If you compile a list of classic sitcoms from the 1970s, Company of Three will be found among its ratings. The show premiered in 1977 and starred John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, And Suzanne Somersand ended production after 8 seasons in 1984. The show was so well received in its day that it was nominated for five Emmy Awards, one of which they won, and received two spin-offs. Its popularity remains so positive that the show’s syndicates could be found on stations such as IDC and even Nickelodeon during its former Nick at Nite block.
While celebrating such an audience and critical reception, it’s worth acknowledging that, as with shows like Friends, it is entirely a product of its time and has not aged gracefully. Now this writer will be the first to confess his love for comedy in all its forms and forms. Company of Three there are many funny moments. I’d go so far as to say that the world wouldn’t have been blessed with the talents of its main trio on such a grand scale without the series, and the show has opened several comedy doors for later generations of television writers and actors. In the same vein, however, it’s likely that the show wouldn’t have gotten very far had it been presented today.
The premise is problematic today
central storyline Company of Three focuses on how Jack Tripper (Ritter) becomes roommates with two women, Chrissy Snow (Somers) and Janet Wood (DeWitt), after their former roommate’s farewell party. Simply put, Jack spent his nights at the local YMCA, crashed the party, and woke up in the girls’ bath. After getting to know him and learning that he can cook, they offer him their spare room. Of course, there’s nothing questionable about a bunch of men and women in their twenties cohabiting even by 1970s standards, but their landlords are originally the Roopers, Stanley (Norman Fell) and Helen (Audra Lindley), and later Ralph Furley (Don Knotts) were not so open. To sidestep any objections they had to a young man living with two women, the three say that Jack is homosexual as a front. This doubles as a running gag throughout the series where, despite being a real ladies’ man, Jack has to pretend to be gay whenever Roper or Furley are present so they don’t kick him out due to their personal beliefs.
To be honest, the idea itself is inherently funny, as any legend that needs to be maintained has potential, and it’s clear that there’s no real malice in the writing. If they were to be seen, most of them belonged to the landlords, as both Roper and Furley spent most of the show hitting Jack’s perceived sexuality with slurs like “fairy” and “Tinkerbell”. It’s clear that the role of the landlord was meant to be repulsive and to some degree antagonistic, but the repeated use of someone’s sexuality as a punch line is incredibly nasty by today’s standards. We can think of this in the same way as Chandler Bing’s jokes (Matthew Perry) homophobia in Friends. Yes, it might have seemed funny for its time, but even when watching today’s reruns, there is a strong feeling that fans are writhing when the laugh track forces a climax.
The show is loaded with cringe factors
True to its time and in this respect, Company of Three was loaded with outright dirty jokes and insinuations. This ranges from Jack constantly hitting on his roommates and anyone he finds attractive, to Larry practically laying the inspirational groundwork for successor characters like Family manX Glen Quagmire (ur.Seth Macfarlane). There were even some promotional posters with hints of innuendo, such as the one showing Jack smiling as he fed Chrissy and Janet salad through a split salad bowl. Of course, this seems harmless at first glance, since Jack has a culinary background and even owns a bistro by the end of the series, but there is an equally unfunny and unpleasant feeling in the picture, and this must be admitted.
Admittedly, this is the least of the show’s criticisms. Without Company of Three pushing comedic boundaries, we wouldn’t have some of today’s top rated shows. With that said, watching an episode like Here Comes Jack, where Jack is invited to promote the Italian restaurant he works at, Angelino, on a TV talk show can be frustrating. The episode didn’t need any crude humor as there was plenty of room for jokes about Jack, Terry and Janet nervously spending their first time on TV. However, we only get a hint of it among moments like Furley making the same, weary gay insults five years into the show’s existence, conjuring up a weird uncle at a holiday gathering who thinks they’re nervous when the room rolls their collective eyes. While they give us ludicrous scenes like Terry Alden (Priscilla Barnes) freezing and stuttering Janet, the writers still give their viewers the same jokes from a male look in their direction for six seasons, despite the fact that their cast is quite capable of doing something better.
Let’s talk about “… And justice for Jack”
If there is any particular reason that goes beyond the premise that Company of Three very hard to watch today, this is season 5, episode 2 of the series. “…and justice for Jack” can be difficult to understand. So the woman hires Jack as a line cook at her diner. On her first day, she ruthlessly gropes him and pesters him between customer orders. This makes him uncomfortable and unable to do his job, and after talking to her about it, she fires him. After discussing his claims with Janet, she convinces him to sue his old boss. It ends with the case being dropped after the judge finds him a “women-chasing playboy” despite the truth behind his claims. Following this accusation, Furley jumps off the bench to defend Jack due to the overarching history of a homosexual cover-up, only for Jack to stop him from finishing his sentence and closing the case.
Within 20 minutes of “…And Justice for Jack” everything about the show’s humor is confirmed, as well as what makes it problematic. The dialogue not only runs through the heterocentric humor typical of Jack and Larry, but also uses the homeowner’s homophobic slurs that are natural to the show’s ebb and flow at this point. Worst of all, now Jack would rather lose his case against his former employer than put his gay legend on any form of official record. Whatever the potential of this episode to talk about sexual harassment, or even get Jack to just turn around with his cover story, as he has done so far, for the greater good, it was thrown out without a second thought.
None of this suggests that Company of Three has no place in the history of television and does not discredit his fandom. Everyone is entitled to what they like, and the series certainly still has an audience, as as recently as 2016, a reboot movie was in the works. This writer says that this is very similar to the Jiggle TV era when it was created and the spirit of which it has retained, it is incredibly flawed and problematic in retrospect, and as viewers we have outgrown it.
Company of Three currently streaming for free on Pluto TV.
Source: Collider
I have worked as a journalist for over 7 years and have written for many different publications. I currently work as an author at Daily News Hack, where I mostly cover entertainment news. I have a great deal of experience in the industry and am always looking to learn more. I am a highly motivated individual who is always looking to improve my skills. I am also a very friendly and personable person, which makes me easy to work with.
