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ABC (Ended 1984)
Show Overview

Show Score

 
8.7 Great
1,480 votes

Your Score

Status

Ended

Premiered

March 15, 1977

Ended

September 18, 1984

Genre

Comedy

Theme

Dating

Final Episode

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Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company'
Episode Score
 
7.8

Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company'

This telefilm takes you behind the camera as the cast, crew, and producers deal with turmoil on the set of Three's Company, including Suzanne Somers and her contract renegotiating, numerous cast changing, spinoffs, betrayal, and lying.

Aired: 05/12/03

Show Summary

After two unsuccessful pilots, Three's Company was finally picked up by ABC in January 1977 for a first season of six episodes. After the show began to air in March, ratings were high and it became one of the highest-rated midseason show of its time. The show had a simple premise - Jack TripperMore (John Ritter, a student at a local cooking college, wanted to move in with two girls, Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers). The only problem - the building's landlord, Mr. Stanley Roper (Norman Fell), who lives in the apartment below with his wife, Mrs. Helen Roper (Audra Lindley). In order for him to stay, he would have to pretend to be gay The series quickly gained a pop culture status, while maintaining the high ratings, being one of the top rated shows during its third and fourth seasons. The end of the third season saw the exit of Mr. and Mrs. Roper, who moved to a new townhouse community for The Ropers, the show's first spinoff. In came a new, and much different landlord, Mr. Furley (Don Knotts). During the hiatus before the fifth season, Suzanne Somers asked for a raise from $30,000 to $125,000 per episode. The producers refused, and Suzanne began to lie so she could be absent from work. Because ratings began to decline with lovable Chrissy's absence, the producers created a new character, Cindy Snow (Jennilee Harrison), who played Chrissy's cousin for the remainder of the season. At the same time, Suzanne Somers would tape short tag scenes for the end of the episode the day before the taping. She was fired by the end of the year. Starting off fresh during the sixth season, the producers decided to have Cindy go off to UCLA to study to become a veterinarian. So, Jack and Janet needed a new roommate. Along came Terri Alden (Priscilla Barnes), the smarter and beautiful blond who was a nurse at the local hospital. She would remain on the show for the next (and final) three years. Ratings began to fall during the eighth season (as they normally do), and the producers had made the decision to end the show, and create a spinoff, Three's A Crowd . Theme Song : Come and knock on our door ... We've been waiting for you ... Where the kisses are hers and hers and his, Three's company, too. Come and dance on on our floor... Take a step that is new ... We've a lovable space that needs your face, Three's company, too. You'll see that life is a ball again, laughter is calling for you ... Down at our rendez-vous, Three's company, too!

From the Forums

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  • Chrissy, Cindy, or Terri

    After two unsuccessful pilots, Three's Company was finally picked up by ABC in January 1977 for a first season of six episodes. After the show began to air in March, ratings were high and it became one of the highest-rated midseason show of its time. The show had a simple premise - Jack TripperMore (John Ritter, a student at a local cooking college, wanted to move in with two girls, Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers). The only problem - the building's landlord, Mr. Stanley Roper (Norman Fell), who lives in the apartment below with his wife, Mrs. Helen Roper (Audra Lindley). In order for him to stay, he would have to pretend to be gay The series quickly gained a pop culture status, while maintaining the high ratings, being one of the top rated shows during its third and fourth seasons. The end of the third season saw the exit of Mr. and Mrs. Roper, who moved to a new townhouse community for The Ropers, the show's first spinoff. In came a new, and much different landlord, Mr. Furley (Don Knotts). During the hiatus before the fifth season, Suzanne Somers asked for a raise from $30,000 to $125,000 per episode. The producers refused, and Suzanne began to lie so she could be absent from work. Because ratings began to decline with lovable Chrissy's absence, the producers created a new character, Cindy Snow (Jennilee Harrison), who played Chrissy's cousin for the remainder of the season. At the same time, Suzanne Somers would tape short tag scenes for the end of the episode the day before the taping. She was fired by the end of the year. Starting off fresh during the sixth season, the producers decided to have Cindy go off to UCLA to study to become a veterinarian. So, Jack and Janet needed a new roommate. Along came Terri Alden (Priscilla Barnes), the smarter and beautiful blond who was a nurse at the local hospital. She would remain on the show for the next (and final) three years. Ratings began to fall during the eighth season (as they normally do), and the producers had made the decision to end the show, and create a spinoff, Three's A Crowd . Theme Song : Come and knock on our door ... We've been waiting for you ... Where the kisses are hers and hers and his, Three's company, too. Come and dance on on our floor... Take a step that is new ... We've a lovable space that needs your face, Three's company, too. You'll see that life is a ball again, laughter is calling for you ... Down at our rendez-vous, Three's company, too!

    219 comments, last one Oct 23, 2009
  • ABC to remake Three's Company

    After two unsuccessful pilots, Three's Company was finally picked up by ABC in January 1977 for a first season of six episodes. After the show began to air in March, ratings were high and it became one of the highest-rated midseason show of its time. The show had a simple premise - Jack TripperMore (John Ritter, a student at a local cooking college, wanted to move in with two girls, Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers). The only problem - the building's landlord, Mr. Stanley Roper (Norman Fell), who lives in the apartment below with his wife, Mrs. Helen Roper (Audra Lindley). In order for him to stay, he would have to pretend to be gay The series quickly gained a pop culture status, while maintaining the high ratings, being one of the top rated shows during its third and fourth seasons. The end of the third season saw the exit of Mr. and Mrs. Roper, who moved to a new townhouse community for The Ropers, the show's first spinoff. In came a new, and much different landlord, Mr. Furley (Don Knotts). During the hiatus before the fifth season, Suzanne Somers asked for a raise from $30,000 to $125,000 per episode. The producers refused, and Suzanne began to lie so she could be absent from work. Because ratings began to decline with lovable Chrissy's absence, the producers created a new character, Cindy Snow (Jennilee Harrison), who played Chrissy's cousin for the remainder of the season. At the same time, Suzanne Somers would tape short tag scenes for the end of the episode the day before the taping. She was fired by the end of the year. Starting off fresh during the sixth season, the producers decided to have Cindy go off to UCLA to study to become a veterinarian. So, Jack and Janet needed a new roommate. Along came Terri Alden (Priscilla Barnes), the smarter and beautiful blond who was a nurse at the local hospital. She would remain on the show for the next (and final) three years. Ratings began to fall during the eighth season (as they normally do), and the producers had made the decision to end the show, and create a spinoff, Three's A Crowd . Theme Song : Come and knock on our door ... We've been waiting for you ... Where the kisses are hers and hers and his, Three's company, too. Come and dance on on our floor... Take a step that is new ... We've a lovable space that needs your face, Three's company, too. You'll see that life is a ball again, laughter is calling for you ... Down at our rendez-vous, Three's company, too!

    5 comments, last one Sep 24, 2009
  • Janet vs Chrissy

    After two unsuccessful pilots, Three's Company was finally picked up by ABC in January 1977 for a first season of six episodes. After the show began to air in March, ratings were high and it became one of the highest-rated midseason show of its time. The show had a simple premise - Jack TripperMore (John Ritter, a student at a local cooking college, wanted to move in with two girls, Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers). The only problem - the building's landlord, Mr. Stanley Roper (Norman Fell), who lives in the apartment below with his wife, Mrs. Helen Roper (Audra Lindley). In order for him to stay, he would have to pretend to be gay The series quickly gained a pop culture status, while maintaining the high ratings, being one of the top rated shows during its third and fourth seasons. The end of the third season saw the exit of Mr. and Mrs. Roper, who moved to a new townhouse community for The Ropers, the show's first spinoff. In came a new, and much different landlord, Mr. Furley (Don Knotts). During the hiatus before the fifth season, Suzanne Somers asked for a raise from $30,000 to $125,000 per episode. The producers refused, and Suzanne began to lie so she could be absent from work. Because ratings began to decline with lovable Chrissy's absence, the producers created a new character, Cindy Snow (Jennilee Harrison), who played Chrissy's cousin for the remainder of the season. At the same time, Suzanne Somers would tape short tag scenes for the end of the episode the day before the taping. She was fired by the end of the year. Starting off fresh during the sixth season, the producers decided to have Cindy go off to UCLA to study to become a veterinarian. So, Jack and Janet needed a new roommate. Along came Terri Alden (Priscilla Barnes), the smarter and beautiful blond who was a nurse at the local hospital. She would remain on the show for the next (and final) three years. Ratings began to fall during the eighth season (as they normally do), and the producers had made the decision to end the show, and create a spinoff, Three's A Crowd . Theme Song : Come and knock on our door ... We've been waiting for you ... Where the kisses are hers and hers and his, Three's company, too. Come and dance on on our floor... Take a step that is new ... We've a lovable space that needs your face, Three's company, too. You'll see that life is a ball again, laughter is calling for you ... Down at our rendez-vous, Three's company, too!

    34 comments, last one Jul 14, 2009
More Topics
  •  
    8 Great

    Three's Company was one of the most funny shows ever. John Ritter who played Jack Tripper is one of the funniest actors ever. Together with Joyce Dewitt, Suzanne Somers, and later Pricilla Barnes, the cast was just amazing. hide show

    I loved almost every season of the show. I say almost because I wasn't too happy with the show during the season when Suzanne Somers who played Chrissy Snow left the show and Jenilee Harrison who played Cindy Snow replaced her. To me that whole thing was a disaster for so many reasons. Other than that, I really don't have many bad things to say about the show. Even when Pricilla Barnes joined the cast as Terri Alden, I still loved the show. I think that she did a great job taking over after Chrissy and Cindy left. And the Ropers, their landlords, were hilarious. So was Mr. Furley who replaced them. Two girls living with a guy and the guy having to pretend that he was gay so that he could stay there and not get thrown out by The Ropers and Furley. Everything about the show was funny. I liked Jacks best friend Larry Dallas also. I really hated the Lana character though. I'm glad that she didn't last long.

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  •  
    10 Perfect

    The most wonderful Tv Serial EVER! hide show

    This is the most wonderful Tv Series ever. There is no other TV serial that can even come close to this. There is not a single character in this series that does not stick to your mind. I loved Don Knotts in his role but I would have loved to see more of Ropers and for that I woudl not forgive the producers. They were wrong in letting them go. I am also one of the biggest fan of Jon Ritter in the Southern Hemisphere. The series will go down in the history as one of the best series of all time and I am not saying the greatest comedy Series!

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      0 1
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  •  
    10 Perfect

    Three's Company paved the way for future comedies of its kind. A definate must see for anyone of any age! hide show

    Three's Company was a show that was still airing in 1981, the year I was born. Although I can't recall watching it at a younger age, my parents told me that I did yet didn't understand why. When I was in high school I turned the t.v. on while getting ready and there it was. It was so familiar and re-kindled an interest for the show, a nice show that has a nice feel to it. It was that rememberance that I decided to use the show as a project for a tech class, and create a web site about it. I have continued to keep the site running even updating and the outpour from fans of the show has been CRAZY! As long as I still hear from fans I keep the website running and if you're interested please check it out as well. It's all non profit, I do it as a hobby. I'm also listed with every major search engine. My web site is called Three's Company Complex.

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      5 1
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  •  
    10 Perfect

    I just love all episodes with chrissy, cindy and terri!! hide show

    This is my all time favorite show! I have all seasons on dvd. I think Janet and chrissy were kind of trendsetters with their hair and clothes while John Ritter was a comic genius!! His physical comedy is yet to be duplicated. My favorite episode is from season 7 when an atm machine gives Jack much more money then he chose to take out! I think the show's writers should have left all alone with the end of the show. Didn't they learn anything when "The Ropers" got cancelled? I guess not. At least "Three's a Crowd" lasted a whole season. Some of the dumb shows that come on nowadays (The Cavemen) only last a few episodes.

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      4 2
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  •  
    2.8 Terrible

    Don't watch this show after Cindy. I cannot express this enough. hide show

    Let's get something clear here. Three's Company started of as a good, fun loving sitcom you could just sit back and watch. However then the show started revolving around a single plot: a guy wants to get it on with one of the girls, he gets busted, women start punching and kicking him, and then everyone starts talking about how men are dirty, low-down pieces of scummy filth. And on the rare occasion a woman gets attracted to a man, they guy is considered the villanious pig and the woman, who started it all, is considered a sweet little angel. How come in each scenario the guy's the one getting blamed? These plots really made me mad. I'm a guy, and I don't like watching a bunch of women saying I'm a pig. I wouldn't mind if they OCCASIONALY made a plot like that, but only if they made it even by making some episodes with a woman doing it and getting blamed. But what I really hate about this show is how after it almost all sitcoms became about woman being the god and the man being the horrible person (though some may say "Oh, All in the Family had episodes about woman rights", but those we're rare and was treated as just another controversial theme, not the main focus of the show). When Chrissy left and Cindy moved in the show somewhat improved, since Cindy's plots didn't revolve as much on men wanting to, well, um, "do the wild monkey dance" as someone else put it, and plus she was quite a humorous, non-feminist character. This brought the show back to a little bit of it's glory. But then, it happened. Terri arrived. This is when praticaly EVERY plot revolved around either a man getting beat up. It wasn't always because the man was attracted to them. Sometimes it was for even stupider reasons. Plus Terri wasn't funny at all. She followed what that Nazi Janet said and said men we're pigs too. C'mon, it's supposed to be a comedy, not a feminist parade (or whatever they called, I'm guessing if I asked the Three's Company writers they'd know and could explain it with amazing detail). Once again I'd like to say I liked the show early on, but then it became bad and brought a new meaning to the term "Jumped the shark". I just want to say this: I HATE THIS SHOW!

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      3 7
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