Everything that you loved as a child will be remade as a movie. Hanna-Barbera cartoons? Movie. Power Rangers? Movie. Comic books? Don’t get us started. And, of course, classic television shows from Baywatch to Knight Rider. This next bit of news as likely inevitable, but it still hurts a little to say it out loud.
Hollywood wants to do a Three’s Company movie. Because of course they do. See the above paragraph for reasons why. The Hollywood Reporter says that New Line is behind the Three’s Company movie, and that they are negotiating with scribes Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, the duo behind 2009’s ensemble comedy He’s Just Not That Into You, to pen the Three’s Company screenplay. And I just have no words…
Maybe you aren’t familiar with Three’s Company. The sitcom started in 1977, and featured a young John Ritter as women-crazy Jack, who pretends to be gay so that he can live with two beautiful women – Janet (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy (Suzanne Somers) – without the landlord, Mr. Roper (Norman Fell), causing a stir. The plot is inconsequential. Each episode revolved around Jack trying to sleep with either roommate, or a bevy a beautiful 1970s actresses, all while dealing with some form of sexually-tinged miscommunication that was played for studio-audience guffaws.
The show really worked because of the chemistry of the leads, and the innuendo jokes that were perfect for the time period. I’m not sure how you do Three’s Company in 2016 – and beyond. I’m not sure I want to know how You can’t replace John Ritter as Jack. You can’t replace the sly Norman Fell as the slightly sleazy Mr. Roper. And if anyone tries to bring back Mr. Furley (the brilliant Don Knotts), I’m burning this whole thing to the ground.
I’m not sure I get this one. There are television shows with concepts that can be adapted to a modern age, with characters you almost want to see translated by a different actor. But Three’s Company existed in a 1970s time capsule, when sexuality was loose and innuendos could be played for comedy. Also, the characters in that show are so closely associated with those actors, I’m not sure how you attempt to recast. Also, without the ability to being back the late John Ritter for a cameo, a bit of the nostalgia has sailed on this project. I don’t envy those screenwriters.
What about you? Do you think this is a good idea? Are you open to a Three’s Company movie? Or did it work better as a show, and should be left that way? Let us know your thoughts.
