Back in 2015 I did a list of 4 episodes of the Brady Bunch I didn't like , yet didn't return to the topic , so let's do episodes I do like this time. Like last time these are my opinions and if you don't like these then that's alright. There are more than 5 episodes I like, but keeping the list simple. Oh, and these are done in particular ranking.
1. "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" Season 1 Episode 4
Plot : Alice is used to taking care of the Brady boys, so with Carol around the dynamic changes, She encourages the boys to ask Carol for help with their problems instead of her after she sees Carol looking a little left out by the boys going to Alice. When the Brady's start asking Carol more for help she begins to fell left out herself and decides to leave. The Bradys are unhappy that she is leaving so they make a plan up to show that she is still needed and of course she decides to stay.
Evening Wear? It's 2 in the afternoon! /Copyright Paramount
Why I like this Episode: The early episodes of the Brady Bunch were showing the growing pains of this new family being put together , something that disappeared in season 2. Alice was the house keeper with the Bradys (Meaning Mike and the boys ) so they were used to her being there and having her assistance and not going to Carol . Alice felt for Carol so she tried to help but ended up feeling un needed herself. Alice , besides Bobby, is my favorite character on this show that's another reason to include an episode focused on her in this list. I like it shows the her caring for this family and the way they consider her family is very sweet.
2. "Law and Disorder" Season 4 Episode 14
Plot : Bobby at first hates the idea of being a school safety patrol because other kids at school don't want to talk to him because I guess safety patrolling is bad or something. There is also a sub plot of the family repairing a boat to go boating. Bobby's parents convince him that being safety monitor is actually a good thing and he takes it heart. Bobby starts like the power he has and takes it too far at school and starts seeping into home. He starts reporting his brothers and sisters to his parents for breaking rules. One day , Bobby is walking home when he stopped by a girl who needs help to get her cat, so Bobby decided to help her until he finds out that the cat is in a condemned house but he reluctantly decides to go in and help the find the cat. He does but his good clothes have gotten dust and ash all over them , so he gets home and tries to wash them before his parents get home and of course that classic sitcom plot of putting too much stuff in the washing machine causes a mess. His parents explain that rules are meant to be followed but within reason. Also, the boat is finished.
Did she bring her cat to school?/ Copyright Paramount
Why I like this episode : Bobby is one of my favorite Brady Bunch characters so that's a factor. This episode is a classic sitcom plot where a character gets some authority and it goes to their head. Bobby didn't mean it with any malice or ill intent he was trying to do his best and let it get to his head. He learns that rules are important ,yes but sometimes doing something right may require bending a rule. Cindy learns that if you have someone you know in power that doesn't put you above the rules. It also makes me laugh and that works for a comedy to me.
3. "The Voice of Christmas" Season 1 Episode 12
Plot: It's Christmas time and Carol has been practicing for her solo at church for Christmas service but she then contracts laryngitis. The family helps her and they worry she can't sing. Cindy asks a mall Santa if he can give her mom her voice back for Christmas. The kids on Christmas Eve feel down that Carol's voice isn't back and they want to postpone Christmas but Alice convinces them that that's what their mom would want. On Christmas Carol's voice comes back.
Sorry, we got the tree in installment plans/copyright Paramount
Why I like this Episode : I put this in a list of good Christmas sitcom episodes ,that is on this blog somewhere. I think it's a good episode because it shows things that Christmas can be about. Cindy's faith and the idea that she asks for something for someone else than herself. The family hoping that Carol gets better before Christmas and the happy ending.
4. "A Fistful of Reasons" Season 2 Episode 8
Plot : Cindy comes home distraught after a bully named Buddy Hinton makes fun of the way she talks. Her parents offer her help to fix her lisp. When she's practicing her s sounds at school, Buddy makes fun of her some more. Peter over sees this and tries to stop Buddy from picking on her ,but Peter refuses to fight him and gets called chicken. The next time, Peter tries and stop him from picking on her and ends up getting a black eye. Mike decides to talk to Buddy Hinton's father and that goes nowhere. Carol decides to talk to Mrs. Hinton but this also goes nowhere. Peter practices his hitting. Peter tries and reason with Buddy again that doesn't work so he puts up his fists and Buddy tries to hit him but Peter gets him and knocks a tooth loose. When he starts talking funny the other kids that were watching start making fun of Buddy but Peter stops him . Cindy asks why, and he explains that she didn't like it when Buddy was making fun of him. He tells the other kids to get going. Buddy comes by the Brady house He asks to see Cindy so he can borrow her tongue twister book to help with lisp from the loose tooth.
Wonder if his face cooks evenly? /Copyright Paramount
Why I like this episode: There have been hitting moral stories on sitcoms before and after this episode and sometimes they are executed badly. This episode doesn't explicitly say hitting is bad , it says that it shouldn't the first response to a problem, which is more realistic. Peter tries to resolve his problem with words and only hits back when he has to. When Peter tells the other kids not to make fun of Buddy for sound funny after being hit, he again shows a maturity. It has it's funny moments as well and Buddy learns his lesson and is redeemed.
5. "The Hero" Season 1 Episode 21
The plot: Peter saves a little girl at a toy store from a falling shelf and her mother hails Peter as a hero. Peter ends up in the newspapers and lets it all go to his head when he gets free stuff and tons of attention. When Peter wants to hold a party for his heroism and since everyone was annoyed by the way he was acting no one shows up. He learns his lesson and the brady's hold his party.
Peter-party /copyright Paramount
Why I like this episode : If this episode was written in today's TV he would have been a Twitter trending topic and splashed over every TV show and website in the country. (Including click bait ones) But episode is timeless anyway, as to show what happens when a person gets in the limelight gets a little to out of hand. Peter though , learns his lesson before any real damage is done. This is a good episode for anyone really , it shows that someone can get caught up in the limelight and at the same time , people can have the ability of making someone be under the limelight who may not be able to handle it. Which is even worse in today's times.
That's the episodes I do like, there are more ,but I am stopping at five, what ones do you like or dislike? That would be nice to know.
Tune in next time when Cindy is saved by Superman.
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