Janet's character stopped making sense in later seasons

[JackJanetChrissy]

Priscilla Barnes complained because she wasn't allowed to make suggestions to the writers, but it seems like Joyce really dropped the ball on the way they wrote Janet in later years.

For example, in Professor Jack, she spills green paint all over a doctor friend of Terri's? And Janet is what, almost 30 years old and a professional woman at this point?

There's the wig episode, which is an obvious one, but also Some of That Jazz, where Janet suddenly resolves to quit her job and take up dancing in the space of a week. These impulsive and--frankly--dumb ideas seem to permeate the later seasons' version of Janet. I feel like some of Chrissy's stupid was transplanted into Janet....poor Janet. Maybe it was contagious.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by JackJanetChrissy

Priscilla Barnes complained because she wasn't allowed to make suggestions to the writers, but it seems like Joyce really dropped the ball on the way they wrote Janet in later years.

For example, in Professor Jack, she spills green paint all over a doctor friend of Terri's? And Janet is what, almost 30 years old and a professional woman at this point?

There's the wig episode, which is an obvious one, but also Some of That Jazz, where Janet suddenly resolves to quit her job and take up dancing in the space of a week. These impulsive and--frankly--dumb ideas seem to permeate the later seasons' version of Janet. I feel like some of Chrissy's stupid was transplanted into Janet....poor Janet. Maybe it was contagious.

I'm tellin' ya, Janet became the goofy one when Terri came along. I was watching the season 8 episode "The Heiress" when Janet first meets Phil. Janet fell too easily for Jack's idea that he was only after the vase she inherited. I think early Janet wouldn't have been so foolish. It was a bad idea to let Jenillee Harrison go and just keep Priscilla on because that action changed the dynamics of the show for the worse. Janet was better as the voice of reason. The blonde should have always been the goof, but that just wasn't possible with Priscilla because she's not naturally a comedic actress. Janet became way too emotional and gullible in the later seasons. I think the show however could have gotten by leaving Terri as she is and Janet as the voice of reason if they kept on Cindy as the goof. But when they let Jenilee go, someone had to be the goof, and Joyce was more capable of handling that than Priscilla.

[UMfan77]

That's the main reason why I'll never purchase the dvd's from the last few seasons. Just too painful to watch.

[jacktripperfan]

It seems like season 6 was when Janet started to get really emotional and whiny in her character. As JSP said, just as Terri came along. Watch the first little bit of "Jack Bares All". She's almost crying at the fact Jack has to go to help Mr. Angelino instead of looking for a new roommate.

[JackJanetChrissy]

Originally Posted by jacktripperfan

She's almost crying at the fact Jack has to go to help Mr. Angelino instead of looking for a new roommate.

Yeah, and you'd think she'd be relieved he had any job prospect at all, seeing as he got fired with zero job lined up in the previous season. The rent was up to just them two to pay for at least a month before they could get anyone else to move in.