I don't get what is so bad about Oliver - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

gilligan fanatic · 03-04-2006, 09:40 PM

it seems like everyone can't stand him at all. I don't think he is that bad. I think people dislike him because he is not one of them. As for a character though, he isn't that annoying and he fit in well. Maybe if they had his family move in next door and not live with the Brady's it would have worked a little better. I know they said Oliver was Carol's nephew, but did they ever say where he came from, as in location?

Rich3 · 03-04-2006, 11:22 PM

I thought he was a good character. They probably brought him in as a last ditch idea to save the show since the kids were growing older. All family shows do that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gilligan fanatic

I know they said Oliver was Carol's nephew, but...

Maybe nephew was just a code for "love toy." We know that Mr. Brady had started to turn the other way by that point.

erin05 · 03-05-2006, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich3

I thought he was a good character. They probably brought him in as a last ditch idea to save the show since the kids were growing older. All family shows do that.

Maybe nephew was just a code for "love toy." We know that Mr. Brady had started to turn the other way by that point.

gidgetgrape · 03-05-2006, 07:28 PM

Since there were already six kids on the show I don't think they needed another one. But, I agree cousin Oliver wasn't that bad.

staypuftman2004 · 03-05-2006, 07:59 PM

Should have made Brady Bunch :the next Wave

Tweety · 03-06-2006, 10:43 PM

It's really only in retrospect that people say that Oliver was the ultimate "Jump the Shark" moment of the Brady Bunch... at the time he first appeared in 1974, no one actually went around saying "oh my gosh, I can't believe they brought THIS kid on...that's the end of THIS show!"...

There was a big drop-off in the overall quality of the episodes from season 4 to season 5... of course, the BEST thing about season 5 was JAN

On the jump the shark site, you'll see comments from people along the lines of "yeah, I was 8 years old when Oliver showed up, but by golly, I knew that this spelled the end of the Brady Bunch"... yeah, right people...

In fact, no one (among those of us out there in TV Land) knew the show was cancelled until fall came around and the Bradys weren't on... there was no planned series finale, they just never came back after that summer. Cancelling of shows wasn't the huge new story back then that they are today. And in reality, none of us thought that cousin Oliver joining the cast was really any big deal...it wasn't like we had a long history of precedents involving a "new kid in town"...

TVFactFan · 03-06-2006, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gilligan fanatic

it seems like everyone can't stand him at all. I don't think he is that bad. I think people dislike him because he is not one of them. As for a character though, he isn't that annoying and he fit in well. Maybe if they had his family move in next door and not live with the Brady's it would have worked a little better. I know they said Oliver was Carol's nephew, but did they ever say where he came from, as in location?

It was because all the Brady kids were older and to add a young kid at that point of the series was just pointless. It was like they were going backward-lol

gilligan fanatic · 03-06-2006, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVResearcher

It was because all the Brady kids were older and to add a young kid at that point of the series was just pointless. It was like they were going backward-lol

I know why they did it, I just don't think he is such a bad character.

TV Watcher · 03-07-2006, 02:48 PM

I wouldn't blame the charecter of cousin oliver for the shows decline..the whole 5th season was weaker than the previous ones plus Robert Reed wanted off the show for along time and the bottom line was that the kids were getting to grown to write that type of sitcom without changes.

magellan333 · 03-07-2006, 10:13 PM

Cousin Oliver didn't get on my nerves. I thought he was funny.

RIC FLAIR · 03-09-2006, 12:45 PM

THE REAL REASON FOR THE SHOWS DECLINE WAS IT ON AT THE SAME TIME AS SANFORD AND SON.

sixfingers · 03-10-2010, 01:41 AM

Blaming Cousin Oliver for the decline of Brady Bunch is like blaming the firetruck for the fire or blaming the ambulance for the accident.

Oliver was an attempt to save the show and it didn't work.

Except the the episode "Welcome Aboard" Oliver was really just window dressing with no real impact on the plot. Anyone who thinks that Brady Bunch would have gone on for a sixth season had Oliver never shown up just isn't in touch with reality!

03-04-2006, 09:40 PM	#1
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	I don't get what is so bad about Oliver it seems like everyone can't stand him at all. I don't think he is that bad. I think people dislike him because he is not one of them. As for a character though, he isn't that annoying and he fit in well. Maybe if they had his family move in next door and not live with the Brady's it would have worked a little better. I know they said Oliver was Carol's nephew, but did they ever say where he came from, as in location?
	__________________ Matt Filmaf ~ Twitter ~ Last.FM

03-05-2006, 07:59 PM	#5
staypuftman2004 NWO-4-LIFE Senior Member Join Date: Sep 01, 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,450	Should have made Brady Bunch :the next Wave
	__________________ www.freewebs.com/staypuftman2004

03-05-2006, 07:28 PM	#4
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	Since there were already six kids on the show I don't think they needed another one. But, I agree cousin Oliver wasn't that bad.

03-06-2006, 10:43 PM	#6
Tweety Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 18, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 6,804	It's really only in retrospect that people say that Oliver was the ultimate "Jump the Shark" moment of the Brady Bunch... at the time he first appeared in 1974, no one actually went around saying "oh my gosh, I can't believe they brought THIS kid on...that's the end of THIS show!"... There was a big drop-off in the overall quality of the episodes from season 4 to season 5... of course, the BEST thing about season 5 was JAN On the jump the shark site, you'll see comments from people along the lines of "yeah, I was 8 years old when Oliver showed up, but by golly, I knew that this spelled the end of the Brady Bunch"... yeah, right people... In fact, no one (among those of us out there in TV Land) knew the show was cancelled until fall came around and the Bradys weren't on... there was no planned series finale, they just never came back after that summer. Cancelling of shows wasn't the huge new story back then that they are today. And in reality, none of us thought that cousin Oliver joining the cast was really any big deal...it wasn't like we had a long history of precedents involving a "new kid in town"...

03-07-2006, 02:48 PM	#9
TV Watcher Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 28, 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 57	I wouldn't blame the charecter of cousin oliver for the shows decline..the whole 5th season was weaker than the previous ones plus Robert Reed wanted off the show for along time and the bottom line was that the kids were getting to grown to write that type of sitcom without changes.

03-07-2006, 10:13 PM	#10
magellan333 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 26, 2003 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 822	Cousin Oliver didn't get on my nerves. I thought he was funny.

03-09-2006, 12:45 PM	#11
RIC FLAIR Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 17, 2005 Posts: 111	THE REAL REASON FOR THE SHOWS DECLINE WAS IT ON AT THE SAME TIME AS SANFORD AND SON.

03-10-2010, 01:41 AM	#12
sixfingers John Alan Elson Senior Member Join Date: Feb 22, 2008 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,491	Blaming Cousin Oliver for the decline of Brady Bunch is like blaming the firetruck for the fire or blaming the ambulance for the accident. Oliver was an attempt to save the show and it didn't work. Except the the episode "*Welcome Aboard*" Oliver was really just window dressing with no real impact on the plot. Anyone who thinks that Brady Bunch would have gone on for a sixth season had Oliver never shown up just isn't in touch with reality!