WKRP Episode: "Young Master Carlson"

Here by request is a season 1 episode that has been hacked to death in every version since it first aired. Even in the original syndication version, the theme from Patton was removed from the cold opening (though, strangely enough, it was kept when it recurs near the end of the episode). The '90s version removed Van Morrison's "Caravan" and also Herb humming "Anchors Aweigh," and the DVD version cut the entire scene where Mr. Carlson and his son listen to "Soul Man," thereby ruining the ending (since there was no scene where we get to see them bond). In this version all the original music has been reinstated. Herb humming "Anchors Aweigh" doesn't actually match his mouth movements, but that's the way it was in the original version.

The episode, written by Hugh Wilson and directed by Will Mackenzie, seems to have been inspired by a throwaway line in an earlier episode where Carlson mentions that he has a son in military school. It's Carol Bruce's second episode as Carlson's mother. And the actor who plays Carlson's son, Sparky Marcus, had appeared the season before on an episode of The Bob Newhart Show, playing the son of a guest character played by Loni Anderson. (She claimed that he was Mr. Carlin's son; complications ensued.)

Cold Opening (Music: Theme from Patton)

Act 1 (Music: "Caravan" by Van Morrison)

Act 2 and Tag (Music: "Soul Man")