Three's Company

For those who don't remember when sitcoms were the ones that made you laugh out loud one minute and then laugh crying the next and to keep you guessing what Jack Tripper was up to next,then this was the show to watch.....During its run on ABC-TV from 1977-1984,Three's Company was the best American sitcom ever to grace the airwaves. Hands down. John Ritter to me was the all-time Macdaddy that kept it real. His portrayal of stumble-prone Jack was ingenious not to mention hilariously funny. Jack always knew what to do(or so it seems)when it came to the ladies especially dealing with his roommates Janet Wood and Chrissy Snow and even the upstairs neighbors The Ropers who was on Jack's every move.

Out of his other roommates only Joyce DeWitt's character Janet Wood,who was a stunning brunette beauty who was reasonable and sweet and reliable was Ritter's ONLY long-standing roommate throughout the shows' entire run. However,during and probably the best,and frankly the early years of the show(during the first four seasons),Suzanne Somers was the center of attention as ditzy,and sometimes not very bright Chrissy Snow,the lovable blonde. Somers became an overnight success during her four seasons on the show becoming a hottie for every junior high school boy in America who idolized her on their bedroom walls. Somers left the show in 1981 which was then in the top ten.

Also during the first four seasons of the show was the constant feuding and sometimes hilarious quarrels between the kids' landlord neighbors The Ropers. Actor Norman Fell was a comic genius(usually he'll played cops and detectives on other shows but here was a departure from that)here when he played Stanley Roper and Audra Lindley who was his wife Helen Roper who was bugged Stanley every time he did something. In 1981,The Ropers got their own sitcom show which didn't last very long.

During the shows' fourth season,Jenilee Harrison had a short stint as Chrissy's cousin Cindy Snow,who was another ditzy,not so bright,clumsy blonde. After Harrison's departure from the show,former "Dallas" star Priscilla Barnes tied things up as registered nurse Terri Alden,who was not like Chrissy or Cindy but this blonde had style and wasn't clumsy or ditzy and very bright. Also during that season,Don Knotts(aka Deputy Fife on Andy Griffith) filled in the gap as the "bachelor at large",Ralph Furley. Richard Kline starred as the lovable stud Larry who was a used car salesmen and swinger extraordinaire who was always getting Jack blind dates. In was here that Knotts and Ritter kept the show in the Top 10 for the next five seasons including Emmy nominations for Best Actor.

In all Three's Company was a laugh-a-minute riot and nothing more. The only element was the serious relationship of the roommates. They always had a understanding of each other and loved each other very much who would not let anyone get in the way of a friendship. However,it was always would not be that way.

The final episode of Three's Company in 1984,saw the departure of Jack Tripper as he finds that his bachelor days are finally over by finding the girl of his dreams,and eventually going down the aisle to get married on the show,leaving his two beautiful roommates behind. The show however,had a spin-off on this which featured Jack Tripper adjusting to the conditions of being married with his new wife and his new surroundings as a loyal and faithful husband.

However,this show is based on the 1960's British sitcom "A Man About The House".

Kudos to John Ritter,Joyce DeWitt,especially for their talents and bringing the laughs. You rock! Catch the re-runs on Nick at Nite.

When this show first premiered, it was thought of only as a jiggle show. However, it turned out to be one of the best examples of slapstick comedy in the history of television. John Ritter showed that he was a master of physical comedy and it really showed on this show. Another thing that really helped to make this show great was the whole ensemble. I feel that Joyce DeWitt was totally underrated in her role as the sensible Janet and that she was the perfect counterpoint to Jack's leering personality. The only thing I was disappointed with was how they devolved Suzanne Somer's character, Chrissy. If you look closely at many of the early episodes, Chrissy wasn't quite the dumb blond that she later turned out to be. If anything she was more naive then dumb. Other than that, this show will always be a classic of the era it was produced in.

Three's Company has held up so well over the years. I know it's not like it was on fifty years ago or anything like that. What I mean is that the story lines and problems for each episode are just as funny during each viewing.

The actors are amazing. Suzanne Somers, who was given way too much credit for her portrayal of Chrissy Snow, gives a good performance as the always ditzy blond. Joyce DeWitt, who wasn't given enough exposure to, keeps me laughing with her serious but not too serious character of Janet Wood. John Ritter, one of the funniest TV characters/actors I have ever watched, is probably the best thing about this show.

I'll admit that some of the episodes and problems they run into are stretched to the point where it becomes ridiculous only because they aren't funny. And while the audience keeps on cracking up, I find myself saying 'come on, get serious.'

The writers of Three's Company deserve a lot of praise and credit to. After all, they are who made this show what it is. I think that the writing is very creative with bits of hysterical comments thrown in at the most unexpected times or sequences. Everything that the crew put in and not so much the actors, are excellent.

One thing that is kind of wrong but good at the same time, was the change of landlords. The Ropers (Lindley and Fell) acted well together as the disgusted married couple. It goes a little too far to where the same joke or comment made by Mrs. Roper can be told and still be laughed at. The cancellation of The Ropers and the Ropers on Three's Company was a change that took some time to get used to. Fortunately, the humorous Don Knotts stepped in. All three of the landlords added a special something to the show that kept/keeps us laughing.

Everything from the tiniest mishaps to that groovy theme song, is what made this show stay on the air for so long. Not a huge amount of time, but long enough. Thanks to Nick at Nite, I have the opportunity to watch this hilarious show twice every night. The majority of the time, I will end up missing it but it's nice to know that an older show as good as this one can still be seen.

This series is simple, slapstick humor, with no real seriousness to it. The perfect show if you just want to lay back and have a few laughs. Great actors, especially actor John Ritter, and funny story lines. I saw some interesting trivia at endedtvseries.com Terri is under looked though. Terri Alden (Priscilla Barnes)-Terri is the roommate who comes along to replace Cindy, after her character decides to leave and attend UCLA. Also blond like her two predecessors, this is where the similarities stop, as Terri is a registered nurse, hardworking, dedicated to her job and intelligent. Although she and Jack do have a rather unfortunate first meeting, they do warm up to each other after a short while.

Three's Company is one of the few shows out there that always had the same plot but it always worked. No matter what happens there's always a big misunderstanding and everything gets screwed up, but in the end everything works out.

What made the show work was it's excellent cast. Each and every character played a unique role that added to the mess which they have gotten themselves into. Jack, Janet, Chrissy, or Terri and Cindy always got themselves into something, and then the Ropers, Furley, Larry, or Lana always managed to make things worse by trying to make things better.

Three's Company was a ridiculous show with great underlying humor. This show is a true classic. One of the best sitcoms to ever air on television.