History Series / ThreesCompany

An iconic late'70s–early'80s RoommateCom/slapstick sex farce/comedy of errors series. Frequently dismissed as the archetypal JiggleShow, it's also marked by clever writing, strong performances and fantastic physical humor. A [[TransatlanticEquivalent U.S. adaptation]] of the BritCom series ''Series/ManAboutTheHouse'', it aired for eight seasons (1977–84) on Creator/{{ABC}}.

* FashionDissonance: The show's from TheSeventies, so there's bound to be a bit of this. Especially pronounced are Mrs. Roper's assortment of caftans and Mr. Furley's polyester-intensive "swinger" outfits.

* TheDentistEpisode: When Jack gets a toothache, he reluctantly decides to have it treated by the dentist Janet is dating. However, when Janet breaks up with the dentist and he discovers they live in the same apartment, he assumes that it must be because she is having an affair with him. Janet and Terri fear that the dentist might harm Jack out of anger, but fortunately he takes care of the cavity without issues.

* BluffTheEavesdropper: When Jack and Chrissy suspect Mr. Roper has been listening to their conversations through the building's plumbing, they [[StagingTheEavesdrop stage an antagonizing conversation]] in front of the bathroom sink to confirm their suspensions. Helen doesn't really believe her husband would stoop that low, but Mr. Roper takes the bait and bursts through the front door [[WalkInChimeIn right on cue]].

* SweaterGirl: Jack was often distracted by sweater girls on this show, resulting in {{Freudian Slip}}s on several occasions: "You need to separate the yolk from the sweater." "I just came to button up my coffee." In "And Baby Makes Two," both Janet and Chrissy were this.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: When Janet gets in a fury after catching Jack on bed with her sister Jenny (even though it was platonic and Jack was so sleepy he didn't he know his bed was occupied) and demands that Jack move out, Crissy takes Janet to the kitchen away from the drama and asks her if it were Chrissy in Jenny's place, would she believe her. This leaves Janet at a loss for words and realize she overreacted.

-->'''Jack:''' Okay, Chrissy, I'll get in the tub with you then we can get it on.\\

-->'''Date:''' Those are two beauties! I've never seen such gorgeous exaltatus.\\

* ActionGirl: Terri, who is known to go hands on with doctors and patients who hassle her at work.

* InnocentCohabitation: Not that the main characters [[RunningGag can really convince anyone]] that is the case. The show was largely a response to the growing trend in TheSeventies of nonsexual, opposite-sex roommates, which just a decade before was almost unheard of. Which brought up an amusing DoubleStandard when Jack finds out that a girl he is seeing is living with two men, and he ''refuses'' to believe that it's strictly innocent.

* SneezeOfDoom: Jack fakes his death in an episode to escape from a jealous boyfriend who's intent on revenge after spotting him looking at his girlfriend. He needs to resist sneezing while in the casket after one of his "mourners" brings flowers.

* SleepingTheirWayToTheTop: When Chrissy complains that she didn't receive a promotion at work because her performance isn't appreciated, Jack jokingly suggests wearing a low-cut dress. But when the LiteralMinded Chrissy does exactly that and recieves a promotion, Jack and Janet assume her clothes were responsible without realizing Chrissy's boss is female.

* AmbulanceChaser: After Jack falls down the stairs and [[AmusingInjuries breaks his leg]], Mr. Roper is convinced Jack hired one of these to sue him for his injuries. Jack doesn't intend to sue him and the man is simply Janet's friend, but Mr. Roper refuses to listen to them explain and demands Jack to accept a settlement.

An iconic late'70s/early'80s RoommateCom/slapstick sex farce/comedy of errors series. Frequently dismissed as the archetypal JiggleShow, it's also marked by clever writing, strong performances and fantastic physical humor. A [[TransatlanticEquivalent U.S. adaptation]] of the BritCom series ''Series/ManAboutTheHouse'', it aired for eight seasons (1977–84) on Creator/{{ABC}}.

* TheKlutz: Jack and Cindy.

* ShesGotLegs: Joyce [=DeWitt=] had a ''gorgeous'' set of gams and always wore pantyhose on the show, refusing to appear bare legged even when her character Janet was supposedly [[ModestyTowel naked under a towel]]. She even appeared in several commercials for L'eggs.

* WhoWouldBeStupidEnough: When Jack and Larry attend a charity fundraiser, they don't realize that that the casino games are only for fun and the chips represent play money. When Janet says that it would not be fun if someone lost a large sum of money at the event, the host says, "Who would be stupid enough to think they were playing for real money?" AnswerCut to Jack and Larry, who think they are getting rich with winnings at the craps table.

* WhatAreYouInFor: When Mr. Furley visits Jack in jail, he asks this of one the inmates who heckles him through the bars. Even though the inmate is secure in his cell, Mr. Furley abandons Jack and runs off after he replies, [[DestinationDefenestration "I threw my landlord out the window."]]

* PlayingATree: Mr. Furley says he played a rock in a SchoolPlay in the 3rd grade.

* ChristmasEpisode: Season 2's "Three's Christmas".

An iconic late'70s/early'80s RoommateCom/slapstick sex farce/comedy of errors series. Frequently dismissed as the archetypal JiggleShow, it's also marked by clever writing, strong performances and fantastic physical humor. A [[TransatlanticEquivalent U.S. adaptation]] of the BritCom series ''Series/ManAboutTheHouse'', it originally aired on Creator/{{ABC}} from 1977–84.

Iconic late-'70s RoommateCom/slapstick sex farce/comedy of errors series. Frequently dismissed as the archetypal JiggleShow, it's also marked by clever writing, strong performances and fantastic physical humor. Based on the BritCom series ''Series/ManAboutTheHouse'', it originally aired on Creator/{{ABC}} from 1977–84.

In order to share an affordable apartment with two lovely young ladies, [[BrainyBrunette Janet Wood]] (Creator/JoyceDeWitt) and [[TheDitz Chrissy]] [[DumbBlonde Snow]] (Creator/SuzanneSomers), cooking student [[HandsomeLech Jack Tripper]] (Creator/JohnRitter) must pretend to be gay around Stanley Roper (Creator/NormanFell), the repressed, bigoted landlord. Roper, in turn, frequently finds himself fending off the advances of his good-natured but sexually frustrated wife Helen (Creator/AudraLindley), who knows Jack's secret but likes him and the girls enough to keep mum. Complications are introduced through a variety of misunderstandings and mishaps, often caused by the thinking-impaired apartment mates or their cumbersome friends.

Everyone in this series suffers from GenreBlindness at one point or another, which is expected considering the show is essentially a comedy of errors. The show launched the careers of Ritter and Somers, and revived that of Creator/DonKnotts (who joined the cast as new landlord and wannabe-swinger Ralph Furley after the Ropers left for [[Series/TheRopers their own series]] following the third season).