hnt_dnl
THREE'S COMPANY (1977-84) was one of my favorite comedies growing up and one of the very few I still watch in re-runs. The comedy may be farcical and slapstick for the most part, but early in the series, the overt comedy was underscored with a sharp, witty edge full of puns and double-entendres. The early seasons of the show were actually more methodical and topical with an amazingly playful edge that you rarely would see in other shows of the time. The middle seasons had it's share of slow and unfunny episodes, while the later seasons enjoyed a rejuvenation.The series starred the versatile physical comic actor John Ritter (who actually won a Lead Actor Emmy for this show) as Jack Tripper, a struggling yet gifted chef. Jack was a major ladies man and hornball, but he had a heart of gold and was the best friend to his roommates. In the series pilot, Jack needed a place to stay and so roommates Chrissy Snow (played by blonde bombshell Suzanne Somers, who displayed a surprising gift for comic timing and humor) and Janet Wood (wonderfully played by Joyce DeWitt). Chrissy, a secretary, was an early TV prototype for the "dumb blonde" role and, in my opinion, set the stage for the way the character is played in modern TV, for example, I see qualities of Chrissy in later famous TV "dumb" blondes, like Kelly Bundy or Phoebe Buffay. Janet, a floral shop employee, was the more level-headed, smart, less-but-still-attractive brunette and kind of the calm center of the show.The roommates' original landlords were the Ropers, the strict, old-schooler Stanley (superbly performed by Norman Fell) and his sweet, sarcastic, sexually-repressed wife Helen (hilariously played by Audra Lindley. During the "Roper" seasons, I'd say that the show was more of an ensemble, with the Ropers being given equal screen time to the main trio, more often than not referred to as "the kids" by Mrs. Roper. The Ropers were almost surrogate parents to them, with Roper being the stern Dad and Helen being the loving and more tolerant Mom. A running gag for the entirety of the series was that Jack had to pretend to be homosexual in order for the landlords to get him to live with 2 girls. In these politically correct times, I doubt a show could get away with this now! I'd say that Seasons 1-3 are the best seasons, with the stories usually consisting of "the kids" having the A plot and the Ropers having the B plot, with overlap from time to time. Then there are episodes where all 5 got to interact completely as the main plot. The Ropers left the show at the end of Season 3 and went onto their own doomed series that bore their last name, only coming back in a Season 5 episode for a guest spot. Early on, the show introduced a supporting character Larry Dallas (wonderfully performed by the reliable Richard Kline, a shady used- car salesman (is there any other kind!) and Jack's best friend, who lived a swinging single lifestyle. Kline was excellent at one-liners and punchlines and played off Ritter very well.Season 4 introduced new landlord Ralph Furley (played by comic TV icon Don Knotts), ushering in an era or broader, wilder comedy. Knotts brought his brand of limbering, lumbering physical comedy to the table. Backstage drama also lead to Somers being fired from the show at the end of Season 4, so in Season 5, a new character, Chrissy's cousin Cindy Snow (played with wide-eyed gusto by Jenilee Harrison, a pretty good physical comedienne in her own right) was introduced as the new 3rd roommate. It was really around Seasons 4 and 5 that the show really suffered a creative crisis, and may have been doomed to end had it not been for the smart decision to demote Cindy to supporting status in Season 6 and introduce yet ANOTHER and FINAL 3rd roommate Terri Alden (refreshingly played by the underrated Priscilla Barnes), a nurse. Cindy was much better served as a recurring, supporting character in Season 6 and Terri complemented Jack and Janet more. I really wish that Harrison had stayed on in Seasons 7 and 8 in her supporting turn because I thought she had really found her comfort zone as a funny supporting character a la Mr. Furley and Larry who would pop in on the main trio from time to time.I found Seasons 6-8 very entertaining, if less witty and risky as the early seasons. In these later seasons, the show really played up the physical comedy, with all characters getting to shine at various moments. In particular, Ritter was allowed to run wild and show off his physicality in full force. Especially in the later seasons, the show became a show about "misunderstandings", where every episode seemed to be about characters getting the wrong idea about situations or other characters and the writers and actors played these to the hilt, with great facial expressions and reactions.The show also boasted some of the HOTTEST female characters I've ever seen, with Jack getting to date gorgeous women in about every other episode. And the ladies he got to live with weren't so shabby either!"Three's Company" has a carefree, loose quality that I find enjoyable. It may be the level of shows like "Cheers" or "Seinfeld", but in it's own way, the show is iconic. A huge guilty pleasure!
auntie-climax
Good show w/ Chrissie. She was cute, 70's lady who's dumb dumb schtick seemed real.The Ropers were funny. Mr Roper turning to the camera after making a joke was classic TV.The Ropers were forced out because producers wanted to pay one not two actors.Chrissy forced out because she wanted the money the males on the show were making. The producers watched the dollar, not the quality. They were not very good creative artists. They did there best to show Suzannne Somers who was the boss, and the show nose dived in quality. Bad producing.
lilxi77
I could understand why Suzanne Somers demanded the raise, she was excellent performing as Chrissy Snow, "The Dumb Blond". I love me some Chrissy. Suzanne should of gotten something. The producers should have made a deal with Suzanne, worked something out. I think Suzanne did push it a little too far when demanding that "monster" raise. Then wanted 10% profit of the show. Suzanne should of just continued performing her role thinking bout the viewers, Don, John & Joyce, instead of herself boycotting Three's Company in spite that she didn't gotten the raise. By Suzanne blacking out her presents, it effected the other actors, they had to do some of Chrissy lines and the producers had to throw out the rest. By them replacing Chrissy, the vibe of the show went flat just like soda. And talking bout the second blond, Jenilee Harrison, I think the producers hadn't given Jenilee the chance. She was pretty good performing as Cindy Snow "The Clumsy Blond". Terri Alden is "The Sexy Blond" and generally smart, but what was funny bout her? They should had arranged Terri as "The Hard Headed Blond" having a poor memory, slow, always late with things, and intelligent as well (talk too much) that would drive Jack & Janet so crazy, just like how Chrissy drove Janet crazy for being so dumb. But on the other hand, Terri had the common sense that amazed everyone, just like how Chrissy's dumb, but smart in her way on the other hand, which everyone admired her for. If Suzanne wasn't so stubborn and greedy, she probably would have gotten something towards the ending. "Quote" the producers would had probably allowed Suzanne to kelp or used the character Chrissy Snow, perform as Chrissy in other entertainments. Suzanne probably would of had the permission to perform as Chrissy Snow in the sitcom Step by Step, who knows. But I love the characters Jack, Janet, Ralph Furley, Larry, and the Ropers as well. Janet was more funnier dealing with that Chrissy. It also would of been interesting that Jack & Chrissy gotten together and had "Three's a Crowd" in their hands. And Joyce performs her Three's Company role (Janet Woods) as a guest appearance along with her husband. That could of been a good spin-off from Three's Company. Why Suzanne had to be so Stubborn...?
