Was the writing on Three's Company often awful - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 08-30-2020, 03:38 AM

But it none the less still managed to work due to the cast and characters? A lot of what made the show work in this regard I suppose, is that it was always supposed to be a farce and so nothing was ever supposed to be taken seriously. It really makes you wonder if it weren't for the efforts and talents of John Ritter, the show wouldn't have lasted as long as it did. He had the innate ability to sell even the worst jokes with his expressions and pratfalls. He also had amazing chemistry with Joyce DeWitt and could play off each others comic timing perfectly. Joyce was essentially, the straight-woman and the "glue" of the show.

Mace Dolex · 08-30-2020, 05:57 PM

Yeah I wouldn't say the writing was awful but more farcical and absurd such as stuff that wouldn't happen in real life (Jack and Chrissy mistakenly getting handcuffed or Jack fooling Furley he has a twin brother named Austin), it was all done to be fun for the viewers.

One of the best things the show never succumbed to was by adding a kid to the show to increase rating.

RetroGuy2000 · 08-30-2020, 06:12 PM

Yes, at times the writing was awful. You can have a face without the characters devolving into complete idiocy, and Chrissy did become a complete idiot (she didn't start off that way).

I know Joyce offered suggestions for improving the show, but the producers weren't interested.

PracTz · 08-30-2020, 06:16 PM

And yet this show made Lucy a lifelong fan of John Ritter! Go figure!

SitcomsHeydayfan · 08-31-2020, 03:08 AM

Not awful but TOO many episodes involved a mixup or misunderstanding. Like somebody overheard some say something & they got the wrong idea. How many times did that happen??

They should've hired some new writers by Season 6 or 7 to try a different style of comedy while keeping John Ritter's physical comedy but obviously they didn't.

thejasoomian · 08-31-2020, 01:06 PM

I think because the show was more plot driven than character driven led to the characters being out of character sometimes. Which resulted in some bad writing/scripts at times. The show was designed for laughs not substance or depth.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 09-01-2020, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

And yet this show made Lucy a lifelong fan of John Ritter! Go figure!

That's because they were both MASTERS of physical comedy. Especially John. I think Lucy saw in John someone who took physical comedy to ANOTHER level.

RetroGuy2000 · 09-01-2020, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

That's because they were both MASTERS of physical comedy. Especially John. I think Lucy saw in John someone who took physical comedy to ANOTHER level.

I think that's very true. I think both Lucy and John were not afraid of slapstick, and Lucy saw in John a kindred soul.

Babalu · 09-01-2020, 06:28 AM

I think the writing was awful because it was just a dopey show. I can't believe it lasted as long as it did. The first couple of years (or however long she was on) the star of the show were Suzanne Somers' boobs. I never thought John Ritter was funny and to me his pratfalls were amateurish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

Not awful but TOO many episodes involved a mixup or misunderstanding. Like somebody overheard some say something & they got the wrong idea. How many times did that happen??

That's because the idea of the show was directly taken from a British comedy called "Man About the House". I don't know how much the gimmick was used on that show but on some British shows like "Father Dear Father" that was the plot for every show.

cbikle · 11-02-2020, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

.

I know Joyce offered suggestions for improving the show, but the producers weren't interested.

What were her suggestions?

RetroGuy2000 · 11-02-2020, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbikle

What were her suggestions?

I know Joyce mentioned that she would have liked to have had input on how her character developed. The producers weren't interested. She felt it was very much a "Good Ole Boys" production team (Ted Bergmann having been involved in TV since the days of the DuMont Network and the birth of television).

Near the end of the Three's Company run, Ted told Joyce that Janet was going to move away, and then her character was just... gone. Joyce felt very hurt by both this and the spin-off John and Ted hid from her.

But it's clear Ted and the other producers were not interested in Joyce's ideas and input. She was just there to act, until they felt Janet wasn't needed anymore.

James28 · 11-02-2020, 02:56 PM

A combination of bad writing, no character development, and an integral main star's departure midway through its run does not the perfect scripted TV show make, IMHO.

cbikle · 11-02-2020, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I know Joyce mentioned that she would have liked to have had input on how her character developed.

it's clear Ted and the other producers were not interested in Joyce's ideas and input. She was just there to act, until they felt Janet wasn't needed anymore.

I'm just curious about what her specific ideas were regarding future directions for Janet.

Throughout the show's run, we know that Janet runs (owns?) a plant shop, but also had an interest in dance.

The florist thing is kinda blah for story elements, but the dancer thing would've had possibilities.

Beyond those 2 things, I don't really see where the character could go.

RetroGuy2000 · 11-02-2020, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbikle

I'm just curious about what her specific ideas were regarding future directions for Janet.

Throughout the show's run, we know that Janet runs (owns?) a plant shop, but also had an interest in dance.

The florist thing is kinda blah for story elements, but the dancer thing would've had possibilities.

Beyond those 2 things, I don't really see where the character could go.

I just checked Come and Knock on Our Door, the book written by Chris Mann, and here's what it says on page 36, regarding what Joyce wanted for her character. Specifically, she sought to tone down some of Janet's early tendency to "strip Jack of his manhood":

someguy23475 · 11-02-2020, 10:40 PM

Yes, the writing was terrible at times and yes, the plots were repeated so many times with just slight variances. The show lasted as long as it did because of John Ritter, attractive women, and later on, Don Knotts. Without these elements, it’s a one season show, two at the most.

08-30-2020, 03:38 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,403	Was the writing on Three's Company often awful But it none the less still managed to work due to the cast and characters? A lot of what made the show work in this regard I suppose, is that it was always supposed to be a farce and so nothing was ever supposed to be taken seriously. It really makes you wonder if it weren't for the efforts and talents of John Ritter, the show wouldn't have lasted as long as it did. He had the innate ability to sell even the worst jokes with his expressions and pratfalls. He also had amazing chemistry with Joyce DeWitt and could play off each others comic timing perfectly. Joyce was essentially, the straight-woman and the "glue" of the show.

08-30-2020, 06:12 PM	#3
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Yes, at times the writing was awful. You can have a face without the characters devolving into complete idiocy, and Chrissy did become a complete idiot (she didn't start off that way). I know Joyce offered suggestions for improving the show, but the producers weren't interested.
	__________________ The Facts of Life's "Lost Girls" Tribute to Julie Piekarski, Eastland Girl Join "The Group", Sitcoms Online's Facts of Life group!

11-02-2020, 02:56 PM	#12
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,976	A combination of bad writing, no character development, and an integral main star's departure midway through its run does not the perfect scripted TV show make, IMHO.
	__________________ "When the run of a network TV show has ended, some go out with a bang, some with a whimper, but all are...Future Endeavored." "Stay Safe"? More like "Stay Sad". #2020Hurts

08-30-2020, 05:57 PM	#2
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,668	Yeah I wouldn't say the writing was awful but more farcical and absurd such as stuff that wouldn't happen in real life (Jack and Chrissy mistakenly getting handcuffed or Jack fooling Furley he has a twin brother named Austin), it was all done to be fun for the viewers. One of the best things the show never succumbed to was by adding a kid to the show to increase rating.

08-30-2020, 06:16 PM	#4
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	And yet this show made Lucy a lifelong fan of John Ritter! Go figure!

08-31-2020, 03:08 AM	#5
SitcomsHeydayfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2018 Location: The Show Me state Posts: 2,966	Not awful but TOO many episodes involved a mixup or misunderstanding. Like somebody overheard some say something & they got the wrong idea. How many times did that happen?? They should've hired some new writers by Season 6 or 7 to try a different style of comedy while keeping John Ritter's physical comedy but obviously they didn't.

08-31-2020, 01:06 PM	#6
thejasoomian Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 15, 2019 Posts: 327	I think because the show was more plot driven than character driven led to the characters being out of character sometimes. Which resulted in some bad writing/scripts at times. The show was designed for laughs not substance or depth.

11-02-2020, 10:40 PM	#15
someguy23475 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 02, 2006 Posts: 167	Yes, the writing was terrible at times and yes, the plots were repeated so many times with just slight variances. The show lasted as long as it did because of John Ritter, attractive women, and later on, Don Knotts. Without these elements, it’s a one season show, two at the most.