The Odd Couple - The Third Season
Two divorced New Yorkers---a slob and a fussbudget---try to live together `without driving each other crazy' in this classic sitcom based on Neil Simon's hit play and movie. Both Jack Klugman and Tony Randall won Emmys in the leads, the latter in the final year of a five-season run. `Now if I only had a job,' Randall said at the Emmy gala. The show inspired two remakes, one an animated series portraying the main characters as a cat and a dog, and a 1982-83 version with a mostly black cast.
In The Odd Couple's third, and best yet, season, coarse and crude sportswriter Oscar Madison is dubbed--by a princess, no less--as "Sir Oscar, Nicest of the Nice Guys." His roommate, best friend, and consummate pest, Felix Unger, tells him at one humbling point, "Oscar, you're well above average." Exploring Oscar's softer side no doubt helped earn Jack Klugman an Emmy Award for this season, but rest assured, not all of Oscar's edges have been smoothed out. He's still a slob, his room is still a disaster area, and he is still quick to erupt, which is understandable. As obsessive and overbearing Felix (Tony Randall) himself states, "I drive everybody crazy. I never learn my lesson." In one of the series' most fondly remembered episodes, "My Strife in Court" (also known as the "Never Assume" episode), Felix humiliates Oscar in court after he gets them both arrested for scalping theatre tickets. In another fan favorite, "Password," Oscar and Felix are a washout on the classic game show, thanks to Felix's arcane clues ("Aristophanes" for the password "bird"). In "Gloria, Hallelujah," jealous Felix goes to great lengths to prove he's not when Oscar is matched with Felix's ex-wife, Gloria (Janis Hansen), for a computer date. All of which helps make the episode "I Gotta Be Me" so much fun, as the constantly bickering duo try their hand at role reversal with Oscar kvetching and fussing, and Felix trashing a dinner party with beer and cheap cigars. In the third season, Penny Marshall (brother Garry wrote several episodes), as Oscar's secretary, Myrna, and Al Molinaro as hangdog cop, Murray, are given more prominent roles. In some odd stunt casting, Monty Hall guest stars as himself in the episode "Let's Make a Deal," and Howard Cosell proves to be an excellent foil for Oscar and Felix in "Big Mouth." Bret Sommers, the former Mrs. Klugman, makes a welcome return as Oscar's dread ex-wife, Blanche in "The Odd Couples," in which Oscar and Blanche must pretend they are still married for the benefit of Oscar's tradition-bound mother. Elinor Donahue (whose TV Land resume includes Father Knows Best and The Andy Griffith Show) debuts as Felix's girlfriend, Miriam. With a live studio audience to cheer the actors on, this season provides several show-stopping moments, from Felix and Murray performing a little Gilbert & Sullivan in "Gloria, Hallelujah" to Myrna's spectacular tap dance in "Myrna's Debut." --Donald Liebenson
The Odd Couple - The Third Season Accessories
 The Odd Couple - The Second Season
The Odd Couple - The Fourth Season
The Odd Couple - The First Season
The Odd Couple - The Final Season
Barney Miller: The Complete Second Season
Newhart - The Complete First Season
Hawaii Five-O - The Third Season
The Rockford Files - Season Five
Seinfeld - Season 9
Happy Days - The Third Season
The Odd Couple - The Third Season Reviews
Picture and colors are clear and vibrant. I'm very happy with this DVD set. The Odd Couple is great television.
Devoted Odd Couple fans (such as this reviewer) will love having this great show in our collection but the omissions are an obvious drawback. Had I known about the omissions, I still would have bought the DVD, even though the disappointment is a great one. All episodes that have songs (such as "In Some Secluded Rendezvous" and "Peck of My Heart") have the songs omitted. This DVD is great, except for one factor. Some of the episodes are edited, probably due to protection from lawsuits. Fans who love this show will undoubtedly appreciate all its jewels - or to paraphrase Felix from a season 5 episode - that it has a new polish, a panache. Fortunately, most episodes are shown in their entirety.
Relax,Odd Couple fanatics. Enjoy these treasures.Life is too short and thank God we have Oscar and Felix and the gang still in it. At least we have these DVDs to watch finally.Take a chill pill for Pete's sake.After all these years I'm still laughing my head off.I haven't really noticed the editing,and if it's there,so what.
We fans are willing to pay an extra 10 or 20 dollars to get the original music. There's absolutely no excuse to excise scenes or music on any TV show or movie DVD.
The only scene I noticed missing was the dance teacher on Oscar's B-day tap dancing and then Felix telling her to "Stop dancing."-. I love the show- better than most of the current unfunny junk on TV. Love this show and have seasons 1-3. .
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