The Brady Bunch Season 1 review - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 02-24-2023, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Where it all began. It’s the start of what many people believe to be America’s last “classic” sitcom before the Lear era started.

stevea · 02-24-2023, 07:39 AM

My review of season 1 - it sucked (mostly). Fortunately, there were 4 more.

MichaelKeith · 02-24-2023, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

My review of season 1 - it sucked (mostly). Fortunately, there were 4 more.

Okay, you stated your opinion and that is perfectly fine, but WHY do you feel that way? Remember, this was a more innocent time and that was a family sitcom so it would naturally be geared toward more bland scenarios rather than raw action. I guess they could have had more stories on the problems and issues of dealing with blended families and that may have been more realistic, but people had that in their real lives. The point of many 1960s sitcoms was just pure fantasy and entertainment. This show, like many then, was meant to be an escape from reality. And Sherwood Schwartz, who also created Gilligan's Island, wasn't one for gritty, realistic tv shows.

stevea · 02-24-2023, 01:08 PM

I just thought several of the scripts were silly. Only one parent can come to a play, the dueling pediatricians, the pay phone in the house, the lost doll and Cindy wouldn't even take the replacement, Jan's dog allergy (which is just such a recycled plot), Carol emoting over Cindy having the sniffles (I think).

I agree, SS shows are trademark silly, but the later seasons improved a lot, in my view.

I should concede that most shows are bound to improve as they go along, and that there were a few good episodes in season 1.

MichaelKeith · 02-24-2023, 03:18 PM

I guess by the early 70s the show was tackling slightly more realistic issues.

Plus the older kids were teenagers. I remember watching most of this show in its original run. Was 4 when it premiered in 1969.

BestTVever · 02-24-2023, 05:41 PM

I love all seasons but season 1 is my least favorite. They were just getting their groove and the kids were so young that it made for silly scripts. Although the episode where the kids haunt the house is one of my favorites. I dislike the theme song and prefer the kids singing it. I dislike Carol's wig and how strict the scripts were to sexist stereotypes i.e. only boys can have a club house, being a dad to boys is a tougher job, a better doctor is a man etc. Everything was boys vs girls. I also found Carol to be much more muted and unfunny in season 1. Her character got to open up and be funny in the later seasons. Carol was the good housewife and later seasons she was the good mom. She really took a back seat to Mr Brady. In later seasons, the parents consulted each other when it came to raising the kids. Season 1 had Mr Brady wearing the pants in the house. My all time least favorite episode is season 1 where Cindy cant decide which parent to bring to the play. She was a tiny child. That decision is for the parents to work out. The drama over it just was such a silly script almost from the 1950s Father's Knows Best or something.

stevea · 02-24-2023, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BestTVever

I love all seasons but season 1 is my least favorite. They were just getting their groove and the kids were so young that it made for silly scripts. Although the episode where the kids haunt the house is one of my favorites. I dislike the theme song and prefer the kids singing it. I dislike Carol's wig and how strict the scripts were to sexist stereotypes i.e. only boys can have a club house, being a dad to boys is a tougher job, a better doctor is a man etc. Everything was boys vs girls. I also found Carol to be much more muted and unfunny in season 1. Her character got to open up and be funny in the later seasons. Carol was the good housewife and later seasons she was the good mom. She really took a back seat to Mr Brady. In later seasons, the parents consulted each other when it came to raising the kids. Season 1 had Mr Brady wearing the pants in the house. My all time least favorite episode is season 1 where Cindy cant decide which parent to bring to the play. She was a tiny child. That decision is for the parents to work out. The drama over it just was such a silly script almost from the 1950s Father's Knows Best or something.

Thanks foe expressing it better that I did. Which parent to bring to the play--probably one of the worst episodes of that season. Right, the parents decide, but the premise itself is silly. The school should just move it to a larger space. Not that Sitcom situations often play out as they do in the real world, but this would never happen, I don't think.

Carol was doting and reserved in the first season, and I disliked the wig, too. Florence probably got some spunk and told Sherwood she wouldn't wear it thereafter. And in subsequent seasons she came out of her shell.

Also thanks for pointing out the haunting episode--yes, probably my favorite from that season, and the whole situation was understandable. And they really should have moved. All three episodes with the haunting/scaring/UFOs throughout the series were great.

BestTVever · 02-25-2023, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Thanks foe expressing it better that I did. Which parent to bring to the play--probably one of the worst episodes of that season. Right, the parents decide, but the premise itself is silly. The school should just move it to a larger space. Not that Sitcom situations often play out as they do in the real world, but this would never happen, I don't think.

Carol was doting and reserved in the first season, and I disliked the wig, too. Florence probably got some spunk and told Sherwood she wouldn't wear it thereafter. And in subsequent seasons she came out of her shell.

Also thanks for pointing out the haunting episode--yes, probably my favorite from that season, and the whole situation was understandable. And they really should have moved. All three episodes with the haunting/scaring/UFOs throughout the series were great.

If space was limited, I think its reasonable for a school to allow only one parent so that every child can have someone from their family see the play. They may not have resources to move a play to a larger space that may not be available.
The premise is weak insinuating that one parent is going to be crushed if they cant see Cindy in this one play. The pressure the kids and Alice put Cindy through is insane. There are going to be other plays and activities to see Cindy at school. The irony of sticking to sexist traditions in season 1 is still at play here. In 1970, 98% of parents that came to see their kids in plays at school were moms. The dad was at work. Sherwood was always stirring the pot in season 1 exploiting the battle of the sexes. It makes sense because women's lib was on the move. We even get a later episode devoted exclusively to women's lib when Marcia is teased and humiliated by her brothers for dare saying girls can do anything that boys can do. But in the end......Marcia shows them!

1960'sTVfan · 02-25-2023, 11:00 AM

Leave It To Beaver and The Brady Bunch are two shows that gained more popularity in syndication compared to the original run. I like it that Paramount went to the effort to put the complete Brady Bunch episodes on the DVD's, I think there's a small number of episodes that have minor edit issues but it's nothing that's too big of a deal.

An episode that I like from the 1st season is the one about the trading stamps, pretty decent episode.

BestTVever · 02-25-2023, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1960'sTVfan

Leave It To Beaver and The Brady Bunch are two shows that gained more popularity in syndication compared to the original run. I like it that Paramount went to the effort to put the complete Brady Bunch episodes on the DVD's, I think there's a small number of episodes that have minor edit issues but it's nothing that's too big of a deal.

An episode that I like from the 1st season is the one about the trading stamps, pretty decent episode.

Yes. That was definitely one of the better first season episodes. But it still was the boy vs girl set up. What was fair for both boys and girls to play to be equal? Building card houses

I think the parents should have picked something out for both. In the end the girls are sort of convinced it was the right thing to do. But a good parent would not let their kids compete against each other in a blended family to see who gets the big trading stamp prize.

rcbrad · 02-25-2023, 05:09 PM

The episode about Cindy's school play was derived from a true story.

Florence Henderson wore the wig because her hair was very short from a recent role she played prior to the starting of the first batch of TBB episodes that were filmed.

CosmicCharlie · 03-02-2023, 06:32 PM

Tiger the DOG was good - but he must of Ran Away ? lol

TV Guy · 03-04-2023, 11:03 AM

The first season is like a throwback to the 50s and 60s family sitcoms, with smart alecky kids and Carol being the dutiful little wife who defers to her husband. And a lot of the writers from that season were veterans of shows like Bewitched and Dennis the Menace. Starting with the second season, they really updated the show and by season three it seemed more contemporary for the time.

Also, there was way too much boys vs the girls plots in season 1, and they made Marcia awfully shrill and even a bit hot tempered. By season 2, the boys vs girls plots were toned way down, and Marcia chilled out.

stevea · 03-04-2023, 10:01 PM

To a certain degree the boy vs. girl stuff in the first season may be partially accounted for by the separate families coming together; generally, learning to live together. Yes, some of it was stereotypes--only the boys like camping and are "old pros," while all the delicate females are inexperienced and afraid of spiders, etc.

In the end, even the pediatricians joined forces!

Tankeryanker · 03-04-2023, 11:12 PM

I never noticed it in any meaningful way. It seemed pretty natural to me. My brother and I were NOT on the same team. Also, some of the boy/girl stuff was the sign of the times.

If I was told correctly, 1973 was the year that UPS hired their first woman driver. That was a pretty big move for them.

It would have looked odd if they were the Sunshine Bradys from the beginning.

"I think i'll go for a walk outside now The summer sun's callin my name (I hear ya now)
I just can't stay inside all day I gotta get out get me some of those rays"...

02-24-2023, 07:39 AM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,331	My review of season 1 - it sucked (mostly). Fortunately, there were 4 more.

02-24-2023, 01:08 PM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,331	I just thought several of the scripts were silly. Only one parent can come to a play, the dueling pediatricians, the pay phone in the house, the lost doll and Cindy wouldn't even take the replacement, Jan's dog allergy (which is just such a recycled plot), Carol emoting over Cindy having the sniffles (I think). I agree, SS shows are trademark silly, but the later seasons improved a lot, in my view. I should concede that most shows are bound to improve as they go along, and that there were a few good episodes in season 1.

02-24-2023, 03:18 PM	#5
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	I guess by the early 70s the show was tackling slightly more realistic issues. Plus the older kids were teenagers. I remember watching most of this show in its original run. Was 4 when it premiered in 1969.

02-24-2023, 05:41 PM	#6
BestTVever Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2021 Location: Miami Posts: 1,879	I love all seasons but season 1 is my least favorite. They were just getting their groove and the kids were so young that it made for silly scripts. Although the episode where the kids haunt the house is one of my favorites. I dislike the theme song and prefer the kids singing it. I dislike Carol's wig and how strict the scripts were to sexist stereotypes i.e. only boys can have a club house, being a dad to boys is a tougher job, a better doctor is a man etc. Everything was boys vs girls. I also found Carol to be much more muted and unfunny in season 1. Her character got to open up and be funny in the later seasons. Carol was the good housewife and later seasons she was the good mom. She really took a back seat to Mr Brady. In later seasons, the parents consulted each other when it came to raising the kids. Season 1 had Mr Brady wearing the pants in the house. My all time least favorite episode is season 1 where Cindy cant decide which parent to bring to the play. She was a tiny child. That decision is for the parents to work out. The drama over it just was such a silly script almost from the 1950s Father's Knows Best or something.

02-25-2023, 11:00 AM	#9
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,056	Leave It To Beaver and The Brady Bunch are two shows that gained more popularity in syndication compared to the original run. I like it that Paramount went to the effort to put the complete Brady Bunch episodes on the DVD's, I think there's a small number of episodes that have minor edit issues but it's nothing that's too big of a deal. An episode that I like from the 1st season is the one about the trading stamps, pretty decent episode.

02-25-2023, 05:09 PM	#11
rcbrad Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 479	The episode about Cindy's school play was derived from a true story. Florence Henderson wore the wig because her hair was very short from a recent role she played prior to the starting of the first batch of TBB episodes that were filmed.

03-02-2023, 06:32 PM	#12
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,421	Tiger the DOG was good - but he must of Ran Away ? lol

03-04-2023, 11:03 AM	#13
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	The first season is like a throwback to the 50s and 60s family sitcoms, with smart alecky kids and Carol being the dutiful little wife who defers to her husband. And a lot of the writers from that season were veterans of shows like Bewitched and Dennis the Menace. Starting with the second season, they really updated the show and by season three it seemed more contemporary for the time. Also, there was way too much boys vs the girls plots in season 1, and they made Marcia awfully shrill and even a bit hot tempered. By season 2, the boys vs girls plots were toned way down, and Marcia chilled out.

03-04-2023, 10:01 PM	#14
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,331	To a certain degree the boy vs. girl stuff in the first season may be partially accounted for by the separate families coming together; generally, learning to live together. Yes, some of it was stereotypes--only the boys like camping and are "old pros," while all the delicate females are inexperienced and afraid of spiders, etc. In the end, even the pediatricians joined forces!

03-04-2023, 11:12 PM	#15
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,043	I never noticed it in any meaningful way. It seemed pretty natural to me. My brother and I were NOT on the same team. Also, some of the boy/girl stuff was the sign of the times. If I was told correctly, 1973 was the year that UPS hired their first woman driver. That was a pretty big move for them. It would have looked odd if they were the Sunshine Bradys from the beginning. "I think i'll go for a walk outside now The summer sun's callin my name (I hear ya now) I just can't stay inside all day I gotta get out get me some of those rays"...