The comedy series Three’s Company is an example of a nontraditional family because
they consist of a couple friends living together. According to Chris Mann, this show
depicts family values but in a misleading manner. It has a mix of the easygoing joker
Jack, the brunette girl-next-door Janet and the not-so-dumb- blonde Chrissy. The
two liberated women were attractive and smart. On the other hand, the only male
was a chief. This was not the only element that made the show extremely different
than the well-known traditional family. It was that all three of the characters lived
together but none of them were a couple or slept together. Many people complained
that it appeared to be too sexual, but none of the roommates ever had an affair with
each other.Because of the lack of sex, the show presented another major misunderstanding
to most of its audience. The idea that a charming man living with two beautiful women
and not sleeping with them gave the impression that he had to be homosexual. Jack,
being the only man in the house was also the chief of the so called family, giving his
audience and other characters on the show yet another reason to believe that he was
gay, according to Mann. But he definitely was not gay because he had other relationships
with women and simply enjoyed cooking and living with his two female friends. Unlike Jack’s
character, Chrissy’s character went right along with stereotypes. Exaggerating the fact that
she was a beautiful blonde, had to be the ditsy, not very bright “dumb blonde” character.
“Her character confused easily, dealt with problems in a “girlish” manner, laughed at jokes,
and cried in a loud overstating way” stated Mann.
Mann, Chris. Come and knock on our door: hers and hers and his guide to Three's company. 1st ed. New York City: St. Martin's Griffin, 1998. Print.