And, judging by the response on the mailing list and newsgroup (alt.tv.remember-wenn), it's not just old folks who remember the era who are watching. It's everybody. There is a solid cross section of people from all ages, ranging from high school folks (and their younger siblings) to retired folks. How many shows can boast demographics like that?
But, enough about the people who watch it. What about the show itself? Well, in a word, it's swell. That is a word that perfectly describes it. The writing is outstanding. Created and written by famed Broadway composer Rupert Holmes (Mystery of Edwin Drood), this show rivals and surpasses anything on the networks. It is funny and yet it has heart. You care about the characters in a way that you don't care about George or Kramer from "Seinfeld."
It's set in an independent Pittsburgh radio station in the years leading up to World War II, and like most television shows that last for more than a season, this is a show that has undergone some changes. During its first season, the station was run by Victor Comstock (John Bedford Lloyd) and radio was his life. He was assisted by Betty Roberts (Amanda Naughton) who joined the staff of the station as an intern during the premiere episode, but quickly advanced to the position of full-time writer. The actors consisted of former Broadway diva Hillary Booth (Melinda Mullins) and her younger-man husband Jeffrey Singer (Hugh O'Gorman), Mackie Bloom (Christopher Murney) was the man of 1,000 voices, and Celia Mellon (Dina Spybey) played the ingenue roles. And, as in all professional radio stations, no show could go on the air without the services of the aptly named, and ever watching Mr. Foley (Tom Beckett), as the sound man, as well as Eugenia Bremer (Mary Stout) who supplied the ever-important mood music via her piano. Off-air personalities included the receptionist Gertrude Reese (Margaret Hall), the ever present Mr.Eldgridge (George Hall), and the all-important engineer, C.J. McHugh (C.J. Byrnes).
Much of that cast remained after the first 13 episodes, save for the services of Ms. Spybey (who can now be seen on "Men Behaving Badly") and Mr. Lloyd who left for the unfortunate sit-com "Aliens in the Family" (the show for whom ABC rejected"3rd Rock from the Sun."). New characters Maple LaMarsh (Carolee Carmello) and Scott Sherwood (Kevin O'Rourke) were quickly brought in. Maple, who inhabited an obvious Brooklyn accent often played girls from the wrong side of the track, while Sherwood portrayed a markedly different kind of station manager than his predecessor. Where Victor stood for the sanctity of radio as an art above all else, Sherwood was not above making a dime. Both however, were willing to give their heart and soul to and for the station.
Like the writing, the acting on this show is first rate. It's difficult to single any particular actor out because they are all wonderful, but I think special kudos should go out to Amanda Naughton, Melinda Mullins, Kevin O'Rourke and Tom Beckett. Naughton and Mullins had to deal with the most dramatic scenes, as the former faced the death of a love that would never come to be and the latter first had to deal with the emotional scars her husband brought with him from his horror in London, and then she had to face the fact that her darling Jeffrey married another. O'Rourke found himself in a difficult situation from the get-go. He was for all-intents and purposes replacing a popular character and had to do it while playing a bit of a scoundrel. Yet, he rose to the occasion and made the character likeable, against all odds. Beckett's role is the most difficult. Although he is only in a few scenes (as is the case with most of the actors with such a large ensemble cast), he has managed to make himself stand out without saying a single word. His gestures and facial expressions (and sometimes lack thereof) say it all. To top it all off, in playing the part of the sound effects man, he is inhabiting the most difficult job in all of radio.
Like most sit-coms, "Remember WENN" was not without its romantic entanglements. First there was (and still is) the continuing saga of Mr. Singer and Ms. Booth (also known as Hilary Booth, as in Hilary Booth). They're married, then they're not, then they are, then there's another Mrs. Singer? What goes on here? Unfortunately you, me and everyone else will have to wait until the beginning of season four for the answer.
Then, there was the growing relationship between Mr. Comstock and Ms.Roberts.
What started out as admiration from a wide-eyed novice writer towards a
seasoned professional blossomed into mutual respect and 
the
beginnings of love. But, when Victor left for England to do his part for
the war in Europe, the relationship was put on hold. And, when the whole
world thought he was killed during the Blitz of London, we all mourned
with Betty for the love that could have been. But, it turned out that Victor
was alive, and that gave Betty (and us) reason to hope that there was still
a future for the two of them. Meanwhile, the longer Scott worked at WENN
and as he worked closely with Betty, he began to fall for her as well,
leaving her in quite a bind. Although she refused to admit it to herself,
she was beginning to feel something for him as well. Betty found herself
in the classic wartime triangle. Should she hold out for a man who may
never be coming home or should she let her feelings grow for the guy working
next to her? Meanwhile, Doug Thompson (Matthew Bennett), the station's
lawyer also developed feelings for her. Ahh, the problems of young love.
Do you go for the man who is acting as a double agent in Germany? Or do
you fall for the man who you don't trust as far as you could throw him?
Or do you go for the guy who has a stable job and who would probably follow
you to the ends of the earth? Oh to be in Betty's shoes for a while.
In some ways, the first season is remarkably different from the others, and I'm not just referring to the fact that there were two important cast changes. The first season was more of a typical situation comedy, introducing the lay of the land and even including a very special episode or two. Of course, it was still an excellent sit-com. But, the world in which "Remember WENN" was set, was still in relative normalcy. It was after all, only 1939, two full years away from United States entry into war. At the time, the United States was still living under a cover of isolationism. Whatever was happening in Europe was Europe's problem. For radio station WENN, that wasn't to come until the final episode of the season, when both Victor and Jeff are caught in the Blitz of London. The episode ended on a depressing cliffhanger, which only foreshadowed what was to come in the following seasons.
Remember WENN was no longer a typical situation comedy. After all, it is difficult to have a straight comedy after death has entered the picture (the Chuckles episode of "Mary Tyler Moore" notwithstanding). Yet, the show, under Holmes, managed to intertwine the comedy and drama quite successfully. He was also the master of the cliffhanger, as anyone who has seen this season's finale can attest (another column devoted to that episode should be forthcoming, if only because I can't stop thinking about it).
"Remember WENN" is also one of the growing shows to be filmed in New York. Though this is produced way out on Long Island (I once had an interview at the AMC studios for an internship, and it is all the way down on the LIE, at least if you're coming from New Jersey), it is still able to utilize the great talent bank that is New York City. In its short time on the air (only 43 episodes), the show can already boast talents such as Betty Buckley, Jason Alexander, Patti LuPone, Malcolm Getz and Eddie Bracken. And for the most part, they are used to great effect. Occasionally, such as in the case when Harry Hamlin guested, the results can be forgettable, but as I heard someone say recently, even a mediocre "Remember WENN" is better than 90% of the comedies on the networks today.
With a creator straight out of Broadway and a cast that includes at
least two regulars (Naughton and Carmello) 
who
have performed on Broadway recently, music is an integral part of the show.
No, a song is not sung every week, this is not AMC's idea of "Cop Rock,"
but new songs pop up every so often, usually when a talent like Betty Buckley
performs. (As an aside, wouldn't Mandy Patinkin be a great guest star?
If Holmes didn't want to write a new song, he could perform "Coffee in
a Cardboard Cup" (providing of course, that that was song was published
before World War II.) I could easily see him as a former flame of Maple's.
Maybe, as a pal of Errol Flynn's?) But, the point is, Holmes was not afraid
to add another hat, that of adding the original music to the show. That
is why I would consider Holmes a true auteur based on this show. Everything
that affects the show, he had a hand in. And, that is why it all flows.
He is a master mind at guessing what the viewer thinks will happen and
then doing something completely different. He is not afraid to go against
the norm of television. That probably comes with the relative freedom of
doing a show for a cable station, rather than a network. With cable you
don't have to search for the broadest audience possible. One just needs
to find a niche. And, this show fits in wonderfully with the niche AMC
had already carved out for itself.
And, what is that niche? Well, quite simply it's a channel for everyone who either remembers wenn (sic) you did not have to lock your doors while you were home or those people who wish they could remember those days. It is for those people who remember George Burns when he was playing off of Gracie Allen, as well as those who only remember him from the "Oh God" movies. It is for those who remember wenn (sic) a shock jock was not actually a term that meant anything, because public mores would not allow a Howard Stern to make a living as one, let alone be successful on the radio.
Those idyllic memories aside, of course I know that everything was not perfect in the 1940s. Heck, we were about to embark on a World War. Segregation and racism was rampant. Women were still often considered second class citizens. But, Holmes even managed to touch upon some of these points in his show, to acknowledge that all was not well, but he did manage to keep the idealism of the time alive.
Obviously, with all shows there are some flaws. Historically speaking, some events seem slightly out of whack, such as when Scott suggests brings up his great idea of "vizeo" or radio with pictures to Mr. Pruitt (the estimable Jonathan Freeman). Now, this episode took place during the Christmas of 1940, after the introduction of television at the 19439 world's fair. Heck, New York City even had a television studio set up at this point. And, if Mr. Pruitt was any kind of financial advisor to the radio station (or at all, for that matter), he would certainly have known what television was. But, such minor flaws do not ruin a series. Nor do they at all dampen one's affection for said series. For, "Remember WENN" is a show worth watching, whether you have a special feeling for the days of yesteryear or you just want to see a good comedy. The third season just ended, but until new episodes start up in May, you can catch the reruns on AMC.
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