'Man About the House' - Robin and Chrissy dynamic

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

If you haven't seen 'Man About the House', the British original, I'll try to explain what I mean. I meant to make this last year when I saw the show for the first time. (Guh, they had all 'series' of the show available online except the 6th and final one, which I still have yet to see). Anyway, it's a wonderful show in its own right and I fell in love with it. I have to say that I was more fascinated by the two shows' differences than its similarities - and one in particular.

For clarification: Robin = Jack
Chrissy = Janet
Jo = Chrissy

From the beginning, there was a deliberate hinting at a Robin/Chrissy pairing. The flirtation, the story lines, etc. I noticed that episodes we are familiar with that showed that Jack had a crush on Chrissy in the beginning were actually reversed in the British version. "Alone Together," for instance, was focused on Robin and Chrissy (Janet and Jack), not Robin and Jo. There is an episode with a party where there is romantic tension between Robin and Chrissy, and if I remember correctly they do kiss (if not, then nearly). Even the babysitting episode put Chrissy (Janet) in the focus of that episode with Robin. The show was very much focused more on the relationship between Robin and Chrissy, as opposed to the entire three. Jo seemed to fade to the background a bit. If you want more examples that prove it, just take a look at the Man About the House episode guide.

Do you guys remember the episode where Chrissy dated Jack's brother and he was raving jealous? In Man About the House, this was the premise for the finale...and it again, you guessed it, reversed the roles of the resident blonde and brunette. In this case, however, Robin (Jack) decides that he has feelings for Chrissy (Janet). He nearly tells her, but decides on her happiness and allows her to marry his brother. He proceeds to move in with his girlfriend and we got "Robin's Nest." As someone who had already been a Jack and Janet shipper for years, finding this out nearly made me shart my nards. I don't know what that means and don't ask me.

Fascinating, eh? My question, however, is why do you guys think they changed these particular aspects of the show in the American version? Is it that Americans are were/are more fixated on the idea of platonic relationships between friends? Is it that Americans were, at least at the time, more interested in seeing focus on a blonde as opposed to a brunette? (I wasn't around in the 70's and even I know America was having a love affair with blondes at the time). Those are my theories, anyway. Three's Company will, of course, always be my favorite...but the British original certainly had an interesting element added to the relationships of these characters that TC lacked.

Also, here's a giant cookie for reading this entire thing. Sorry, but I could go on about this topic like a history professor could go on about the social effects of the fall of the Romanov dynasty.

[sunshinefizzy]

Very interesting. If you taught a class on Tc and Math I'd be sigining up! If I had to guess it would be the "blondes have more fun" stereotype and the whole Farrah phenom as well. They probably thought hot blond=ratings. Dude falling for hot blond=of course. As the show goes on, sure Jack is infatuated with the blondes who keep marching in, but you sense a deep connection with Janet that he doesn't have with the other girls. It may be the respect he has for the fact Janet is willing and able to be the adult in the house? Is it the fact she won't let herself fall under his spell? Maybe the simple fact Jack can have a real conversation with down-to-earth Janet he can't with airhead Chrissy?

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

I could teach a class on TC. Math? You'd have to be teaching me.

Anyway, I also wonder, had Suzanne stayed, if they would've went anywhere with the Jack/Chrissy thing like they sort of did with the Robin/Chrissy (Jack/Janet) thing in the UK. *shudders* In that regard, thank God Suzanne was booted. But at the same time, they used the Jack's brother idea so early on and wrote him off that maybe it wasn't the intention anyway.

I think the blonde thing is a given. But it was also plainly stated that nothing could happen between any of the roomies in Three's Company. Like, that stuff was Law. In Man About the House, it was more of a free for all. I just find that interesting and wonder why those changes were made. I wonder if it's the social differences between different cultures type of thing.

[sunshinefizzy]

Originally Posted by *Pleasant Tomorrow*

I could teach a class on TC. Math? You'd have to be teaching me.

Anyway, I also wonder, had Suzanne stayed, if they would've went anywhere with the Jack/Chrissy thing like they sort of did with the Robin/Chrissy (Jack/Janet) thing in the UK. *shudders* In that regard, thank God Suzanne was booted. But at the same time, they used the Jack's brother idea so early on and wrote him off that maybe it wasn't the intention anyway.

I think the blonde thing is a given. But it was also plainly stated that nothing could happen between any of the roomies in Three's Company. Like, that stuff was Law. In Man About the House, it was more of a free for all. I just find that interesting and wonder why those changes were made. I wonder if it's the social differences between different cultures type of thing.

It seems to me the Europeans have a more laid back approach to life than us Americans do. I don't mean that as a diss to us, it's just an observation. I don't think they would have went with that either. If you notice in the later seasons, as Chrissy slips farther into stupdity, Jack doesn't really flirt with her that much. He treats her more like a fragile doll in a way. In the same time frame, you see him kind of becoming more connected to Janet.

Btw, Math=Man about the House.

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

Originally Posted by sunshinefizzy

It seems to me the Europeans have a more laid back approach to life than us Americans do. I don't mean that as a diss to us, it's just an observation. I don't think they would have went with that either. If you notice in the later seasons, as Chrissy slips farther into stupdity, Jack doesn't really flirt with her that much. He treats her more like a fragile doll in a way. In the same time frame, you see him kind of becoming more connected to Janet.

Btw, Math=Man about the House.

Oh God, MATH. I'm a dim one. Jeesafreakinloo. Adorable, Ashlee. Pat me on the head now. Sorry, I just see the word math and panic like I'm on fire or something.

Anyway, no it's no diss either way. It just is what it is. I also figured that the Jack/Chrissy thing never could've happened just because by the end of her run, Jack could barely hold a conversation with her let alone fall for her. Still, I can't help but not put it past the producers to pull something ridiculous like that had they wanted to. And absolutely you sense a closeness develop between Jack and Janet once Jack's crush on Chrissy fizzles out.

[sunshinefizzy]

Originally Posted by *Pleasant Tomorrow*

Oh God, MATH. I'm a dim one. Jeesafreakinloo. Adorable, Ashlee. Pat me on the head now. Sorry, I just see the word math and panic like I'm on fire or something.

Anyway, no it's no diss either way. It just is what it is. I also figured that the Jack/Chrissy thing never could've happened just because by the end of her run, Jack could barely hold a conversation with her let alone fall for her. Still, I can't help but not put it past the producers to pull something ridiculous like that had they wanted to. And absolutely you sense a closeness develop between Jack and Janet once Jack's crush on Chrissy fizzles out.

It's all good, Ashlee. Back to the more bohemian aspect to British culture, the producers in America wouldn't have done it. They wanted it as a vehicle to show America that girls and boys could be friends without sex. Americans were afraid of girls moving in with guys or vice versa and just having casual sexual realtionships. American society may have been shell shocked by the 60's but still held on to those pre-Kennedy values. We lost enough innocense and may have been trying to hold onto as much dignity and wholesomeness as possible. I feel if they did that, all over America people would be saying "See told you so." Ratings would have dropped, show would be canceled.

Perhaps that's why Chrissy ended up being the way she was. She knew in the early years that he was into her, and she liked it. Janet even said that Chrissy would do anything a guy wanted her to. Maybe if Chrissy got more child-like than maybe it would be like she didn't understand what was going on. Perhaps for that reason Jack backed off. Perhaps thats why he ended up being more close to Janet because she could be strong and lay down the law if she had to. It just would have been safer.

[Steve_uk]

A tribute to Yootha Joyce: https://youtu.be/9XBQefq0Jns

[Merry24]

How did Man About the House End? We knew Three’s Company ended by the roommates moving out.

Did Man About The House have as many cast changes as Three’s Company?

Besides Three’s Company did Man About the House have any other Spinoffs like Three’s Company has (The Ropers & Three’s A Crowd)?

What lasted longer Man About the House or Three’s Company?

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by Merry24

Besides Three’s Company did Man About the House have any other Spinoffs like Three’s Company has (The Ropers & Three’s A Crowd)?

Yes, there was George & Mildred and Robin's Nest. The former had the same premise as The Ropers and the latter had the same premise as Three's A Crowd.

Originally Posted by Merry24

What lasted longer Man About the House or Three’s Company?

Three's Company

[Steve_uk]

Could I just put a plug in for Mancunian actress Paula Wilcox, who went on to star in Miss Jones and Son, which I believe was remade in America as Miss Winslow and Son? How shocked some were in the 1970s about the single mother aspect, but times do move on, though not always for the better. https://youtu.be/uaO5Mxte8Rc

[thejasoomian]

I have the complete Man About The House dvd collection. And I agree that the Robin-Chrissy romantic tension was all through the series. I must say that I really liked Paula Wilcox's Chrissy. I can understand in this version why Robin-Chrissy shippers would be disappointed in the ending. But not so to me with Three's Company. Jack and Janet always had a brother/sister vibe to me. With Janet always being the nagging older sister. It would have been way too much of a shock to see them hook up and getting it on like Jack and Vicky did in Three's A Crowd.

One thing I noticed in Man About The House is that Mr. Roper was a bit nastier than Norman Fell's Mr. Roper.

And the end kiss scene between Robin and Chrissy was before the similar scene in the MASH final , I believe.

Some trivia - The actor who plays Robin and the actress who played Victoria on Robin's Nest ( Tessa Wyatt) have a child together IRL .

Oh and one other thought - I thought Three's Company was way more funnier.

[Steve_uk]

Originally Posted by thejasoomian

I have the complete Man About The House dvd collection. And I agree that the Robin-Chrissy romantic tension was all through the series. I must say that I really liked Paula Wilcox's Chrissy. I can understand in this version why Robin-Chrissy shippers would be disappointed in the ending. But not so to me with Three's Company. Jack and Janet always had a brother/sister vibe to me. With Janet always being the nagging older sister. It would have been way too much of a shock to see them hook up and getting it on like Jack and Vicky did in Three's A Crowd.

One thing I noticed in Man About The House is that Mr. Roper was a lot nastier person than Norman Fell's Mr. Roper. It's hard to like George.

And the end kiss scene between Robin and Chrissy was before the similar scene in the MASH final , I believe.

Some trivia - The actor who plays Robin and the actress who plays Jo have a child together IRL .

Oh and one other thought - I thought Three's Company was way more funnier.

I never watched the American series but the English Mr. Roper it seemed to me just wanted a quiet life but was henpecked by Mildred, though he did on occasion make snide comments about her.

[thejasoomian]

I thought he was a bit abrasive in some of the episodes. I guess that's why I never bothered to pick up the " George and Mildred " series on dvd. I did buy the complete series dvd for "Robin's Nest".