Three's Company: Season One

The inaugural six episodes that comprised Three's Company's trial first season are something of a revelation, especially for those who blame the series for the decline and fall of Western civilization. In fact, there is little of the sexist farce that defined subsequent seasons here; instead, several of the episodes hew closely to the original British series, Man About the House. The late John Ritter would become an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning television icon as Jack Tripper, an aspiring chef who moves out of the YMCA and into the apartment of spunky and sensible Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and blonde bombshell Chrissy (Suzanne Somers)--with the one-joke concept being that cranky, buttoned-up landlord Mr. Roper (Norman Fell) believes that Jack is gay. While there is some sharp writing along with the barrage of double entendres (mostly from the sexually frustrated Mrs. Roper), the "tinkerbell" jokes were dated even in 1977, and the series mines most of its laughs from "you live with two girls" leers, and "but we thought…" misunderstandings that were the show's signature. Early on, Ritter keeps his mugging to a minimum, and Somers' Chrissy is allowed a semblance of a brain, and is spared the skimpy outfits that would later catapult her to Farrah Fawcett pinup status. It goes without saying that there are, of course, much better TV series worth owning on DVD, but for Ritter fans, this extra-less disc will make good company. An optional purchase. (D. Liebenson)