In 1980, relishing the success of television sitcom Three’s Company, Suzanne Somors, the “blonde” roommate on the show, did the unthinkable. As her popularity escalated and she became a popular pinup, she had the gall to ask for a raise so her salary was equal to her male co-star. She was fired instead. Off-camera conflicts like Somer’s contract negotiations are harder to hide in the age of social media, but in the past, audiences didn’t have such ‘insider access.’
Television helped audiences escape, for a little while, the tensions of their own lives to vicariously join a group of friends. Fights would brew and resolve over one episode, characters kissing and making up, and a happy conclusion. But the smiling façade often hid behind-the-scenes drama. Take a look at some of history’s most popular shows, and the drama audiences never got to see.
I Love Lucy (1951 – 1957): Arnaz vs. Arnaz

I Love Lucy, one of television’s first sitcoms, chronicled the contentious, yet loving couple Desi and Lucy Ricardo and their bickering friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz. The show has been a beloved part of popular culture since its run from 1951 to 1957. It was art reflecting life; leads Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz married after meeting during filming Too Many Girls (1940). It was a rough start; Ball filed for divorce in 1944.
They quickly reconciled, though, instead seeking opportunities to work together to strengthen their relationship. When CBS and Ball developed a sitcom, she insisted Arnaz play her husband. The network was hesitant to put a Cuban-American with a thick accent in the lead. They thought audiences wouldn’t accept the relationship, considered one of the first interracial couples on television. To prove them wrong, Lucy developed a touring show to prove their chemistry and ability to capture audiences.