The Brady Bunch

I am proud to be a Brady Bunch Junkie. I can quote practically every episode verbadum. I can identify each episode within the first 5 seconds (which I love to do to impress my friends). I bet I know each episode better than the cast does! When I was growing up, my sisters and I would try to cover each others mouths so that we could sing the opening song solo and a cappella. I,too, am a "middle child". The middle of three girls. I would have given anything to have three brothers to offset the middle child syndrome. Even if it meant not having a toilet (which was never shown). Jan was someone I could relate to and I thought my sisters could relate to me better through her. Whenever she was a focal point in an episode, I'd be all "see what I mean" and "that's how I feel" about being in the middle. To this day I still refer to myself as the "Jan" in my family. And if I meet a guy who happens to be a middle brother, I say " oh, you're like Peter". If he doesn't get it, than he's out. Anyway, regardless if I'm the middle or not, I always wanted to be a Brady. Where else could you find a family that let you decide your own punishments, live by exact words, help you contact Davy Jones, give up their den so that you could have your own "funky" room, let you have a slumber party (after you were in trouble with the school principal) put on a play of Snow White and the Seven Drawfs in your backyard, believe you when you say the cigarettes they found in your jacket were not yours AND had a live in maid! The only thing they asked of you was "don't play ball in the house". And, morals of the story were taught in Latin so you didn't understand them anyway (coviat emptor); "let the buyer beware." However, Mike & Carol did try to realte with their kids by using such phrases as "right on", "groovy", "far out" and my personal favorite "wrapping". Hopefully Carol realizes by now that it is not against the law. Overall, they were a well-rounded and well-balanced family who believed in each other and stuck by one another. As corny as the show was, for those thirty minutes, I secretly wished that I was a Brady.

Ok, so it may be predictable and corny. However it is one of the few things that come into our home via that cable in the wall that my wife and I can let our young son watch without worry. He thinks the Bradys are "new" and laughs at every episode. By the way, if you don't like it, don't watch it. That's what remote controls are for.

My first exposure to The Brady Bunch was at age 7, when I started watching the daily reruns. I don't know why I began to watch it, but what I can tell you is that it was (and still is) an entertaining situation comedy. It's no secret that critics were tough on the show. Sure it's corny, but it's fun to watch, and it has many great moments.

One of the favorite episodes is "Bobby's Hero," in which Bobby idolizes the notorious outlaw Jesse James. It has an interesting theme: you should always be careful who you pick for a hero.

Another favorite of mine is "Fright Night." That's the one where the kids' attempt to scare Alice backfires. In the dark, she smashes Carol's sculpture of Mike, thinking it was an intruder. Carol's important message in this episode: "If you carry a joke too far, someone might get hurt."

I have always associated myself with Peter Brady, because, like him, I'm a middle boy. To me, I'm very much the Peter Brady of my family.

I always wanted to be a Brady. I could see myself flying down

that staircase in the morning to be handed my school lunch in a

brown paper bag by Florence Henderson. I thought the house

could manage 7 kids as easily as 6. That was my dream and my

aspiration. The thing was, I identified very strongly with

that show. I knew it was lame brained, even when I was the

same age as the youngest of the Brady kids. I also knew that

its heart was in the right place and it represented to me,

everything that I did not have. Of course, I was living in the

REAL world, and that is not always easy to take. Nearly 30

years later, I have fond feelings towards this series and

occasionally can be seen watching the inevitable reruns. Many

people feel the same as I do, I'm sure, so they must have done

something right.

This is one of my favorite shows from the 1970's.You know the words, the people , the outragous situations! I love the Brady Bunch because I could often relate to the problems the brady bunch faced!I am the 8 of 11 children. So I could easliy relate to them . Of course the show was not without controveries. Most of the brady bunch actors have gone to other things!my favorite brady are florence hendersen (mom brady ) and barry williams. Of course I love all the brady bunch actors!!If you can relate to this show , you will love the videos and reruns!!BTW, this show is now reaching cult status!!Pretty cool for a OK family show from the 1970's!!It also was made into two big screen movies in the 1990's!!