Has what is considered "sexy" changed since 3's Company's day?

[TheLittleFaerie]

I just remember back in the day EVERYONE thought Chrissy was the sexiest roommate by far and Janet largely got overlooked and ignored... Nowdays EVERYONE seems to pick Janet as the sexiest, and Chrissy is overlooked! What happened?!?

[ThisLittlePiggy]

In a more general sense, what we find attractive does tend to change throughout the decades. In the 1920s, a slender figure was more popular. By the 1940s it was seen as good to be more voluptuous. In the 1960s you saw a lot of women wanting to look super thin. And by the 1980s, athletic bodies were more the rage. This is a broad generalization.

But in the case of these particular women, could it be that as we grew up we found the more grounded Janet to be more appealing over the flaky Chrissy?

[TMC]

There come to think of it, was you can say something of a Betty and Veronica dynamic, where Janet is Betty and Chrissy is Veronica. Gilligan's Island famously had that too with Mary Ann as the Betty and Ginger as the Veronica to Jack's Archie. WKRP in Cincinnati also had that with Bailey as the Betty to Jennifer's Veronica.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I just remember back in the day EVERYONE thought Chrissy was the sexiest roommate by far and Janet largely got overlooked and ignored... Nowdays EVERYONE seems to pick Janet as the sexiest, and Chrissy is overlooked! What happened?!?

I'm guessing that when Three's Company was first on the air, Charlie's Angels was running concurrently on ABC. And both shows were classified as "jiggle shows". I'm guessing that at the time, Suzanne Somers was considered the Farrah Fawcett of the show to Joyce DeWitt's Kate Jackson.

I'm also guessing that the tide started to turn in Janet's favor when Chrissy became really Flanderized towards the end of her run on the show. Janet I suppose always seemed more like a grounded, relatable, multi-dimensional character than Chrissy, who always seemed like a dingbat. Chrissy just seemed like the type of girl that you would get tired of being around for too long of a period, especially as her character got dumber and dumber as the seasons progressed.

[ThisLittlePiggy]

Originally Posted by TMC

There come to think of it, was you can say something of a Betty and Veronica dynamic, where Janet is Betty and Chrissy is Veronica. Gilligan's Island famously had that too with Mary Ann as the Betty and Ginger as the Veronica to Jack's Archie. WKRP in Cincinnati also had that with Bailey as the Betty to Jennifer's Veronica.

I used to read Betty and Veronica comics. I really like your analogy.

[rusty spike]

I think more fans have developed a bigger interest in Janet because her character lasted the entire show. However, there was little wow factor to Janet the first two seasons. Her character was routinely dressed in dowdy clothing/apparel.

[BestTVever]

Originally Posted by rusty spike

I think more fans have developed a bigger interest in Janet because her character lasted the entire show. However, there was little wow factor to Janet the first two seasons. Her character was routinely dressed in dowdy clothing/apparel.

Exactly. In the pilot episode Janet brings her concern to Chrissy that Jack's eyes are all over her. In the next episode Chrissy's mom visits. They are hiding Jack in their bedroom and when Chrissy steps out Jack says something like "she's a girl everywhere" and Janet exclaims "then what am I"
Clearly Janet was the smart, serious grounded character in the beginning.

[ClarenceAlabama]

Originally Posted by TMC

There come to think of it, was you can say something of a Betty and Veronica dynamic, where Janet is Betty and Chrissy is Veronica. Gilligan's Island famously had that too with Mary Ann as the Betty and Ginger as the Veronica to Jack's Archie. WKRP in Cincinnati also had that with Bailey as the Betty to Jennifer's Veronica.

I think I'm the only person on the planet who would pick Mary Ann over Ginger, Bailey over Jennifer, but I would pick Chrissy over Janet.

[thejasoomian]

Originally Posted by ClarenceAlabama

I think I'm the only person on the planet who would pick Mary Ann over Ginger, Bailey over Jennifer, but I would pick Chrissy over Janet.

Who would you pick , Jackie Rush or Sara Rush?

[ClarenceAlabama]

Originally Posted by thejasoomian

Who would you pick , Jackie Rush or Sara Rush?

I would pick Sara Rush...

Some guys are partial to blondes and some to brunettes, but hair color doesn't matter to me. I tend to go for sweet and cute. Personality plays a huge part.

[BestTVever]

In the opening credits, Janet is in long sleeve plaid shirt watering plants. Chrissy is in a bikini sun bathing.
You know right away Janet is the serious, smart, stable character.

[Mr. Television]

Chrissy was the sexiest the first few seasons until they dumbed her down and she started wearing those bangs.

[dee2364]

Chrissy was considered the sexiest at the time for no other reason that she was a platinum blonde and everyone was still hung up on that look (Carol Wayne, Loni Anderson, etc.). I think it went out of fashion in the 1980s because it was so played out. Notice how most of the "it" girls of the 1980s wound up being raven-haired or brunette (Sean Young, Demi Moore, Debra Winger, Phoebe Cates, etc.). It was like there was a major backlash.

[ClarenceAlabama]

Originally Posted by Mr. Television

Chrissy was the sexiest the first few seasons until they dumbed her down and she started wearing those bangs.

I agree! I am referring to Chrissy seasons 1-3.

Chrissy season 4-5, I would run from...

[DJM77]

Originally Posted by ClarenceAlabama

I think I'm the only person on the planet who would pick Mary Ann over Ginger, Bailey over Jennifer

You're not the only one because so would I.