Does Anybody Agree That CBS Screwed Up With "The Bradys?" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 06-11-2010, 02:40 AM

I mean a drama? Really? They should've thought this one through a little bit more and perhaps make it a comedy at least. Agree? Disagree?

catlover79 · 06-11-2010, 03:01 AM

I think it was an idea that must have looked great on paper, but the execution was lousy. Maureen McCormick had just given birth and was dealing with other issues, so Leah Ayres Kalish stepped into her shoes. People just didn't cotton to a new Marcia (and Leah did the best she could in a bad situation). Then you had Bob Reed, who was ill and no one really knew it at the time. A later time slot and different writers probably would've helped. Sherwood Schwartz's bread and butter is sitcoms, NOT drama.

old grouch · 06-11-2010, 12:55 PM

I agree that they should have done 'The Bradys' as a comedy instead of a drama. I also think that they should have done two or three TV movies a year instead of a weekly series.

catlover79 · 06-11-2010, 03:44 PM

I agree - a series of TV movies would've worked out much better. Maureen McCormick had planned to do The Bradys TV movies until they decided to make it into a weekly series. She didn't want to commit to a series - she'd just given birth, hated the script, and was going through a lot of issues that she would later address in her book.

Like I said before, I think the whole thing was a classic example of a good idea/bad execution. Of course, your mileage may vary.

MickeyMac · 06-11-2010, 04:25 PM

They broke the one TV rule that everybody breaks. You cant go back.

Do one great TV show and move on (with exceptions of reunions).

The Bradys didnt have a prayer because there was not enough interest and Maureen McKormick wasnt on. People want to see all original members.

catlover79 · 06-11-2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

They broke the one TV rule that everybody breaks. You cant go back.

Do one great TV show and move on (with exceptions of reunions).

The Bradys didnt have a prayer because there was not enough interest and Maureen McKormick wasnt on. People want to see all original members.

Not to mention they had a lousy timeslot (Fridays at 8 opposite ABC's TGIF lineup).

Marvo301 · 06-11-2010, 05:34 PM

The Brady's, as I understand it, was meant to be about the Brady kids being all grown up and facing grown up problems. I think it would be difficult to tell those kinds of stories and do it as a comedy. Let's face it there's nothing funny about Marcia being an alcoholic or Bobby being in a wheelchair. So they were right to do it as a drama. It should have been in a later time slot and probably on a different day of the week. I don't think the network ever understood the show and so they didn't treat it right. If they had put it on at 10 PM on Wednesday or Thursday night I suspect it would have done significantly better in the ratings.

catlover79 · 06-12-2010, 01:12 AM

^ Alas, we'll never know!!

gidgetgrape · 06-13-2010, 12:13 PM

I didn't like the supporting cast. I just didn't care about any of those characters and the only ones I remember clearly now are "Wally" and "Phillip" because of "The Brady Brides." "The Brady Bunch" wasn't a show were there was a steady supporting cast. One week one Brady kid had a friend and a couple weeks later it would be another new friend. No regular boyfriends (except for Sam) or girlfriends either so it was just weird to have all these husbands, wives and children on the scene. I wish they would have given us more movies instead.

Oh and I missed the primary colors.

catlover79 · 06-13-2010, 07:21 PM

Yeah, it would've been smarter to just keep the Bradys in TV-movie format - at least until Robert Reed passed away.

Here are some pictures of "Fake" Marcia, as played by Leah Ayres Kalish. She is now retired from acting and is now a yoga instructor.

Then & Now:

Jude The Obscure · 06-13-2010, 07:44 PM

The plan was to have done two TV movies for CBS, with the potential for more if the ratings were good. When anyone watches "The Bradys"--you can clearly see the first 4 episodes are indeed designed plot-wise as movies. But CBS was greedy and also in a ratings slump at the time--it mistook the nostalgia fueled ratings success of "A Very Brady Christmas" and thought it meant America wanted more Brady--grown up style. Perhaps if the hour was done more "Eight is Enough" type dramedy, rather than heavy handed topical drama, it may have succeeded--that and a later time slot. Evidence that ratings for 9pm eastern slot would have been good can be seen when "The Bradys" premiered--the 8pm hour--it was clobbered by Full House and the like. The 9pm hour-it clobbered the competition. The result was a lukewarm 12.0 HH rating average for the 2 hours. Had CBS realized this, it would have gone for at least another season.

catlover79 · 06-13-2010, 07:49 PM

Here are the two Marcias today - Maureen and Leah - both in their 50s and better than ever!!

JamesG · 06-13-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Yeah, it would've been smarter to just keep the Bradys in TV-movie format - at least until Robert Reed passed away.

Here are some pictures of "Fake" Marcia, as played by Leah Ayres Kalish. She is now retired from acting and is now a yoga instructor.

Wow, had no idea that "Fake Marcia" from "The Bradys" was that chick from Bloodsport (1988).

I was aware she left acting but didn't really know her from anything else except that flick.

catlover79 · 06-13-2010, 09:44 PM

Yup - that's her!! Her first screen role was a bit in Bob Fosse's All That Jazz (1979), and she also had a two-year gig in the early 80s on the now-defunct soap opera The Edge of Night.

dakert · 06-13-2010, 10:26 PM

I was just getting warmed up to The Bradys when CBS canceled it and to make matters worse on the last airing it was pre-empted

I am used to 1 Brady being absent but I figure 5 out of 6 aint bad

I enjoyed Leah Ayres when she was on The Edge Of Night--my favorite soap

06-11-2010, 02:40 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Does Anybody Agree That CBS Screwed Up With "The Bradys?" I mean a drama? Really? They should've thought this one through a little bit more and perhaps make it a comedy at least. Agree? Disagree?
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06-11-2010, 03:01 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I think it was an idea that must have looked great on paper, but the execution was lousy. Maureen McCormick had just given birth and was dealing with other issues, so Leah Ayres Kalish stepped into her shoes. People just didn't cotton to a new Marcia (and Leah did the best she could in a bad situation). Then you had Bob Reed, who was ill and no one really knew it at the time. A later time slot and different writers probably would've helped. Sherwood Schwartz's bread and butter is sitcoms, NOT drama.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

06-11-2010, 05:34 PM	#7
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	The Brady's, as I understand it, was meant to be about the Brady kids being all grown up and facing grown up problems. I think it would be difficult to tell those kinds of stories and do it as a comedy. Let's face it there's nothing funny about Marcia being an alcoholic or Bobby being in a wheelchair. So they were right to do it as a drama. It should have been in a later time slot and probably on a different day of the week. I don't think the network ever understood the show and so they didn't treat it right. If they had put it on at 10 PM on Wednesday or Thursday night I suspect it would have done significantly better in the ratings.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

06-13-2010, 07:21 PM	#10
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Yeah, it would've been smarter to just keep the Bradys in TV-movie format - at least until Robert Reed passed away. Here are some pictures of "Fake" Marcia, as played by Leah Ayres Kalish. She is now retired from acting and is now a yoga instructor. Then & Now: Attached Images

06-13-2010, 07:49 PM	#12
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Here are the two Marcias today - Maureen and Leah - both in their 50s and better than ever!! Attached Images

06-11-2010, 12:55 PM	#3
old grouch Member Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2010 Location: montana Posts: 1,877	I agree that they should have done 'The Bradys' as a comedy instead of a drama. I also think that they should have done two or three TV movies a year instead of a weekly series.

06-11-2010, 03:44 PM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I agree - a series of TV movies would've worked out much better. Maureen McCormick had planned to do The Bradys TV movies until they decided to make it into a weekly series. She didn't want to commit to a series - she'd just given birth, hated the script, and was going through a lot of issues that she would later address in her book. Like I said before, I think the whole thing was a classic example of a good idea/bad execution. Of course, your mileage may vary.

06-11-2010, 04:25 PM	#5
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	They broke the one TV rule that everybody breaks. You cant go back. Do one great TV show and move on (with exceptions of reunions). The Bradys didnt have a prayer because there was not enough interest and Maureen McKormick wasnt on. People want to see all original members.

06-12-2010, 01:12 AM	#8
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	^ Alas, we'll never know!!

06-13-2010, 12:13 PM	#9
gidgetgrape Forever Gidget Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 20, 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 3,503	I didn't like the supporting cast. I just didn't care about any of those characters and the only ones I remember clearly now are "Wally" and "Phillip" because of "The Brady Brides." "The Brady Bunch" wasn't a show were there was a steady supporting cast. One week one Brady kid had a friend and a couple weeks later it would be another new friend. No regular boyfriends (except for Sam) or girlfriends either so it was just weird to have all these husbands, wives and children on the scene. I wish they would have given us more movies instead. Oh and I missed the primary colors.

06-13-2010, 07:44 PM	#11
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,519	The plan was to have done two TV movies for CBS, with the potential for more if the ratings were good. When anyone watches "The Bradys"--you can clearly see the first 4 episodes are indeed designed plot-wise as movies. But CBS was greedy and also in a ratings slump at the time--it mistook the nostalgia fueled ratings success of "A Very Brady Christmas" and thought it meant America wanted more Brady--grown up style. Perhaps if the hour was done more "Eight is Enough" type dramedy, rather than heavy handed topical drama, it may have succeeded--that and a later time slot. Evidence that ratings for 9pm eastern slot would have been good can be seen when "The Bradys" premiered--the 8pm hour--it was clobbered by Full House and the like. The 9pm hour-it clobbered the competition. The result was a lukewarm 12.0 HH rating average for the 2 hours. Had CBS realized this, it would have gone for at least another season.

06-13-2010, 09:44 PM	#14
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Yup - that's her!! Her first screen role was a bit in Bob Fosse's All That Jazz (1979), and she also had a two-year gig in the early 80s on the now-defunct soap opera The Edge of Night.

06-13-2010, 10:26 PM	#15
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	I was just getting warmed up to The Bradys when CBS canceled it and to make matters worse on the last airing it was pre-empted I am used to 1 Brady being absent but I figure 5 out of 6 aint bad I enjoyed Leah Ayres when she was on The Edge Of Night--my favorite soap