Why not just say Chrissy moved away permanently?

[gilligan fanatic]

That way they could reference her when Cindy moves out. From what I have read it was obvious she wasn't going to continue the roll. She could over the phone say I got a job back at home and I will have Cindy send for my stuff. That would explain so much. When Terri comes it is like Chrissy is dead. If she has explanation it would be like "you are nothing like our old roommate Chrissy" or "I sure do miss Chrissy" or something. She is basically dead in the world of TV.

[PrettyinPink55]

I wonder why they didn't say Chrissy moved away permanently either....
That would've been a good solution...

[TVFactFan]

Which pretty much made all the Phone Tags Pointless-lol Why do the Phone tags if they was going to pretend like she never existed?

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by gilligan fanatic

That way they could reference her when Cindy moves out. From what I have read it was obvious she wasn't going to continue the roll. She could over the phone say I got a job back at home and I will have Cindy send for my stuff. That would explain so much. When Terri comes it is like Chrissy is dead. If she has explanation it would be like "you are nothing like our old roommate Chrissy" or "I sure do miss Chrissy" or something. She is basically dead in the world of TV.

agreed.

[Edster2973]

Originally Posted by TVResearcher

Which pretty much made all the Phone Tags Pointless-lol Why do the Phone tags if they was going to pretend like she never existed?

Because they were still trying to capitalize on her popularity. They knew the show's fans missed Chrissy and this was a way to try to satisfy that desire. Also, Priscilla Barnes wasn't hired yet. Yes, as far as Three's Company was concerned, they were done with Suzanne Somers. ABC, on the other hand, wanted the show to keep her for the sake of the ratings.

It wasn't until around April or so (when the 5th season of Three's Company was wrapping up) that Suzanne appeared on Donahue with her husband, acting like the victim and asking the fans to stop watching the show as a ploy to get her job back. She was still on the show but she was fed up with the phone tags and wanted to be back on the show with John & Joyce. John Ritter even admitted several years later that he thought the whole ordeal would work itself out and she'd be back on the show.

When Suzanne had made this appearance on Donahue, basically the show and ABC looked like they were bullying Suzanne, and that was when the network itself said "Fire her!". The decision was reached and Suzanne read about her firing in a newspaper. From then on, the show and the network (at least at that time, disregarding Step By Step many years later) would have nothing to do with Suzanne or Chrissy.

So when the show did the phone tags, it wasn't decided at that point that Suzanne would be permanently off the show. The decision to fire her came after Season 5 was finished filming, although not all of the episodes had been aired when her firing was announced.

Hope this helps.

Ed

P.S. Just so you know, I think an acknowledgement of what happened to Chrissy in Season 6 would've helped as well, but I think the show at that point was so intent to prove that they could make it without the Chrissy character that they simply chose to ignore it. I think that was a mistake to do. But they all talk of the whole ordeal as extremely painful. All involved wanted to go back and try to recapture what was fun about the show, at least behind the scenes. So they're ignoring Chrissy, while not what we the fans prefer, is understandable at least.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Edster2973

Because they were still trying to capitalize on her popularity. They knew the show's fans missed Chrissy and this was a way to try to satisfy that desire. Also, Priscilla Barnes wasn't hired yet. Yes, as far as Three's Company was concerned, they were done with Suzanne Somers. ABC, on the other hand, wanted the show to keep her for the sake of the ratings.

It wasn't until around April or so (when the 5th season of Three's Company was wrapping up) that Suzanne appeared on Donahue with her husband, acting like the victim and asking the fans to stop watching the show as a ploy to get her job back. She was still on the show but she was fed up with the phone tags and wanted to be back on the show with John & Joyce. John Ritter even admitted several years later that he thought the whole ordeal would work itself out and she'd be back on the show.

When Suzanne had made this appearance on Donahue, basically the show and ABC looked like they were bullying Suzanne, and that was when the network itself said "Fire her!". The decision was reached and Suzanne read about her firing in a newspaper. From then on, the show and the network (at least at that time, disregarding Step By Step many years later) would have nothing to do with Suzanne or Chrissy.

So when the show did the phone tags, it wasn't decided at that point that Suzanne would be permanently off the show. The decision to fire her came after Season 5 was finished filming, although not all of the episodes had been aired when her firing was announced.

Hope this helps.

Ed

P.S. Just so you know, I think an acknowledgement of what happened to Chrissy in Season 6 would've helped as well, but I think the show at that point was so intent to prove that they could make it without the Chrissy character that they simply chose to ignore it. I think that was a mistake to do. But they all talk of the whole ordeal as extremely painful. All involved wanted to go back and try to recapture what was fun about the show, at least behind the scenes. So they're ignoring Chrissy, while not what we the fans prefer, is understandable at least.

I don't see how doing Phone Tags was going to help the ratings, it was only 30 seconds-lol

[Edster2973]

Originally Posted by TVResearcher

I don't see how doing Phone Tags was going to help the ratings, it was only 30 seconds-lol

And just what were we all looking forward to once Season 5 was released? To view all the phone tags of course. Sure, it was only 30 seconds, but we all wanted to see them. As did the public back then. Quite simple to understand, no?

Ed

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Edster2973

And just what were we all looking forward to once Season 5 was released? To view all the phone tags of course. Sure, it was only 30 seconds, but we all wanted to see them. As did the public back then. Quite simple to understand, no?

Ed

I get what you are saying

[Mr. Television]

Yea but that's because we havent seen them in years and some of the younger fans never saw them. At that time I don't think it made a difference despite what ABC thought. All it did was remind us that Chrissy wasn't there.

[PrettyinPink55]

Originally Posted by Edster2973

Because they were still trying to capitalize on her popularity. They knew the show's fans missed Chrissy and this was a way to try to satisfy that desire. Also, Priscilla Barnes wasn't hired yet. Yes, as far as Three's Company was concerned, they were done with Suzanne Somers. ABC, on the other hand, wanted the show to keep her for the sake of the ratings.

It wasn't until around April or so (when the 5th season of Three's Company was wrapping up) that Suzanne appeared on Donahue with her husband, acting like the victim and asking the fans to stop watching the show as a ploy to get her job back. She was still on the show but she was fed up with the phone tags and wanted to be back on the show with John & Joyce. John Ritter even admitted several years later that he thought the whole ordeal would work itself out and she'd be back on the show.

When Suzanne had made this appearance on Donahue, basically the show and ABC looked like they were bullying Suzanne, and that was when the network itself said "Fire her!". The decision was reached and Suzanne read about her firing in a newspaper. From then on, the show and the network (at least at that time, disregarding Step By Step many years later) would have nothing to do with Suzanne or Chrissy.

So when the show did the phone tags, it wasn't decided at that point that Suzanne would be permanently off the show. The decision to fire her came after Season 5 was finished filming, although not all of the episodes had been aired when her firing was announced.

Hope this helps.

Ed

P.S. Just so you know, I think an acknowledgement of what happened to Chrissy in Season 6 would've helped as well, but I think the show at that point was so intent to prove that they could make it without the Chrissy character that they simply chose to ignore it. I think that was a mistake to do. But they all talk of the whole ordeal as extremely painful. All involved wanted to go back and try to recapture what was fun about the show, at least behind the scenes. So they're ignoring Chrissy, while not what we the fans prefer, is understandable at least.

Good points!! I would've liked to have seen that Donahue episode!

[jacktripper1]

I agree with that explanation. ABC was still trying to capitalize on her popularity & back then, they're's so much that we all didn't know about or realize, when we watched the "phone tags", it made it look like she was still around & the public got their "dose" of the "3rd room-mate". Cindy was really only a "stop-gap" room-mate until ABC decided what to do with Suzanne/Chrissy. That's why Jenilee Harrison had some "hold over" episodes that went between 2 seasons (between 1980-82) until Terri came on & was a more permanent fixture on the show (1981-84). Terri was uncomfortable in the beginning, & then when she got settled in, Cindy was fazed out also (even though it was said she went to UCLA) with no real explanation either. But, it would have been better if ABC had said Chrissy went back home to be with her sick mother & she ended up having to stay. For that matter, Cindy, being her cousin, could have "went back home" to help out also, that being a better explanation too, them 2 being "family".

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by jacktripper1

I agree with that explanation. ABC was still trying to capitalize on her popularity & back then, they're's so much that we all didn't know about or realize, when we watched the "phone tags", it made it look like she was still around & the public got their "dose" of the "3rd room-mate". Cindy was really only a "stop-gap" room-mate until ABC decided what to do with Suzanne/Chrissy. That's why Jenilee Harrison had some "hold over" episodes that went between 2 seasons (between 1980-82) until Terri came on & was a more permanent fixture on the show (1981-84). Terri was uncomfortable in the beginning, & then when she got settled in, Cindy was fazed out also (even though it was said she went to UCLA) with no real explanation either. But, it would have been better if ABC had said Chrissy went back home to be with her sick mother & she ended up having to stay. For that matter, Cindy, being her cousin, could have "went back home" to help out also, that being a better explanation too, them 2 being "family".

Jenillee didn't have any holdover episodes. ABC kept her on the show on purpose along with Priscilla The producers thought it was a good idea to have Jenillee and her replacement work together but late in the year they realized it wasn't a good idea.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

Jenillee didn't have any holdover episodes. ABC kept her on the show on purpose along with Priscilla The producers thought it was a good idea to have Jenillee and her replacement work together but late in the year they realized it wasn't a good idea.

I agree, I didn't like see Janet, Terri and Cindy in the APT-lol

[jacktripper1]

That's what I meant by "hold-over" episodes. They kept Jenilee (Cindy) on before releasing her, to make sure "Terri"got comfortable with the show. If Terri didn't work out, then they had a "safety net" to fall back on, with jenilee still under contract. Because I read somewhere that "Terri" started the show & wasn't very comfotable & almost quit. Then, when she was talked into staying, the "Cindy" character "faded out". That's how I was meaning the "hold-over" episodes. Because they could have gotten rid of Cindy the minute Terri walked in the door, but, they didn't. They were covering their butts because ABC realized that it became somewhat difficult to fill the 3rd room-mate position. That's why they "held Cindy over" to make sure "Terri" would fit in first. if not, then they would "fall back" & continue story lines with her. But, in the end, Cindy got fazed out, too. But if you look at it, that's how I was meaning the "hold- over" episodes deal, to make sure "Terri" worked out first, & if not, they could use Cindy & keep on going, is all I meant. That's probably what ABC was thinking at the time, maybe.

[PrettyinPink55]

I can't imagine what would've happened if "Terri" had left.