In the third—and best yet—1972-73 season of this warmly remembered sitcom based on Neil Simon's classic play, coarse and crude sportswriter Oscar Madison is dubbed (by a princess!) "Sir Oscar, Nicest of the Nice Guys," while his roommate, consummate pest Felix Unger, tells him at one humbling point, "Oscar, you're well above average." Exploring Oscar's softer side no doubt helped earn Jack Klugman an Emmy Award for this season, but—rest assured—not all of Oscar's edges have been smoothed out. He's still a slob, his room is still a disaster area, and he is still quick to erupt, which is understandable, given the obsessive and overbearing Felix (Tony Randall), who admits, "I drive everybody crazy. I never learn my lesson." In one of the series' most fondly remembered episodes, "My Strife in Court" (also known as the "Never Assume" episode), Felix humiliates Oscar in court after he gets them both arrested for scalping theatre tickets. In another fan favorite, "Password," Oscar and Felix are a washout on the classic game show, thanks to Felix's arcane clues ("Aristophanes" for the password "bird"). All of which helps make the episode "I Gotta Be Me" so much fun, as the constantly bickering duo try their hand at role reversal, with Oscar kvetching and fussing, and Felix trashing a dinner party with beer and cheap cigars. In the third season, more prominent roles are given to Penny Marshall (brother Garry wrote several episodes), as Oscar's secretary Myrna, and Al Molinaro as hangdog cop Murray. In some odd stunt casting, Monty Hall guest stars as himself in the episode "Let's Make a Deal," and Howard Cosell proves to be an excellent foil for Oscar and Felix in "Big Mouth." The late Brett Somers, who would separate from husband Klugman in 1974, makes a welcome return as Oscar's dread ex-wife Blanche in "The Odd Couples," in which Oscar and Blanche pretend they are still married for the benefit of Oscar's tradition-bound mother. Elinor Donahue (whose TV Land résumé includes Father Knows Best and The Andy Griffith Show) debuts as Felix's girlfriend, Miriam. With a live studio audience to cheer the actors on, this season provides several show-stopping moments, from Felix and Murray performing a little Gilbert and Sullivan in "Gloria, Hallelujah" to Myrna's spectacular tap dance in "Myrna's Debut." The third time is indeed the charm. Warmly recommended. (D. Liebenson)
The Odd Couple: The Third Season
Paramount, 4 discs, 596 min., not rated, DVD: $38.99 April 28, 2008
The Odd Couple: The Third Season
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: