The Brady Bunch Test

[Holly]

For those of my generation, people who can identify the episode of the Brady Bunch by watching the first minute of the opening scene, a question:

What episode first comes to mind? Not necessarily your favorite or the one you think is most stupid, but the first episode that pops into your head. I tried this question at work (we were bored) and found the answers to be very revealing about each individual's personality, and no two people picked the same episode. You can even throw in a little self-analysis to determine why you picked a certain episode.

Mine was the one where the kids were warned, "Don't play ball in the house!" and they ended up breaking that hideous vase. Analysis: I fear making a mistake that will someday be discovered and result in shame and punishment.

[Gilligan]

Marsh gets hit with the football:

"Ow my nose!!!"

Analysis: I've always wanted the Brady kids to suffer.

[Gilligan]

Or did that happen to Marsha?

[pricciar]

The first one that comes to my mind is when cousin Oliver is on the show. Every one thinks he is a jinx, and won't let him do anything with them.
I don't know why I choose that one, its just the first one that pops into my head.

pat

[Holly]

Maybe you identify with Oliver... wrongly accused and helplessly buffeted by the tides of fate. ;)

[pricciar]

Thanks, I like that interpretation. It makes me seem almost heroic.
I was thinking I identified with Oliver's clumsiness. But, your version rings true.
haha.


pat

[Dirty Devil]

The one where the basketball rolls down the stairs and breaks mom's favorite vase. The boys fix it, then mom uses it during dinner and the water goes all over the table. I don't know why, but that's the first episode that always comes to mind. Maybe 'cause I used to try to fix things that I broke, and hoped that nobody noticed (they always did, though).

[timmar68]

I usually think of the one where Greg's hair turned orange when he used a hair tonic that Bobby was selling. OMG! I just realized that over 20 years after seeing that, I became a hairdresser and named my son Greg!

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MaryAnn
Sometimes life is so great you just gotta muss up your hair and quack like a duck!

[Holly]

See? I told you this test was revealing. Unless, of course, you're lying.

[Holly]

Not to imply that you're lying, just that that's a cool coincidence.
Coincidence... or not? (Insert Twilight Zone music here)

[Persephone]

Marcia getting hit in the face with a football. Why is that? Why do all the episodes that jump into my head revolve around Marcia? Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

[No Me Ayudes Compadre]

The one where they all go to Hawaii (HAWAII?!?!?)

I don't know what this says about me, other than I find it particularly funny to see Vincent Price eating from a can of beans after tying up the Brady boys.

[Leslie]

Oh, gosh. I guess the one that pops into my head is the one where the go to the Grand Canyon and Bobby and Cindy get lost.

Anyone care to interpret that one?

[Avswincup]

The first one that pops into my head is the Disneyland episode, where each member of the family, including Alice tried to get Mike's plans to him on time. Always thought Cindy was especially cute in that one.

[Gilligan]

They filmed that episode at King's Island, near Cincinnati. One of my friends who was eight at the time claims that she was there that day. Don't know that I believe her.

[According to Pliny]

The Hawaii episode! I would love to have that evil-kahuna-bad-luck-charm. I'll bet that prop would go for a bundle at auction.

[Lissa]

First one that comes to mine is the episode where the house was up for sale, and the kids dressed as ghosts to scare of prospective buyers.

I'm afraid to analyse that.

[Rilchiam]

My episode is the one where Bobby pushes Peter out of the way of a falling ladder, Peter vows to be Bobby's slave for life, and they end up hating each other's guts. They make a dividing line across the room (Greg was in the attic by then) and Bobby says, "Oh yeah? Well, the bathroom's on MY side of no-man's-land!" Stomp stomp stomp...FLUSSSSSSHHHHHHHH. Amazing. He can flush the toilet that wasn't there.

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Remember, I'm pulling for you; we're all in this together.
---Red Green

[okatym]

I remember the one where Cindy's doll, "Katie Carry-All" was stolen by Tiger and she blamed Bobbie. Poor Tiger....whatever happened to him?

[Byzantine]

The one where the kids have a group picture taken (before Jan gets her glasses) and Jan trashes it when she rides her bike without her new glasses on. They make another one and she's wearing the glasses. She gets caught out on it by I think dad. What it means? I hate glasses and never wear them which is convenient because I don't need them! No, just kidding. I think it's because I messed up A LOT with my folks and they always forgave me if I was trying to put it right.

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The moon looks on many flowers, the flowers on but one moon.

[Holly]

El Mariachi Loco, do you have a tendency toward bondage or perhaps S&M?
Leslie, how did it make you FEEL when Bobby and Cindy got lost?
Lissa, are you sure this is a real episode? Because I don't remember it. (I remember the one where the boys rigged up a UFO to scare the girls.) Did you do a lot of drugs in the 70's? Or did I?
Rilchiam, did your parents potty train you too soon, or too late?
Avswincup- you're not a pedophile, are you? What's this fixation with Cindy?
Okatym, you seem to have difficulty dealing with loss. I feel your pain.

;)

[timmar68]

Holly...I remember the episode that Lissa was talking about. :) And no, I wasn't lying about my post! I swear that when I think of the Brady Bunch that I usually think of Greg and his orange hair! Honest! And I swear that the coincidence ocurred to me after I typed it! I'll admit that when I was younger I had a crush on Greg but really, I named my son that only because I've always liked that name. And I am a hairdresser because (are you ready for this?) I love cutting hair! :) Not because I saw poor Greg with his orange hair and vowed (shaking fist to the sky), "As <deity> is my witness, people will never have to go through what poor Greg did! I will grow up and fight the scourge of orange hair! Mwahahaha! The Bobby Brady's of the world shall be smitten!" ;)

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MaryAnn
Sometimes life is so great you just gotta muss up your hair and quack like a duck!

[timmar68]

"As is my witness...


What happened? I swear i typed "God" after that. (shrug)

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MaryAnn
Sometimes life is so great you just gotta muss up your hair and quack like a duck!

[timmar68]

Dang it! Lets try that again: the line ahould read..."As god is my witness"!

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MaryAnn
Sometimes life is so great you just gotta muss up your hair and quack like a duck!

[Diane]

Two pop into my head.

The itching powder in the sleeping bag episode and the other one were Jan is allergic to Tiger's flea powder.

Something with me and powder I guess.


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&gt;^,,^&lt;
KITTEN

Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language.

[Kat]

I have two also:
The "exact words" episode, where Greg got stuck taking Peter and Bobby to the frog jumping race and had the frogs jumping into his date's pizza.
and
The "Shirley Temple" episode, where Cindy was tricked into thinking her Dad's client was a talent scout.

Shortly behind those two: the "tape recorder" episode, where Peter uses his Dad's tape recorder to eavesdrop on everyone.

What do these mean, Holly?

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"It's bacon!!"

[Holly]

Kat, as a child were you the brunt of others' jokes? Did you often feel humiliated and deceived, especially by men? I sense some bitterness.

[Kat]

No, but I did used to catch frogs with my brothers.

[Lissa]

Holly,

I sort of missed out on the 70's. I wasn't born until `77 The only exposure I've ever had to the Bradys has been on Nick at Night.

[Holly]

Lissa, I hate your guts. So there. :)

[pricciar]

I think thats a good question. Who on this list actually watched the bradys when they originally aired?
I grew up watching them every day at 4:30 on channel 29. I don't even know if I was born when it was on the first time. (I did see A Very Brady Christmas, though)

pat

[Leslie]

I have very vague memories of watching The Brady Bunch on prime time. It was near the end of the show's original run. But I watched them after school in syndication over and over and over and over and over and over and over . . .

-Leslie born 1967

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I think you're smarter than a dumb slug. - Christopher A. Evans

[Diane]

Thanks guys, now I feel like the old lady.

Diane - February 14, 1996.


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&gt;^,,^&lt;
KITTEN

Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language.

[Holly]

I saw the Brady Bunch on reruns, too, pat. I'm not sure if I remember ever seeing them on prime time. I just turned 29, so I'm a little sensitive to being reminded of my age by little whippersnappers like Lissa. ;)

My gosh, Kitten, you were born in 1996? You're pretty smart for a 3 year old. I have a certificate that says I completed a CPR course in 1905, but I'm assuming that's a typo.

[Gilligan]

Yeah, I watched the Brady Bunch in prime time - ABC Friday nights - "This is the place to be, on ABC". I may have the order wrong, but I think the line-up was:
The Brady Bunch
Room 222
The Partridge Family
The Odd Couple
Love, American Style

[pricciar]

Brady Bunch and Partridge Family were on the same channel?
Hmm, I always considered them enemies.
But, of course this is the same kid who thought that lots of shows had enemies.
Munsters vs. Addams Family
Bewitched vs. I Dream of Jeannie

hmm, can't think of any others.

pat

[According to Pliny]

Gilligan - Wasn't Nanny and the Professor in there somewhere? I loved Friday night-TV. No bedtime!

[Satan]

The "You've got to change" episode, which tells me that I can take a handicap and make it a point of triumph.

That and I can't sing...

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Brian O'Neill
CMC International Records
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[Gilligan]

You're right, PapaBear, I think for the Brady's first seasons they followed Nanny, (or were reversed). Partridge Family came one or two years later.

[NicePete]

My favorite Brady moment was when they were in Hawaii and the tarantula is slowly but steadily creeping across the floor toward the boys.

A dangerous, suspense filled moment, right? BUT THEY PLAY HAPPY MUSIC BEHIND IT!!! You know, Doot de Doot de Doot de Doot de DOOOO. Happy Brady Music. My GOD! It's a horrible hairy spider! It's going to kill Peter! And they're playing the HAPPY music!!!

That Sherwood Schwartz was a sick puppy.

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"Owls will deafen us with their incessant hooting!" W. Smithers

[Holly]

Satan- good one! I like your interpretation.

Frank, you're right! Now you have to analyze this. Do you feel your problems are creeping up on you? When life is going well, do you have a nagging suspicion that you're about to be in for a terrible surprise? ;)

[Harvey The Heavy]

The one I think of is when Marcia turns the class dorkette into a rightous babe, who then steals her boyfriend.
Analysis: I need to zip up and get out of the house once in a while.

Weirdest "Brady Experience": I'm just barely old enough to remember only the last season of the Brady Bunch's run on ABC. After that I watched it in syndication on channel 32 in Chicago, two episodes a day, for years on end. Not only could I identify an episode within about 10 seconds, I even knew the running order and would know what episode would air the next day. But appearantly, channel 32 never aired the Christmas episode, not even around the holidays, so I was totally unaware that this episode even exsisted. After moving to California when I was 13, I finally saw the episode on the L.A. station. I was freaked! After 10 or so years of hardcore Bunch viewing, here's one I haven't seen! Can any of you addicts out there imagine your shock if you turned on the TV and unexpectedly saw an episode of the original series for the first time? Of course, I was all alone when I saw it, and my sister thought I was batty when I told her about it. Did other stations delete this episode in syndication?

[timmar68]

All you Brady maniacs MUST read Barry Williams' book, "Growing up Brady, or I was a Teenage Greg!" It's great! Someone borrowed mine a couple of years ago and it's missing. :(

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MaryAnn
Sometimes life is so great you just gotta muss up your hair and quack like a duck!

[Gilligan]

What I thought was funniest from the book is learning how much Robert Reed hated the show and complained to the writers. I think he just refused to be in the last few episodes, including the orange hair one.

[AWB]

I think he threatened to not be in episodes, but Sherwood Schwartz almost always capitulated. The Orange Hair episode was the only one he wasn't in, because Sherwood finally had enough crap and just re-did the script enough to exclude Dad.

[AWB]

I have Barry William's book, too. Very informative.

I first recall the Grand Canyon episode where Bobby and Cindy get lost. That's it! I wanted the Brady's to just get lost!

Actually, what I first thought of that episode and continues is: It sure looks like this night scene was filmed in broad daylight with a gray filter. And I was right!

BTW, okatym: Tiger was killed early in the series. They were halfway through filming an episode with him. That night, he escaped his trainer and was hit by a car. Rather than 'fess up, he bought a similar looking dog and brought it to the set. Of course, new Tiger wasn't trained for filming. He wouldn't stay, he growled, he peed on things. This is why there's only 3 or so episode about Tiger. (This is from BW's book, BTW.)

Doesn't this sound like a classic sitcom plot: substitute the missing/dead pet with a lookalike before the owner returns?

However, the rumor is not true that Eve Plumb was also run over by a car. She just didn't want to be associated with the dreck that was "The Brady Bunch Hour". And Geri Reischl (Jan II) did not growl or pee on things.

[Gilligan]

Thanks, it's been a while since I've read the book.
Sherwood Schwartz - clearly a genius.

[David]

The one that first comes to mind is the episode in which Marcia has a crush on her dentist. Anyone care to analyze that one?