I've always thought The Brady Bunch ended too soon, I think it easily could have been an eight season show with nearly 200 episodes, with the last season being 1976-77. As it is, we got five seasons and 117 episodes, not nearly enough because the show was still going strong. They should have gone on with the sitcom for three more years, instead they scrapped it and gave us the awful Brady Bunch Variety Hour. I know they were having problems with Robert Reed during that final Brady Bunch season, but somehow I think things could have been ironed out and continue with the show. They just gave up on it too quick, probably figured five years was enough.

The series ended with Greg's high school graduation, I thought Marcia was supposed to graduate also? Was she a year or two behind Greg in school? I thought they were the same age.

I think they could have gone maybe 8 season's

I don't see how the series was still going strong. The kids looked way too old for some of their antics. "Snooperstar" is one of the best examples of this. And the introduction of a new kid like Oliver signals the death knell for a show.

The series could have continued a few more seasons, but it would have needed some changes to the scripts because the kids were getting older and agreed the situations from earlier seasons would no longer apply. They would have had a decision to make regarding Greg's character, they could have had him moving away to college and returning home to visit and appear in selected episodes, or they could have kept him as a regular character choosing a college near home and continuing to live at home. The series and scripts would have needed to be updated as the kids were getting older, but I think they could have made it OK and kept it a funny show. Those involved in the series probably had enough after five seasons and were ready to move on.

I disagree. The show was pretty bad by the end of season 5. They would've had to change the scripts, get new writers, get rid of Oliver, etc. in order to make it last 3 more seasons.

...The series ended with Greg's high school graduation, I thought Marcia was supposed to graduate also? Was she a year or two behind Greg in school? I thought they were the same age.


No, Greg was always portrayed as being the oldest... in fact, Greg was already in High School when Marcia started High School in "Today I Am A Freshman". He also got his drivers license before she did.

Greg was shown starting High School before anyone else (Season 2, "Our Son, the Man). Marcia's entrance into high school didn't take place until Season 4's "Today I am a Freshman"

Sherwood was indeed planning a sixth season when ABC dropped the bomb while the cast and crew were on hiatus. Sanford and Son's monster ratings rang the death knell for the Bradys, but of course ABC realized it's mistake too late when the show went into syndication and did GANGBUSTER ratings!

Sherwood was indeed planning a sixth season when ABC dropped the bomb while the cast and crew were on hiatus. Sanford and Son's monster ratings rang the death knell for the Bradys, but of course ABC realized it's mistake too late when the show went into syndication and did GANGBUSTER ratings!

So ABC pulled the plug on em, that figures. The fifth season had some weaker episodes, bringing in cousin Oliver was not the greatest idea, but I think they could have come back for a good sixth season with some proper changes to the show. Marcia would have graduated from high school then at the end of season seven, thanx Tweety for the info. I think they could have done an eighth season but that definitely would have been the last one. But we have to settle for what we got, I just wish there were 120 episodes instead of 117. That odd number irritates me, I feel we got cheated out of three episodes.

I never thought Sanford and Son was that funny, the first couple seasons maybe were OK. Perhaps Robbie Rist AKA cousin Oliver takes some satisfaction in being at least partially responsible for killing off The Brady Bunch.

The odd number comes from going from 25 episodes a season (when it started) to 22 (by the time it finished).

I too always wondered what a sixth season would have entailed--perhaps a Carol pregnancy with fraternal twins (as Sherwood suggested at one point?), seeing Alice and Sam getting married? Cindy on her first serious romance? Greg moving out?

Thank goodness, the Variety Hour is not considered canon in the Brady universe!

You can't really go on once the kids get near the end of high school age. The shows can't be funny anymore. All the sitcoms with kids are only funny because of the kids. Look at the Cosby Show season 1 and compare it with the last season. The show was nowhere near as funny anymore once they all got older.

You can't really go on once the kids get near the end of high school age. The shows can't be funny anymore. All the sitcoms with kids are only funny because of the kids. Look at the Cosby Show season 1 and compare it with the last season. The show was nowhere near as funny anymore once they all got older.
That's probably why The Simpsons is still on. Bart is still 10.

They would've had to change the scripts, get new writers, get rid of Oliver, etc. in order to make it last 3 more seasons.

I may be playing devil's advocate here, but Cousin Oliver :D could have provided them with more storylines.

The odd number comes from going from 25 episodes a season (when it started) to 22 (by the time it finished).

Yep, they were averaging 24 episodes per season thru season three. (25, 24, and 23 for a total of 72.) But then season four had only 23 episodes, and season five had only 22. That's where the problem is. Had those last two seasons contained 24 eps each, there would have been 120 total.

Maybe The Cincinatti Kids should have been a three parter :D

I know they were having problems with Robert Reed during that final Brady Bunch season, but somehow I think things could have been ironed out and continue with the show. They just gave up on it too quick, probably figured five years was enough

Sherwood Schwartz has stated that he was going to kill off Mike Brady and that the sixth season would have started with his funeral. He wanted to do another two seasons with plots involving the kids trying to set up their mother with various men.

One possibility involved Carol getting back together with the girls' biological father, thus clarifying that she was divorced.

For those not "in the know" the original premise envisioned by Schwartz would have had Mike widowed and Carol divorced but the network wouldn't allow it and wanted him to clarify that Carol too was widowed. Shcwartz refused to do that and they compromised by leaving the issue unresolved.

Sherwood Schwartz has stated that he was going to kill off Mike Brady and that the sixth season would have started with his funeral. He wanted to do another two seasons with plots involving the kids trying to set up their mother with various men.

One possibility involved Carol getting back together with the girls' biological father, thus clarifying that she was divorced.

For those not "in the know" the original premise envisioned by Schwartz would have had Mike widowed and Carol divorced but the network wouldn't allow it and wanted him to clarify that Carol too was widowed. Shcwartz refused to do that and they compromised by leaving the issue unresolved.


Yes, by eventually having Carol revealed to be divorced, that certainly would have opened up some additional plot lines.

Interesting that within a couple of years of the Brady Bunch going off the air on ABC, Bonnie Franklin would star as a divorced mother over on CBS's "One Day at a Time".

Divorce was definitely a tricky subject in those days, when it came to television. When the Hal Roach "Out Gang" comedies (known on TV as "The Little Rascals") was syndicated for television (in the 1950s), one of the film shorts was omitted from the TV package because it involved parents who were contemplating a divorce. The film was banned from TV even though the parents were reunited happily by the end of the picture and the divorce never took place ("Big Ears", 1931).

Yes, by eventually having Carol revealed to be divorced, that certainly would have opened up some additional plot lines.

Interesting that within a couple of years of the Brady Bunch going off the air on ABC, Bonnie Franklin would star as a divorced mother over on CBS's "One Day at a Time".

Divorce was definitely a tricky subject in those days, when it came to television.

But a full seven years before The Brady Bunch even went on the air, Vivian Vance was openly playing a divorcee on The Lucy Show (starting in 1962). By the time The Brady Bunch debuted in 1969, The Lucy Show was airing in weekday morning reruns on CBS, with Vivian Vance's divorced character making frequent cracks about her ex-husband. So I'm a bit dubious about Sherwood Schwartz's claim that he couldn't convince ABC to let Carol Brady be a divorcee since it wasn't even a novel idea by that point. Maybe this is true, but then again, Sherwood Schwartz also likes to claim that Mike and Carol Brady were the first married couple to be seen in bed together on TV. That's certainly not true. I was just watching an episode of The Mothers-in-Law from two years before The Brady Bunch debuted where Jerry and Susie were in bed together. And Herman and Lily Munster were shown in bed together a couple years prior to that. Even Lucy and Ricky Ricardo were sort of sharing a bed. (It was actually twin beds pushed together, but almost looks like a double bed.) But on The Mothers-in-Law and The Munsters, couples were clearly shown in a double bed together long before Mike and Carol Brady. I think Sherwood Schwartz just wants to make these claims about his show to make it seem more revolutionary than it actually was. Carol Brady was not the first divorcee (if she was one at all), and Mike and Carol were not the first TV couple to be shown sharing a bed together.

But a full seven years before The Brady Bunch even went on the air, Vivian Vance was openly playing a divorcee on The Lucy Show (starting in 1962). By the time The Brady Bunch debuted in 1969, The Lucy Show was airing in weekday morning reruns on CBS, with Vivian Vance's divorced character making frequent cracks about her ex-husband. So I'm a bit dubious about Sherwood Schwartz's claim that he couldn't convince ABC to let Carol Brady be a divorcee since it wasn't even a novel idea by that point. Maybe this is true, but then again, Sherwood Schwartz also likes to claim that Mike and Carol Brady were the first married couple to be seen in bed together on TV. That's certainly not true. I was just watching an episode of The Mothers-in-Law from two years before The Brady Bunch debuted where Jerry and Susie were in bed together. And Herman and Lily Munster were shown in bed together a couple years prior to that. Even Lucy and Ricky Ricardo were sort of sharing a bed. (It was actually twin beds pushed together, but almost looks like a double bed.) But on The Mothers-in-Law and The Munsters, couples were clearly shown in a double bed together long before Mike and Carol Brady. I think Sherwood Schwartz just wants to make these claims about his show to make it seem more revolutionary than it actually was. Carol Brady was not the first divorcee (if she was one at all), and Mike and Carol were not the first TV couple to be shown sharing a bed together.
In 1970 Mary Tyler Moore's character Mary Richards was originally conceived as a divorcee but the network pressured MTM to make her a single woman just out of a relationship instead. I think back then networks were still making a distinction between lead characters and supporting characters. It was okay for a supporting character like Vivian Bagley to be a divorcee but it was forbidden for a lead character like Carol Brady or Mary Richards to be a divorcee.

Also, did Vivian Bagley's character have any children? That also could have made a difference. I don't remember if she did or not, it's been years since I've seen The Lucy Show OR Here's Lucy.

In 1947, the Dumont show "Mary Kay and Johnny" depicted the first husband and wife to sleep in the same bed. As was the case with Lucy and Desi, Mary Kay and Johnny were married in real life.

In 1970 Mary Tyler Moore's character Mary Richards was originally conceived as a divorcee but the network pressured MTM to make her a single woman just out of a relationship instead. I think back then networks were still making a distinction between lead characters and supporting characters. It was okay for a supporting character like Vivian Bagley to be a divorcee but it was forbidden for a lead character like Carol Brady or Mary Richards to be a divorcee.

Yeah, I see your point. That makes sense. I guess Maude was the first lead character who had been divorced (though she was remarried). But if Viv's character had been spun off into her own series, I doubt there would have been any controversy over her being a divorced lead character.

Also, did Vivian Bagley's character have any children? That also could have made a difference. I don't remember if she did or not, it's been years since I've seen The Lucy Show OR Here's Lucy.

In 1947, the Dumont show "Mary Kay and Johnny" depicted the first husband and wife to sleep in the same bed. As was the case with Lucy and Desi, Mary Kay and Johnny were married in real life.
Vivian Bagley had one son named Ralph.

Vivian Bagley had one son named Ralph.

Yep, she had a son, but his name was Sherman, not Ralph, although he was played by a Ralph, Ralph Hart. And Viv's ex-husband was Ralph Bagley.

Viv was quite clearly a divorcee as she often referred to her ex-husband by name. And she was always complaining about not getting her alimony check on time, or not getting enough alimony. And making cracks about her ex-husband. Whenever she referred to her "cheapskate" ex-husband, you would swear she was talking about Fred Mertz.

Yep, she had a son, but his name was Sherman, not Ralph, although he was played by a Ralph, Ralph Hart. And Viv's ex-husband was Ralph Bagley.

Viv was quite clearly a divorcee as she often referred to her ex-husband by name. And she was always complaining about not getting her alimony check on time, or not getting enough alimony. And making cracks about her ex-husband. Whenever she referred to her "cheapskate" ex-husband, you would swear she was talking about Fred Mertz.


Boy, Viv/Ethel sure could pick 'em!

In 1970 Mary Tyler Moore's character Mary Richards was originally conceived as a divorcee but the network pressured MTM to make her a single woman just out of a relationship instead. I think back then networks were still making a distinction between lead characters and supporting characters. It was okay for a supporting character like Vivian Bagley to be a divorcee but it was forbidden for a lead character like Carol Brady or Mary Richards to be a divorcee.
There was an additional factor with Mary Richards. CBS didn't want America to think/believe that Mary was divorced from Dick Van Dyke!

But a full seven years before The Brady Bunch even went on the air, Vivian Vance was openly playing a divorcee on The Lucy Show (starting in 1962). By the time The Brady Bunch debuted in 1969, The Lucy Show was airing in weekday morning reruns on CBS, with Vivian Vance's divorced character making frequent cracks about her ex-husband. So I'm a bit dubious about Sherwood Schwartz's claim that he couldn't convince ABC to let Carol Brady be a divorcee since it wasn't even a novel idea by that point. Maybe this is true, but then again, Sherwood Schwartz also likes to claim that Mike and Carol Brady were the first married couple to be seen in bed together on TV. That's certainly not true. I was just watching an episode of The Mothers-in-Law from two years before The Brady Bunch debuted where Jerry and Susie were in bed together. And Herman and Lily Munster were shown in bed together a couple years prior to that. Even Lucy and Ricky Ricardo were sort of sharing a bed. (It was actually twin beds pushed together, but almost looks like a double bed.) But on The Mothers-in-Law and The Munsters, couples were clearly shown in a double bed together long before Mike and Carol Brady. I think Sherwood Schwartz just wants to make these claims about his show to make it seem more revolutionary than it actually was. Carol Brady was not the first divorcee (if she was one at all), and Mike and Carol were not the first TV couple to be shown sharing a bed together.
Samantha and Darrin slept in the same bed too!

Sherwood Schwartz has stated that he was going to kill off Mike Brady and that the sixth season would have started with his funeral. He wanted to do another two seasons with plots involving the kids trying to set up their mother with various men.

One possibility involved Carol getting back together with the girls' biological father, thus clarifying that she was divorced.

For those not "in the know" the original premise envisioned by Schwartz would have had Mike widowed and Carol divorced but the network wouldn't allow it and wanted him to clarify that Carol too was widowed. Shcwartz refused to do that and they compromised by leaving the issue unresolved.
I can't believe Schwartz could have gotten away with killing off Mike Brady, at that time, anyway. ABC would have never gone for that. Not on a family sit-com in 1974.

I can't believe Schwartz could have gotten away with killing off Mike Brady, at that time, anyway. ABC would have never gone for that. Not on a family sit-com in 1974.

Well, I'm not so sure they wouldn't have gone for it. After all, Danny Williams' wife was killed off on The Danny Thomas Show at the start of the fourth season, way back in 1956. And that was definitely a family sitcom, and also on ABC. And Luke McCoy's wife got killed off at the beginning of the sixth season of The Real McCoys in 1962.

Well, I'm not so sure they wouldn't have gone for it. After all, Danny Williams' wife was killed off on The Danny Thomas Show at the start of the fourth season, way back in 1956. And that was definitely a family sitcom, and also on ABC. And Luke McCoy's wife got killed off at the beginning of the sixth season of The Real McCoys in 1962.
Yea I could see him doing it but it would have killed TBB. It would have made it too much like that 1990's Brady flop The Bradys.

Yea I could see him doing it but it would have killed TBB. It would have made it too much like that 1990's Brady flop The Bradys.

Which had it been renewed, Sherwood would have gotten his wish....he was planning to kill off Mike Brady had the show gone to a second season. And that would have killed The Bradys for sure......The fan base would have balked at no Mike Brady!

Which had it been renewed, Sherwood would have gotten his wish....he was planning to kill off Mike Brady had the show gone to a second season. And that would have killed The Bradys for sure......The fan base would have balked at no Mike Brady!
Wow, I didn't know that. Robert Reed might have been a pain to him, but I don't think Sherwood Scwartz realized how important he was to the success of The Brady Bunch. He was irreplaceable.

Sherwood seemed to be very vindictive....but deep down I think he knew no Robert Reed....no Bradys.

Maybe The Cincinatti Kids should have been a three parter :D

No, one episode was enough, any more and it would have started looking like a prime time infomercial for King's Island!

No, one episode was enough, any more and it would have started looking like a prime time infomercial for King's Island!
Their other vacations (Grand Canyon and Hawaii) were three parters. Of course the Grand Canyon and Hawaii are both vastly larger than a theme park and it took multiple episodes for the Brady's to explore them.

Wow, I didn't know that. Robert Reed might have been a pain to him, but I don't think Sherwood Scwartz realized how important he was to the success of The Brady Bunch. He was irreplaceable.
And they would have to change the opening theme....with the squares. That, itself would have killed the show!!! :eek:

And they would have to change the opening theme....with the squares. That, itself would have killed the show!!! :eek:
Thinking back though, if the show did turn out to be a hit, Sherwood would have gotten his wish anyway because Robert Reed died not long after. The Brady Bunch was a happy-go-lucky family show and I don't think making it more adult helped it at all. I can't picture the family trying to cope without a father. That's not the memory of The Brady Bunch I want to have.

Thinking back though, if the show did turn out to be a hit, Sherwood would have gotten his wish anyway because Robert Reed died not long after. The Brady Bunch was a happy-go-lucky family show and I don't think making it more adult helped it at all. I can't picture the family trying to cope without a father. That's not the memory of The Brady Bunch I want to have.
I agree. A paraplegic Bobby and an alcoholic Marcia, were tragic enough!!!!

Sherwood Schwartz has stated that he was going to kill off Mike Brady and that the sixth season would have started with his funeral. He wanted to do another two seasons with plots involving the kids trying to set up their mother with various men.

One possibility involved Carol getting back together with the girls' biological father, thus clarifying that she was divorced.

For those not "in the know" the original premise envisioned by Schwartz would have had Mike widowed and Carol divorced but the network wouldn't allow it and wanted him to clarify that Carol too was widowed. Shcwartz refused to do that and they compromised by leaving the issue unresolved.
I would think Sherwood Schwartz must have also considered replacing Reed with another actor, rather than killing him off. After all they replaced Darrin on Bewitched after 5 seasons, so why not replace Mike Brady on TBB?

I would think Sherwood Schwartz must have also considered replacing Reed with another actor, rather than killing him off. After all they replaced Darrin on Bewitched after 5 seasons, so why not replace Mike Brady on TBB?
And by 1974 Bewitched was off the air so Dick Sargent would have been available!! Just sayin! :lol:

And by 1974 Bewitched was off the air so Dick Sargent would have been available!! Just sayin! :lol:
Yeah, all they would have needed to do was give him a perm, and he'd be all set! :lol:

Well he had other things in common with Robert Reed....and later Dick would replace the actor who played the dad on "Down to Earth"!