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.