This show always made reference to the beach, beach was in opening credits but.......

[TVFactFan]

Not one episode of the trio actually at the beach in all 8 seasons? LOL

Wish I could ask the writers and producers why?

[Wawwie]

Weird.... cuz the opening credits showed Janet, Chrissy and Jack all riding their bikes on the beach. They should have had at least one episode of the kids having a picnic lunch at the beach while in their swim suits.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Wawwie

Weird.... cuz the opening credits showed Janet, Chrissy and Jack all riding their bikes on the beach. They should have had at least one episode of the kids having a picnic lunch at the beach while in their swim suits.

Married With Children had a beach episode lol

[JSP]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Not one episode of the trio actually at the beach in all 8 seasons? LOL

Wish I could ask the writers and producers why?

What I really want to know is did the trio dine over a Mexican Food meal?

Seems weird they lived in Southern California, but we never saw the trio eat a taco based on my memory.

[BigManMike]

Well there was that episode where Janet and Mrs. Roper went to a protest or something like that on a nudist beach but we never actually saw them at the beach.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by thebigcookie

Well there was that episode where Janet and Mrs. Roper went to a protest or something like that on a nudist beach but we never actually saw them at the beach.

Yup no sight of sand lol

[treky]

it's been years since I saw the episode, but I seem to recall seeing an episode when the show first aired in the 70s where Janet & Mrs. Roper mentioned being in a protest at the beach naked; protesting against nude beaches.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by treky

it's been years since I saw the episode, but I seem to recall seeing an episode when the show first aired in the 70s where Janet & Mrs. Roper mentioned being in a protest at the beach naked; protesting against nude beaches.

Yes but we never saw the beach

[Wawwie]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Married With Children had a beach episode lol

Even The Brady Bunch had a beach scene. It was when Greg took his girlfriend surfing. They were in their swim suits with wet hair getting hot dogs at the refreshment stand.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Wawwie

Even The Brady Bunch had a beach scene. It was when Greg took his girlfriend surfing. They were in their swim suits with wet hair getting hot dogs at the refreshment stand.

And sanford and son and the Jeffersons

[JackJanetChrissy]

I think a beach scene would've been the hardest to stage of all outdoor scenes, mostly because there is nothing but water and sand. That is hard to fake. Three's Company was a relatively low-budget show, and we know it was set in Santa Monica, so clearing a real beach or clearing the pier for a whole episode would've been costly and a production nightmare that probably would have put them behind schedule.

Most of the beach scenes in other shows that have been mentioned are "destination" episodes, where the Jeffersons go to Hawaii, etc, that are meant to be special stand-out episodes, much like "A-Camping We Will Go" is in Three's Company. However, these shows had a slightly-to-much higher production value (like the Brady Bunch, which was shot on film and not video), and could afford to go all-out once in a while.

We see the trio feeding the seagulls on the beach in the credits, but that was filmed on a February afternoon before anyone knew what Three's Company was. Imagine if they were doing the same thing four seasons in. It would probably be a real slog to get through.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by JackJanetChrissy

I think a beach scene would've been the hardest to stage of all outdoor scenes, mostly because there is nothing but water and sand. That is hard to fake. Three's Company was a relatively low-budget show, and we know it was set in Santa Monica, so clearing a real beach or clearing the pier for a whole episode would've been costly and a production nightmare that probably would have put them behind schedule.

Most of the beach scenes in other shows that have been mentioned are "destination" episodes, where the Jeffersons go to Hawaii, etc, that are meant to be special stand-out episodes, much like "A-Camping We Will Go" is in Three's Company. However, these shows had a slightly-to-much higher production value (like the Brady Bunch, which was shot on film and not video), and could afford to go all-out once in a while.

We see the trio feeding the seagulls on the beach in the credits, but that was filmed on a February afternoon before anyone knew what Three's Company was. Imagine if they were doing the same thing four seasons in. It would probably be a real slog to get through.

Good point about them not really being able to do location shots in the later seasons.

However, to me it's weird that even Married...With Children had a beach episode and that show took place in Chicago! Does Lake Michigan have sand along the shore? I never noticed when I visited Chicago. Surely Three's could have had a beach episode once.

This show must have been a huge money-maker for the network and the producers. Wonder how many millions they raked in. The show did always look low-budget and that never changed.

The production values were never great and the writing wasn't always top notch. This was a show carried by good acting, mostly.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by JSP

Good point about them not really being able to do location shots in the later seasons.

However, to me it's weird that even Married...With Children had a beach episode and that show took place in Chicago! Does Lake Michigan have sand along the shore? I never noticed when I visited Chicago. Surely Three's could have had a beach episode once.

This show must have been a huge money-maker for the network and the producers. Wonder how many millions they raked in. The show did always look low-budget and that never changed.

The production values were never great and the writing wasn't always top notch. This was a show carried by good acting, mostly.

Yup, the Bundys spent all day at the beach so it could have been done

Not so much the water but the sand and other things

[JackJanetChrissy]

Originally Posted by JSP

The production values were never great and the writing wasn't always top notch. This was a show carried by good acting, mostly.

I think you hit the nail on the head---I think the producers and network wanted as much money as they could rake in without spending. I think they had such a tight production schedule that they would not want to interrupt that. I imagine planning and filming on an actual beach would have really put the actors and crew outside of their comfort zone, which no doubt would delay things.

Also, I got to thinking....the farce format of the show relies on people constantly coming in and out and constant movement. In episodes outside the apartment like "A Camping We Will Go," "Urban Cowboy," and "Downhill Chaser" the group still has structures they can come in and out of or use for site gags (like the cabin, the hammock, the barn, etc). On a beach there isn't much to work with, and I think that would've been hard to write for.

Also, a beach is so wide-open (unlike the forest or an isolated ski-slope) that the backdrops would have looked distractingly fake from any perspective. That's probably why most of the beach stuff is mentioned but happens off-stage.

[TerriFan]

Everyone's right saying 3'aC was produced cheaply, which is why there was never a beach scene. These are expensive! If syou do a location shoot, transport is expensive, plus any rental costs and scouting, while building a set costs a bundle just to import the sand. It would have never happened.