| Three's Company: Season 5 | ||||
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| Three's Company Season 5 DVD cover. | ||||
| Program information | ||||
| Episodes aired: | ||||
| 22 | ||||
| Dates aired: | ||||
| 28 October 1980 - 19 May 1981 | ||||
| Network/Country: | ||||
| ABC-TV / United States | ||||
| Previous Season: Season 4 | ||||
| Next Season: Season 6 | ||||
This page lists all of the episodes aired during the fifth season of the popular ABC-TV sitcom series Three's Company, which ran on the network from 1977 through 1984.
Season Summary[]
Another major cast change came when Suzanne Somers, who played Chrissy Snow, began making what would be the first of seven cameo appearances on the series, in spite of the fact that her name and image was still listed in the opening credits.
Suzanne, who, with the guidance of husband Alan Hamel and business manager Jay Bernstein, began demands for a much higher salary to rival that of stars of such popular CBS-TV sitcoms such as Alan Alda of M*A*S*H* and Carroll O'Connor of Archie Bunker's Place, whose salaries were among the highest among TV series stars.
After not showing up on set for shootings for the episode "...And Justice for Jack", and "Downhill Chaser" just two weeks later, the search began for a replacement roommate while negotiations with the disgruntled Suzanne were in the works; it resulted in the casting of former L.A. Rams cheerleader, Playboy magazine centerfold and actress Jenilee Harrison assuming the newly created role of Cindy Snow, Chrissy's clumsy, but beautiful young cousin, who moved down from Northern California to take Chrissy's place in the apartment, with the writers even devoting an entire episode titled "Chrissy's Cousin" to the situation.
After not being able to come to terms with Suzanne Somers, the producers refused to offer her a higher salary and decided to terminate her contract. Suzanne's last appearance was in the episode titled "And Baby Makes Four" 10 March 1981. The situation concerning Somers's departure from Three's Company is well chornicled in the 2003 NBC-TV movie Behind the Camera:The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company.
The very next episode, "The Night of the Ropers", featured a guest appearance of former co-stars Audra Lindley and Norman Fell, fresh from their brief run on the The Ropers series, alongside the new landlord Ralph Furley (Don Knotts), and new roommate Cindy (Harrison) in a hilarious episode.
Series Overview[]
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | DVD set
release date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | ||||
| 1 | 6 | March 15, 1977 | April 21, 1977 | November 11, 2003 | |
| 2 | 25 | September 13, 1977 | May 16, 1978 | May 4, 2004 | |
| 3 | 22 | 12 September 1978 | 8 May 1979 | 2 November 2004 | |
| 4 | 25 | September 11, 1979 | May 6, 1980 | May 3, 2005 | |
| 5 | 22 | October 28, 1980 | May 19, 1981 | November 15, 2005 | |
| 6 | 28 | October 6, 1981 | May 18, 1982 | March 7, 2006 | |
| 7 | 22 | September 28, 1982 | May 10, 1983 | July 25, 2006 | |
| 8 | 22 | September 27, 1983 | September 18, 1984 | October 3, 2006 | |
Season 5 (1980-81)[]
| No. in series | Ep# in season | Title | Directed by: | Written by: | Original airdate | Prod. Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | 1 | "Upstairs Downstairs Downstairs" | Dave Powers | Martin Rips & Joseph Staretski | October 28, 1980 | 0503 |
| Jack has promised to make a gourmet dinner for Janet and Chrissy, even canceling a date with his girlfriend Doreen to do so. Larry shanghais Jack into covering for him on a blind date for the same evening, but Doreen never receives the cancellation message. Jack is left having to prepare three gourmet dinners in three different apartments on the same night. | ||||||
| 80 | 2 | "...And Justice for Jack" | Dave Powers | George Burditt | November 11, 1980 | 0501 |
| Jack's first day behind the grill at a diner heats up hilariously when his attractive boss tries to spice up her life.
Note: Suzanne Somers does not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 81 | 3 | "A Hundred Dollars a What?" | Dave Powers | George Burditt | 18 November 1980 | 0504 |
Darlene, a high school friend of Chrissy's, is in town for a visit. When Jack meets her, he invites her down to San Diego with him for his mother's birthday. However, Jack discovers Darlene is a high-priced call girl, who has invited an unwitting Chrissy to work with her as a "hostess" at a convention.
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| 82 | 4 | "Downhill Chaser" | Dave Powers | Martin Rips,
Joseph Staretski |
November 25, 1980 | 0505 |
| Jack tries to back out of a ski trip with Larry and Janet until he meets a cute snow bunny named Inga. He impresses her with tales of his (non-existent) skiing prowess. All seems well until she challenges him to ski the "Flying Dutchman" run at her parents' ski lodge. | ||||||
| 83 | 5 | "A Crowded Romance" | Dave Powers | Mark Tuttle | December 2, 1980 | 0502 |
| Jack and Larry congratulate each other on their fantastic new girlfriends, nicknamed "Twinkie" and "Bunny", respectively. However, Janet discovers through a flower shop delivery that Twinkie and Bunny are the same girl. A chance discovery of Larry and Twinkie together in front of a department store window (where Jack is employed as a mechanical man) reveals that Twinkie/Bunny has three other boyfriends on the side. | ||||||
| 84 | 6 | "Room at the Bottom" | Dave Powers | Martin Rips,
Joseph Staretski |
December 9. 1980 | 0506 |
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Jack quits his job at a hamburger joint and applies at Lucien's, an exclusive French restaurant. Unfortunately, his skills and Dean Travers' recommendation only succeed in landing him a job as a busboy. Jack can't bring himself to tell his friends the truth, especially when they show up at the restaurant one night, expecting to find him as the new chef.
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| 85 | 7 | "Chrissy's Cousin" | Dave Powers | George Burditt,
Budd Grossman |
December 16, 1980 | 0507 |
Chrissy's trip to Fresno has left the roommates short on the rent this month. Jack, Janet, and Larry all maneuver to fill the "third roommate" spot with their respective choices. However, it's Cindy Snow, Chrissy's eager cousin, who comes to stay after a rather clumsy introduction.
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| 86 | 8 | "Jack to the Rescue" | Dave Powers | George Burditt | January 6, 1981 | 0508 |
| Janet learns that Cindy's boss is asking for favors above and beyond the call of duty.
Note: Suzanne Somers makes a cameo appearance in this episode. | ||||||
| 87 | 9 | "The Not-So-Great Imposter" | Dave Powers | Michael S. Baser, Kim Weiskopf | January 13, 1981 | 0509 |
Jack inadvertently assumes the identity of David Miller, a renowned chef whose culinary reputation gets Jack hired by Mr. Angelino. However, Miller's other reputation as a gambler and philanderer catches up to Jack on his first night on the job.
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| 88 | 10 | "Jack's Other Mother" | Dave Powers | Mark Tuttle | January 20, 1981 | 0510 |
Jack befriends an elderly woman, Gladys Moore (Amzie Strickland), who comes to regard Jack as a surrogate "son". Gladys' doting nature soon proves rather troublesome when she begins to meddle in Jack's love life.
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| 89 | 11 | "Make Room for Daddy" | Dave Powers | Martin Rips & Joseph Staretski | January 27, 1981 | 0511 |
Jack plays cupid to his girlfriend's widowed father (Keene Curtis), but his arrows misfire when the love-starved older man makes Janet his target.
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| 90 | 12 | "Janet's Secret" | Dave Powers | Michael S. Baser & Kim Weiskopf | February 3, 1981 | 0512 |
| Janet's over-protective parents come for a visit after she tells them that Jack is her husband. This comes as a surprise to Jack himself, who has a date the same night that Janet's parents arrive. | ||||||
| 91 | 13 | "Father of the Bride" | Dave Powers | Tom Dunsmuir | February 10, 1981 | 0513 |
A wealthy man, Winston Cromwell III (Jeffrey Tambor), persistently tries to convince Cindy to marry him, despite her repeated refusals. He attempts to win over Jack and Janet by giving them lavish gifts. Despite his very tempting offers, they decide to help Cindy rid herself of Cromwell once and for all.
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| 92 | 14 | "Furley vs. Furley" | Dave Powers | Michael S. Baser & Kim Weiskopf | February 17, 1981 | 0514 |
| Jack goes over Furley's head and complains directly to the building's owner, Furley's brother Bart (Hamilton Camp), about Furley's failure to make repairs. Bart responds by firing Furley. Jack goes to meet Bart to explain the situation and inadvertently lands the job of manager himself. The gang conspires to convince Bart that Jack is wrong for the job and to convince him to rehire Ralph. | ||||||
| 93 | 15 | "In Like Larry" | Dave Powers | Martin Rips & Joseph Staretski | February 24, 1981 | 0515 |
After getting upset with Janet and Cindy, Larry allows Jack to stay in his apartment while he moves downstairs to live with the girls. Jack comes to miss having his roommates around. Meanwhile, Larry unsuccessfully tries to get closer to the girls.
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| 94 | 16 | "Teacher's Pet" | Dave Powers | Mark Tuttle | March 3, 1981 | 0516 |
| While teaching at his old cooking school Jack finds himself in trouble when Dean Traver's niece, Betty Jean, tries to seduce him in order to get an "A" in the class. | ||||||
| 95 | 17 | "And Baby Makes Four" | Dave Powers | Martin Rips & Joseph Staretski | March 10, 1981 | 0517 |
Cindy breaks up with her boyfriend Doug after he persistently criticizes her. After talking with her pregnant friend about raising the child alone and returning home still upset about Doug, Jack and Janet become convinced that Cindy is pregnant. Jack decides to make an honest woman of Cindy and proposes to her, before the whole situation is straightened out.
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| 96 | 18 | "Night of the Ropers" | Dave Powers | George Burditt | March 17, 1981 | 0518 |
A surprise visit by the battling Ropers turns into a romantic triangle when lusty Helen seeks solace from Jack and Janet and lands in the arms of Ralph Furley.
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| 97 | 19 | "Double Trouble" | Dave Powers | Mark Fink, Martin Rips & Joseph Staretski | March 24,1981 | 0519 |
| Jack poses as his own twin to romance Ralph Furley's attractive visiting niece. | ||||||
| 98 | 20 | "Dying to Meet You" | Dave Powers | Budd Grossman | May 5, 1981 | 0522 |
| Jack gets a preview of the great hereafter when Larry hatches a plan to save him from his girl's murderously jealous other boyfriend. | ||||||
| 99 | 21 | "The Case of the Missing Blonde" | Dave Powers | Michael S. Baser & Kim Weiskopf | May 12, 1981 | 0520 |
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Jack and Janet believe Cindy is the victim of foul play after she is spotted climbing into a mystery man's car while crying. What they don't know is that Cindy has received a surprise visit from her knife-salesman father.
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| 100 | 22 | "Honest Jack Tripper" | Dave Powers | Mark Tuttle | May 19, 1981 | 0521 |
| Jack vows to always tell the truth after being caught lying to yet another date. But his new policy of total honesty spells trouble for roommates and neighbors alike. | ||||||