty and eager-to-please Bailey Quarters, Frank Bonner as shifty sales manager Herb Tarlek, and Tim Reid as hip & happening new D. J. "Venus Flytrap" round out this highly agreeable ensemble. (For the record, I can totally understand some guys preferring Bailey to the admittedly flashier Jennifer; I feel the same way myself.)
Good fun overall, with series creator Hugh Wilson (future director of the feature film "Police Academy") also writing the script for this pilot.
Seven out of 10.
