Three's Company: Jack on the Lam

Three's Company: Jack on the Lam
ABC
September 11, 1979
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This season-four opener, written by Neil Lebowitz, who'd done a couple Mork & Mindy scripts, shows how much the series had changed since Season One.  Not only is Chrissy getting dumber by the moment, with lots of lines about her stupidity, but the first incarnation of Jack wouldn't have dressed in drag to avoid FBI agents (or F-men as Chrissy calls them).  I don't have anything against drag of course (Juanita Epstein was enjoyable a few months earlier), but I feel like they didn't do anything particularly funny with it, except for tipsy Larry hitting on Jack.  Note that Janet debuts the Benatar look, with the short hair and tighter clothes, DeWitt having tired of her earth-mother, post-hippie look.

Jim the Bartender (Paul Ainsley) also has made a change in his appearance, having grown a thick beard.  James Staley, who's Special Agent Banning, would make two cameos on Mork & Mindy.  And Dick O'Neill, who's Walter Nessle, made three appearances on M*A*S*H.