I always preferred Mr. Furley when I was younger. I liked Don Knott's a lot. Mostly because of TAGS, but he was good in pretty much everything in my opinion.

Now when I watch the show, I'm really digging Mr. Roper. He has much more of a sinister streak than Furley. He spies on sunbathers at a nude beach and has a collection of nudie magazines but wouldn't have sex with his own wife to save his life.

Who do you prefer?




http://www.smalltime.com/Dictator

Furley! Nothing against Norman Fell -- he was great in the role -- but the Stanley and Helen thing was pretty much a one joke bit and got a little old after awhile. I can never get enough of Don Knotts.

I like them both, it's hard to pick one over the other since I've been a fan of the show for 32 years now that the characters grow on you.

https://media0.giphy.com/media/UB0DjmLXtJvjy/200_s.gif

I must admit that i love them both, but have to give the edge to Mr. Furley. It must be because after Chrissy left, they gave a lot of the "ditzy" lines to him. I'd always have a good laugh when he would hyperventilate and stop breathing turning into a mummy of sorts! And also when he would act macho and do that manly sniff -

Too funny.

Between the two I prefer Mr. Roper.I've always liked Don Knotts and of course he played Barney on The Andy Griffith Show to perfection. However on Three's Company I always thought Norman Fell as Roper was just a little funnier to me than Furley.Both actors and characters are great though.

Between the two alone it would be Furley. But I always think of Mr. and Mrs. Roper as a matching set, so them together beat Mr. Furley. I love Furley, though. He was much more lovable and outlandish than Roper.

Furley

Mr. Furley for me too.

Roper Vs. Furley Fight Promotion!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzsrjUNIK98&feature=youtu.be

Roper. Fell was a better actor than Knotts. Furley was more of a cartoon than Roper. The show's relative realism of the Roper years compared to what came later can't be beat.

furley but i liked mr roper too

Roper. Fell was a better actor than Knotts. Furley was more of a cartoon than Roper. The show's relative realism of the Roper years compared to what came later can't be beat.
I agree with this. Just to add that Roper was also more of antagonist than Furley. Roper generally didn't help the kids out unless there was something in it for him.

Roper just for that simple little grin or smile in the camera when he think he said something smart.

https://i0.wp.com/24.media.tumblr.com/55cd3032deaf469e900db93c86a40dad/tumblr_mpatvb1C291qcmk4ho7_250.gif

Roper. Never liked Don Knotts.

Roper

Even though Don Knotts was funnier than Norman Fell, Knotts' personality was too big for a supporting character and became grating. Norman Fell hit just the right tone.

Fell's character though, wasn't strong enough for a starring role and that's why The Ropers failed.

Even though Don Knotts was funnier than Norman Fell, Knotts' personality was too big for a supporting character and became grating. Norman Fell hit just the right tone.

Fell's character though, wasn't strong enough for a starring role and that's why The Ropers failed.
Yeah, I think this statement sums it up well.

I like both but Mr. Roper is really funny with his wife.:crazy:

I like both but Mr. Roper is really funny with his wife.:crazy:


I see that you are new to this site. I am sure that you are going to have a lot of fun here!

Roper just for that simple little grin or smile in the camera when he think he said something smart.

I couldn't agree more. I feel that Mr. Roper's smirk at the camera quite often helped the more painfully farcical elements of an episode be more tolerable.

I couldn't agree more. I feel that Mr. Roper's smirk at the camera quite often helped the more painfully farcical elements of an episode be more tolerable.
Roper smiling at the camera and breaking the Fourth Wall shouldn't work, but it's hilarious. Probably because there's a bit of devilishness to the grin.

Roper. Stanley and Helen are as big a part of the show as Janet, Jack and Chrissy.

The later additions are all good (even Cindy) but the originals were all A+ characters and casting.

ROPER

I gotta go with Furley. He brings a lot of energy.

I gotta go with Furley. He brings a lot of energy to the show.

You can say that again.

Even though Don Knotts was funnier than Norman Fell, Knotts' personality was too big for a supporting character and became grating. Norman Fell hit just the right tone.

Fell's character though, wasn't strong enough for a starring role and that's why The Ropers failed.

But the Ropers had a fantastic co-star with Jeffrey Tambor as Mr.Brooks! The foil and comedy between those 2 was classic!

It was good enough to go on 2 or 3 more seasons but back then you had a lot fewer channels so it just couldn't compete against other shows.

I'll take the Ropers over ANY comedy today! I don't like today's sitcoms at all.

But the Ropers had a fantastic co-star with Jeffrey Tambor as Mr.Brooks! The foil and comedy between those 2 was classic!

It was good enough to go on 2 or 3 more seasons but back then you had a lot fewer channels so it just couldn't compete against other shows.

I'll take the Ropers over ANY comedy today! I don't like today's sitcoms at all.

Why did Roper still hold the plunger in is hand during the opening of The Ropers, when he was no longer the manager/maintenance man?

I liked Furley more although the Ropers were nice too, especially Mrs. Roper

Furley! Nothing against Norman Fell -- he was great in the role -- but the Stanley and Helen thing was pretty much a one joke bit and got a little old after awhile. I can never get enough of Don Knotts.

Agreed! I think the show got a lot better with the addition of Mr. Furley !:) He was one of my favorite characters on TC ! ;)

Why did Roper still hold the plunger in is hand during the opening of The Ropers, when he was no longer the manager/maintenance man?

But he was still the maintenance man for Helen because he was too cheap to pay for a plumber remember?

Mr. Furley, easily. I like his over-the-top expressions. He was a perfect fit for the show.

I don't like the Ropers as much. Though, I did like it whenever Mr. Roper would smile at the camera when he said something funny.

Mr. Furley, easily. I like his over-the-top expressions. He was a perfect fit for the show.

I don't like the Ropers as much. Though, I did like it whenever Mr. Roper would smile at the camera when he said something funny.

Agreed.

Don Knotts was a comedy legend. Norman Fell can't really compare. Although Don Knotts was legendary for being a dork and loser on screen! However in real life it seems he did very well with the ladies.

You notice Don Knotts always looked older than his age? Even when he was younger on the Andy Griffith show.

The Ropers did have that husband and wife comedy that Furley didn't have but that was already getting old after 3 seaons. Helen constantly nagging and complaining about Stanley was getting stale.

Seems most people in this thread prefer Furley. The show was far more interesting, controversial, and provocative in the Roper years though, you have to admit.

JkU7Seems most people in this thread prefer Furley. The show was far more interesting, controvesial, and provocative in the Roper years though, you have to admit.

Actually, as it stands now it looks like the score is 12-11 in favor of Mr.Roper, with one tie (Mace Dolex).

Seems most people in this thread prefer Furley. The show was far more interesting, controversial, and provocative in the Roper years though, you have to admit.

You're joking right??

By far the funniest episodes were in seasons 5 to 8. Of course there were funny episodes in the first 4 seasons too mostly thanks to John Ritter but seasons 5 to 8 had the best episodes.

Chrissy's dumb blonde act was getting VERY stale VERY fast in the first 4 seasons.

You're joking right??

By far the funniest episodes were in seasons 5 to 8. Of course there were funny episodes in the first 4 seasons too mostly thanks to John Ritter but seasons 5 to 8 had the best episodes.

Chrissy's dumb blonde act was getting VERY stale VERY fast in the first 4 seasons.

JSP didn't say "funnier," he said the show was a lot more provocative in the earlier seasons. I agree with him—the show was a lot cheekier in Seasons 1-3. Season 4 and onward it was mostly physical farce. It was all funny but in different ways.

I definitely prefer the Roper school of funny over the Furley school. I guess a lot of people prefer Furley over Mr. Roper because he’s more “likeable”, but some of the best characters in sitcom history have nothing to do with being likeable.

Mr. Roper is like Dwight Schrute or Ted Baxter or Eric Cartman. Those kinds of characters that aren’t necessarily the most politically correct or socially acceptable. That to me is where true comedy lies. If a sitcom doesn’t have that kind of character, it just lacks the necessary edge to make the humor truly lasting.

Though I guess you could say Larry was also like the above characters, but in a different way from Mr. Roper.

I definitely prefer the Roper school of funny over the Furley school. I guess a lot of people prefer Furley over Mr. Roper because he’s more “likeable”, but some of the best characters in sitcom history have nothing to do with being likeable.

Mr. Roper is like Dwight Schrute or Ted Baxter or Eric Cartman. Those kinds of characters that aren’t necessarily the most politically correct or socially acceptable. That to me is where true comedy lies. If a sitcom doesn’t have that kind of character, it just lacks the necessary edge to make the humor truly lasting.

Though I guess you could say Larry was also like the above characters, but in a different way from Mr. Roper.

I agree, Furley was more "likable" but Roper was more interesting because he was the closest thing to a villain that we ever saw on TC. The roommates vs. landlord conflict was what drove the earlier seasons, and it also gave the series a sexier, forbidden flavor because the roommates had to hide sex of all types or risk real consequences. Because Roper is such a hardass authority figure, it's more satisfying to laugh at him when he fails, whereas laughing at Furley is always tinged with sympathy or pity. And story-wise, as soon as Furley showed up the trio started getting outside of the apartment more often because he became less and less threatening landlord-wise.

And I also agree with you that Larry injected a similar type of energy to the show, too, because he was always encouraging misbehavior. The main trio were so virtuous that imps and villains were necessary to keep things spicy.

The Ropers. I've never been a Don Knotts fan

I agree, Furley was more "likable" but Roper was more interesting because he was the closest thing to a villain that we ever saw on TC. The roommates vs. landlord conflict was what drove the earlier seasons, and it also gave the series a sexier, forbidden flavor because the roommates had to hide sex of all types or risk real consequences. Because Roper is such a hardass authority figure, it's more satisfying to laugh at him when he fails, whereas laughing at Furley is always tinged with sympathy or pity. And story-wise, as soon as Furley showed up the trio started getting outside of the apartment more often because he became less and less threatening landlord-wise.

And I also agree with you that Larry injected a similar type of energy to the show, too, because he was always encouraging misbehavior. The main trio were so virtuous that imps and villains were necessary to keep things spicy.
I apologize for piggybacking, but I agree with every word both JSP and JackJanetChrissy said here.

I loved Furley, but he wasn't the antagonist heel that Roper was. Furley would do a favor for Jack. Roper would do a favor for Jack too...if there was something in it for him (Roper).

You're joking right??

By far the funniest episodes were in seasons 5 to 8. Of course there were funny episodes in the first 4 seasons too mostly thanks to John Ritter but seasons 5 to 8 had the best episodes.

Chrissy's dumb blonde act was getting VERY stale VERY fast in the first 4 seasons.

I like the later seasons too, but IMO the best seasons of Threes Company is 2-4

I loved both of them. They each worked well on the show in their own way.

Easily Furley. Stanley would have never gave Jack the first month's rent money to open his Bistro.

Roper was sort of gruff and he and Helen were sort of one-joke characters, in some ways I prefer them over RF.