"Jack's Bistro" Saved Three's Company....

[Guy Incognito]

...in my opinion, anyhow.

After Suzanne Somers left the show, the writers had a hard time finding the comedic center of the show again. Cindy Snow was a bad decision all around, and it took Priscilla Barnes an entire season to really hit her stride as Terri. Without the "Jack and Janet as surrogate parents to the child-like Chrissy" dynamic to drive stories, the characters spent the better part of two years wandering around searching for a plot. Seasons 5 and 6 were the low points of the series, at least compared to the glory days. Cindy working as a maid? Janet receiving a personality transplant from a wig? Jack and Janet on a computer date? The "Janet suddenly wants to be a professional dancer" episode? No buys.

But then came the restaurant, and suddenly the show has its focus and energy back again. In fact, some of the series' best episodes revolve around the opening and subsequent growing pains of "Jack's Bistro". And the cast seems to be having a ball and the enthusiasm is infectious as they play both the comedy and the (occasional) emotional moments to the hilt (the scene with everyone's initial reactions to the decrepit state of the restaurant, for example). Without that newfound center and comedic energy, I doubt the series would've lasted through Season 7 and it's even more doubtful there would have been a Season 8 or a spin-off.

What do you guys think?

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Guy Incognito

...in my opinion, anyhow.

After Suzanne Somers left the show, the writers had a hard time finding the comedic center of the show again. Cindy Snow was a bad decision all around, and it took Priscilla Barnes an entire season to really hit her stride as Terri. Without the "Jack and Janet as surrogate parents to the child-like Chrissy" dynamic to drive stories, the characters spent the better part of two years wandering around searching for a plot. Seasons 5 and 6 were the low points of the series, at least compared to the glory days. Cindy working as a maid? Janet receiving a personality transplant from a wig? Jack and Janet on a computer date? The "Janet suddenly wants to be a professional dancer" episode? No buys.

But then came the restaurant, and suddenly the show has its focus and energy back again. In fact, some of the series' best episodes revolve around the opening and subsequent growing pains of "Jack's Bistro". And the cast seems to be having a ball and the enthusiasm is infectious as they play both the comedy and the (occasional) emotional moments to the hilt (the scene with everyone's initial reactions to the decrepit state of the restaurant, for example). Without that newfound center and comedic energy, I doubt the series would've lasted through Season 7 and it's even more doubtful there would have been a Season 8 or a spin-off.

What do you guys think?

show only lasted 2 years longer after the bistro was created

[Guy Incognito]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

show only lasted 2 years longer after the bistro was created

True, but if they hadn't come up with the idea for the bistro, would the show have lasted another two years AND produced a spin-off? It's clear that the writers were running out of ideas by Season Six and were either recycling old premises ("Roper's Niece" reworked into "Double Trouble", "The Rivals" reworked into "Dates Of Wrath", etc.) or introducing bizarre new concepts that just fell flat (Cindy as the trio's maid). The restaurant gave the show a new clear focus, allowed the character of Jack Tripper to mature into a somewhat responsible adult (as opposed to the skirt-chasing man-child of earlier seasons) capable of being a romantic lead in Three's A Crowd and gave the trio something else to do besides worry about the rent or their endless string of disastrous romances (not to mention providing a new jumping off point for comedic mishaps). Even Ralph Furley and Larry finally got some character development (and a last name for Larry, to boot)!

Granted, the show was still winding down either way. But given how derivative and ponderous Season Six (and most of Season Five) was, I'm not sure the show would have rebounded creatively without the addition of the bistro. And I'm not sure Three's A Crowd would have existed at all (of course, some might say that probably would've been a GOOD thing).

[Marvo301]

The introduction of Jack's Bistro helped the show in several ways. First of all it gave the writers new focus and new stories to tell. Second it all allowed the character of Jack to grow and mature. And thirdly it was a logical extension of the storyline of Jack attending cooking school. I think adding the Bistro undoubtedly increased the life of this series which definitely lost it's way after the departure of Chrissy.

[TVFactFan]

I will say season 7 is my favorite season because of all the fun eps because of the Bistro creation

[comedyfreak]

I disagree and think they peaked with Cindy she was my favorite roommate because of her being clumsy, this gave Jack someone to play off of comedically. I really wished they would have kept her instead of phazing her out and forcing us to get use to another new roommate, which I did eventually.

[ClarenceAlabama]

Originally Posted by Guy Incognito

...in my opinion, anyhow.

After Suzanne Somers left the show, the writers had a hard time finding the comedic center of the show again. Cindy Snow was a bad decision all around, and it took Priscilla Barnes an entire season to really hit her stride as Terri. Without the "Jack and Janet as surrogate parents to the child-like Chrissy" dynamic to drive stories, the characters spent the better part of two years wandering around searching for a plot. Seasons 5 and 6 were the low points of the series, at least compared to the glory days. Cindy working as a maid? Janet receiving a personality transplant from a wig? Jack and Janet on a computer date? The "Janet suddenly wants to be a professional dancer" episode? No buys.

But then came the restaurant, and suddenly the show has its focus and energy back again. In fact, some of the series' best episodes revolve around the opening and subsequent growing pains of "Jack's Bistro". And the cast seems to be having a ball and the enthusiasm is infectious as they play both the comedy and the (occasional) emotional moments to the hilt (the scene with everyone's initial reactions to the decrepit state of the restaurant, for example). Without that newfound center and comedic energy, I doubt the series would've lasted through Season 7 and it's even more doubtful there would have been a Season 8 or a spin-off.

What do you guys think?

You are right about the Janet wearing a blonde wig episode being bad. That was one of the worst of the series except for the scene where Cindy does the "wistwatch" routine. That was funny.

BUT, I disagree with you about everything else you posted... I think season 5 was one of the best because it had some of the best physical comedy and funniest episodes. The show with Austin Tripper was hands down one of the funniest in the series. Cindy and Jack together was always comedy gold. Janet being there with them kind of messed up the chemistry and that's why they brought in Terri. They needed ALL 3 roommates to have chemistry together, like it was when Chrissy was there. Terri fit in perfectly with Jack AND Janet.

I also disagree with you about season 7 being one of the best. I feel season 7 was one of the worst because of them introducing Jack's Bistro. The tone of the show changed a little and it wasn't as funny as it used to be and that's why it didn't last much longer after that.

[Dianne3]

Here's my story of watching TC. I saw most of the show in it's original run. I can't remember when exactly I started watching.

During the 7th season, something was missing. I wasn't as into it. I had quite a few conversations with friends that TC was not the same. We all came to the conclusion was that the characters were getting too old to still be living together.

Anyway, after one misundersanding episode to many, I quit watching TC. It was after the episode where the roomates think Janet is dating Furley's nephew. I also noticed at the time, some other episodes that had similar plot lines from the earlier years. The misunderstanding episodes were getting old.

It was till many years later thanks to the internet, I learned that I wasn't the only one to stop watching after year 7. TC's ratings dropped drastically between year 7 and 8, as most TC's fans would already know.

All I think that happened is that by the later years the show had run its course. There was no character growth. What was funny in the earlier years didn't work in the later years - like Janet still not knowing how to cook.

[mstewart]

Seasons 7 and 8 Janet looked her best when she grew her hair out. They gave Janet better clothes to wear. Not so much of the plain Jane look she had during the the first three seasons of the show especially that godawful perm she had. Yuck.

[idol]

I agree in regards to the Bistro adding some life to the show. I enjoyed the first few episodes of the Bistro being purchased and opened. Who can forget Furley putting up the wallpaper or Furley being mistaken for a 'John' when a cop thought Janet and Terri were prostitues?

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by idol

I agree in regards to the Bistro adding some life to the show. I enjoyed the first few episodes of the Bistro being purchased and opened. Who can forget Furley putting up the wallpaper or Furley being mistaken for a 'John' when a cop thought Janet and Terri were prostitues?

and Larry the lounge singer.