Three's Company: Macho Man

Three's Company: Macho Man
ABC
December 15, 1981
Sitcom
DVD
C-

Things wrong with this story by John Boni (who also wrote the great "Larry Loves Janet"):

1. The feeling of de ja vu, with Jack failing to protect a blonde roommate at the Beagle from a masher (but this time Terri uses self-defense), as well as Jack accidentally hitting a cop, with the charges dropped because the cop is embarrassed at the idea of someone like Jack ("a little pipsqueak" in this case, a supposed homosexual before) "beating him up."
2. As with Bosom Buddies, playing on early '80s racist stereotypes for the jail scene, again with a black guy as the toughest prisoner, only it's worse here, because even though there are more cellmates and more ethnicities represented, Jack intimidates them all when they hear he beat up a big cop, rather than with Buddies playing with the stereotypes a little.
3. Janet enjoying the whistles of the cellmates.
4. Cindy showing up at the police station merely so she can hit the cop with a door.
5. Mr. Furley disappearing from the police station without explanation.

What I liked:

1. Mr. Furley is kind of funny, especially when he's panicking.
2. His outfit.
3. That Terri can stand up for herself, even if it's used for plot purposes to make Jack feel emasculated and then he has to overcompensate later.

Kenneth White, who plays Officer Bellows, was Corporal Denning on M*A*S*H and a Marine Recruiter on Welcome Back, Kotter, while Rod Gist was Chalk on M*A*S*H and is Big Eddie here.  Sheldon Feldner, who's Sgt. O'Grady, had a recurring role on the last season of Soap as Deputy Perkins.  Brad Blaisdell returns as Mike the Bartender.