THE WAY WE ALL BECAME THE BRADY BUNCH :: Kimberly Potts

Here's the story...  Sorry, couldn't resist. I was going to say this will be a great comfort read for those "of a certain age," but in Kimberly Potts's deep dive into the creation and life of The Brady Bunch, she shares that the show's best ratings came after it was cancelled in 1974. Fifty years later it's still attracting viewers and has been the subject of a Saturday morning cartoon, a variety show, a dramedy called The Bradys, a stage musical, two big-screen movies, and a 1990s theatrical production (where stars like Jane Lynch and Andy Richter reenacted original series episodes).

Is there anyone who hasn't somehow heard about The Brady Bunch? If so, I have to assume they are completely confused about why everyone is arguing what character square they represent in every Zoom meeting being held (has anyone had a Zoom meeting without that being discussed?). Just how popular is this little show that was almost never made and was, despite its homey appeal, subject to almost constant turmoil? Crazily so.

According to the history discussed by Potts, the show has been "reverently spoofed by The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Sesame Street. Its iconic theme song and tic-tac-toe-board opening sequence have been copied by Game of Thrones and The Avengers. “Weird Al” Yankovic has sung about it. A casino company adapted it as a themed slot machine, complete with video clips and theme song. The porn industry has turned it into a XXX adult film (with four sequels). Brady parents Carol (Florence Henderson) and Mike (Robert Reed) top lists of TV’s all-time greatest moms and dads every year. The Brady Bunch was named the all-time favorite television series of Generation X, according to an MTV survey. Since the show launched in syndication in 1975, it has aired somewhere in the world every year."

If you're a fan at all, this book is for you. All the fun facts are here - How Gilligan's Island helped the show get its start, how the kids got their respective roles, relationships on and off set, and, of course, the drama. I think we all knew Robert Reed had a reputation for being difficult, but man, I didn't KNOW know. The details on those stories is both sad and disheartening. Yet for all of his on set antics (and there were many, some really inexcusably unprofessional), he seemed to be a good "dad" figure to the kids even off set. He was a man in personal turmoil, which may explain some of the difficulty, but he also seemed to think the show was beneath him, which was a bummer to learn. Then again, I was a kid when I was watching, I wasn't looking at it from the point of view of a classically trained actor who wanted a more serious show worth his credentials.

STREET SENSE: The Way We All Became the Brady Bunch is a fun, informative read and a real blast into the past. I recommend for any TV nerds out there like me, whether you were a fan of the show or not. There's a lot of discussions about the business and all the manipulations on that front. Check it out if you need some old time comfort in these stressful times.

COVER NERD SAYS: I love the mid-mod pop stylings of this cover. And who better to be there than Alice? Ann B. Davis played a big part on and off screen and the way Potts references her throughout is pretty funny. I love the fact that the original font is used for the title. The colors feel kind of washed out and don't draw me in, but everyone who knows the show will understand the subject matter just by the title/font. This is a pretty strong cover, not a huge favorite.