Three's Company: Friends and Lovers

Three's Company: Friends and Lovers
ABC
September 18, 1984
Sitcom
DVD
B

Burditt, Ross, and West wrote this series finale, which morphs into Three's a Crowd at the end.  At least this time, Janet is given some more attention, although we still don't see much of Phillip.  And Terri's plan to move to Hawaii would drop out of syndication.  Still, it's easy to believe that the emotions were real (DeWitt was on the verge of tears for many reasons), and there are some good moments.  I never cared for Robin's Nest, but I like Cadorette as Vicky, and Mandan is always fun.  I enjoyed 3'saC at the time but haven't seen it since I think the late '80s.  Of course I would've liked Company to keep going, but I was mostly OK with it ending like this.  I might've felt differently had I known that Crowd would last only one season, but maybe not.  Note that Jack is too old-fashioned to live with someone non-platonically, but Terri convinces him he shouldn't lose Vicky.  And when he's nervous about his first night with Vicky in their apartment over the restaurant (now no longer just one room), she knows how to put him at his ease.

Henry Sutton, who was Mr. Graves on Bosom Buddies, plays the Minister.  Robert Clotworthy returns in the role of Phillip's relative Tony Williams.

Three's Company in its final season ranges from C to B+, but about half of the episodes earn B-, and that is the average.  So I don't think it ever jumped the shark, although it never topped the first season.