Three's Company (TV Series) The Catered Affair (1979) User Reviews

"If you'll excuse me, I've got to go beat my mousse."

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 30 March 2024]

Chrissy helps to land Jack a prestigious gig: catering an office party for the bigwigs at her company. All seems to go well, but it's already been established that company president Mr. Penrose (the late, great character actor Macon McCalman, "Deliverance") is a shameless sleaze. Complications ensue when Jack & Janet witness Penrose harassing Chrissy in plain view of everybody, and when Jack confronts him and accidentally gets chocolate mousse all over Penroses' suit, he fires Chrissy and refuses to pay Jack. So Chrissy's boss J. C. (Emmaline Henry ('I Dream of Jeannie'), making her second appearance in the role) schemes with Jack & Janet to expose the creep.

Yes, I can see how this kind of material can make people uncomfortable (we see Penrose actually chase Chrissy around a desk, for Petes' sake), but it's never really in doubt that Penrose will be exposed for the creep he is, and that things will end well for our main characters. Plenty of good one-liners abound, especially from Jack & Chrissy, and there's the sight of Janet & Helen in those sexy waitress outfits to enjoy. Stanley, recruited to be bartender, reveals himself to be not really up to the task. Norman Fell does his signature routine right at the end, only for Stanley to get spritzed for his little insult.

In conclusion, I do have to say that I like Ms. Henry as J. C., and it's too bad that her premature death prevented any more appearances for the character. McCalman, of course, would return to the series later playing Janets' father.

Seven out of 10.

Sexism on Display

[frankjosephsaraceno · 3/10 · 28 October 2022]

Three's Company never pretended to be more than what it was. At times, what it was, was cringe worthy. It's hard to imagine, even then (How? Why?) anyone in the production staff felt this was fit for an American audience. Playing sexual predation for laughs, sadly, was a staple of television comedies of the era. Few were as heavy handed as this episode of Three's Company. Watching through 2022 eyes, it's simply stunning anyone in the cast agreed to perform this script. Seeing Chrissy's boss chase her around the office only to be discovered by his wife is about as low brow broad as comedy gets. The whole idea that she would even stay and work for a man like this stretches credulity. Alls well that ends well in a 30 minute sitcom though.