Friday, August 31, 2007

Three's Company

Three's Company stock image.I remember when Three's Company first was on the air. I was not allowed to watch the show. Some of my friends could watch the show, however.

After a while, I became old enough to watch Three's Company, because my parents thought this was an adult show, and although I was no adult, I was the oldest child.

Jack Tripper: Larry, haven't you ever thought of telling a girl the truth?
Larry: Well, I figure, anyone who puts on eyeliner, fake eyelashes, and plastic nails isn't someone who wants to hear the truth.


The show was full of humor that I only sort of got. I was a tad bit sheltered – I was not allowed to watch Soap even, because of the content.

I was partial to Janet Wood, mostly because she was the smart one and had brunette hair. I was in a hotel room with my husband a few months ago, and I recall that he paused to see this image:

Three's Company opening credits - Crissy
So I would guess that he would rather me be the dumb blond with the big boobs. Actually, it was a bit surprising.

Jack Tripper: Is something burning?
Janet Wood: Oh NO! I left my underwear in the oven.
Chrissy: Too bad hot pants are not in style.


Now, I don't know if Three's Company was a good show or not, but it appealed because it was humorous, and it had a situation where guys wanted to find themselves: sandwiched between a blond and a brunette. And a few years later, when I was in college, it would have been nice to live with a guy who was not threatening sexually, could protect me (sort of), could cook, had a good sense of humor, and who flattered me endlessly. As a girl, however, I liked Jack because he was funny and goofy and sort of handsome.

Stanley Roper: What's the cake for?
Helen Roper: We're celebrating.
Stanley Roper: Celebrating what?
Helen Roper: The tenth anniversary of my spring outfit.


I did not really like Stanley. He sort of reminded me of a dirty old man, though I liked how he stared at the camera after making a joke. Seemed amateurish. And even though Stanley and Helen traded barbs, they seemed like they loved each other. I guess they reminded me of my parents, except for the creepy dirty old man part.

Such a show would not do well today (and I am not talking about the re-runs). I am talking about a new show competing with the OC, American Idol and 24. I don't watch any of those shows, actually, but Three's Company was uncomplicated. And I get the impression that the late 70s/early 80s were a less complicated time.

Well, for me, I was just going to school, playing and watching Three's Company. Simple times.

7 comments:

kathi said...

I liked Janet too, and the way Chrissy snorted when she laughed really got on my nerves. Yeah, good times.

Southern (in)Sanity said...

TV was much less complicated back then.

Come to think of it, in many ways, life in general was less complicated back then.

LarryLilly said...

We should get "do-overs" in life, but we cant. Besides, i truly believe that we would screw up the next one, just in a different way LOL.

I didnt find the past so better. I had a childhood friend named Jimmy. He came down with an illness, about 1955, I remember not seeing him for a spell, when we went to his house, his mom said that Jimmy was too sick. I remeber when the workmen showed up and took out the regular front door that ALL the houses on our street had, a post WWII hood, where all the homes were of three different shapes. They put in a larger door, actually two doors, then I heard from my mom one day that jimmy had polio, and we were NOT to go to his house. We would run past his house, and we could look into the lower right bedroom window, our house was exactly like his, and that was my bedroom. We could see Jimmy looking at us from a setup with mirrors, with him inside this iron lung machine my mom told me it was.

We would sneak a look as we raced past the house, afraid we would become just like Jimmy.

No, Jimmy moved away after a couple of more years, and I dont know what ever happened to him, but i dont think i want to relive the past, they werent all that much simpler.

Nancy said...

I was NEVER allowed to watch that show. I couldn't even watch The Flintstones because Fred lied too much. Thankfully, my best friend had one of those big TVs in the wooden console the size of a restaurant salad bar. I learned a lot from that big 'ol TV.

Ian Lidster said...

You should have seen the English show it was based on called 'Man About the House'. It was much funnier and didn't leer as much. I always like the late John Ritter as an actor, but disliked his character in Three's Company. Now 'Soap', since you mentioned it, was genuinely hilarious.

mal said...

I never cared for "3's Company". I am not sure why. "Soap" though had me and my roomies howling. Maybe because it was unapologetic about its total absurdity? I was bummed when it was canceled

Leesa said...

kathi: I forgot Chrissy's snort. Annoying.

rwa: I agree with you.

larry: I think the past is a bit simpler, not necessarily better. There is a difference.

nancy: I forgot about Fred Flinstone. He did lie a lot. So did Lucy (I Love Lucy).

ian: I wish I could have seen it.

mal: I never really watched Soap.