I wonder if Suzanne Somers watched them

I'm sure she did. For a while there she had the time to as she was blacklisted from Hollywood at the time.

I'm sure she's not telling if she did. But I would think it would have been too painful to watch, at least for the first year after she left.

I would have loved to see Chrissy interact with Cindy and Terri.

I would have loved to see Chrissy interact with Cindy and Terri.


What do you think their interactions would have been like?

I strongly doubt that Somers watched the show after she was fired.

Why would she want a reminder of one of the most boneheaded moves in TV history? She was on a hit show, could have rode that pony until the end, but got caught up in her own ego and greed.

What do you think their interactions would have been like?
I think they would have been side splitting.

I strongly doubt that Somers watched the show after she was fired.

Why would she want a reminder of one of the most boneheaded moves in TV history? She was on a hit show, could have rode that pony until the end, but got caught up in her own ego and greed.

Meh, the show only lasted three more years without her, right? And ultimately, though she did suffer as a result, she bounced back pretty well with her Vegas career, exercise vids, books, etc.

Meh, the show only lasted three more years without her, right? And ultimately, though she did suffer as a result, she bounced back pretty well with her Vegas career, exercise vids, books, etc.

Ultimately, yes, but that comeback didn't really cement itself until the early 90s.

She did have the Vegas thing, but for a while, that was it -- she couldn't get TV work. And when she finally did, it was the lame She's The Sheriff.

Somers has never publicly admitted it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the secretly regrets doing what she did and being fired from the show.

Meh, the show only lasted three more years without her, right? And ultimately, though she did suffer as a result, she bounced back pretty well with her Vegas career, exercise vids, books, etc.

Actually, the only reason the show went off the air in 1984 was because the decision was made to spin off John Ritter in his own show. Three's Company could easily have continued.

While the ratings did drop a bit after Somers was fired, the ratings eventually recovered and the show continued to be a hit. Probably not as big as it had been when Somers was on the show, but solid enough to stay on the air.

And IMO, the show began to go downhill when The Ropers were spun off -- never could stand Furley.

Actually, the only reason the show went off the air in 1984 was because the decision was made to spin off John Ritter in his own show. Three's Company could easily have continued.

While the ratings did drop a bit after Somers was fired, the ratings eventually recovered and the show continued to be a hit. Probably not as big as it had been when Somers was on the show, but solid enough to stay on the air.

And IMO, the show began to go downhill when The Ropers were spun off -- never could stand Furley.
The show really only had about one year left. Ratings had fallen bigtime between the 1982-83 and 1983-84 seasons It was ranked #6 in 1982-83 and the following year wasn't even in the top 30.The show was dying. It would have ended in 1985 anyway. The A-Team is what killed it off.

The only two reasons to watch that show were Suzanne Somers.

Ultimately, yes, but that comeback didn't really cement itself until the early 90s.

She did have the Vegas thing, but for a while, that was it -- she couldn't get TV work. And when she finally did, it was the lame She's The Sheriff.

Somers has never publicly admitted it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the secretly regrets doing what she did and being fired from the show.


I do not think that I ever watched "She's the Sheriff", but I remember it being on. I do not think that it lasted very long.

Actually, the only reason the show went off the air in 1984 was because the decision was made to spin off John Ritter in his own show. Three's Company could easily have continued.

While the ratings did drop a bit after Somers was fired, the ratings eventually recovered and the show continued to be a hit. Probably not as big as it had been when Somers was on the show, but solid enough to stay on the air.

And IMO, the show began to go downhill when The Ropers were spun off -- never could stand Furley.

Nothing against Priscilla Barnes, who I thought was good on the show, but I think by the time she arrived, it was really running out of steam. How many years can you reasonably milk out of a misunderstanding about a man living with two women?

I don't share your dislike of Furley, but I did miss the Ropers. I would be have been OK with them sharing airtime with Furley, really.

I do not think that I ever watched "She's the Sheriff", but I remember it being on. I do not think that it lasted very long.

I'm pretty sure it limped along for two seasons.

I'm pretty sure it limped along for two seasons.


I see.

I'm pretty sure it limped along for two seasons.
I actually liked She's the Sheriff. I must have been one of the few. Even Suzanne hated it. lol

I actually liked She's the Sheriff. I must have been one of the few. Even Suzanne hated it. lol

Yeah, I didn't hate it. For me, it was just sort of...there, lol. But it did show that Somers could still do comedy.

For whatever reason, I don't think I ever did watch an episode of Step by Step. Probably because I was working second shift during that period.

Since the last time that I was here, I looked up "She's the Sheriff" and learned some rather interesting things. When I think of a sheriff in a town out west, I think of life in the 17 or 18 hundreds. However, if the things that I read about it are true, this could not have been the case for this show. Does anyone know what time period this show took place in?

Since the last time that I was here, I looked up "She's the Sheriff" and learned some rather interesting things. When I think of a sheriff in a town out west, I think of life in the 17 or 18 hundreds. However, if the things that I read about it are true, this could not have been the case for this show. Does anyone know what time period this show took place in?

The setting was modern day, late 1980s I think.

And sheriffs aren't exclusive to the past. Most counties have a county sheriff if I'm not mistaken; mine does, certainly.

The show really only had about one year left. Ratings had fallen bigtime between the 1982-83 and 1983-84 seasons It was ranked #6 in 1982-83 and the following year wasn't even in the top 30.The show was dying. It would have ended in 1985 anyway. The A-Team is what killed it off.

The A-Team also killed off Happy Days the same year.

The A-Team also killed off Happy Days the same year.
The A-Team pretty much killed off the entire ABC Tuesday lineup.

The setting was modern day, late 1980s I think.

And sheriffs aren't exclusive to the past. Most counties have a county sheriff if I'm not mistaken; mine does, certainly.


Thank you very much for the information.

The A-Team also killed off Happy Days the same year.


I remember the "A-Team" killing off "Happy Days". That was in 1984. They killed off "Laverne and Shirley" even before that.

The A-Team pretty much killed off the entire ABC Tuesday lineup.


But then ABC bounced back with "Who's the Boss?". In the hour from nine to ten, they experimented with such shows as "Hotel" and "Moonlighting". It is my understanding that these series did okay. This network certainly did not take the situation sitting down!

I remember the "A-Team" killing off "Happy Days". That was in 1984. They killed off "Laverne and Shirley" even before that.

Actually, they didn't kill off Laverne & Shirley -- Penny Marshall was asked to do another season, but declined after the debacle that was season 7, which saw Shirley gone and the show pretty much in creative ruins.

Actually, they didn't kill off Laverne & Shirley -- Penny Marshall was asked to do another season, but declined after the debacle that was season 7, which saw Shirley gone and the show pretty much in creative ruins.


That is very interesting. I had no idea that they had ever planned on doing another season. How do you think that Penny Marshall would have done carrying the show alone for another year?

It was after Jack opened his restaurant with no employees (LOL!) followed by recycling previous plots which was the unofficial end of TC.
That was Year 7. It was still in the top 10. By the following year TC did not make the Top 30.

That is very interesting. I had no idea that they had ever planned on doing another season. How do you think that Penny Marshall would have done carrying the show alone for another year?

Well, being that Marshall turned it down, she must've known it wouldn't go well. They had a lot of guest actresses (including her friend Carrie Fisher) try to fill the void created by Shirley's absence, but it wasn't the same.

She had to essentially captain a sinking ship. Not only had Cindy Williams and Betty Garrett already left, but Michael McKean left halfway through the last season when his contract ran out. Not only was Laverne without Shirley but now Squiggy had no Lenny.

I think the final season was an ordeal for Marshall and she'd had enough.

Well, being that Marshall turned it down, she must've known it wouldn't go well. They had a lot of guest actresses (including her friend Carrie Fisher) try to fill the void created by Shirley's absence, but it wasn't the same.

She had to essentially captain a sinking ship. Not only had Cindy Williams and Betty Garrett already left, but Michael McKean left halfway through the last season when his contract ran out. Not only was Laverne without Shirley but now Squiggy had no Lenny.

I think the final season was an ordeal for Marshall and she'd had enough.


That is all very interesting. I remember how they built Shirley out of the story by having her marry a military doctor and go overseas with him. Was there ever an episode explaining what happened to Lenny?

That is all very interesting. I remember how they built Shirley out of the story by having her marry a military doctor and go overseas with him. Was there ever an episode explaining what happened to Lenny?,

I don't remember.

I didn't watch the show much that last season and it was so long ago that I didn't know Michael McKean had left mid-season until I read it somewhere.

There was one episode with Furly and The Ropers. It was vert awkward, but it worked.

There was one episode with Furly and The Ropers. It was vert awkward, but it worked.

Norman Fell did not want to be spun off to The Ropers.

He should have insisted there be a clause in the contract that would have guaranteed he could return to Three's Company if the show got cancelled, no matter how the long the show ran.

Norman Fell did not want to be spun off to The Ropers.

He should have insisted there be a clause in the contract that would have guaranteed he could return to Three's Company if the show got cancelled, no matter how the long the show ran.


Yeah, he should've smelled a rat when they put the condition in that the spinoff would have to last less than a year in order to be guaranteed a return to Three's Company. He'd been around a while so I'm surprised he trusted that they meant well. Even if The Ropers had been a bomb from the beginning you know the execs would've made sure it ran out the clock to prevent Lindley and Fell from returning to TC.

Yeah, he should've smelled a rat when they put the condition in that the spinoff would have to last less than a year in order to be guaranteed a return to Three's Company. He'd been around a while so I'm surprised he trusted that they meant well. Even if The Ropers had been a bomb from the beginning you know the execs would've made sure it ran out the clock to prevent Lindley and Fell from returning to TC.

As I understand it, the clause stipulated that if the show was cancelled within one year, Norman Fell and Audra Lindley could return to the show. The show was cancelled five days after the deadline.

When Fell asked the producers about returning, they said the deadline had passed and shrugged their shoulders. Now, was the fact that it happened five days after the deadline a coincidence or did one of the producers have an inside track with someone at the network and ask them to wait to make the announcement five days after the stipulated date on the contract?

We'll never know.

As I understand it, the clause stipulated that if the show was cancelled within one year, Norman Fell and Audra Lindley could return to the show. The show was cancelled five days after the deadline.

When Fell asked the producers about returning, they said the deadline had passed and shrugged their shoulders. Now, was the fact that it happened five days after the deadline a coincidence or did one of the producers have an inside track with someone at the network and ask them to wait to make the announcement five days after the stipulated date on the contract?

We'll never know.


Odds are good that this was a calculated announcement by the network and producers. Three's Company had Don Knotts and he was holding down the fort for less money than both Lindley and Fell. Ratings were still solid. If the landlord replacement had tanked ratings then I'm sure the producers would have renegotiated with Lindley and Fell before their contract deadline, and Fell would've figured the producers were honoring their promise. But it was all about money. You can bet that when there is money involved that honor and goodwill go right out the window in Hollywood. That contract (and choosing to announce five days after the deadline) just gave the producers an easy excuse to send Fell on his way.

I bet that kind of thing probably happens a lot in Hollywood---give an actor a contract to quiet his doubts in the moment, but the conditions of the contract are structured to give the "powers that be" the ability to manipulate the actor later on.