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I. The Show...
Three's Company first hit the airwaves almost 26 years ago, presenting North American viewers with a comedic styling that was truly fresh and new. The casting of John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers as twenty-something roommates Jack Tripper, Janet Wood & Chrissy Snow - the three roommates of apartment 201 - is perfect right from the start. Add to the mix Norman Fell and Audra Lindley as the romantically frustrated landlords Stanley & Helen Roper, and you're set for one wild ride of a show.
Both the brilliance and the downside of Three’s Company lay in the simplicity of its plot. Usually, the fun and mayhem of the episodes would result from some sort of mix-up that caused a problem for the characters to overcome. Ultimately, the misunderstandings were always resolved, leaving the beloved cast of characters pretty much as we found them. But the show’s remarkable ensemble cast leant a lot towards its widespread appeal. Each actor on this show had a particular gift for comedy, especially the late John Ritter, whose timing, pratfalls and physical comedy were truly second to none. And when you combine a great cast with a deceptively simple plot structure that was consistently well written, you get a series that has the power to make people laugh.
The show ultimately became a hit in its freshmen season, but the show was slow to get off the ground, as issues arose surrounding the casting of the two female leads. Three pilots were shot, all involving John Ritter as Jack Tripper, but the first starting with two very different actresses, and the second featured the first appearance of Joyce DeWitt as Janet. It wasn’t until a third and final pilot was shot that the right ensemble mix was found, adding Suzanne Somers to the mix in the role of Chrissy. As such, the first season of the series, which was only six episodes long, didn't premiere until March of 1977. Recently, the first season of this landmark series came out on DVD and, in spite of a lack of extras, Three's Company: Season One really is worth adding to any DVD collection.
II. The Episodes...
All of these season one episodes are contained on one disc and it's obvious that no money was spent to restore & clean up the audio or video of any of these episodes. Overall, the quality isn't bad and the episodes are watchable.
- A Man About the House (Pilot): After a goodbye party for Janet Wood and Chrissy Snow's old roommate, they meet up with Jack Tripper, who, eventually ends up moving in with the girls after convincing their landlords, the Ropers to accept a unique arrangement.
This first episode is a really strong start for the series, doing what every first episode of any series should do - smoothly and quickly introducing us to the central characters and premise of the series. Each character is lovingly crafted, and an honest goodness comes out of each of them, allowing the audience to genuinely care about the characters.
The show's comedic styling is also introduced in this episode, revealing the show’s dependence on many great one-liners and a lot of great physical comedy. The scene where we first meet Jack is particularly memorable - featuring some great physical comedy involving Jack waking up in a bathtub. Overall, the character of Jack is developed the most in this episode, and it’s a great episode to watch.
Episode's Best Line: Mr. Roper (to Mrs. Roper): "You know, it's a shame you don't live in India - you'd be sacred there." Mrs. Roper: "...and contented."
Episode Grade: A
- And Mother Makes Four: When Chrissy's mother comes to town, the new living arrangement gets thrown into disarray.
The episode is a strong follow-up to the show’s pilot, and it is really the first episode to showcase the series's ultimate premise of mix-ups and misunderstandings. The episode also focuses nicely on the character of Chrissy Snow, where we learn a bit about her background and personal history.
Undoubtedly, the episode's best scene occurs early on when Jack rings the doorbell to Mr. Roper's dismay. The Regal Beagle pub was also introduced in this episode, and Mr. Roper's first reference to Jack as "Tinkerbell" occurs as well.
Episode's Best Line: Chrissy (to Jack): "Come in the kitchen and show me what you got."
Episode Grade: B
- Roper's Niece: Jack wants to help celebrate Janet's birthday, but Mr. Roper thinks that having Jack escort his visiting niece around L.A. is “as safe as sending her out in an armoured truck.”
This time around, the show concentrates on Janet, as well as on the Ropers. And in spite of a perception of relying on character stereotypes (such as the dumb blonde), Chrissy actually turns out to be quiet smart, in what turns out to be a thoughtful conversation with Janet over Jack.
Overall, the episode isn't as fast moving as the first two episodes, but it's a fun ride nonetheless. Watch closely and notice how the Roper's apartment is decorated differently than it was in the pilot.
Episode's Best Line: Mr. Roper (to Jack): "You ever take a girl out before? That's terrific, because I wouldn't want you to do anything that would go against your religion."
Episode's Second Best Line: Mr. Roper (to Jack and the girls): "It's ok now, I told her all about Jack." Jack: "What did you tell her?" Mr. Roper: "Oh, just a little fairy story."
Episode Grade: B
- No Children, No Dogs: To increase morale, Jack brings the girls home a cute little puppy - something Mr. Roper just won't allow.
One thing that this episode really highlights is the fact that these three roommates genuinely care for one another. In spite of all the innuendo, the one-liners and the mix-ups, they get along and enjoy life. Honest Larry, the Used Car Salesman (played by actor Richard Kline) makes his first appearance in this episode.
This episode also features a hilarious scene where Janet mistakenly believes Jack & Chrissy are doing it in the kitchen. There's also another hilarious scene where Mr. & Mrs. Roper mistake dog food for one of Jack's cooking school cuisine dishes. Watch closely though, the meals Mr. & Mrs. Roper eat looks surprisingly similar to the dish that Jack made Chrissy & Janet for breakfast in the first episode.
Episode's Best Line: Jack: "Larry's not going to take that dog back (doorbell rings) THAT LOUSY USED CAR SALESMAN! (opens door) Larry! We were just talking about you!"
Episode Grade: A-
- Jack, the Giant Killer: Jack tries to prove that he isn't a sissy by going up against a really strong guy at the Regal Beagle.
This is probably season one's weakest episode, but it does have its cute moments. The best scene occurs when Jack does an impersonation of Bruce Lee. This is the first episode to feature Jim, the Bartender (actor Paul Ainsley) at the Regal Beagle.
One thing I love about this series is its realism. Yeah, I know, it's a screwball comedy, but these three young characters aren't rich. They aren't living it up in Manhattan, in apartments that would cost a pretty penny in real life, as we see in modern shows such as Friends. Here our trio is constantly watching what they spend, always worrying about next month’s rent and other expenses, providing a nice reality that’s still relevant for many people today.
Episode's Best Line: Waitress (to Jack, Janet & Chrissy): "Let's see, you two are the egg salad, and (to Jack - poor Jack) I believe you're the chicken."
Episode Grade: B-
- It's Only Money (Season Finale): When the rent money goes missing, it's a big series of mix-up and mayhem as the gang try to keep Mr. Roper at bay.
This episode nicely finishes off the first season, leaving viewers wanting to see more. The best scene occurs when Jack goes to his school's financial aid office, asking for an emergency loan from Mr. Dean Travers (the first episode to feature the character, played by William Pierson). Jack’s interaction with Mr. Travers, who can't believe that Jack lives with two girls, is priceless. The episode’s premise also helps to reveal the show’s light social relevancy, giving the audience characters they can relate to.
Episode's Best Line: Officer: "I wonder why they didn't take the TV?" Jack: "Have you seen some of these new shows?"
Episode's Second Best Line: Mrs. Roper (To Mr. Roper): "You fall asleep in the middle of everything." Mr. Roper: "I don't know how you do it Helen, you've only been up half an hour but your tongue has already put in an eight hour shift."
Episode Grade: A-
III. The Packaging & The Menus...
All six of the season one episodes are contained on a single disc resulting in no fancy packaging for this release, just a normal, single-DVD case.
The cover of the DVD features the show’s signature logo along with a photograph of the show’s principle actors, John Ritter, Joye DeWitt and Suzanne Somers superimposed on a light blue background. The back of the cover features a description of the show, its cast as well as an episode guide. The show’s official website, http://www.threescompany.com is also featured on the back of the cover.
This release includes liner notes and they are very simple, containing only pictures from the first three years of the series. It’s a bit strange though that only one of the pictures contained on cover and in the liner notes is of the cast in its first season. You can tell this because in each subsequent season, Janet & Chrissy's hairstyles changed. You’d think that it would be easy to pull pictures from the first season for inclusion on a first season DVD release, but I guess it wasn't. Ultimately, the show’s distributor, Anchor Bay Entertainment, probably didn't expect anyone to notice.
The menus on this first season DVD are bright, fun and easy to navigate - they are definitely right out of the 70s. Finally, there doesn't appear to be any easter eggs hidden within the menus taking the view to extra-special bonus material.
IV. The Extras...
What disappoints me the most about this DVD is the fact that they really skimped on the extras. In fact, there aren't really any. The only extras on the DVD include:
- a written summary of each episode;
- a brief written synopsis of what to expect on the Season 2 DVD (which WILL include a tribute to the late John Ritter); and
- promotional advertising for the official Three's Company website, http://www.threescompany.com/.
So, what could they have included for extras? Well, they could've done a lot more, especially considering the first season was only 6 episodes long. Specifically, they could have had:
- the tribute to John Ritter, which should've been included here to offset the fact that this first season was only 6 episodes long. Each subsequent season is a standard series length of about 20 episodes per season;
- interviews with cast & crew would have been nice (even if it's archived footage);
- commentaries on select episodes would've been great too - by the different actors, directors and writers who are still alive and well;
- blooper reels and / or deleted scenes;
- scenes from the original British series, Man About the House, upon which Three's Company was based. The creators of the British series were also involved in the creation of its American update and it would've been interesting to hear from them; as well as
- scenes from the first two pilots that were shot for this series.
V. Conclusion...
In spite of the lack of extras however, it is nice to have this series on DVD, and I do look forward to seeing what they'll do with future seasons, hoping that the "tribute" is more than just more liner notes or written summary included as a side note buried deep in the DVD’s menus.
Grade for Season One: A
Grade for the DVD Presentation & the Extras on Season One: C-
(c) December 14, 2003, Steven H. Lee
This review is also posted on Epinions.com and at Futureshop.ca.
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