When I saw the previews for this anniversary special, I was very excited as I've been a big Brady Bunch fan for years! However, I knew it wasn't going to be quite the show I expected when Jenny McCarthy showed up as the host..The show seemed quite scripted and I was expecting something more real..where the cast members had more of an opportunity to interact among themselves and bring up memories on their own from their association with the show..I read an article in USA Today about the show before actually seeing it and that Susan Olsen was upset because there was a script involved and she felt it was going to be more of an "actor's studio" type banter with maybe questions from the audience. Which, in my opinion would have probably worked much better..
Not to say the show was all that bad..but all of the typical questions you might expect of the cast members were asked..Everyone one looked good! Christopher Knight especially...he has lost quite a bit of weight and looks buff compared to old photos that I had seen him in..I guess the Discovery channel program he was on with Susan Olsen paid off! It was really cool seeing everyone together again..there was a slight sense of sadness in the fact that Robert Reed was not there to join them but you can sense that all these guys felt a strong attachment to this show and were proud that they were part of it! They are cultural icons no doubt and my nine year old daughter says that this show is her favorite..so all the new generation of kids are rediscovering the Bradys! I'm so glad the producers of the show were able to assemble the cast and even though I might have preferred a more "serious format" all in all it was a neat experience..But somehow I felt I was watching an episode of America's funniest home videos or something..just the way the show was structured.
I think my favorite part of the show was near the end when Jenny asked the cast members what they were currently doing..Many answers appeared to come from the heart..maybe this question wasn't one of the ones in the script..that seemed to be the most genuine moment in the special! And of course..seeing Ann B. Davis stroll in near the end was great! She still has that comical timing and all the other cast members welcomed her warmly! I wish the special could have stretched out to 2 hours and given the audience a chance to ask questions! You know what would be neat? If all the castmembers were to go on a show like Larry King Live and entertained questions from the general public! Food for thought!
Well..to Greg, Marsha, Peter, Jan, Bobby & Cindy...thanks for the wonderful memories and I was happy to see that everyone still feels a bond to a show that gave immense pleasure to millions and every time the show comes on, wonderful memories keep flooding back from that era in my life! Great job TV Land! But next get James Lipton (Inside the Actor's studio) to do the interviews!
Not to say the show was all that bad..but all of the typical questions you might expect of the cast members were asked..Everyone one looked good! Christopher Knight especially...he has lost quite a bit of weight and looks buff compared to old photos that I had seen him in..I guess the Discovery channel program he was on with Susan Olsen paid off! It was really cool seeing everyone together again..there was a slight sense of sadness in the fact that Robert Reed was not there to join them but you can sense that all these guys felt a strong attachment to this show and were proud that they were part of it! They are cultural icons no doubt and my nine year old daughter says that this show is her favorite..so all the new generation of kids are rediscovering the Bradys! I'm so glad the producers of the show were able to assemble the cast and even though I might have preferred a more "serious format" all in all it was a neat experience..But somehow I felt I was watching an episode of America's funniest home videos or something..just the way the show was structured.
I think my favorite part of the show was near the end when Jenny asked the cast members what they were currently doing..Many answers appeared to come from the heart..maybe this question wasn't one of the ones in the script..that seemed to be the most genuine moment in the special! And of course..seeing Ann B. Davis stroll in near the end was great! She still has that comical timing and all the other cast members welcomed her warmly! I wish the special could have stretched out to 2 hours and given the audience a chance to ask questions! You know what would be neat? If all the castmembers were to go on a show like Larry King Live and entertained questions from the general public! Food for thought!
Well..to Greg, Marsha, Peter, Jan, Bobby & Cindy...thanks for the wonderful memories and I was happy to see that everyone still feels a bond to a show that gave immense pleasure to millions and every time the show comes on, wonderful memories keep flooding back from that era in my life! Great job TV Land! But next get James Lipton (Inside the Actor's studio) to do the interviews!