April 3, 2000
Come and knock on our door: A Look at... Three’s Company - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- The 70’s were a revolutionary time in life, as well as television. The catalyst of cultural change, sadly (or not) starts in the movies, music or television we consume. If the following TV series did that, then every guy I’d know would be living in Santa Monica with two girls. One brunette and a blond. It would help if the blond were dumb ditz, too.
Three’s Company was an instantaneous hit when it debuted on ABC in 1977. It was part of a revolution that brought sex and innuendo to television. Archie Bunker broke the barrier between the ways of television past and politically incorrectness earlier in the decade, but thanks to shows like Three’s Company and Soap, they exploited it further. Starring John Ritter as the hapless Jack Tripper, a man who is forced to live with a dumb blond, played by Suzanne Somers and a headset brunette played by Joyce DeWitt. As conditional to his living there, is the fact the landlords think he’s gay. He’s not and so the exploits and the comedy begin.
The landlords, Stanley and Helen Roper were played by the superb, Norman Fell and Audra Lindley were a middle-aged couple who were as funny as hell. She wanted some, but he couldn’t or didn’t want to. The trio upstairs had a buddy named Larry who lived upstairs and when the Roper’s moved on up, (wish I could say the eastside, but they aren’t The Jeffersons) a dim-bulb named Ralph Furley assumed the landlord role. Furley was played by the legendary, five-time Emmy winner, Don Knotts. And played in legendary form.
Three’s Company was a delightful blend of misunderstandings, dotted with hilarious slapstick comedy and very sexy double entendres. When it debuted it was chastised as being sex and nothing but, but looking back it’s one of the best. Three’s Company bridged the way for show’s like Friends and Seinfeld and it’s ability to push the envelope is as timeless as ever, even revolutionary to the world of situation comedy on television.
Starting this Monday, Prime (cable 48 in Vancouver) will air back-to-back episodes, weeknights from 8:00 to 9:00 PM. Knock on Jack, Chrissy and Janet’s door one more time.
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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .