I was listening to the Real Brady Bros podcast and they had Robbie Rist on. His first appearance on the show was not Welcome Aboard. It was Two Petes in a Pod. In syndication they always rearranged these episodes but MeTv shows them exactly in order and I was confused. The idea was to casually introduce the cousin that no one ever saw or heard about before. He was in one scene with Bobby and Cindy playing checkers. Then the next episode he moves in. It explains the confusion I've had all of my life.
Robbie explained that he tried out for The Kelly Kids but they felt he was too blonde to be the son of Ken Berry.
Swartz was not in favor of adding a new kid. It came from the head of Paramount who thought the kids were getting too old.

I thought they had him in Two Petes to perhaps get him used to the cast etc for a week before giving him the starring role in the next episode. I think a number of shows often film the second episode first to iron out any kinks and let everyone get used to each other so that the official first episode looks smoother.

I thought they had him in Two Petes to perhaps get him used to the cast etc for a week before giving him the starring role in the next episode. I think a number of shows often film the second episode first to iron out any kinks and let everyone get used to each other so that the official first episode looks smoother.
Its possible but the actors allege it was done not to give Oliver such a hard and unknown intro. None of it made sense. Carol never mentioned a brother before and if Oliver was a cousin how come he was never mentioned or stopped by before. Robbie Rist joked it sort of was child abuse for parents to dump their kids off at a relative's house where they are not that close that they are never talked about :lol:
I wonder what it was like watching in real time, like who is this kid with Bobby and Cindy playing checkers. He's not in any other scene in that episode except the checkers scene. But next episode its all explained.