WKRP reboot, 2010... Who would you cast?

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

Ocean Doot wrote:

WKRP is ripe for a reboot.

Someone decides to reboot WKRP. The concept and characters are basically the same (though perhaps they are a station holding out from going from terrestrial radio to satellite? There needs to be a timely hook). Who would you cast as the characters, and why?

Andy Travis
Arthur Carlson
Dr. Johnny Fever
Les Nessman
Jennifer Marlowe
Herb Tarlek
Venus Flytrap
Bailey Quarters
Mrs. Carlson

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

Whether the reboot flops or not, my hope is the creators secure musical rights for the DVD release.

Fraxon! · **Joined:** 22 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 40603

Andy Travis - Nathan Fillion
Arthur Carlson - Stanley Tucci
Dr. Johnny Fever - Josh Holloway
Les Nessman - Neil Patrick Harris
Jennifer Malone - Christina Hendricks
Herb Tarlek - Will Arnett
Venus Flytrap - Mos Def
Bailey Quarters - Tina Fey
Mrs. Carlson - Elaine Stritch

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

My initial thoughts...

Andy Travis - Jason Bateman
Arthur Carlson - George Wendt
Dr. Johnny Fever - Judah Friedlander
Les Nessman -
Jennifer Marlowe -
Herb Tarlek - Ty Burrell (Dawn of the Dead reboot, Modern Family)
Venus Flytrap -
Bailey Quarters -
Mrs. Carlson -

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

I was thinking Will for Herb, but did not want to have two Arrested Development actors!

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

This sounds fun, but I've never seen the show. If you do a show post-1985, I'm totally down. :ohyes:

Wayne Osborne · 02 Sep 2004

That's pretty damn close to what I was thinking, Fraxon. I would put Timothy Oliphant in the place of Josh Holloway Snoop Dog in place of Mos Def.

And maybe somebody different for Les Nessman. I'm not sure Doogie Howser can play a role that naive. How about Steve Carrell?

Really, when you think about it, the Office is pretty damn close to WKRP in many respects.

Uncle Twitchy · **Joined:** 28 Nov 2006 **Posts:** 30520

Christina Hendicks for Jennifer is inspired.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

Will Dr. Fever be a drugged out hippie who loves classic rock, a true child of the sixties?

Because all the other characters seem more timeless than him. But he was associated with a particular era, in my mind.

Maybe Dr. Fever in the reboot loved Salt N Pepa, and Rob Bass.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

So I will cast Vanilla Ice as Dr. Fever.

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

Hanzo the Razor wrote:

This sounds fun, but I've never seen the show. If you do a show post-1985, I'm totally down. :ohyes:

Well, there was The New WKRP in Cincinnati, running from 1991 to 1993.

Fraxon! · **Joined:** 22 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 40603

Wayne Osborne wrote:

That's pretty damn close to what I was thinking, Fraxon. I would put Timothy Oliphant in the place of Josh Holloway Snoop Dog in place of Mos Def.

Oliphant might be too intense for comedy, but I LOVE Snoop Dog as Venus! :thumbsup:

Quote:

And maybe somebody different for Les Nessman. I'm not sure Doogie Howser can play a role that naive. How about Steve Carrell?

My only thought on Harris is that he might be too much younger than the rest of the cast I put together, but Carrell would be another excellent choice (He'd make a pretty good Herb, too... :think:

)!

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

Uncle Twitchy wrote:

Christina Hendicks for Jennifer is inspired.

Yes.

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

Watching Entourage now makes me think casting Beverley D'Angelo as Mama Carlson could add an additional layer to the Andy / Mama situation.

Wayne Osborne · 02 Sep 2004

Fraxon! wrote:

Wayne Osborne wrote:

That's pretty damn close to what I was thinking, Fraxon. I would put Timothy Oliphant in the place of Josh Holloway Snoop Dog in place of Mos Def.

Oliphant might be too intense for comedy, but I LOVE Snoop Dog as Venus! :thumbsup:

Quote:

And maybe somebody different for Les Nessman. I'm not sure Doogie Howser can play a role that naive. How about Steve Carrell?

My only thought on Harris is that he might be too much younger than the rest of the cast I put together, but Carrell would be another excellent choice (He'd make a pretty good Herb, too... :think:

)!

Oliphant played some kinda stoner in a movie I saw, I think. Maybe I'm imagining that.

And, yeah, Harris is a bit young too. Going from Michael Scott to Les Nessman might be too much of the same thing for Carrell. He would make a good Herb though. Let him play a role with a little more bite. I like Danny McBride for Herb too.

Wayne Osborne · 02 Sep 2004

Is Ed Begley Jr. too old to play Les?

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

OOh, nice Wayne!

Fraxon! · **Joined:** 22 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 40603

Upon further reflection (and some excellent suggestions from Wayne), let's try this:

Andy Travis - Nathan Fillion
Arthur Carlson - Jeffrey Tambor
Dr. Johnny Fever - Josh Holloway
Les Nessman - Ed Begley, Jr.
Jennifer Malone - Christina Hendricks
Herb Tarlek - Will Arnett
Venus Flytrap - Snoop Dog
Bailey Quarters - Tina Fey
Mrs. Carlson - Elaine Stritch

Dave Toxik · **Joined:** 12 Mar 2007 **Posts:** 25349

Bob Odenkirk or David Cross really need to show up at some point

Fraxon! · **Joined:** 22 Aug 2004 **Posts:** 40603

Ooooo... David Cross would be GREAT as Les!

Marcus · 27 Nov 2004

Great topic, Dave! Loved WKRP!

Dr. Chris Evil · 26 Jul 2006

Dave Toxik wrote:

Hanzo the Razor wrote:

This sounds fun, but I've never seen the show. If you do a show post-1985, I'm totally down. :ohyes:

Well, there was The New WKRP in Cincinnati, running from 1991 to 1993.

Yeah, but in this case, he's better off for having missed the WKRP revival. They followed the AfterMASH model when they came up with this show.

Hanzo, rent or watch the ORIGINAL WKRP online. You'll be glad you did.

WKRP reboot, 2010... Who would you cast?

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