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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ClassyCo" data-source="post: 179899" data-attributes="member: 7">Fair enough. I guess a to-each-their-own scenario would apply to a situation as to where Don Knotts was more popular. Classically, I think he's better thought in those cozy black-and-white Mayberry settings as the loveable Barney Fife, but to newer viewers, he'd probably bring forth memories of the bumbling, but generally easygoing landlord Mr. Furley. The Suzanne Somers fallout is generally a topic for discussion when talking about the series, especially among fans and TV buffs. Her request (although it was really her husband that presented the notion) was ridiculous and totally unrealistic. She even admits that she shouldn't have asked for it and instead stayed content with what she was getting. Greed got the best of her.  The Reign of (and My Infatuation with) Lana Shields Strangely enough, one of my favorite Three's Company characters is Lana Shields, played to the hilt by Ann Wedgeworth. After a prolific career on the stage and TV, she had won a Tony Award in 1978 for her work in Chapter Two. It wasn't long thereafter that she signed a contract with ABC, who assigned her the role of Lana on their hottest show. Lana Shields is introduced in the episode "Love Thy Neighbor" (Season 4, Episode 2), in which she has Jack as her male escort. Lana is a slightly older, but sexually promiscuous woman that's severely attracted to Jack. At the end of the episode, she moves in to the same apartment building after noticing a vacancy sign. The next episode, which introduces Mr. Furley, brings forth another plot point: Mr. Furley is attracted to Lana, but she wants Jack. A love triangle (and that term's used loosely) is a comedic device early in the fourth year. Right away it seems there was issues with Wedgeworth's entering the show. Apparently some of the cast complained about the size of her role (my eyes are on you Suzanne Somers, and probably Joyce DeWitt, too), the jokes written for her and the laughs she got as a result. There were other issues, too: John Ritter felt that sense Jack was a womanizer, than he wouldn't decline Lana's advances, considering she was an attractive woman. The producers, however, reasoned that since Lana was older, Jack would be repelled. Still, within the next couple of episodes, the writers gradually downsized Lana's presence on the show. Her scenes were cut, and in a few episodes she's absent altogether. She's last seen in "A Black Letter Day" (Season 4, Episode 13), the episode where she's heartbroken because she thinks Jack's fallen for one of her beautiful roommates. The decision was eventually made that Jack's resisting Lana's advances was out of character, and didn't make sense. The producers apparently admired Wedgeworth, but seemingly had no choice but to fire her. Wedgeworth, however, insists that she was asked to be "let go", which she probably sticks to for career purposes. (It doesn't look good when you're fired, no matter the reason, no matter the profession.)I'm a pretty big fan of Lana. She's one my favorite characters, perhaps because I started watching the show when she was on it. As clear as I can remember, the first episode I watched was the one she's introduced on. I liked her right from the start, and I still enjoy her episodes. I hate when she's gone, although I understand why she didn't work as a full-time character. </blockquote>

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