Pluto TV’s ‘Three’s Company’ Marathon Honors John Ritter This Thursday

Lauren Novak September 10, 2025

THREE'S COMPANY, 1977-84, Suzanne Somers, John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, second season — Everett Collection

Pluto TV is paying tribute to one of television’s most beloved stars of all time, John Ritter, with a special Three’s Company marathon this Thursday, September 11th — which is the 22nd anniversary of the beloved funnyman’s death. The free streaming service has partnered with The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health to celebrate Ritter’s life and work, while raising awareness for a cause that honors the star’s legacy.

On September 11, 2025 at 6pm ET/3pm PT, fans can tune in to Pluto TV’s 24/7 Three’s Company channel for a curated lineup of extra-special episodes chosen by Ritter’s family, friends and former costars. The lineup features picks from those who loved and admired Ritter, including Kaley Cuoco, Adam Devine, Jason Alexander, Priscilla Barnes, Richard Kline, Tom Bergeron, Holly Robinson Peete, Reno Wilson, Ron Funches, Tyler Ritter and more.

Thursday evening’s marathon sets the stage for a second extra-special event: a live celebrity reading of the sitcom’s classic “Going to Pot” episode, held during the Foundation’s Evening from the Heart gala in Los Angeles on September 12.

THREE'S COMPANY, Suzanne Somers, John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, 1978

ABC/Everett Collection

Each fan and family member shared why they chose their favorite episode for the marathon, giving viewers a chance to see the show through the eyes of those who knew Ritter best.

Workaholics and Righteous Gemstones star Adam Devine singled out “Double Trouble,” where Ritter hilariously plays his own twin. “Only John Ritter can play his own twin. The comedic timing and physical comedy that go into this episode are something that was the first of its kind. You’re constantly wondering, ‘How is Jack going to get out of this?!’”

Kaley Cuoco, who played Ritter’s daughter on the show 8 Simple Rules, called “Up in the Air” the greatest sitcom episode ever. “When Jack takes tranquilizers and drinks and dances – it is actually the greatest of all time,” she said.

Priscilla Barnes, who joined the cast of Three’s Company in later seasons, chose “And Now Here’s Jack.” She laughed remembering Ritter’s cooking show disaster: “John has a ‘get rich’ idea with a gadget that of course refuses to work when the cameras are rolling. Terri becomes stage struck and mute, and John’s reaction to her ‘deer in the headlights’ look is priceless.”

THREE'S COMPANY, Don Knotts, John Ritter, television, 1977-84.

Everett Collection

Richard Kline, who played Jack Tripper’s best friend Larry Dallas, picked “The Impossible Dream,” a favorite in part because it gave him the chance to parody a bad lounge singer. He also recalled a famous blooper when a set piece came crashing down mid-scene. Director Dennis Dugan agreed, simply adding, “Richard Kline is hilarious in it.”

Jason Alexander, who will play Mr. Furley in the live table read, went with “The New Landlord,” noting that it marked the arrival of Don Knotts as Mr. Furley. “There’s something different that Don Knotts brings to Three’s Company and his first episode is the perfect example of that,” he said.

Other highlights include Tom Bergeron’s pick, “A Camping We Will Go,” which he likened to watching Buster Keaton in action. Reno Wilson and Ron Funches chose “Night of the Ropers,” praising the comedy chemistry when Mr. Furley and the Ropers finally meet. Holly Robinson Peete selected the pilot episode, “A Man About the House,” pointing out how clear the chemistry was between Jack, Janet and Chrissy from the very beginning.

Amy Yasbeck, Ritter’s widow, picked “A Night Not to Remember,” where Jack and Janet wake up in bed together. She summed it up simply: “John playing drunk, Jack and Janet ending up in bed together. What more is there to say? #Jacket.”

THREE'S COMPANY, 1977-84, Suzanne Somers, John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, first season

Everett Collection

Ritter’s son, Tyler, went with “Baby It’s Cold Inside.” “Don Knotts and my dad trapped in a freezer together intimately facing their impending doom is just too fun … strange as that may sound,” he shared.

If you’d like to check out the live table reading, which stars Cuoco, Devine, Barnes, Kline, Alexander and many more, you can RSVP now at www.johnritterfoundation.org and enjoy the stream for free at 10pm EST/ 7pm PST on Friday, September 12. If you can’t fit the table read into your schedule, Pluto TV will release the live stream video free on demand at a later date.

Ritter passed away on September 11, 2003, at the age of 54, due to a tear in the wall of his aorta. Ritter collapsed on the set of 8 Simple Rules and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors initially misdiagnosed him as having a heart attack instead of an aortic dissection, and died soon after. Cuoco recalled in a 2021 ABC special about Ritter that on set the day after he passed, “everyone was just crying, bawling and then people started telling stories.” The actress continues to honor her TV dad frequently, and wrote in a 2018 Instagram post that he “still make[s] me laugh every single day.”

Ritter’s widow, Amy Yasbeck, formed the John Ritter Foundation to raise awareness of the condition, which is often presents with similar symptoms to a heart attack, but must be treated differently.