How Did ‘Three’s Company’ End? Did Mr. Roper Ever Find Out About Jack?
A primetime hit from 1977 to 1984, Three’s Company centered around a single question that lingered over all of the show’s hijinks: would landlords Mr. and Mrs. Roper (Norman Fell and Audra Lindley) ever find out that Jack Tripper (John Ritter) — the roommate of ditzy Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers) and sensible Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) —was not gay, and had only pretended to be in order to be permitted to live with two lovely ladies? Even if you watched the show to end, you might not recall exactly how the situation resolved.
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The show epitomized the late ’70s — a time of new dynamics between men and women, rampant clashing between generations, and extremely tight running shorts. Three’s Company was the one show that offered all of those things (along with lots of pratfalls over couches and silly misunderstandings).
Cast members came and went during the series’ eight-season run, but the basic formula of the show stayed the same — good-looking stars, hijinks and hilarity. So why did Three’s Company end?
Why did Three’s Company get canceled?
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Many attribute the decline of Three’s Company’s popularity to Suzanne Sommer’s departure from the show in 1980 after a red-hot pay dispute. A star whose beauty and comedic timing helped her star power grow with each season, her presence was certainly missed when she departed, but there was also a bigger reason why the show needed to end.
Three’s Company ran from March 15, 1977 to September 18, 1984 – a lifetime for a show largely set in one apartment. While roommates and landlords came and went, the show had exhausted most of the tropes and story ideas that fit its simple premise many times over. While the characters were still beloved, it was simply time to move on.
However, ABC’s love affair with Jack Tripper wasn’t done yet. Instead, the decision was made to spin John Ritter’s lovable character off into a new show, Three’s a Crowd. Because of this, the episodes leading up to the series finale were focused on setting up the departures of the show’s characters, as well as the new chapter in Jack’s life.
What happened in the final episode of Three’s Company?
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The show’s farewell actually stretched out over four episodes: “The Heiress,” “Cupid Works Overtime,” and the two-part finale, “Friends & Lovers” parts 1 and 2.
Four episodes may seem like a long runway, but the extra time was absolutely necessary to hastily explain the sudden changes in everyone’s lives. Most importantly, stewardess Vicky Bradford (Mary Cadorette) is introduced as Jack’s new love interest, setting up her rich and possessive father as Jack’s new antagonist. At the same time, original roomie Janet happens to find love with art collector Phillip Dawson (David Ruprecht).
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Want to know how fast these stories move? Janet and Phillip get married in the first part of the finale, while Jack also proposes to his new soulmate. Vicky rejects Jack’s offer because she’s too haunted by her parent’s ugly divorce to say yes, so they instead agree to move in together. Jack and Janet’s roommate Terri (she moved in during Season 6) decides to relocate to Hawaii, current landlord Mr. Furley (Don Knotts, who arrived in Season 4) helps them move, tears are shed, and we’re off to Three’s a Crowd!
Andthe Ropers, Stanley and Helen? The eclectic couple left the series in Season 3 to star in their own spinoff, The Ropers. That series only lasted two seasons, and Mr. Roper never did find out the truth about Jack.
How many seasons of Three’s a Crowd aired?
ABC/courtesy Everett Collection
Three’s a Crowd was never the hit that ABC envisioned. Was Tripper’s chemistry with Cadorette weak? Did they not want to see longtime bachelor Jack Tripper in a committed relationship? Or did they simply miss the old formula? Regardless of the reason, Three’s a Crowd drew mediocre ratings, surviving for only one season before promptly being canceled in 1985. Luckily, Three’s Company would remain popular in syndication for many years to come, offering future generations a chance to enjoy one of the funniest sitcoms in TV history.
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Where Are They Now - The Seventies
June 2022
Who can forget all the great TV shows, movies and music of the ‘70s?
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