The Bradys
A dramatic sequel to The Brady Bunch, canceled after six episodes.
The Bradys, a comedy-drama series on CBS, ran for just one month, from February 9 to March 9, 1990. It served as a sequel to the 1969–1974 sitcom *The Brady Bunch*, following the main characters as adults, and was the second such continuation after *The Brady Brides* (1981). Airing Friday nights, it struggled against ABC’s TGIF lineup—*Full House* and *Family Matters*—and was canceled after six episodes aired.
The show went through three different theme songs based on the original *Brady Bunch* theme, with the last version featuring revised lyrics sung by Florence Henderson.
The cast included Robert Reed as Mike Brady, Florence Henderson as Carol Brady, and Ann B. Davis as Alice Nelson. Barry Williams played Dr. Greg Brady, Christopher Knight as Peter Brady, and Mike Lookinland as Bobby Brady. Leah Ayres portrayed Marcia Brady-Logan (with footage of Maureen McCormick as young Marcia from the original series used in the opening credits), Geri Reischl as Jan Brady-Covington, and Susan Olsen as Cindy Brady. Jerry Houser played Wally Logan, Marcia’s husband; Ron Kuhlman played Phillip Covington III, Jan’s husband; Caryn Richman played Nora Brady, Greg’s wife; and Martha Quinn played Tracy Wagner-Brady, Bobby’s wife. Ken Michelman played Gary Greenberg, Cindy’s radio station manager and love interest. Jaclyn Bernstein and Michael Melby played Marcia and Wally’s children, Jessica and Mickey Logan. Jonathan Taylor Thomas (credited as Jonathan Weiss) played Kevin Brady, Greg and Nora’s son, and Valerie Ick played Patty Covington, Jan and Phillip’s adopted daughter from Korea.
The series was inspired by the success of *A Very Brady Christmas*, a reunion telefilm that aired on CBS in December 1988 and earned a 25.1 rating and 39 share. Creator Sherwood Schwartz initially planned two more holiday-themed TV movies—one centered on Bobby’s auto-racing career for Memorial Day and another on Mike’s city council run for Election Day—but CBS opted for a weekly series instead. The network re-aired *A Very Brady Christmas* on December 22, 1989, as a promotional tool. Most original cast members returned, including Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis, Barry Williams, Christopher Knight, Mike Lookinland, and Susan Olsen. Jerry Houser and Ron Kuhlman reprised their roles from *The Brady Brides*.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Comedy drama
- Writer
- Ed Scharlach · Lloyd J. Schwartz · Sherwood Schwartz · Sandra Kay Siegel
- Director
- Bruce Bilson · Nancy Malone · Dick Martin · Bob Sweeney
- Starring
- Robert Reed · Florence Henderson · Ann B. Davis · Barry Williams · Leah Ayres · Christopher Knight · Eve Plumb · Mike Lookinland · Susan Olsen
- Theme Music Composer
- Frank De Vol (main title)
- Composer
- Laurence Juber
- Open Theme
- "The Bradys" performed by Florence Henderson
- End Theme
- "The Bradys" (instrumental)
- Country
- United States
- Company
- Brady Productions / Paramount Television
- Num Seasons
- 1
- Num Episodes
- 6
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Bradys was developed after the success of the 1988 reunion telefilm A Very Brady Christmas, which drew a 25.1 rating and 39 share. Series creator Sherwood Schwartz initially planned two more holiday-themed TV movies, but CBS commissioned a weekly series instead. The show featured most of the original cast, including Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis, though Maureen McCormick declined to return as Marcia due to her recent childbirth.
Reader's Guide
The Bradys is significant as an attempt to revive The Brady Bunch franchise with a more dramatic, hour-long format, departing from the original sitcom's tone. It tackled serious plot lines such as Bobby's paraplegia, Marcia's alcoholism, and Mike's political career, yet retained a laugh track. The series was a ratings failure, airing on Friday nights against ABC's popular TGIF lineup, and was canceled after only six episodes. Its legacy includes three different theme songs and the repackaging of episodes into TV movies. The show is often noted for its short run and as a footnote in the Brady Bunch franchise's history.
Did You Know?
- The Bradys aired only six episodes, from February 9 to March 9, 1990.
- The series went through three different theme songs based on that of The Brady Bunch, the last featuring revised lyrics sung by Florence Henderson.
- Maureen McCormick declined to return as Marcia because she had just given birth and was unwilling to commit to a weekly series.
- An unproduced script had Mike Brady die in a helicopter accident, with Carol singing at the funeral.
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