Ep 16. The Catered Affair

The Catered Affair is the sixteenth episode of the third season of the hit comedy series Three's Company. The episode features Jack Tripper (played by John Ritter), Janet Wood (played by Joyce DeWitt), and Chrissy Snow (played by Suzanne Somers) as they plot to throw a surprise party for their landlord, Mr. Roper (played by Norman Fell).

The episode starts with the trio discussing what to do for Mr. Roper's upcoming birthday. They decide to throw a surprise party for him, but the problem is that they don't have any money to finance the party. The three roommates then come up with a plan to cater the party themselves to save money.

The next part of the episode sees Jack, Janet, and Chrissy struggling to prepare the different dishes for the party. They realize that they have no experience catering before and that catering a birthday party is not as easy as they thought it would be. In the meantime, Mr. Roper is suspicious about his tenants' secretive behavior and thinks that the party is actually for himself.

As the day of the party draws near, the trio's nerves are frazzled. They struggle to keep the food fresh and presentable, while also trying to keep Mr. Roper unaware of their plans. When Mr. Roper accidentally discovers that a party is being planned for him, Jack and Janet manage to convince him that the party is actually for one of their friends.

With the party in full swing, everything seems to be going well until a mishap occurs at the bar and the signature drink of the evening is ruined. The trio scrambles to come up with a new drink to replace it at the last minute, which leads to some awkward moments and comedic chaos.

Eventually, the party ends on a high note, with Mr. Roper appreciative of the effort that his tenants put into organizing the surprise party for him. The episode wraps up with a heartwarming moment between the trio of roommates as they celebrate their successful party, all while Mr. Roper remains blissfully unaware of the hard work that went into organizing his surprise party.

The Catered Affair is a classic Three's Company episode that showcases the show's ability to weave together comedy, emotion, and heartwarming moments. The episode's central plot of the trio trying their hand at catering adds to the show's trademark slapstick comedy, with plenty of moments that are sure to leave audiences laughing out loud. And yet, despite all the game antics, the episode's central themes - the importance of friendship and going the extra mile for those we love - shine through in a touching and meaningful way.