Odd that the two younger boys called Barbara "Mom"

[TV Guy]

Chip was a high school senior - seemed a little old to suddenly call Barbara "Mom". Robbie, an adult, never did. There is where I really appreciated "Eight is Enough", perhaps a more accurate depiction of stepparent/stepchild relationships.

There was also a convenient ignore of history in the episodes leading up to the Steve/Barbara marriage. Barbara was talking alone with Chip and Ernie to make sure they'll be OK with her marrying Steve and moving in. And Chip says, "We don't even remember our real mother." Speak for yourself, Chip - Ernie is adopted, so your real mother isn't Ernie's real mother.

[stevea]

Chip had a major event happen in an episode where he and his girlfriend were accused of cheating by a battleax teacher. Barbara defended the teacher several times, which Chip didn't like hearing (Barbara, of course, was a teacher, too). Finally, Barbara went to the school, and really lost her cool, and yelled (pounding the desk): "MY SON DOES NOT CHEAT." After this, she became Mom.

Good point about Ernie. It almost makes you think the writers forgot he was adopted, but in the episode where Steve adopts Dodie, Ernie blurts out, " I'm adopted."

[biffbronson]

Minor correction: that wasn't the Angela Cartwright episode, although the actress in the one you mention was also a cute brunette with long tresses.

In Angela's ep, she has a tough time helping babysit the triplets. That's the one where she and Stanley/Chip appear in scuba gear / wetsuits, near the end of the ep if I recall correctly.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

Minor correction: that wasn't the Angela Cartwright episode, although the actress in the one you mention was also a cute brunette with long tresses.

In Angela's ep, she has a tough time helping babysit the triplets. That's the one where she and Stanley/Chip appear in scuba gear / wetsuits, near the end of the ep if I recall correctly.

Thanks, BB, I corrected the post. I remember those wetsuits, now.

Another school based episode I liked was at the end of season 9. Normally quiet Ernie blows his cool with his AP teacher, played by Sylvia Sidney.

[biffbronson]

Sylvia Sidney was very good in that one, quite effective. An example of really good casting of the guest actors. Barry L. did a nice job as well.

[biffbronson]

Special alert for Barbara fans:

The Decades channel will be airing episodes of Decoy, Beverly Garland's 1950s police TV series. Younger and HOT!

[stevea]

Too bad I don't get Decades. I like her no matter what age she is.

I keep hoping MeTV shows seasons 11 and 12 after season 5 is over.

[Hazel Anyday]

Even better news is DECOY, the young hot Beverly Garland series, has already about a month or so ago been released in it's entirety on DVD, commercial set. I bought mine as a pre order, have it now and it's or I should say Barbara is a vision to behold when she was a young thang.

And as for seasons 11 & 12, you and me both Bub, I sure hope ME-TV continues to do the right thing and show these long never seen episodes again.

[someguy23475]

If memory serves, Chip alternated calling her Barbara and Mom in the final two seasons, probably more towards Barbara. Polly almost always referred to her as Barbara once she was married. Ernie almost always called her Mom.

I agree- calling her Barbara makes more sense, even for Ernie, given even he was a teenager when she joined the family.

[stevea]

Yep, I think Polly called her Barb, but I'm sure she called Steve Dad. Probably because she had such a lousy biological father.

Chip went right to Mom for Margaret Williams, but Tom had to ask Chip to call him Dad, which he had a tough time doing. When the elopement arc was over, we never saw Polly's parents again.

[rcbrad]

This was more of the custom at the time. Things have become more relaxed and less formal from 50 years ago or so. The Brady kids did not call their respective step parent by their first name either.