I don't entirely know if Three's A Crowd (https://jacksonupperco.com/2015/07/29/when-three-became-a-crowd-a-look-at-the-last-threes-company-spin-off/) only lasted a year due to viewer apathy (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125202/http://www.jumptheshark.com/t/threesacrowd.htm) over the radical retool (dumping Janet, Terri, Mr. Furley, and Larry in order to give Jack the complete spotlight), to the point in which the series finale of Three's Company is a defacto advertisement/pilot for Three's A Crowd. I mean even firing Suzanne Somers did not get viewers as angry (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125202/http://www.jumptheshark.com/t/threescompany.htm) as this retooling did.

In fairness, you can also argue that Three's Company was starting to run out of gas by the eighth season (https://jacksonupperco.com/2015/07/28/the-ten-best-threes-company-episodes-of-season-eight/). After being a top ten rated show from Seasons 2-7, it dropped all the way down to #33 in its last year (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three's_Company#Season_8_(1983%E2%80%9384)).

I would have happily had a Season 9 of Three's Company instead of Three's a Crowd. I thought the show was great for all 8 seasons, and I think a 9th season would have been nice. Jack is a great character and everything, but it wasn't the same without Janet, Terri and everyone else.

Yes, given the choice I would have rather had a Season 9 of Three's Company, even if quality dipped. IMO even the worst Three's Company episode had funny, memorable moments.

Part of what makes Season 8 so bad in viewers' minds is the bad ending. Had the series kept going with its normal output it could have gone another season.

Also, one can always dream that Season 9 would've offered a better ending for the series, or maybe just have it end on a regular episode without a grand farewell.

Of course we would've taken a season 9 but even John said they were running out ideas. If they did a season 9 but it bombed then that would've been an AWFUL way to end the show!

I think the show was getting tired, and the roommates seemed too old to live together anymore. I wish they had done the “Three’s a Crowd” pilot a few episodes before the end of TC, and let the final episode focus solely on the TC cast. And I wish they had cast a different actress as Vicky - she was so dull and had no chemistry with Jack. A different actress (not Joyce Dewitt; Janet and Jack were more like brother and sister) would have made a big difference. But the producers were convinced that John Ritter could handle the carry the show himself, and they didn’t think the female lead was nearly as important.

I have mixed feelings because I remember the show starting to slow down, but I loved the chemistry of TC. TAC just wasn't as funny with the convoluted relationship between Jack and Bradford.

ABSOLUTELY 100%!!

But John Ritter complained they were running out of ideas. They needed to hire 1 or 2 more writers if they wanted a 9th season.