Not one episode of the trio actually at the beach in all 8 seasons? LOL

Wish I could ask the writers and producers why?:lol:

Weird.... cuz the opening credits showed Janet, Chrissy and Jack all riding their bikes on the beach. They should have had at least one episode of the kids having a picnic lunch at the beach while in their swim suits.

Weird.... cuz the opening credits showed Janet, Chrissy and Jack all riding their bikes on the beach. They should have had at least one episode of the kids having a picnic lunch at the beach while in their swim suits.


Married With Children had a beach episode lol

Not one episode of the trio actually at the beach in all 8 seasons? LOL

Wish I could ask the writers and producers why?:lol:

What I really want to know is did the trio dine over a Mexican Food meal?

Seems weird they lived in Southern California, but we never saw the trio eat a taco based on my memory.

Well there was that episode where Janet and Mrs. Roper went to a protest or something like that on a nudist beach but we never actually saw them at the beach.

Well there was that episode where Janet and Mrs. Roper went to a protest or something like that on a nudist beach but we never actually saw them at the beach.


Yup no sight of sand lol

it's been years since I saw the episode, but I seem to recall seeing an episode when the show first aired in the 70s where Janet & Mrs. Roper mentioned being in a protest at the beach naked; protesting against nude beaches.

it's been years since I saw the episode, but I seem to recall seeing an episode when the show first aired in the 70s where Janet & Mrs. Roper mentioned being in a protest at the beach naked; protesting against nude beaches.


Yes but we never saw the beach

Married With Children had a beach episode lol
Even The Brady Bunch had a beach scene. It was when Greg took his girlfriend surfing. They were in their swim suits with wet hair getting hot dogs at the refreshment stand.

Even The Brady Bunch had a beach scene. It was when Greg took his girlfriend surfing. They were in their swim suits with wet hair getting hot dogs at the refreshment stand.

And sanford and son and the Jeffersons

I think a beach scene would've been the hardest to stage of all outdoor scenes, mostly because there is nothing but water and sand. That is hard to fake. Three's Company was a relatively low-budget show, and we know it was set in Santa Monica, so clearing a real beach or clearing the pier for a whole episode would've been costly and a production nightmare that probably would have put them behind schedule.

Most of the beach scenes in other shows that have been mentioned are "destination" episodes, where the Jeffersons go to Hawaii, etc, that are meant to be special stand-out episodes, much like "A-Camping We Will Go" is in Three's Company. However, these shows had a slightly-to-much higher production value (like the Brady Bunch, which was shot on film and not video), and could afford to go all-out once in a while.

We see the trio feeding the seagulls on the beach in the credits, but that was filmed on a February afternoon before anyone knew what Three's Company was. Imagine if they were doing the same thing four seasons in. It would probably be a real slog to get through.

I think a beach scene would've been the hardest to stage of all outdoor scenes, mostly because there is nothing but water and sand. That is hard to fake. Three's Company was a relatively low-budget show, and we know it was set in Santa Monica, so clearing a real beach or clearing the pier for a whole episode would've been costly and a production nightmare that probably would have put them behind schedule.

Most of the beach scenes in other shows that have been mentioned are "destination" episodes, where the Jeffersons go to Hawaii, etc, that are meant to be special stand-out episodes, much like "A-Camping We Will Go" is in Three's Company. However, these shows had a slightly-to-much higher production value (like the Brady Bunch, which was shot on film and not video), and could afford to go all-out once in a while.

We see the trio feeding the seagulls on the beach in the credits, but that was filmed on a February afternoon before anyone knew what Three's Company was. Imagine if they were doing the same thing four seasons in. It would probably be a real slog to get through.

Good point about them not really being able to do location shots in the later seasons.

However, to me it's weird that even Married...With Children had a beach episode and that show took place in Chicago! Does Lake Michigan have sand along the shore? I never noticed when I visited Chicago. Surely Three's could have had a beach episode once.

This show must have been a huge money-maker for the network and the producers. Wonder how many millions they raked in. The show did always look low-budget and that never changed.

The production values were never great and the writing wasn't always top notch. This was a show carried by good acting, mostly.

Good point about them not really being able to do location shots in the later seasons.

However, to me it's weird that even Married...With Children had a beach episode and that show took place in Chicago! Does Lake Michigan have sand along the shore? I never noticed when I visited Chicago. Surely Three's could have had a beach episode once.

This show must have been a huge money-maker for the network and the producers. Wonder how many millions they raked in. The show did always look low-budget and that never changed.

The production values were never great and the writing wasn't always top notch. This was a show carried by good acting, mostly.


Yup, the Bundys spent all day at the beach so it could have been done

Not so much the water but the sand and other things

The production values were never great and the writing wasn't always top notch. This was a show carried by good acting, mostly.


I think you hit the nail on the head---I think the producers and network wanted as much money as they could rake in without spending. I think they had such a tight production schedule that they would not want to interrupt that. I imagine planning and filming on an actual beach would have really put the actors and crew outside of their comfort zone, which no doubt would delay things.

Also, I got to thinking....the farce format of the show relies on people constantly coming in and out and constant movement. In episodes outside the apartment like "A Camping We Will Go," "Urban Cowboy," and "Downhill Chaser" the group still has structures they can come in and out of or use for site gags (like the cabin, the hammock, the barn, etc). On a beach there isn't much to work with, and I think that would've been hard to write for.

Also, a beach is so wide-open (unlike the forest or an isolated ski-slope) that the backdrops would have looked distractingly fake from any perspective. That's probably why most of the beach stuff is mentioned but happens off-stage.

Everyone's right saying 3'aC was produced cheaply, which is why there was never a beach scene. These are expensive! If syou do a location shoot, transport is expensive, plus any rental costs and scouting, while building a set costs a bundle just to import the sand. It would have never happened.

Three's Company had a rather tight budget for a top-10-rated sitcom. To get all of that sand required for a beach episode or a beach scene would have taken extra manpower by the TC production staff (or maybe any sitcom's production staff), especially if its production schedule is tight, also. Not sure if the same would apply for a current multi-camera sitcom if they were to produce a beach scene/episode.

In which sitcom format would it be easier to produce a beach episode or scene: Single-camera or Multi-camera?

At least in TC's case, we still got to see Chrissy, Janet and Terri (and I think other (minor) female characters) in swimsuits and bikinis.

Yes, we saw them in their swimsuits and heard them talk about the beach. The thing with TC is that they LIVED near the beach, so having just one beach episode would seem weird, since it would not have been a "vacation" episode.

TC was low-budget but technically was a multi-camera (three cameras) show. In the early seasons, we see a lot more close-up shots of the characters, but when Dave Powers took over in the later seasons, the show is shot with a more stationary, stage-like look.

TC was low-budget but technically was a multi-camera (three cameras) show. In the early seasons, we see a lot more close-up shots of the characters, but when Dave Powers took over in the later seasons, the show is shot with a more stationary, stage-like look.

Bill Hobin was underrated as a director. They didn't really pay him enough respect in the documentaries on the DVD sets.

Yes, we saw them in their swimsuits and heard them talk about the beach. The thing with TC is that they LIVED near the beach, so having just one beach episode would seem weird, since it would not have been a "vacation" episode.

TC was low-budget but technically was a multi-camera (three cameras) show. In the early seasons, we see a lot more close-up shots of the characters, but when Dave Powers took over in the later seasons, the show is shot with a more stationary, stage-like look.


yeah I guess you make a good point, since the beach was in their neighborhood

Bill Hobin was underrated as a director. They didn't really pay him enough respect in the documentaries on the DVD sets.

Bill Hobin was only the director the first two seasons. From Season 3 onwards it was Dave Powers. I wonder why Bill Hobin wasn't there longer?

Bill Hobin was only the director the first two seasons. From Season 3 onwards it was Dave Powers. I wonder why Bill Hobin wasn't there longer?

According to the book, Come and Knock On Our Door, the producers hired Powers because he could shoot AND direct. He also had worked with the Carol Burnett Show, so he had more experience with comedy.

Bill Hobin was efficient, but Mickey Ross always set up the shots in the first two seasons, and Hobin gave the actors zero direction. The producers claimed the actors were a little lost at times. Powers was a lot more hands-on.

Powers was also a fan of shooting the shows like stage plays---he filmed the show continuously, in one shot. I think Bill Hobin was more accustomed to doing dramas, which explains the (slightly) more complicated close-ups, cuts, and angles that surely took more time to set up and shoot.

According to the book, Come and Knock On Our Door, the producers hired Powers because he could shoot AND direct. He also had worked with the Carol Burnett Show, so he had more experience with comedy.

Bill Hobin was efficient, but Mickey Ross always set up the shots in the first two seasons, and Hobin gave the actors zero direction. The producers claimed the actors were a little lost at times. Powers was a lot more hands-on.

Powers was also a fan of shooting the shows like stage plays---he filmed the show continuously, in one shot. I think Bill Hobin was more accustomed to doing dramas, which explains the (slightly) more complicated close-ups, cuts, and angles that surely took more time to set up and shoot.

I still think the show's peak was its first two seasons, so while Mickey Ross may have gotten tired of setting up the shots, and while Bill Hobin may have not been very helpful with the actors, I still think this was the formula at its peak. And I am kind of annoyed because it sounds like Mickey Ross wanted Dave Powers there so he could do less work. I'm a firm believer that Three's was always better when Nicholl Ross West was more hands-on with the function of the show and the outsiders they brought in were never able to maintain the same quality.

I still think the show's peak was its first two seasons, so while Mickey Ross may have gotten tired of setting up the shots, and while Bill Hobin may have not been very helpful with the actors, I still think this was the formula at its peak. And I am kind of annoyed because it sounds like Mickey Ross wanted Dave Powers there so he could do less work. I'm a firm believer that Three's was always better when Nicholl Ross West was more hands-on with the function of the show and the outsiders they brought in were never able to maintain the same quality.

I love the first couple seasons, too. I would say the film work makes each episode feel more like a finished piece in the first two seasons. I go back and forth between Season 2 and 3 being my favorite.