So while I was perusing the New York Times today, I learned Sherwood Schwartz passed away. While I have known he was the brains behind "The Brady Bunch" (snort! Hee, hee! It strikes me as funny to say "brains" and "Brady Bunch" in the same sentence!) I had forgotten he also created and produced "Gilligan's Island." Understanding what a loss this is to the television-viewing world, I thought I would pay tribute to Mr. Schwartz in my own small way.
Truth be known, I more than likely forgot about "Gilligan's Island" because quite frankly...I couldn't stand that show. Seriously...it totally bewilders me how they didn't go all "Lord of the Flies" on Gilligan and eat this pain in the neck within the first 72 hours of being stranded on the island. I'm just sayin'...
But I was most definitely a Brady Bunch fan. As an adult looking back I now realize just how bad the writing was, how hokey the drama, and how lame the acting. But you've gotta give ole Sherwood props...he did let Mr. and Mrs. Brady sleep in the same bed AND kiss before they went to sleep.
So to kick off the tribute, here is the opening song. I dare you not to sing along...
More truth be told, I was never a big fan of Greg....but boy, did I have a crush on Peter. One of my favorite skits was when his voice changed right before the big singing competition. Sha-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na...Sha-na-na-na-na!
Does anyone besides me think Greg needs his eyebrows waxed?
I was also not a big fan of Marcia, Marcia, Marcia...but the tribute would not be complete without:
Oh! My nose!
That's what happens to people who try and ditch the nice guy Charlie for the big man on campus, Doug Simpson...it's called Karma. In the all-knowing words of Heather: lick it up, baby, lick...it...up.
Unfortunately, the green-eyed money monster reared its ugly head and Sherwood let horrendous things like "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour" and Cousin Oliver happen. But now is not the time to air the family laundry. I would rather remember Sherwood for the good times, for the too-much-laundry-soap-in-the-washing-machine-we-just-dyed-Greg's-hair-orange-Bobby-kissed-a-girl-and-caught-cooties-Jan-wasn't-wearing-her-glasses-and-drove-her-bike-into-the-family-portrait good times.
So Mr. Schwartz, wherever you may be...thank you for The Brady Bunch. And syndication. Without it I would have no way to show my children where it all began and just how good they've got it. So this one is for you. Keep on Movin...
Keep on Movin! Loved those groovy outfits :-) I was a big Brady Bunch fan when I was little, and I even read that book Growing Up Brady. Such ridiculous cheesy fun, but yeah, Cousin Oliver totally sucked.
ReplyDeleteOK, I LOVE the Brady Bunch. I also am proud to admit that I own the box set. I am sad to hear that Mr. Schwartz died. While the plots and dialogue are pretty lame for the most part, I love how they tackled blended families (a little too cream cheesy to be real yet nonetheless, ground-breaking for the time). I also like how the parents are presented as the authoritative figures they are supposed to be--in contrast to current sitcoms that dumb parents down. When you really watch and see how they "parent" the kids--it's really good...following through on discipline, letting them learn lessons the hard way, reasoning with the kids, etc.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am with you...not a huge Greg or Marcia fan. I liked Peter and Jan the best, Bobby, then Cindy (when she was really young). Of course, we all loved Alice. Although, now as an adult, I see how her role was really unappreciated...homemaker, cook, nanny. Was she hired help or family? Lots of blurred lines.
xxBliss (the Brady cousin that should've been on the show instead of Oliver--geek).