I was watching the episode the other day when Kay replaces Alice and the kids feel real bad about it all. It occured to me that Alice is actually really smart and it seems odd the Bradys never encourage her to be more than a maid. She's still fairly young and when she wears that "green dress" and gets all dolled up for Mark Mallard, she doesn't look too bad. It's like she is in this personal underclass where she is never encouraged to do more with her life. Or do you think there are certain people who truly are happy serving people and being near the bottom end of what society considers "successful"?

It's interesting about TV domestics that when they are a big part of the show with good character development, they have to be very contented in their roles in the home, and that if they ever leave for any reason, that is the upsetting circumstance that must be returned to 'normalcy,' as in "Goodbye Alice, Hello." In classic TV that happend to most of them at some time-- Hazel, Uncle Charley, Aunt Bee, Mr. French. French [Family Affair] even began his own restaurant in one episode, but after he heard that his replacement told the little girl to not try to set a new record jumping rope (or something) and to "avoid all excesses," he gave up the restaurant to come to back his work as a valet/chef/nanny!

As for Alice, I sometimes got the idea that the Bradys thought if she ever did marry Sam, she would no longer 'live-in' but might still work for them just parttime, unless maybe Sam expanded his business and 'used' her instead of employing another meat-cutter. I agree that Alice does seem a little too smart to work as housekeeper. She surely had no degree and probably no technical training, but working for a factory or a different service would have brought more money and more opportunity at least. But again, the TV domestic has to just love what she's doing ;) .

I agree that Alice does seem a little too smart to work as housekeeper.


Then again I think this could all be perspective because I have never truly associated "smarts" with status, it mostly seems to come down to "connections" and motivation. Sadly, it seems the people who are where they are seem to overlook that fact. I happen to believe "most" people can do "most" jobs given an opportunity and drive.

And who said you can't have a fulfilling conversation on a Brady Board:)?

They treated her great.....I don't know anything about having servants, but who takes their maid on family vacations ?

Yeah, I think we all agree she was treated well. We were just discussing the Brady's role in trying to elevate her status to something more than a maid (that is if they truly cared for her).

In season 1 Mike mentioned that they added Alice a member of a family so no I don't think she was used at all.

Cool. Glad to get opinions on this, as strange and out of place as this topic may seem.

No, I think they treated her well. The kids did chores and Carol helped in the kitchen so her job wasn't as hard as it could have been. Alice could have moved out and got her own apartment if she wanted more privacy and independence. Also, there's nothing wrong with being a domestic!

Also, there's nothing wrong with being a domestic!

Certainly not. Would Alice have had the chance to hang out with Lucille Ball's housekeeper (and then get Desi Arnaz, Jr. to visit the Brady household) if she wasn't a domestic herself?

When I read this thread title I thought you were referring to that "special" first season episode where a frustrated, teary-eyed Greg unexpectedly meets Alice in the kitchen late at night, then proceeds to take her (against her protests) back into her quarters.

They never aired the episode more than once because it was deemed too mature for family audiences at the time. I think they should bring it back.

I heard it was Mike?

What episode was this?

I think Alice may have been even more important to the family because she was there the whole time the boys didn't have a mother.I always took it that Alice came to work for the Brady's when the first wife was sick and couldn't take care of the boys or the house.The boys clearly thought alot of Alice and Mike being the kind of person he was would have seen her as part of the family.Carol and the girls also loved Alice and she did hav it pretty good -going on their vacations with them as you all have stated-I really love that because it was never even a question about her going.She didn't have to do all the work either.Alice was smart and could have had a different life but in a way the work and the atmosphere would have been better than many other jobs would have been-she had fun right along with the whole family:)