Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic comedy of errors is still swingin'.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Three's Company
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 11 kid reviews
Kids say that the show is entertaining but often includes themes that may be uncomfortable for younger viewers, particularly due to its sexual innuendos and mild drinking scenes. While many find the humor and physical comedy enjoyable, there are concerns about the appropriateness for those under 14, with some suggesting it is better suited for older teens to understand the context of the jokes.
- entertaining humor
- uncomfortable themes
- appropriate age
- family friendly
- mild innuendos
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
For eight seasons in the late 1970s and early '80s, THREE'S COMPANY effortlessly combined slapstick, physical humor, and double entendres. The show (which was based on the British hit Man About the House) centers on aspiring chef Jack Tripper (John Ritter), who shares an apartment in Santa Monica, Calif., with two female roommates -- slightly neurotic florist Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) and ditzy blonde Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers). In later episodes, after Somers left the show amid salary disputes, Chrissy was briefly replaced by her cousin, Cindy Snow (Jennilee Harrison), and then by the much more grounded Terri Alden (Priscilla Barnes). While the trio's co-ed bunking situation works well for them, their conservative older landlord, Mr. Roper (Norman Fell), thinks otherwise. He decides to live with it only after Jack lets Mr. Roper believe that he's gay -- when, in truth, Jack is happily heterosexual and even prides himself on his attraction to the ladies (though his roomies would probably disagree).
Is It Any Good?
As you can imagine, a premise based on one major misunderstanding just begs for more to follow -- and they certainly do. The name of the game here is comedy of misheard comments, misinterpreted situations, slapstick clumsiness, and drawn-out double entendres. Over the course of the show's eight-year run, Jack & co. weathered many personnel changes (including the memorable addition of Don Knotts as new landlord Mr. Furley), but their onscreen chemistry held strong.
Although plenty of Three's Company's humor has sexual tones, the mood is so light and silly that it's really pretty harmless. Kids old enough to pick up on the flirting and longing gazes likely will understand their place in the overall comedy, and younger tweens will miss most of it amid the clumsy physical humor that's so prevalent. The only thing to really watch out for is the mild teasing that surrounds Mr. Roper's belief in Jack's homosexuality. While even that's kept very light, it's pretty frequent (he often refers to Jack as "one of the girls") and may raise questions from kids.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about getting along with siblings (and/or roommates). How does sharing living space with someone affect your relationship with them? What challenges does it bring? Families can also discuss the dangers of prejudging people. Have your kids ever felt like they were unfairly judged or labeled? How does it make them feel? How do they respond if they're teased? Also, what's the best way to handle a misunderstanding?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 15, 1977
- Cast : John Ritter , Joyce DeWitt , Suzanne Somers
- Network : TV Land
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : January 18, 2026
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