Was Priscilla Barnes miscast

[damon strong]

I felt that Suzanne Somers was miscast as Chrissy. She was 34 when she left the show, and she looked it. Wrinkles and crows feet were evident. She was too old to be playing a naive "girl".

[CJMD03]

I agree. Somers’ age was evident, BUT - by the end, they all looked about 35.

[CJMD03]

I remember years ago when the “Chrissy Minute” was cut out of every rerun - because they wouldn’t have to pay SS if it were shown in syndication.

[CJMD03]

I remember years ago when the “Chrissy Minute” was cut out of every rerun - because they wouldn’t have to pay SS if it were shown in syndication.

[BestTVever]

Originally Posted by JackJanetChrissy

I love Terri, too, but her being the straight man was what made her role confusing because Janet was always the straight man. When Terri came Janet went back and forth from being the sensible one to being the wacky one. Terri was great but was often kind of a bystander who just reacted to stuff.

**** THIS ****
I agree. I dont think Priscilla was miscast but her role changed the dynamic of the show. However, the scripts started only to feature Jack and the women played supporting roles of being the serious character. So in that sense it worked. But it would have never worked keeping the same dynamic because Jack and Chrissy and Jack and Cindy had slapstick comedy. When Terri came, Jack had to do it alone.
I see what the directors/producers were going for. They did not want another dumb blonde and look at it as a Chrissy replacement. They went in a different direction completely.

[TVLegend]

I wouldn’t say Priscilla was miscast, but her character was most definitely boring and seemed like a carbon copy of Janet. They didn’t have to make Terri dimwitted like Chrissy, but it would have been nice to see the character have some sort of personality. Perhaps she could have been promiscuous and man-hungry like Flo from Alice and Blanche from The Golden Girls.

[DORVID]

Terri was great.

[king of comedy]

Originally Posted by DORVID

Terri was great.

Yes she was. I liked Chrissy the first 2 seasons before they made her dumber.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by TVLegend

I wouldn’t say Priscilla was miscast, but her character was most definitely boring and seemed like a carbon copy of Janet. They didn’t have to make Terri dimwitted like Chrissy, but it would have been nice to see the character have some sort of personality. Perhaps she could have been promiscuous and man-hungry like Flo from Alice and Blanche from The Golden Girls.

I dunno about making her promiscuous, Jack was already THAT, how would that work out between her and Jack, would there be something going on between them?

To me, Terri's personality became more like Janet's from the early seasons, Janet became more like Chrissy in the later years, but angrier IMO

[TVLegend]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I dunno about making her promiscuous, Jack was already THAT, how would that work out between her and Jack, would there be something going on between them?

To me, Terri's personality became more like Janet's from the early seasons, Janet became more like Chrissy in the later years, but angrier IMO

I mean, they could have toned down Jack’s promiscuity so that Terri could have that type of personality. I just wish that Terri was more interesting. The seasons that she’s in are hardly watchable IMO.

[CJMD03]

Terri always seemed older than than Jack and Janet and I’m sure she did it need roommates on a nurse’s salary.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TVLegend

I wouldn’t say Priscilla was miscast, but her character was most definitely boring and seemed like a carbon copy of Janet. They didn’t have to make Terri dimwitted like Chrissy, but it would have been nice to see the character have some sort of personality. Perhaps she could have been promiscuous and man-hungry like Flo from Alice and Blanche from The Golden Girls.

Terri you could say, did kind of have a dimwitted moment in the "Mate for Each Other" episode, where she bluntly mistakes Larry's impersonation of John Wayne (or I think it was supposed to be John Wayne) for Howard Cosell. Maybe it's the way that Priscilla Barnes sells it that makes it funny.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by damon strong

I felt that Suzanne Somers was miscast as Chrissy. She was 34 when she left the show, and she looked it. Wrinkles and crows feet were evident. She was too old to be playing a naive "girl".

Suzanne was in real life, actually older than John and Joyce and yet, could've easily believed that she on the show, always had to be babied by her roommates.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by JackJanetChrissy

The writers didn't know what to do with her but that wasn't her fault. I think she made the best of the situation. Casting someone too similar to Chrissy Snow would have only invited comparisons to Suzanne.

Having a more sensible blonde gave the show a different dynamic that worked as the actors and the show aged. Would have been weird to have someone in their mid-late 30s be as vapid as Chrissy was by Season 5...

Based on her introductory episode and her first encounter with Jack at the hospital, I wonder if Terri was supposed to be this no-nonsense, "I don't take any crap!" nurse. I guess that Terri you could say, was also supposed to have a confident and bold personality, like when she tries to seduce Jack in the kitchen.

[BuffaloBill]

Terri was always sold, gave the cast a good mix. Priscilla did a great job.