Why didn't Mike and Carol Brady have a child together? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-17-2023, 03:30 AM

Sure, she had three and he had three coming into the marriage.

But it seems a bit strange they never had a kid together. She was obviously young enough since Cindy was only six at the start of the show.

BestTVever · 03-17-2023, 08:13 AM

When the show aired, they cautioned against women having babies past 30 and then it was 35. I know its changed so much and women give birth in their 40s. But it was highly suggested to women it was too risky to have a baby beyond your early 30s. I remember being in elementary school discussing that in health class. It was all nonsense but science started to disprove many urban legends from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

Tankeryanker · 03-17-2023, 09:33 PM

^^^
Never heard of that before. Lots of women were still having as many as 14 children even through the 1960s. You are way in your 40s with that many. My mom had 7 of us and was not done until her 50s.

BestTVever · 03-19-2023, 02:42 PM

The average age for a woman to have a child in 1970 was 21.4 years old. Marriage was also done with much younger couples.
When this show aired, pregnant women were shunned and were in the courts suing to keep their jobs. Once a woman's body showed pregnancy, many companies and especially schools forbid them to work. They thought it was unsightly and dangerous for a woman to work. It would not be for another 10 years before those myths were also put to bed.

Dianne3 · 03-20-2023, 02:51 PM

In that time frame, I don't recall too many pregnancies either on screen or off.

I'm currently watching Family Ties. Elyse Keaton when she had Andrew, would be about the same age as Carol Brady.

TheLittleFaerie · 03-24-2023, 06:25 AM

I'm guessing because an entire season dedicated to Carol being pregnant may have been a little too "real life" or "worldly" for the Brady Bunch.... I mean seeing Carol pregnant for a season, we'd all be constantly reminded of what Mike and Carol.....did. lol

Same reason we cannot see a toilet in the bathroom... a toilet is only used for ONE thing, and I guess that is something we don't wanna think of in the Brady Bunch world lol

BestTVever · 03-24-2023, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I'm guessing because an entire season dedicated to Carol being pregnant may have been a little too "real life" or "worldly" for the Brady Bunch.... I mean seeing Carol pregnant for a season, we'd all be constantly reminded of what Mike and Carol.....did. lol

Same reason we cannot see a toilet in the bathroom... a toilet is only used for ONE thing, and I guess that is something we don't wanna think of in the Brady Bunch world lol

Very true.
Its funny because on the last episode of the Brady Bunch Oliver says a word that is never said before on the entire series: SEX

Oliver to Cindy: You know what Cindy, your mother has a problem with discussing sex.

Its also interesting to see how the family reacts when they think Carol is pregnant in the episode where Oliver arrives. That did put a thought into their heads

gettoknowsomeone · 03-26-2023, 02:16 PM

By the 1970s, pregnancies with married couples was not novel in television sitcoms - it's been done in I love Lucy, Petticoat Junction, Bewitched and other shows. I just think they did not want to change the premise of the show of a family blending matching sets of 3 dark-haired boys and 3 blonde girls and seeing how they got along

It would have been interesting in the last season, that instead of Cousin Oliver, Carol does become pregnant and have a new baby. With the kids being older now (Greg was practically out the door off to college and Marcia and Peter were fighting over who would get the attic when the show ended), might have been interesting to see them have a new sibling at that point.

Dianne3 · 03-27-2023, 02:29 PM

I forgot about Petticoat Junction, but Betty Jo was only pregnant for about 1 or 2 episodes. In that era when a couple got married, a baby was almost next.
I just remembered Katie from My Three Sons.

03-17-2023, 03:30 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,028	Why didn't Mike and Carol Brady have a child together? Sure, she had three and he had three coming into the marriage. But it seems a bit strange they never had a kid together. She was obviously young enough since Cindy was only six at the start of the show.

03-17-2023, 08:13 AM	#2
BestTVever Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2021 Location: Miami Posts: 1,888	When the show aired, they cautioned against women having babies past 30 and then it was 35. I know its changed so much and women give birth in their 40s. But it was highly suggested to women it was too risky to have a baby beyond your early 30s. I remember being in elementary school discussing that in health class. It was all nonsense but science started to disprove many urban legends from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

03-17-2023, 09:33 PM	#3
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,043	^^^ Never heard of that before. Lots of women were still having as many as 14 children even through the 1960s. You are way in your 40s with that many. My mom had 7 of us and was not done until her 50s.

03-19-2023, 02:42 PM	#4
BestTVever Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2021 Location: Miami Posts: 1,888	The average age for a woman to have a child in 1970 was 21.4 years old. Marriage was also done with much younger couples. When this show aired, pregnant women were shunned and were in the courts suing to keep their jobs. Once a woman's body showed pregnancy, many companies and especially schools forbid them to work. They thought it was unsightly and dangerous for a woman to work. It would not be for another 10 years before those myths were also put to bed.

03-20-2023, 02:51 PM	#5
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,056	In that time frame, I don't recall too many pregnancies either on screen or off. I'm currently watching Family Ties. Elyse Keaton when she had Andrew, would be about the same age as Carol Brady.

03-24-2023, 06:25 AM	#6
TheLittleFaerie Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Posts: 1,946	I'm guessing because an entire season dedicated to Carol being pregnant may have been a little too "real life" or "worldly" for the Brady Bunch.... I mean seeing Carol pregnant for a season, we'd all be constantly reminded of what Mike and Carol.....did. lol Same reason we cannot see a toilet in the bathroom... a toilet is only used for ONE thing, and I guess that is something we don't wanna think of in the Brady Bunch world lol

03-26-2023, 02:16 PM	#8
gettoknowsomeone Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 19, 2002 Posts: 54	By the 1970s, pregnancies with married couples was not novel in television sitcoms - it's been done in I love Lucy, Petticoat Junction, Bewitched and other shows. I just think they did not want to change the premise of the show of a family blending matching sets of 3 dark-haired boys and 3 blonde girls and seeing how they got along It would have been interesting in the last season, that instead of Cousin Oliver, Carol does become pregnant and have a new baby. With the kids being older now (Greg was practically out the door off to college and Marcia and Peter were fighting over who would get the attic when the show ended), might have been interesting to see them have a new sibling at that point.

03-27-2023, 02:29 PM	#9
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,056	I forgot about Petticoat Junction, but Betty Jo was only pregnant for about 1 or 2 episodes. In that era when a couple got married, a baby was almost next. I just remembered Katie from My Three Sons.