Eight Is Enough

This show pretty much picks up where the "Brady Bunch" left off, but on a more serious tone. This show was definitely one of the first "dramadies", but it still managed to have its lighter moments. Most of them were provided by Willie Aames as the entrepreneur Tommy and Adam Rich as the cute Nicholas. These two young actors helped make this show one of the most loved of the 1970's. I do think that the major flaw in shows of this type though is the conflict of whether or not it was to be a serious drama or whether it was to be a cute domestic comedy along the lines of the aforementioned "Brady Bunch" and another show of that era "The Partridge Family".

I have fond memories of this show and have looked for it to stream for quite awhile. It was a favorite of mine when it originally aired for reasons I can't specifically recall other than it resonated with me since I was in the age group of the Bradford sisters. Finally found it on Tubi (along with the TV series 'Family' - another fond favorite) and am rewatching every episode from all 5 seasons.

Hate to say it, but there's a reason behind the old adage - "you can't go back"! While I still prefer Eight is Enough to today's over sexualized 'family' shows, violent fantasy shows, unflinching crime dramas, silly reality series that are orchestrated instead of scripted, and otherworldly serials... the acting by most of the cast is really, really bad. I find myself fast forwarding through Tom Bradford's dialogue and some predictable plot lines - not because it's predictable but because the acting is cringe worthy.

Adam Rich as the youngest Bradford, Nicholas, is a bright spot. I've seen better child actors but he was pretty good for a kid. Willie Ames as Tommy is decent but his repetitive plot lines are tiresome. Connie Needham (as Elizabeth), Grant Goodeve (as David), Betty Buckley (as Abby) and Susan Richardson (as Susan) are all quite good, but Lani O'Grady (as Mary), Laurie Walters (as Joanie), Dianne Kay (as Nancy) and especially Dick Van Patten (as patriarch Tom Bradford) are really hard to watch in 80% of their scenes.

One bright spot is seeing guest stars who eventually had great acting careers (Rosanna Arquette, Ralph Macchio, Peter Horton, Robin Williams, Don Johnson, Gerald McRaney, Corey Feldman) and other character actors from the era (Abe Vigoda, Frank Cady, James Sikking, Charlene Tilton, Noah Berry, David Wayne, Will Geer and Jack Elam).

I still have fond memories of enjoyment from watching in my youth, but seeing it again is a bit of a let down. Luckily, rewatching episodes of "Family" (1976-1980) is the complete opposite. Only wish I could have found it sooner on Tubi; before its run was over.

Having recently watched the series (as a 50+ yrs old woman; who hasn't watched it in about 35+ years); I must say, it is still as entertaining as I remember.

It's not just a light family drama; it's funny AND tackles real life issues.

One of the best parts of this show, is the phenomenal acting involved.

Nobody misses a beat. It really does have the look and FEEL of a real family. The relationship dynamics & the intamacy/affection between lovers and family members seems so easy going, light-hearted and genuine. It's remarkably refreshing to watch a program where the ACTING isn't noticeable AS an act!!

Being able to stream this for free (on both Roku TV and Tubi) is wonderful; and is something an entire family can enjoy together. With a Dad, a stepmother and 8 kids of all ages; everything is relevant 😊 I just love it!!!

Eight is Enough was one of the best shows from the late 1970's and early 1980's. It was considered a dramedy. It had drama because the show could be serious at times but it also had comedy because the show was funny and it had a laugh track. Eight is Enough is now seen in reruns on CTS up here in Canada and I am happy about that. I had a major crush on Willie Aames (Tommy Bradford) when I was younger. Too bad there aren't many T.V. shows on now like this. Those were the good old days of television!

I loved Eight is Enough growing up. Age wise, I was in between Tommy and Nicholas, so I enjoyed those two the most. Plus, I think they had more story lines given to them than the others. I think there were just too many girls for any of them to stand out to me and David was way too old for me to relate to.

I liked the balance of drama and comedy. I could be laughing about one part of the show and crying about another part. I believe the death of the mother (Joan) set this show apart from the other big family shows (The Waltons, The Brady Bunch). They dealt with it pretty realistically. And when Abby joined the family, the kids continued to call her Abby instead of mom, which was much more believable. Ironically, Abby became my favorite character and I think Betty Buckley was the best actor in the bunch. But I enjoyed pretty much every Bradford and loved their big family scenes the most.

Eight is Enough was an excellent family show that still stands the test of time.