The Best of "The Hollywood Palace": excerpts

The Best of "The Hollywood Palace": excerpts
ABC
November 25, 1992
Variety
VHS
C+

Somers hosts the highlights of the '60s variety show, which judging by what I taped, didn't age particularly well.  Still, yes, you do need to see Groucho Marx and a near-death Margaret Dumont in '65 do an updated "Captain Spaulding" routine, bikini reference and all.

Three's Company: The Best of Three's Company

Three's Company: The Best of Three's Company
ABC
May 18, 1982
Sitcom
DVD
C+

It's funny, I remember very little about the last season of Mork & Mindy but I can pretty clearly remember this clip show.  Maybe it's the difference in the level of syndication, or maybe I did miss some of Mork with the hiatuses and all.  Anyway, it was a big deal to get a comedy icon like Lucille Ball to host a clip show for a series that the critics then hated.  The clips selected range from classic (like Jack waking up with Mr. Roper) to OK.  But it is a clip show and there's only so much you can do with that, especially at an hour's length.  Also, in '82, it was great to see the early episodes again, which you couldn't other than when they'd air in syndication, while now, after watching six seasons on DVD (and having seen the episodes many times over the years anyway), it's not such a big deal.  Note that this couldn't have aired at the end of the previous season, because the behind the scenes drama had not yet quieted down.

Besides the people I've tagged, the following appear in clips: Paul Ainsley (Jim the Bartender), Frank Aletter (Mr. Latham), Leon Askin (Mr. Hoffmeier), Michael Bell (as Michael the dance instructor, not as the guru), Jordan Charney (as Mr. Layton rather than as Mr. Angelino), Gina Conforti (Felipe), Cynthia Harris (Mrs. Layton), Sally Kemp (Mrs. Latham), Shell Kepler (Didi), Jillian Kesner (the Sister who beats up "David Miller"), Heather Lowe (Brenda), Tori Lysdahl (Shirley), William Pierson (Dean Travers), Irene Tedrow (Martha), and Isabelle Wolfe (Waitress).  I think I would've included Loni Anderson and more recognizable guest stars, but maybe they didn't want to take too much attention away from the main cast.

Three's Company in its sixth season ranges from two C-s to three Bs, averaging just barely over the B- side of the C+/B- border.  As at the time, it took me awhile to warm up to the Terri character, and I don't think the writers quite knew what to do with her at first, or with Cindy as a drop-in friend.  As I recall, in Season Seven I was reconciled to Terri but not as invested in the show as I was a few years earlier.  (And this clip show would've confirmed my belief that the series was better in the Chrissy days.)  That said, I kept watching to the end (and even beyond, with Three's a Crowd).

Three's Company: And Baby Makes Four

Three's Company: And Baby Makes Four
ABC
March 10, 1981
Sitcom
DVD
B

This Staretski & Rips story is one of the better ones for Cindy.  She's dating a high-fashion photographer, Doug Cooper (John McCook, who'd return the next year as Alan), who criticizes her appearance.  She's happy with herself and tells him to buzz off.  (The audience is audibly on her side.)  Then when she complains to sympathetic Regal Beagle waitress Kelly (Frances Lee McCain, who had played Janet on The Bob Newhart Show), Kelly confides that she's pregnant.  I like that Cindy sympathizes with Kelly and helps her find maternity clothes.

Of course, this leads to the farcical situation of Jack and Janet thinking Cindy's pregnant.  There are misunderstandings that spin off of that, with Mr. Furley (who receives two black eyes) first thinking that Jack is dating Doug, and then later that Larry is proposing to Jack.  Cindy is very surprised when Jack proposes to her, but Janet talks her into it.  Cindy has a great line when Jack, who meets Kelly, tries to rescind his proposal and says, "You're not already pregnant": "Talk about lazy!"

I was wrong before about Cindy only being mentioned in one phone tag.  Actually, Janet tries to explain to Chrissy what's been happening this episode.  It's the last appearance of Somers on the show, with the exception of the Lucille-Ball-hosted tribute.

Three's Company: In Like Larry

Three's Company: In Like Larry
ABC
February 24, 1981
Sitcom
DVD
C+

I have some trouble with the premise of this Staretski & Rips story.  Larry manipulates a quarrel between Jack and the girls for his own purposes, apparently to seduce Cindy, even though he's never particularly shown interest in her to this point.  And no one suspects him.  Also, Jack is the only one to point out that Furley might get suspicious.  In fact, the best moment in the episode is when Furley thinks Jack and Larry (both in their sleepwear) were going to go to bed together, but the way Janet handles it, by pretending to be shocked by what he's thinking, feels a bit feeble.

Three's Company: Father of the Bride

Three's Company: Father of the Bride
ABC
February 10, 1981
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Thirty-six-year-old Jeffrey Tambor, who was a regular on The Ropers, makes his first of three 3'sC appearances, here as Winston Cromwell III.  I know a lot of people think he's hilarious, but I find his annoying characters, well, annoying.  (Not just on Three's Company but also on Who's the Boss?  And, no, I've never seen Transparent.)  This is his most tolerable episode, mostly because Cindy holds to her principles and self-respect, Jack has his "pure but plowed" speech, and the wedding dresses are lovely.  (Better than what Jan and Marcia wore the previous week to be honest.)  And, OK, Tambor is sort of funny here, like the way his top hat wobbles on his head.  Note that this has probably the only phone call where Chrissy talks about Cindy.

Mickey Deems's middle of five 3'sC roles is the Singing Telegram Man, who serenades Jack with "You Made Me Love You."

Three's Company: Make Room for Daddy

Three's Company: Make Room for Daddy
ABC
January 27, 1981
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Staretski and Ripps story manages to overcome its premise.  The "daddy" is Andrew Gainer (Keene Curtis, who'd previously played Chrissy's doctor), father of Jack's date Cheryl (Janice Kent, who'd be Laurie on Who's the Boss?).  He comes to Jack for advice on women.  Jack dismisses Larry's advice as too sleazy, but Jack is the one saying that a woman's lips may say "stop" but her eyes will say "go."  And, yes, I know that Chrissy and Janet had the "sometimes no means maybe" conversation early on, but that was two friends joking around, not one man giving a male acquaintance rapey advice.  And yet, the way it plays out, we see that Janet can take care of herself and Andrew can take no for an answer and apologize for his behavior.  Also, this episode has what may well be the most famous Cindy & Jack clumsiness scene, with the ironing board.

Note that this is the second recent 3'sC episode with a Beatles reference; previously it was "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and here it's Jack's punning "She gets by with a little kelp from her friends."  I wonder if these are because of John Lennon's recent assassination (Ritter was a big fan) or merely coincidental.

Waiter Joe George previously played a Chauffeur, and would later be a Crook on the show.  This has I believe the only "Chrissy phone call" where Jack answers.  And this is the 100th program I've reviewed for the '80s, with a lot more ahead.

Three's Company: Jack's Other Mother

Three's Company: Jack's Other Mother
ABC
January 20, 1981
Sitcom
DVD
D+

Mark Tuttle wrote this story that's significantly worse than "Old Folks at Home."  Yes, Leo imposed on Jack, but the title character here, Gladys Moore (Amzie Strickland, who had a couple roles each on That Girl and The Bob Newhart Show), does the following:

1. Tries to help Jack at his new job by getting behind the counter;
2. Scares away his date;
3. Tries to strip him down when she thinks he's sick;
4. Performs other, less invasive but still inappropriate actions.

And of course Jack is supposed to feel guilty for telling her to leave, because she's such a sweet old lady, never mind that she's a complete stranger with no sense of boundaries.  The only thing I like in this episode is Larry's Lawrence Welk imitation, and the set and costumes for the restaurant.  Pity the plot couldn't have been about Jack's job instead.  Oh well, still better than "Jack's Navy Pal."

Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as President the day this episode aired.  I'll talk more about this as we go along, but for now I need to say that around this time there was a shift in the zeitgeist, or at least the networks' perception of the zeitgeist, which did contribute to a shift.  (It's a bit chicken & eggy.)  It was believed by the media (news media included) that Reagan's election meant that the country was becoming more socially/personally conservative, rejecting the sex, drugs, and rock & roll of the '70s and later '60s.  Three's Company would drift away from the more over the top sexual humor (like when Jack was offered a job modeling for an adult magazine or when Janet's roommates thought she was hiring a man to father her baby) towards more general farce.  ABC would tie Soap's cancellation into the rise of the Moral Majority, although there were other factors as well.

This is not to say the days of "jiggle TV" and/or Norman Leary controversial content were over, but they were becoming numbered.  Bosom Buddies would be a bit of an anomaly, but then it would also be relatively short-lived.  As for M*A*S*H and Mork & Mindy, the former would (as I recall) continue to coast and laurel-rest, while the latter would continue its flailing around to recapture the lightning in a bottle of the first season.  Reagan had nothing to do with that, but it is safe to say that television in '89 would look very different than in '81.  (Of course, cable had a lot to do with that, too, as we'll see further along.)

Three's Company: Jack to the Rescue

Three's Company: Jack to the Rescue
ABC
January 6, 1981
Sitcom
DVD
C+

George Burditt wrote this story where Cindy, who's been on the job for two weeks (so she's been paid once at most), is urged by Janet to stand up for herself about running errands and fetching coffee for her boss.  But it's when Cindy admits to typing Jack's resume at work, and then he insults her boss, that she gets fired.  Janet makes Jack go and apologize, but Jack catches the boss necking with another secretary.  And then both Mr. and Mrs. Hadley show up at the apartment.  This episode came out less than a month after the movie 9 to 5, which was a huge hit and which handled respect for secretaries with much more intelligence and genuine comedy.  Note that no one here seems clear on the difference between a cover letter or a resume, but neither should start with one of Mr. Furley's poems.

Rod Colbin, who plays Mr. Hadley, would be Mr. Franklin.  Ruth Manning, who plays Harriet Hadley, previously was Nurse Engel.  And this time Chrissy's phone call comes at the end in the tag, so it was probably easier to edit out in syndication.

Three's Company: Room at the Bottom

I like this outfit, and not just ironically.

Three's Company: Room at the Bottom
ABC
December 9, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Staretski & Rips episode has the first two-sided Chrissy-in-Fresno phone call.  We find out that her mother has a pain in her side but is feeling better.  The main plot is that Jack gets a job as a busboy, after telling his friends that he'll be a chef.  The funniest moment is when he hides just out of sight and keeps flinging pats of butter at Furley and Janet's plates.  I find it a bit odd that Larry brings Jack's date to the restaurant but we don't really get to see her reaction.  Still, the reassurances of Jack's friends, especially Janet of course, are sweet.

Frank O'Brien, who was Jerry Cronkite on Welcome Back, Kotter, has his first of two 3'sC roles here, as the First Waiter.

Three's Company: A Hundred Dollars a What?

Three's Company: A Hundred Dollars a What?
ABC
November 18, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This George Burditt episode is probably more famous for what went on behind the scenes than for what happened onscreen.  It would be the final full appearance of Somers as Chrissy Snow, although this wasn't known at the time.  It was, however, tense during filming and I suppose there's a slight undercurrent of this although everyone acted (both performed and behaved) like professionals.  The trio are noticeably less physically affectionate with each other if you compare, for instance, the ending of the "Secret Admirer" episode to this one.  But as a twelve-year-old long-time viewer, I certainly didn't pick up on any of this.  I was probably more surprised by the raciness of the story, with Chrissy's old friend Darlene (Elaine Giftos, who had been Jerry's controlling girlfriend Cynthia on The Bob Newhart Show and who would be Janet's old friend Randy later) visiting and turning out to be a call girl.  (Not watching much of Barney Miller, I usually didn't see prostitutes on sitcoms for more than a moment or two.)

Note that I think Jack's hometown of San Diego had been mentioned before, and Chrissy's of Fresno definitely had.  It does seem odd that Jack's mother hasn't met Janet and Chrissy yet, or even heard about Jack living with them, but it will turn out later this season that Janet's parents (back in Indiana) haven't heard of her living arrangement either.  Both of Chrissy's parents having visited, her father repeatedly, is more unusual.  But then Chrissy seems closer to her family, as subsequent events would prove.

Mickey Deems makes his second of five 3'sC appearances, as Gambel.

Three's Company: Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs

Three's Company: Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs
ABC
October 28, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This is the first of twenty and twenty-one 3'sC stories by respectively Martin Rips and Joseph Staretski, who had co-written for The Ropers and who would go on to Three's a Crowd.  It's well known among fans for being taped almost in real time, like a play, and I'm guessing Jack's sweat and exhaustion weren't just acting and make-up.  As I noted before, I sometimes confuse it with "Double Date," which was actually two years earlier, not in the same season, as I also thought.  Anyway, the stakes are even higher here, as Jack entertains four women (and Mr. Furley) in three apartments, throughout most of the episode.

Despite backstage troubles with Somers, Three's Company actually premiered earlier than my other shows that season, due to an actors' strike that delayed debuts weeks or even months.  So unlike previous years, where we'd be seeing entries in September, we're looking more at November for 1980.

Three's Company: Jack's Graduation

Three's Company: Jack's Graduation
ABC
May 6, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Back on the first episode that aired, Jack said he was going to graduate from his cooking school in 1980, and Janet remarked how long a time this was.  I'm sure that none of the cast, except maybe Somers, expected the show to last that long, but here we are, and not even at the midpoint of the series.  (It is, however, the 80th episode, and airing in '80, although the first two pilots would not air for many years more.)  I definitely remember this episode from the time, including Chrissy's way of abbreviating "Congratulations on Your Graduation."  It has quite a bit for William Pierson to do in his penultimate appearance as Dean Travers, since Jack's final exam is switched by his classmate and the trio have to prove that Jack should've passed.  The Baser & Weiskopf story is also notable for the first glimpse of a nicer, more sentimental Ralph Furley than we've seen through most of his first season.  He's starting to genuinely become the kids' friend, although less than he would be later.

Three's Company in its fourth season fluctuates wildly in quality, with two D+s and two B+s, and a low B- average overall.  There's no one reason for this.  For example, Chrissy has become an even dumber and more cartoonish blonde than in Season Three, and yet sometimes this is funny and sometimes it's painful.  Lana's character is a misfire, and yet she has some good moments, like on the "camping" episode and the one where she thinks Jack is having an affair with Janet and/or Chrissy.  And it's not any particular writer(s) at fault.  Season Five of course would have the impact of behind-the-scenes shake-ups, and yet I recall some good episodes then.

Three's Company: The Goodbye Guy

An overheard conversation is misunderstood.

Three's Company: The Goodbye Guy
ABC
March 25, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
C-

I've never liked this Albrecht & Weinstein story.  While I think you could get some dark comedy out of suicide, I dislike that Mr. Furley exploits the situation of the trio thinking he's suicidal.  That said, the party scene isn't too bad.

Three's Company: Secret Admirer

Three's Company: Secret Admirer
ABC
March 11, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Mark Tuttle worked on this episode with Joyce Gittlin and Steve Clements, who'd co-written a couple for Welcome Back, Kotter, but unfortunately it's a weak remake of Man About the House's "Somebody Out There Likes Me."  My main gripe (as it was on my blog five years ago) is with Jack's behavior, how he insults Janet, Chrissy and the secret admirer, Gilbert Larwin (former child star Barry Gordon, at this point in his career in between Fish and Archie Bunker's Place).  Jack also jumps to conclusions and gives bad advice.  Janet is guilty of this, too, but less so.  What I do like is the wardrobe (from Chrissy's springtime dress to Larry's zebra print robe), and that Chrissy and Gilbert actually hit it off.  If they were going to go in a different direction than the MAtH original (where SA actually fancies Jo but doesn't know her name), then why not just pursue Chrissy/Gilbert?  And have Jack be nicer.

David Himes, who plays Brad, had two roles on The Bob Newhart Show.  Stephen Johnson, who's Phil Durkin, would return as one of the many Police Officers on this show.  This is Paul Ainsley's last appearance as Jim the Bartender.

Three's Company: The Root of All Evil

Three's Company: The Root of All Evil
ABC
March 4, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B

This first of two 3'sC stories written by Howard Albrecht and Sol Weinstein is a solid contribution.  The regular cast work very well together (it's actually one of my favorite Larry episodes) and Brooks makes a welcome return as Dr. Prescott.  I'm not sure why it's not a B+, considering how much I (and my ex-husband) used to quote it all the time, e.g. "We killed the money!", but it just doesn't feel quite great on this viewing.

Note that Chrissy has an Aunt Tilly who once lived in Chicago.  (In contrast to all of Chrissy's relatives, Janet and Chrissy didn't even know Jack had a brother till Lee showed up.)  Also note that Janet suggests putting aside three months' rent ($900 I believe) out of the $1600 something Chrissy wins, but I don't think they actually do this.

Three's Company: Lee Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

Three's Company: Lee Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
ABC
February 26, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B-

By this point in the series, Americanizations of Man About the House episodes were becoming rarer, and unlike in MatH, Chrissy does not permanently fall for her roommate's brother, leading to their marriage.  (That would've been one solution to the Suzanne salary demands the next season, had they but known.)  Chrissy realizes in fact that, if they were cakes, Lee would be all frosting, while Jack would have a lot of layers.  Baser & Weiskopf wrote this episode, and I consider it equivalent to the original, despite the differences.

Jack having a brother contradicts or at least complicates both Jack being the only nephew of Uncle Fremont and the fact that, although Lee is firstborn, Jack was named after their father.  Since Fremont seems to be Jack Sr.'s brother, my guess is that Jack's mother was married before and then widowed, so Lee was adopted.

Albert Carrier, who plays Maurice, was a Waiter and another Frenchman on That Girl, and he seems to have been pretty much typecast.  I don't have John Getz (Lee) in anything else but he's still working steadily at almost 70.

Three's Company: Jack's Bad Boy

Three's Company: Jack's Bad Boy
ABC
February 12, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
D+

This Mark Tuttle story is another one where someone imposes on the trio, in this case a 12-year-old boy named Billy Todson (Shane Sinutko, who did The Shaggy DA and some ABC After School Specials and similar).  I've disliked this episode since the time (when I was almost twelve myself), because of how the boy is a manipulative liar and everyone but Jack falls for it, and he even makes the girls think Jack hits him with boxing gloves.  It's not quite as bad as the "blind Navy pal" episode, but it is possibly the worst episode of this season.

Joe George, who was Angry Man #1 on The Bob Newhart Show, has his first of three 3'sC roles here, as the Chauffeur.  Note that there's no way that Billy could've called him to bring the $100 allowance, unless Billy was down at Furley's a longer time than it seems.  (Maybe it took the girls a long time to go to and from the supermarket.)

Three's Company: And Baby Makes Two

Three's Company: And Baby Makes Two
ABC
February 5, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B

This first of eleven 3'sC stories by Ellen Guylas shows a nice sense of farce, as well as some Jack/Janet shippiness, including in the tag.  Janet bails on a ski weekend so she can redecorate her and Chrissy's bedroom but, thanks partly to miscommunication with Mr. Furley, Jack jumps to the conclusion that Janet is hiring a surrogate father, like her unseen friend Gwen did.  He convinces Chrissy and of course more misunderstandings result, especially when male decorators start coming by for job interviews.  Jack tells Janet she should've asked him to do the job and she might've talked him into it, but she says she doesn't think he's qualified.  And then in the tag, she acts very flirty and makes him think she wants him to father a baby, but she just wants to redecorate his room, too.  Note that Janet seems to enjoy babysitting much more than she did when she pushed that job onto Jack and Chrissy two years ago.

Philip Charles MacKenzie, who plays Roger, would be Walter Hardy on Bosom Buddies.

Three's Company: Handcuffed

Three's Company: Handcuffed
ABC
January 29, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
B

OK, this Baser & Weiskopf script, based on a story by an outside writer, is implausible from beginning to end, but at least it's funny.  Chrissy's distant cousin Jay Garfield (well played by Daniel Trent, who was Elliott the previous season) is a cop who leaves his handcuffs at the trio's apartment.  While Janet is at the library, Jack and Chrissy handcuff themselves together for fun, but neither has the key.  Jack refuses to break his date with "Brenda the Human Blender," so he meets her at the Regal Beagle, where hijinks ensue.  (Including Somers accidentally fondling the actress's breast a couple times, see Chris Mann's book on the show.)  A cop sees Jack and Chrissy leave in handcuffs, so he asks Jim the Bartender (Paul Ainsley) about it.  Then Jim calls Janet, who's home by now.  And so on.  When Jack and Chrissy eat a cake together, it's a bit like the Helping Hands game on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, only with one hand each.

Alan Manson, who plays Mike the Cop, was Col. Hersh on M*A*S*H and Congressman Avery on The Bob Newhart Show, and ironically would return as Chrissy's uncle, father to Cindy.)

Three's Company: The Love Lesson

Three's Company: The Love Lesson
ABC
January 22, 1980
Sitcom
DVD
D+

While it's nice to see 26-year-old Joanna Kerns in her first of two 3'sC cameos, I have a lot of issues with this Mark Tuttle story, some of which I had at the time:

1. Mr. Furley apparently thinks that it's more important that Jack be straight than that he be able to keep his apartment with his two best friends.
2. He doesn't tell Jack ahead of time what the consequences will be.
3. Jack doesn't question the offer.
4. No one points out that it isn't like Jack is supposed to be shy or virginal; he's supposed to be attracted to men and unattracted to, possibly repulsed, by women romantically.
5. No one questions that an orientation could be reversed in one afternoon.
6. Larry doesn't take the time to tell Jack before leaving for Las Vegas.  (Jack would presumably be grateful enough to pay the cab fare.)
7. Mr. Furley's treatment of Bobbie would be just as offensive if she were trans rather than biologically female.  It's just straight up rude, and she's right to be offended.
8. Janet and Chrissy visibly struggle when "converted" Jack kisses them, which I remember being uncomfortable watching when I was eleven and ever after.
9. Why would Bart have to know about Jack being straight?  Why can't Ralph keep the secret, especially since he thinks it's his own doing?
10. They should've cast an actor who looks more like Kerns to play BJ in the tag.

That said, I like the scene with Larry and Bobbie (above) and occasional moments earlier.