I believe that, after the fifth season, the show became unwatchable. Terri was so boring, she was not the best replacement for Chrissy, and I don't like the episodes. The Ropers were great and I also like Mr. Furley but the Ropers were the best, especially Helen. They were great as supporting actors, on the spin-off were still funny but as supporting actors they were better. I hate Lana, she's so stupid. To me, season 1-3 were the best, seasons 4-5 were still enjoyable, but after Chrissy's departure 3's company became unwatchable.
And you? What do you think? What are you favorite seasons and your least ones? What killed the show in your opinion?

P.S: Forgive me for my bad english. I'm italian but I watch the show in eng.

I thought it was consistently good until the end. Season 6 just may be my favorite season overall, actually. In general, I prefer Seasons 4-8 over Seasons 1-3, even though I also enjoyed the first 3 seasons in their own right.

Seasons 2 thru 4 are my favorite seasons of Three's Company. I think Season 8 was the worst out of all seasons because some episodes from that season weren't much entertaining.

I like the whole series but I like the first few seasons best because the original ensemble and landlords had the best chemistry and timing, and the writing was really strong.

I also prefer the sexual humor of the earlier seasons. As Chrissy grew dumber in Season 4 the show turned to more physical farce and had less bedroom humor, and the change is really noticeable by Season 6. Janet became wackier which was not consistent with her original sensible character. Furley became more of a friend and less of a threatening landlord. Toward the end the series started repeating itself, but every season has great episodes. Even Season 8 has "Jack's Tattoo" and "Grandma Jack," two of the best episodes in the whole series imo.

I wish they had done better stuff with Lana but that was the writers' fault. They even admitted they didn't know what to do with her.

I quite enjoyed the Terri era Three's Company. Terri wasn't exactly supposed to be another Chrissy. She was actually a smart (as smart as one could be on this show lol) independent, career orientated, young woman. I genuinely loved her.

It's true that once Suzanne left Chrissy's parts were spread out among the rest of the characters, but I loved it because we got to see more of Larry and Furley.

Season 7 is when the show started getting boring to me. Season 5 and 6 did okay, and in all honesty I think the Cindy character had a lot to do with keeping the show interesting, even though most people seemed to not like her as much as Terri.

I liked seasons 2-4 the best. I never cared for most of the episodes centered on Jack's Bistro. They were too over-the-top.

TOTALLY disagree. The show CLEARLY got better after Chrissy left as Chrissy herself admitted her dumb blonde act was getting OLD!

Cindy and then Terri were both HUGE breaths of fresh air! Maybe the show doesn't translate well into Italian? :lol:

TOTALLY disagree. The show CLEARLY got better after Chrissy left as Chrissy herself admitted her dumb blonde act was getting OLD!

Cindy and then Terri were both HUGE breaths of fresh air! Maybe the show doesn't translate well into Italian? :lol:

Hey look everyone, the troll is back. Hi, troll! :wave:

Could you imagine if Three’s Company started off as the show it was in Season 7 rather than what it was in the first couple of seasons? It would have lasted six episodes. There’s a lot of revisionist history going on here about how great the Terri episodes were. I can’t buy it. I saw the same episodes everybody else did. Greatness was those first two seasons of Three’s Company.

Season 7 is when the show started getting boring to me. Season 5 and 6 did okay, and in all honesty I think the Cindy character had a lot to do with keeping the show interesting, even though most people seemed to not like her as much as Terri.

I like more Cindy than Terri

I liked seasons 2-4 the best. I never cared for most of the episodes centered on Jack's Bistro. They were too over-the-top.

Never like Jack's Bistro period

Could you imagine if Three’s Company started off as the show it was in Season 7 rather than what it was in the first couple of seasons? It would have lasted six episodes. There’s a lot of revisionist history going on here about how great the Terri episodes were. I can’t buy it. I saw the same episodes everybody else did. Greatness was those first two seasons of Three’s Company.

This. I mean I love Terri and there are definitely brilliant episodes in the final three seasons, but the first three were where consistent magic happened. I don't think it was any accident that many of the earlier scripts were adapted from the original British Man About the House—the writers had a chance to refine existing material, which usually results in a tighter, more polished product.

Honestly i think it comes down to the first episodes fans watched when they first discovered the show. If the first episode was a Terri episode, they prefer the final seasons. If they started with the Chrissy episodes they tend to love the early seasons best.

But from writing, cultural, and critical perspectives, the first four seasons, especially Seasons 2 and 3, were the golden years. The ratings don't lie.

Could you imagine if Three’s Company started off as the show it was in Season 7 rather than what it was in the first couple of seasons? It would have lasted six episodes. There’s a lot of revisionist history going on here about how great the Terri episodes were. I can’t buy it. I saw the same episodes everybody else did. Greatness was those first two seasons of Three’s Company.

It would have lasted two or three episodes :lol::lol. I like some seasons 6-8 episodes, one or two episodes, but seasons 1-5 (especially the first three seasons) were great

This. I mean I love Terri and there are definitely brilliant episodes in the final three seasons, but the first three were where consistent magic happened. I don't think it was any accident that many of the earlier scripts were adapted from the original British Man About the House—the writers had a chance to refine existing material, which usually results in a tighter, more polished product.

Honestly i think it comes down to the first episodes fans watched when they first discovered the show. If the first episode was a Terri episode, they prefer the final seasons. If they started with the Chrissy episodes they tend to love the early seasons best.

But from writing, cultural, and critical perspectives, the first four seasons, especially Seasons 2 and 3, were the golden years. The ratings don't lie.
Exactly! Ratings were terrible during season 8. Plus, Three's A Crowd was a horrible show, it had the worst of season 8 of three's company and other bad stuff.

I liked seasons 2-4 the best. I never cared for most of the episodes centered on Jack's Bistro. They were too over-the-top.

I just want to add that I never thought the show became horrible until it became Threes a Crowd. I prefer the early seasons, but they also had good episodes in the later years, other than the awful Jack's Bistro garbage.

This. I mean I love Terri and there are definitely brilliant episodes in the final three seasons, but the first three were where consistent magic happened. I don't think it was any accident that many of the earlier scripts were adapted from the original British Man About the House—the writers had a chance to refine existing material, which usually results in a tighter, more polished product.

Honestly i think it comes down to the first episodes fans watched when they first discovered the show. If the first episode was a Terri episode, they prefer the final seasons. If they started with the Chrissy episodes they tend to love the early seasons best.

But from writing, cultural, and critical perspectives, the first four seasons, especially Seasons 2 and 3, were the golden years. The ratings don't lie.

I was one of those who saw the Terri episodes first. Though, I don't think my opinion would have changed had I seen the Chrissy episodes first.

I watched it when it was originally on and I loved it all the way til the end. Season 8 was probably my least favorite season but I still enjoyed it.

I think their peak years were when Suzanne was on the show. Because I think she was the only entertaining female they had. I didnt find Janet, Cindy or Terri funny. After Suzanne was Gone John Ritter carried the show. And John was great but I dont think the show as a whole was as good.

I thought the show was good it's whole run. I prefer the Ralph, Terri episodes the best these days. They just felt like more of a family- closer to each other. Some of the episodes from season 4 and 5 are cringeworthy and I can't watch them anymore.

Though I prefer the early seasons, even season eight has some good ones, like the Grandma Tripper episode, or the one where Janet inherits the vase (the scene with Jack in the lawyer’s office is very funny).

Every season is great. :lol:

The HORRIBLE shows are Friends, Seinfeld, Big Bang BARF, etc. :lol:

Three's Company is the GREATEST show of ALL TIME! :wave:

When Janet began to look like a tired Mom with the almost shoulder length hair in Season 7.

Except for the worst episode of the series which was in Season 7 'Bob and Carol, and Larry and Teri' I always enjoyed the show, I think partly due to having VHS tapes of recorded episodes there was never a moment where I woudn't pop in a tape in the VCR to watch the show.

And of the spin-offs I enjoyed Threes A Crowd, The Ropers was just boring.

Except for the worst episode of the series which was in Season 7 'Bob and Carol, and Larry and Teri' I always enjoyed the show, I think partly due to having VHS tapes of recorded episodes there was never a moment where I woudn't pop in a tape in the VCR to watch the show.

And of the spin-offs I enjoyed Threes A Crowd, The Ropers was just boring.

WTF?? That Bob & Carol episode was hilarious! Classic Three's Company!

I agree the show jumped the shark when Jack got his bistro. Also if you notice most of the episodes in the last season where only about jack. The girls played a supporting role. Gosh things got so dumb like Hair Today Gone tomorrow, and Jack's Tattoo. They even recycled old scripts. Remember season 1 when the kids hid the puppy from Mr Roper. In the last season the kids hide a kitten from Mr Furley. Some of the last episodes are so dumb that they are almost fun to watch because they are so stupid. Everyone is over acting because the scripts are so dumb.

WTF?? That Bob & Carol episode was hilarious! Classic Three's Company!
I hated that episode mostly because we dont know who Bob and Carol are. They talk about them and are so concerned about them as if they are best friends. Yet we never heard of them before. Lame.

I hated that episode mostly because we dont know who Bob and Carol are. They talk about them and are so concerned about them as if they are best friends. Yet we never heard of them before. Lame.

But that doesn't matter.

What matters is if it's funny & it was hilarious! It's understood Bob & Carol are their friends. This is only a half hour show so it's obvious we're not introduced to ALL their friends in only half hour!

I agree the show jumped the shark when Jack got his bistro. .
Jack getting the bistro is more of a natural progression of the character, a jumping the shark moment would be something stupid if say Jack opened a bistro on Mars or if one of the girls got inexplicably pregnant.

Jack getting the bistro is more of a natural progression of the character, a jumping the shark moment would be something stupid if say Jack opened a bistro on Mars or if one of the girls got inexplicably pregnant.
Yes but its the moment in a sitcom when the series is over and just plain dumb. Most times its the introduction of a new character i.e. Oliver on the Brady Bunch or the new kid on Family Ties.
But the phrase comes from Fonzie actually jumping a shark on Happy Days. So the Bistro is a benchmark in the show where things got really dumb IMHO. I think Larry singing at the Bistro, the reverend thinking the Bistro is a house of prostitutes were just so plain dumb.

The well had run dry by the time Jack got the bistro. I think Furley was spending more time at the bistro than he was being a landlord. Lol It was sort of sad that a single man his age was hanging around these young people that much anyways.

The well had run dry by the time Jack got the bistro. I think Furley was spending more time at the bistro than he was being a landlord. Lol It was sort of sad that a single man his age was hanging around these young people that much anyways.

As if Furley did that much as a landlord to begin with! :lol:

Yes but its the moment in a sitcom when the series is over and just plain dumb. Most times its the introduction of a new character i.e. Oliver on the Brady Bunch or the new kid on Family Ties.
But the phrase comes from Fonzie actually jumping a shark on Happy Days. So the Bistro is a benchmark in the show where things got really dumb IMHO. I think Larry singing at the Bistro, the reverend thinking the Bistro is a house of prostitutes were just so plain dumb.
I agree with Mace Dolex. It would be natural for Jack to advance in his career to running his own restaurant. Maybe you can quibble with the execution, though. But overall I didn't mind the bistro.

I thought it was stupid for Larry to suddenly be a terrible singer who was annoying Jack's customers. A few seasons earlier, he was a great crooner helping Jack lip-synch a romantic song to his jilted girlfriend.

The Bistro did give more scripts but they were so dumb. Yesterday they aired on Logo the episode where Jack and Furley are locked in the freezer. That script has been used on so many different sitcoms.
Although I admit sometimes the scripts are so dumb in the last 2 seasons that they are so bad they are almost fun to watch......almost like a train wreck. The city inspector who tried to bribe Jack and Furley gets the "pot" are so dumb but I like to watch them.

By this time in the show, the 80s were in full swing. Gone were the humble roommates with patches on their jeans and not able to pay the rent. Suddenly Janet and Terri were wearing designer clothes and somehow Jack could afford a restaurant. Janet bought a car (that we never saw), and Terri making all the overtime as a nurse had a share a small apartment with 2 other people. It just got silly. The early days, the kids really struggled and it was just more believable.

But my biggest peeve of the last few seasons was the overacting of the actors. I think the scripts were so dumb that they were forced to over act their parts.

Was Suzanne Somers' abrupt departure the tipping point (https://www.quora.com/Did-Threes-Company-improve-when-the-Ropers-and-Suzanne-Somers-left/answer/Jon-Mixon-1):

The Ropers were replaced by the usually great Don Knotts, who seemed to be ill-at-ease with the humor and whose role primarily consisted of mugging for the camera and ogling the female actors.
Suzanne Sommers was vital to the success of the program. After she left, the series limped along with two replacements, neither of whom attracted much attention from the fans.
The series tried to “promote” background characters like Larry (the upstairs neighbor) and it introduced Lana as a sex interest for John Ritter’s Jack Tripper character. Neither move worked and the series began to decline.
When John Ritter was drafted into the sole starring role (and his future series wife was introduced, yet another actor who didn’t work out overall) he wasn’t up to the task. His pratfalls and mugging became tiring as it was clearly forced; and the character’s growth was never a priority.
The writing didn’t get better. The best shows are during the Roper/Sommers era and following that time period the series simply became an exercise in mediocre television narratives.

The writing didn’t get better. The best shows are during the Roper/Sommers era and following that time period the series simply became an exercise in mediocre television narratives.

This has to be the most INACCURATE statement in sitcom HISTORY! There's Company got INFINITELY better AFTER Suzanne left as her dumb blonde act got stale after Season 2!

The writing also clearly got better after Suzanne left with episodes like "Up in the Air", "Two Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" , "A Friend in Need", "Urban Ploughboy" & "And Now Here's Jack" & those are just some of the best episodes from Season 6!

So you can see those episodes blow away the episodes from the early years when Chrissy was acting like a ******** MORON!!

The show never became worst, season 7 has the best eps and season 8 has some good ones too

Agnes episode
Atm episode
Gym episode

Was Suzanne Somers' abrupt departure the tipping point (https://www.quora.com/Did-Threes-Company-improve-when-the-Ropers-and-Suzanne-Somers-left/answer/Jon-Mixon-1):

The Ropers were replaced by the usually great Don Knotts, who seemed to be ill-at-ease with the humor and whose role primarily consisted of mugging for the camera and ogling the female actors.
Suzanne Sommers was vital to the success of the program. After she left, the series limped along with two replacements, neither of whom attracted much attention from the fans.
The series tried to “promote” background characters like Larry (the upstairs neighbor) and it introduced Lana as a sex interest for John Ritter’s Jack Tripper character. Neither move worked and the series began to decline.
When John Ritter was drafted into the sole starring role (and his future series wife was introduced, yet another actor who didn’t work out overall) he wasn’t up to the task. His pratfalls and mugging became tiring as it was clearly forced; and the character’s growth was never a priority.
The writing didn’t get better. The best shows are during the Roper/Sommers era and following that time period the series simply became an exercise in mediocre television narratives.


They were never able to replace Suzanne. Whether people like her personally or not she was huge. The chemistry was never the same. They had to rely more on John because Terri and Cindy weren't funny. I agree they made her too stupid but that's the writer's fault. Not hers. Harrison and Barnes never became top stars like Suzanne. The producers were probably happy about that because they wouldn't be asking for raises.

I agree Don Knotts mugging and funny faces became annoying. But to the producers he was cheaper than the Ropers.

With respect to this series, Ritter was the star and the producers were certainly of the opinion that John was the main reason for the series success. Every change on the series favored one person at the expense of the rest and that was John. The Ropers were basically kicked off the show, Fell knew his series was doomed and asked a provision be placed in his contract that The Ropers could return as characters on the mother series, no dice. Both Fell and Lindley were scene stealers and stars don't like that, adios Fell and Lindley. Next up Somers, she and her husband are very savvy business people (take a look at how she has been marketed after she left the series) they could see there was a real power play taking place and the fought back. It's pretty obvious the issues could have been resolved but they weren't, adios Somers. Harrison is next, I thought she was doing well on the show but her character was similar to Chrissy and therefore she was too much a contrast to the Janet character, John wanted the female roommates to be interchangeable so out goes Harrison in comes Barnes, the blond Janet. The constant giving in to Ritter's demands worked for Three's Company, let's face it the ratings stay strong for most the series run in spite of the constant upheavals. The show I enjoyed was Three's Company, not the show it became, John Ritter Show. In my opinion the producers giving in to Ritter probably cost them any shot at success with Three's a Crowd.

IMHO, Suzanne left right before the show would have gotten stale anyway. Successful sitcoms rarely keep their steam after 5 seasons. Her departure just hurried things up. However the show was so good that even with dumb scripts and over used pratfalls, the show kept going even though it was running on fumes.

With respect to this series, Ritter was the star and the producers were certainly of the opinion that John was the main reason for the series success. Every change on the series favored one person at the expense of the rest and that was John. The Ropers were basically kicked off the show, Fell knew his series was doomed and asked a provision be placed in his contract that The Ropers could return as characters on the mother series, no dice. Both Fell and Lindley were scene stealers and stars don't like that, adios Fell and Lindley.
This doesn't sound right to me. If I'm a star who's worried about protecting my spot, I would be less concerned about Norman Fell and Audra Lindley stealing my scenes as opposed to a television legend like Don Knotts.

Harrison is next, I thought she was doing well on the show but her character was similar to Chrissy and therefore she was too much a contrast to the Janet character, John wanted the female roommates to be interchangeable so out goes Harrison in comes Barnes, the blond Janet.
Didn't the ratings go down after Cindy was brought onto the show? I thought I remembered hearing about that somewhere.

This doesn't sound right to me. If I'm a star who's worried about protecting my spot, I would be less concerned about Norman Fell and Audra Lindley stealing my scenes as opposed to a television legend like Don Knotts.


Didn't the ratings go down after Cindy was brought onto the show? I thought I remembered hearing about that somewhere.
Yes the ratings went down when Suzanne left/Cindy came (depends on who you like least).

Strangely IMHO the season with Cindy was better than the rest with Terri. Nothing against Terri but the show had run its course and after 1 season of Terri, everything had been done or said.

The ratings did go up when Terri joined, at least for that one season.

The show still finished in the top 10 after the 5th season with chrissy being at her mom's house as #8

The 6th season when terri joined the show's ratings went up to #4

The 7th season the show fell only two spots down and finished at #6....my favorite:)

The 8th season the show fell all the way to #33 which because of a show called Riptide on NBC at 9pm

The show still finished in the top 10 after the 5th season with chrissy being at her mom's house as #8

The 6th season when terri joined the show's ratings went up to #4

The 7th season the show fell only two spots down and finished at #6....my favorite:)

The 8th season the show fell all the way to #33 which because of a show called Riptide on NBC at 9pm
1st Season was okay but it was just starting and was a test season since it only had six episodes and was very subtle and mild

2nd Season the show started to pick up but still had that starting out but on it’s way, subtle and mild feeling

3rd Season this was when the show was at the start of it’s peak and was starting to shine the only lowlights was The Ropers departing and Chrissy’s lack in intelligence

4th Season this was the best season all the episodes were enjoyable and upbeat and fun from start-to-finish and it showed that they could be successful without The Ropers even though I wasn’t that big on Mr. Furley the only lowlight was Chrissy’s unintelligent sounding snorting and her acting like a lobotomy

5th Season was okay but wasn’t as fun and upbeat and enjoyable as Season 4 because of behind the scenes tension that can easily be seen when John and Joyce make expressions at the beginning of the season and the show being a roommate short (Chrissy) for a couple of episodes but at least Chrissy was later replaced by Cindy (why on earth they didn’t make her Chrissy’s sister is beyond me) but Cindy’s clumsiness and klutziness and weirdness and retardedness was too much to handle sometimes

6th Season had it’s okay moments but was mediocre overall because of one character, one name………TERRI………she was so pointless, dry, boring, dull, and uninteresting, ruined the whole season

Seasons 7 and 8…………let’s just say weren’t worth mentioning :lol::lol::lol::lol: especially Season 8

1st Season was okay but it was just starting and was a test season since it only had six episodes and was very subtle and mild

2nd Season the show started to pick up but still had that starting out but on it’s way, subtle and mild feeling

3rd Season this was when the show was at the start of it’s peak and was starting to shine the only lowlights was The Ropers departing and Chrissy’s lack in intelligence

4th Season this was the best season all the episodes were enjoyable and upbeat and fun from start-to-finish and it showed that they could be successful without The Ropers even though I wasn’t that big on Mr. Furley the only lowlight was Chrissy’s unintelligent sounding snorting and her acting like a lobotomy

5th Season was okay but wasn’t as fun and upbeat and enjoyable as Season 4 because of behind the scenes tension that can easily be seen when John and Joyce make expressions at the beginning of the season and the show being a roommate short (Chrissy) for a couple of episodes but at least Chrissy was later replaced by Cindy (why on earth they didn’t make her Chrissy’s sister is beyond me) but Cindy’s clumsiness and klutziness and weirdness and retardedness was too much to handle sometimes

6th Season had it’s okay moments but was mediocre overall because of one character, one name………TERRI………she was so pointless, dry, boring, dull, and uninteresting, ruined the whole season

Seasons 7 and 8…………let’s just say weren’t worth mentioning :lol::lol::lol::lol: especially Season 8


Im surprised you dont like season 7, all those fun eps

extra extra
diamond jack
going to pot
grand opening
dentist
Larry sister
jack goes the distance
double date


Only episode I didnt care for was Star struck, when terri was in love with the movie star

Im surprised you dont like season 7, all those fun eps

extra extra
diamond jack
going to pot
grand opening
dentist
Larry sister
jack goes the distance
double date


Only episode I didnt care for was Star struck, when terri was in love with the movie star
Out of all those episodes, the ones I like are

Diamond Jack
Going To Pot
Grand Opening
Jack Goes The Distance
Double Date

But you-know-who ruined those

Out of all those episodes, the ones I like are

Diamond Jack
Going To Pot
Grand Opening
Jack Goes The Distance
Double Date

But you-know-who ruined those


I didnt like that brunch episode with the old lady

I didnt like that brunch episode with the old lady
I thought Jack’s side man and side chick Leo and Gladys was annoying, but Terri takes the cake. I can’t tolerate dry, boring, dull, uninteresting characters.

This doesn't sound right to me. If I'm a star who's worried about protecting my spot, I would be less concerned about Norman Fell and Audra Lindley stealing my scenes as opposed to a television legend like Don Knotts.


Didn't the ratings go down after Cindy was brought onto the show? I thought I remembered hearing about that somewhere.
,
Interesting comment about Don. Actually Don was probably the perfect choice based on Ritter's approach to the series, Don may have been recommended by Lucille Ball who Ritter was friendly with. Don was the second banana's second banana, he knew how to get over without stepping on the stars toes. He did it with Andy Griffith, and he did it with Steve Allen.

With respect the Harrison, the rating did go down the season she became a regular but that was the season Somers was phased out, it was remarkable the show stayed in the top 10 based on the bad publicity it received.

I thought Jack’s side man and side chick Leo and Gladys was annoying, but Terri takes the cake. I can’t tolerate dry, boring, dull, uninteresting characters.

I would have thrown leo old ass out:lol::lol:

I would have thrown leo old ass out:lol::lol:
I could’ve sworn Leo was Jack’s side man behind closed doors :lol::lol::lol:

The show never became worst, season 7 has the best eps and season 8 has some good ones too

Agnes episode
Atm episode
Gym episode

Agreed but Seasons 6 thru 8 all had most of the best episodes of the series with most other best episodes occurring in Season 5.

Suzanne didn't realize how expendable a dumb blonde really is because things clearly got better AFTER she left!

Season 4 has some great episodes but Crissy became a bleach blonde bimbo which was so annoying. The writers were capitalizing on her popularity instead of sticking to the script of how the show worked. Crissy was naive. She was very attractive but not a bimbo. They made her a sex symbol blonde bimbo with no intelligence.

Agreed but Seasons 6 thru 8 all had most of the best episodes of the series with most other best episodes occurring in Season 5.

Suzanne didn't realize how expendable a dumb blonde really is because things clearly got better AFTER she left!

You mean her husband didnt realize how expendable she was since he was the one who started the hold out and telling her she was the star lol

You mean her husband didnt realize how expendable she was since he was the one who started the hold out and telling her she was the star lol

LOL..I know. Suzanne's husband was completely DELUSIONAL! Any FOOL could tell Jack Tripper was the star of the show & Suzanne was just another pretty face which there are ZILLIONS of!

BUMP -- I was watching one of the Cindy episodes recently and noticing how good Janet (Joyce) looked in it. She really looked FINE...! Probably looking her best overall for the series.

BUMP -- I was watching one of the Cindy episodes recently and noticing how good Janet (Joyce) looked in it. She really looked FINE...! Probably looking her best overall for the series.

what was the plot? In like Larry?

It was a Jeffrey Tambor episode "Father of the Bride" from Feb. 1981 -- Three's Company season 5, ep 13. Joyce was in such great shape.

It was a Jeffrey Tambor episode "Father of the Bride" from Feb. 1981 -- Three's Company season 5, ep 13. Joyce was in such great shape.

Ok yeah that ep was just on

It was a Jeffrey Tambor episode "Father of the Bride" from Feb. 1981 -- Three's Company season 5, ep 13. Joyce was in such great shape.

Yeah, Joyce was a stunner in her prime.

I wouldn’t say Three’s Company got horrible. I loved the series as a whole, and I do feel in my opinion the first three, even fourth are my preference because that chemistry between John, Joyce and Suzanne was undeniably rich. The show got new writers in season 4 (I love the Weiskopf/Baser penned episodes) so Chrissy really became the dumb bimbo. The change was really evident in Jacks Bad Boy, when her delivery was almost baby talk for the rest of the season. Season 5 I really like because Cindy to me was a breath of fresh air, but the episodes went from an ensemble to mainly being John’s show. And this is not a knock on John because I love John Ritter, but I felt like the ensemble nature slowly phased itself out. Season 6 was amazing, and I feel the only great Terri season because in season 7, her Janet became interchangeable. Also the laugh track in the last two seasons seemed pretty forced in many scenes (there’s a consistent female laugh in every episode from season 7 through Three’s a Crowd I find highly annoying) I know a live audience was there every week, but there seemed to be forced laughter in scenes that weren’t all that funny. I never felt the show got terrible, it just started losing steam toward the end.

I wouldn’t say Three’s Company got horrible. I loved the series as a whole, and I do feel in my opinion the first three, even fourth are my preference because that chemistry between John, Joyce and Suzanne was undeniably rich. The show got new writers in season 4 (I love the Weiskopf/Baser penned episodes) so Chrissy really became the dumb bimbo. The change was really evident in Jacks Bad Boy, when her delivery was almost baby talk for the rest of the season. Season 5 I really like because Cindy to me was a breath of fresh air, but the episodes went from an ensemble to mainly being John’s show. And this is not a knock on John because I love John Ritter, but I felt like the ensemble nature slowly phased itself out. Season 6 was amazing, and I feel the only great Terri season because in season 7, her Janet became interchangeable. Also the laugh track in the last two seasons seemed pretty forced in many scenes (there’s a consistent female laugh in every episode from season 7 through Three’s a Crowd I find highly annoying) I know a live audience was there every week, but there seemed to be forced laughter in scenes that weren’t all that funny. I never felt the show got terrible, it just started losing steam toward the end.
Excellent observations and I agree with most everything you said. The baby talk Crissy was annoying. I also loved the addition of Cindy. That season was hit or miss but has some of my favorite episodes:
Downhill Chaser
The not so great imposter
Jacks other mother
Janets Secret
And Baby Makes four
The night of the Ropers
Double Trouble - only Ritter and Lucile Ball could pull this one off
Dying to meet you
The case of the missing blonde

Those episodes are great. The others meh and the show starts its decline IMHO. The next season 6 had a much fewer GREAT episodes and soon they were all gone and everything else is meh. Meh meaning "typical sitcom." Threes Company no longer had me falling out of my chair laughing and it was just your typical show. Good but not the outstanding writing and performance of the other years. The Terri years lost the magic and they were going through the motions. Stale scripts and there never was the chemistry with Terri that the first 3 had those first 4 seasons. I wonder if Suzanne never left how things would have played out into the mid 80s with Crissy being a babbling idiot. I think it would have gotten stale which is why the season with Cindy being a klutz worked because IMHO it was a refreshing reset. We got several episodes centered around Cindy. By the time Terri got there, almost every episode was centered around Jack.
That being said, I though the call in Crissy scenes should not have happened. I understand ABC still had her under contract and ABC had her in the opening, etc. But they were so out of place. Even worse, Crissy was beyond a babbling idiot in these scenes. Crissy's last episode she also was reduced to being a complete idiot.

Excellent observations and I agree with most everything you said. The baby talk Crissy was annoying. I also loved the addition of Cindy. That season was hit or miss but has some of my favorite episodes:
Downhill Chaser
The not so great imposter
Jacks other mother
Janets Secret
And Baby Makes four
The night of the Ropers
Double Trouble - only Ritter and Lucile Ball could pull this one off
Dying to meet you
The case of the missing blonde

Those episodes are great. The others meh and the show starts its decline IMHO. The next season 6 had a much fewer GREAT episodes and soon they were all gone and everything else is meh. Meh meaning "typical sitcom." Threes Company no longer had me falling out of my chair laughing and it was just your typical show. Good but not the outstanding writing and performance of the other years. The Terri years lost the magic and they were going through the motions. Stale scripts and there never was the chemistry with Terri that the first 3 had those first 4 seasons. I wonder if Suzanne never left how things would have played out into the mid 80s with Crissy being a babbling idiot. I think it would have gotten stale which is why the season with Cindy being a klutz worked because IMHO it was a refreshing reset. We got several episodes centered around Cindy. By the time Terri got there, almost every episode was centered around Jack.
That being said, I though the call in Crissy scenes should not have happened. I understand ABC still had her under contract and ABC had her in the opening, etc. But they were so out of place. Even worse, Crissy was beyond a babbling idiot in these scenes. Crissy's last episode she also was reduced to being a complete idiot.


Or they should leave out the phone scenes altogether in syndication to avoid confusing new fans of the show

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Interesting comment about Don. Actually Don was probably the perfect choice based on Ritter's approach to the series, Don may have been recommended by Lucille Ball who Ritter was friendly with. Don was the second banana's second banana, he knew how to get over without stepping on the stars toes. He did it with Andy Griffith, and he did it with Steve Allen.

With respect the Harrison, the rating did go down the season she became a regular but that was the season Somers was phased out, it was remarkable the show stayed in the top 10 based on the bad publicity it received.

I read (https://jacksonupperco.com/2015/06/30/the-ten-best-threes-company-episodes-of-season-four/#comment-48626) that Don Knotts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxXAbHSm1gk) approached and likened Three's Company (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOChbUV84FY) to sketch comedy. It never really had good stories, but it was strong in terms of gags and jokes.