Here's a story, of a lovely lady, who was bringing up three very lovely girls. All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, the youngest one in curls. Oh yes, it is that infectious tune that I, hopefully, have stuck in your head for the rest of the day.
The Brady Bunch was a favorite of mine growing up. However, over the years, one thing became clearer to me: They are too perfect. Hopefully some of you younger kids have seen The Brady Bunch on TV Land so you know what I am talking about.
First of all, after the theme song, there is the classic shot of the Brady house. Next, the camera would zoom into a setting such as the lawn where the kids are playing in the lush green grass. As Mike Brady is just getting back from his work as an architect, he drives up the long driveway in his 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible (or one of the other four muscle cars he must have hid in that one-car garage along with the family station wagon over the five seasons) the kids, Carol, and Alice all go out to see him. Within the first minute, we can see that this is not your present-day sitcom.
These people were squeaky clean. After both Mike and Carol's first spouses passed away (suicide maybe?) they found each other. They got married and from then on the eight of them (nine with Alice, ten with cousin Oliver) were a big happy family until the show was cancelled. Not once was there ever the "You aren't my real mom" argument. However, there was a little sibling rivalry here and there. In 117 episodes "sex" was muttered only twice, only one of the boys got kissed on screen (Bobby), and they did not even have a toilet in the bathroom due to censors.
I love The Brady Bunch but I don't believe it would survive in this day and age. It just goes to show you that TV has resorted to more sex, violence, and obscenities over the years. A sitcom about a happy family with a lady with three lovely girls and a man busy with three boys of his own just wouldn't cut it anymore.
Hey Zack! I used to watch The Brady Bunch when I was younger too! I loved it and used to watch it everyday after school! I'm not really sure why though...maybe cause it was just kind of retarded and funny to see how nice and proper they all acted. I think it is funny that they couldn't show a toilet in the bathroom scenes on TV back then...it's crazy that today we don't even care about any of that kind of stuff like being proper and polite.
ReplyDeleteThe Brady Bunch were a family to inspire to. Unfortunately today, that is not the case. It is true that now-a-days there is more violence, sex, obscenities, drugs and alcohol. I wish that the children of this day-and-age did not have to be exposed to it. Maybe then they'd feel more obligated to help out the human race, not be racist or sexist and would appreciate being able to make a difference in the world.
ReplyDeleteI didn't grow up on the Brady Bunch but my grandma got me to watch it a few times.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how showing a toilet could be against the censors. Almost every household had one, and everyone had certainly used one before. I'd be more taken aback if their bathrooms didn't have a toilet.
And now that you mention it, they never did have a "You aren't my real mom" fight, did they? They probably should've incorporated that into the show instead of Cousin Oliver.
Oh the Brady Bunch! I grew up loving Nick at Nite. I loved the Brady Bunch, Bewitched, Giligan's Island and all of the classics. I always knew the Brady Bunch was kind of lame when I was younger, but I agree with you in saying that there is no way it would survive on air today. Classic family shows are not that wholesome anymore, becaus pople can't relate to hat anymore. A lot has changed over the past 30 yars!
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