Lady. Carol Brady – Florence Henderson
Mr. Mike Brady – Robert Reed
Alice – Ann B. Davis
Marsha Brady as Maureen McCormack
Jan Brady – Eve Plumb
Cindy Brady – Susan Olsen
Greg Brady as Barry Williams
Peter Brady-Christopher Knight
Bobby Brady – Mike Lookinland
The Brady group. In thirty minutes, they deliver deliciously bland and refreshingly innocuous syndicated programming that we can “turn on and off” EVERY DAY.
Nowhere else in the world can you go on such exciting escapades like the whole Brady family, for example, in search of Cindy’s doll. What other TV show, today or in the past, fuses four lovely golden-haired girls and four lonely brown-haired men as one family in such a wonderfully unreal way?
The cosmos miraculously aligned this show with a time period (1969-74) that exhibited the Bradys on the oddly appropriate canvas of olive green carpeting, dark wood paneling, pink paisley ties, and polka-dotted miniskirts so short that, at times, , one can clearly observe Cindy’s frilly white underwear.
The Brady House itself was a work of art, no doubt because architect Mike Brady had a hand in its design. However, it is strange that such a masterpiece has only one bathroom to be shared by the six hapless children. It doesn’t matter; the vaulted ceilings, sprawling staircase, and artificial grass more than make up for this minor flaw in planning. Celebrated modern artworks grace the purplish-painted walls of the Brady home, while flowery sofas blend perfectly with vases that exist only to be smashed by Greg, Peter, and Bobby, who feel guilty playing card games. the ball in the house.
There is no gender confusion of any kind in the Brady household; Mike plays golf and Carol sews. Marsha and Jan put on tutus for ballet practice while Greg and Peter get dirty playing ball outside. Cindy has hair bands and Bobby has his cowboy hat. Though it’s often unclear if it’s Mrs. Brady or Alice cooking, we’re assured that it’s a women’s job. Mr. Brady brings home the bacon and retires to the living room to read the paper. Lady. A faithful homemaker and mother, Brady runs to greet him each day, her hair perfectly coiffed and her makeup tastefully applied. Everything is in its proper place in the universe.
However, there are conflicts in the Brady household from time to time. Consider, if you will, Jan’s plight: the middle child, not as bold (or as beautiful) as older sister Marsha, and yet not as well-loved as curly-haired cherub, younger sister Cindy. A dilemma for the great minds of our time: how to function in a world where you are not special? Enter the wise housekeeper and confidante, Alice, who resolves the issue through gentle dialogue with our surly Jan; Alice was also a middle child, and thus implicitly understands and identifies with Jan’s misfortune. With just one of Alice’s crisp and affectionate speeches, Jan is once again content as the patron saint of mediocrity.
Many claim that each Brady member is nothing more than a plot device, lacking any unique personality traits, motivation, or desire. Perhaps on the surface this is the case. However, closer examination not only reveals the expert characterization of the writers, but also highlights the brilliantly subtle portrayals of those characters by the actors.
Marsha really is, after all, a very wonderful girl… but she’s also a little vain, a little indifferent. Greg’s cocky way with the ladies is unquestionably unique. And Mr. Brady’s macho rants take us back to the magical ’70s: the last decade when any man could pretend he was safely positioned as head of the family and domain, content with a private study and phone, attended to both by the housekeeper as by the wife, and in complete control of all the finances and liberties of the family.
Of course, no TV show is perfect, and the Brady Bunch is no exception. Even the most indulgent viewer groaned in disgust when ‘cousin Oliver’ appeared on the scene, and when the two older male Bradys decided to get their hair permed, well, let’s just say it wasn’t a pretty sight.
Mistakes and mishaps aside, I keep saying this: look where you want, kind viewer; you’re unlikely to find such a great rate anywhere else on your TV. The Brady Bunch is a classic, and its popularity will no doubt thrive well into the 21st century.
I know this is much more than a hunch.
