5. Three's Company (1977-1984)
One of the quintessential jiggle shows of the '70s, Three's Company is about the farcical antics of three single young adultsclumsy chef Jack Tripper (John Ritter), down-to-earth florist Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt), and ditzy secretary Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers) living together platonically. This might not raise eyebrows today, but during the show's heyday, just the idea of an unmarried man and woman living together was considered scandalous, much less three at once. It is in this environment that the three come up with the most brilliant lie to keep their suspicious landowners, the Ropers (Norman Fell and Audra Lindley), at bay over their unconventional living arrangementJack is gay (despite the fact he's straight). Still, this lie is maintained over the whole show's duration, and it is one of many facets of Three's Company's trademark humor in misunderstandings, double entrentes and zany schemes taken out of I Love Lucy's playbook. (In fact, Lucille Ball loved Three's Company so much, she actually hosted a clip show for it). It makes you wonder why the characters seem to have no common sense or comprehension skills, but as Hyde from That '70s Show would say, it's funnier that way. This sounds like a silly show only Americans can make up, right? Just like All in the Family and Sanford and Son, Three's Company is another American remake of a successful British comedy, Man about the House (1973-1976).
It is also about two women and a man living together in one apartmentthis time, the characters are named Robin Tripp (Richard O'Sullivan), Jo (Sally Thomsett), and Christy (Paula Wilcox), and they also lie about Robin's sexuality to their landlords (also called the Ropers, but played by Yootha Joyca and Brian Murphy). This living arrangement was just as daring in the UK as over here, and the humor is similar. There is a slight difference between Man about the House and Three's Company besides the accents. On Man About the House, the three leads seem to have an equal level of stupidity but in Three's Company, Suzanne Chrissy has the lion's share of it, though Jack and Janet aren't immune to their own stupid moments as well.