The Brady Brides / The Bradys (Brady Bunch Spinoffs)

0:02 Welcome to TV and the Basement, the podcast that takes you on a journey down memory lane to revisit the shows we used to watch and love. I'm your host Journey Joe Mitchell, and we're dusting off the VHS tapes and flipping the channels back to the classic series that had us glued to our screens. Today, I'm back in the Basement with Mitten's the Cat and we're watching some more of the bizarre spinoffs of The Brady Bunch. First up, it's The Brady Brides, created by Sherwood Schwartz, the mastermind behind The Brady Bunch. The Brady Brides aired for ten episodes in nineteen eighty one. The series follows the lives of Marcia Maureen McCormick and jan Brady Eve Plum as they embark on their newlywed adventures. The chemistry between McCormick and Plum brought their characters to life and created a dynamic that resonated with audiences. Joining the Brady sisters were their respective husbands, Wally Logan and Philip Covington. IID Jerry Hawser portrayed Wally Logan, Marsha's husband, who was a fashion photographer Ron Coolman played the role of Philip Covington, Jan's husband, a college professor. Filming for The Brady Brides took place in Los Angeles, California, at the CBS Studio Center. The iconic Brady House was recreated for the spinoff series, allowing fans to once again step into the familiar surroundings of the Brady family. The set designers meticulously recreated the iconic interior, from the open staircase to the orange and green kitchen, ensuring that the show maintained its nostalgic appeal. The production of The Brady Brides

1:34 faced several challenges, including working around the schedules of the original cast members. Maureen McCormick and Eve Plum had both moved on to other projects since the end of The Brady Bunch, and coordinating their availability required careful planning. Despite these obstacles, the production team managed to create a seamless continuation of the Brady family story, bringing the characters back to life for a new generation of viewers. Upon its release, The Brady Brides received a warm reception from fans of the original series. Audiences were eager to see the beloved Brady sisters embark on their newly wet adventures, and the show delivered with its signature blend of humor, heart, and nostalgia. The chemistry between the cast members shown through, making it easy for viewers to become emotionally invested in the character's journeys. The series began as a TV reunion movie called The Brady Girls Get Married. NBC then decided to cut it up into half hours, which became the first three episodes of The Brady Brides. The reunion movie featured the entire original cast. This would prove to be the only time the entire cast worked together on a single project. Following the cancelation of the original series. As we rejoined The Brady's, the stuff about the Treehouse and the Variety Show are wiped away like they never happened. Even replacement Jan is gone, replaced herself by real Jan.

2:59 Mike is still an architect, Carol is a real estate agent, Marcia is a fashion designer. Jan is also an architect. Greg is a doctor, Peter is in the Air Force, Bobby and Cindy are in college, and Alice has married Sam. Eventually, they all reunite for Marcia and Jan's double wedding As the movie evolved into the weekly series. The show featured guest appearances from several original cast members, including Florence Henderson as Carol Brady and Anne B. Davis as Alice Nelson. Another interesting tidbit is that the famous opening theme song of The Brady Bunch was reimagined for The Brady Brides. The catchy tune was updated to reflect the new chapter in the Brady sisters' lives, providing a sense of continuity while still adding a fresh twist. The Brady Brides only aired for ten episodes, with plots including Wally pretends to be Philip to an FBI agent and the finale in which Wally and Philip model Marsha's dresses for a fashion show. In nineteen ninety eight, We'd meet the Brady's again for a very Brady Christmas. This time we'd have a replacement Cindy, as Susan Olsen was off on her honeymoon when they filmed. Cindy is played by Jennifer Runyon.

4:13 Also missing from the original cast was Alan Melvin, who was the original Sam the Butcher. As veteran actor Lewis Rquette assumed the role for the film, Greg is now married to Nora Brady, whereas Peter is engaged to Valerie Paxton. Unlike previous incarnations of the Brady Bunch, there is more drama this time around. Greg's wife, Nora is spending Christmas with her family. Peter is sexually involved with his boss Valerie, and his inferior position and salary is affecting his self confidence. Bobby has dropped out of college to become a race car driver, but has not revealed this to his parents. Marsha's husband Wally, was fired from his job at a toy company. Jan is separating from her husband Philip, and Cindy is fighting for her independence since she is the youngest and still gets treated like the baby of the family. Cindy is currently a college undergraduate and in an issue similar to Bobby's, Cindy lies to her parents about overwhelming college student issues, when in actuality she plans to go skiing in Aspen with her roommates. Even their former housekeeper, Alice, is dealing with a serious issue. Her husband Sam has recently left her for another woman.

5:18 In the end, it all works out and Alice even takes Sam back. The success of a very Brady Christmas led to a weekly series called The Brady's. This Time Original Cindy is back, but now we have replacement Marsha. Maureen McCormick had a daughter and turned down the deal after learning that she would then be committing to a whole series than a movie. She was replaced with actress Leah Ayres as fake Marsha. This time there's a lot more drama. Mike begins a political career. Bobby's budding car racing career ends abruptly in the first episode after an accident leaves him a paraplegic. As he recovers, he marries his college girlfriend, Tracy, played by MTV VJ Martha Quinn. Peter breaks up with his fiancee from a Very Brady Christmas and begins dating the daughter of Mike's political rival. Jan and Philip, unable to conceive children of their own, adopt a Korean girl named Patty. Stay at home mother Marsha battles alcoholism while Wally loses yet another in a series of jobs, the latest being as Mike's campaign manager. Wally and Marsha, who along with their two children, have been forced to move in with Mike and Carol eventually decide to open their own catering business to support their family. Radio host Cindy begins a romantic interest with her boss, a widower more than ten years her senior who has two children. The series lasted only six episodes. That would be it for the original Brady cast on TV, but I hope you enjoyed this look back at the story of a man named Brady. Until next time, I'm Journey Joe Mitchell and I'll be watching TV in the basement.