I was thinking with the girls taking on the last name Brady, was it common back then for kids with a new step father to take on his last name. I think it probably lends credence to the divorcee belief as they probably wouldn't have if he died and perhaps they changed their last names because he was an abusive drunk or someone who cheated or ran out on Carol.

I have no idea if that was common back then. I found it kind of weird that they always called Mike "dad", with the exception of like the first episode. It was like he was their dad all along.

Maybe because since the Brady's were such a clean and pure family they didn't want them to be a "step family", but more of a nuclear family?

It isn't mentioned until "Kelly's Kids" that Mike and Carol had adopted each other's kids. That must have happened between "The Honeymoon" and "Dear Libby". The kids in the first ep called the other parent either Mike or Carol, and they seem to have adjusted to calling them Mom or Dad pretty quickly. Probably the only other time in the series when that happens is when Greg calls them "Mike and Carol" in "Our Son, the Man", and by then it was no longer ok for him to refer to Carol by her first name.

In the episode where Bobby was going to run away and Mike had an idea to get his kids to try and accept Carol he makes Carol pretend she pack a suit case to run away with Bobby.

When Bobby comes down stairs he sees Carol with a suit case and ask what she is doing and says I am running away with you. Then Carol says I love you and Bobby says you can't love me your only a step mom and a step mom is not supposed to love step kids. Something to that effect. If anyone know what was actually said post it here.

I don't remember exactly everything she said, but I know she said "The only steps in this house are those right there, the ones that lead to your bedroom" (meaning "Now go unpack").

In general, stepchildren usually take the name of their stepfather only if they have been legally adopted. And this most likely would not have happened had the girls' biological father been alive; he would have had to give consent.

Let's face it: Sherwood's whole "Carol was really divorced" argument is just a silly attempt to make his series seem "groundbreaking". Carol was a widow according to the ABC press releases, and there was nothing in the series to ever lead us to believe otherwise.

Always thought it was interesting that the girls immediately changed their names from Martin to Brady upon their mother's re-marriage even though they couldn't yet stand their new brothers and were adjusting to having a father again. There never was an episode in which this got proposed, discussed, etc. before they did it nor was there EVER a single time any of them expressed regret having done so. Gotta wonder if it was their idea or Carol's direct order!

last time I saw the Bobby Runs Away episode I cried. It so touching as Carol talks to Bobby.

Always thought it was interesting that the girls immediately changed their names from Martin to Brady upon their mother's re-marriage ...


Hmmmm....Marcia Martin...doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it?

Apparently the only reason that the conflicts of a new "blended family" are there in the first season-- that is, of one or both new parents not being really committed to the new kids, or them having a persecution complex-- is because of the comedy potential in those. One gets the idea that by the second season that was no longer to be even an issue, since the families blended so easily. I have known a few people who did not even know that Mike and Carol had not been married all along and all 6 kids both of theirs biologically. A theme song is not something to pay much regard to, anyway; most of them don't tell the setting.

But there is no point in Schwartz claiming Carol was divorced if nothing in the series ever comes into play about it.

In general, stepchildren usually take the name of their stepfather only if they have been legally adopted. And this most likely would not have happened had the girls' biological father been alive; he would have had to give consent.

Let's face it: Sherwood's whole "Carol was really divorced" argument is just a silly attempt to make his series seem "groundbreaking". Carol was a widow according to the ABC press releases, and there was nothing in the series to ever lead us to believe otherwise.

To get really technical, a father can sign his paternal rights away, he does not need to be deceased for another man to legally adopt his children. Also, in most states, if you abandon your children (length of time depends on state) and you cannot be found, when that time period has passed a wife is granted a divorce and/or a new spouce can adopt the child(ren). But if your spouce or the child(ren) parent passes away, their family can protest any adoption. It is a very tricky thing and can take a long time to accomplish so there is no way that it could have been done between the wedding and the end of their honeymoon.

So was Mike divorced or widowed? and wouldnt the adoption question pose the same for Carol and the 3 boys. She would have to adopt them also.

We never see the girls dad so we have to assume that the girls are not close to him. We also never see any relatives of either parent that is not present for either set of kids. Wouldnt a grandparent, aunt etc...want to visit their relatives?

I think this is the biggest plot hole and can easily be summed up to, if you live in TVland anything is possible.
But maybe they were never legally adopted and they just had their names changed legally and started to call each parent mom and dad.

So was Mike divorced or widowed?

I think Mike was widowed because in the first episode Bobby puts the picture of his mom away because he doesn't want it to upset Carol. Mike tells Bobby he doesn't have to do that, and he shouldn't forget his mom. That still could mean that Mike is divorced, but with the compassion he had, I think he was widowed.

I've always wondered about the kids calling their stepparents "Mom" and "Dad" too. I'm glad you guys were able to shed some light on the subject!