The Brady Bunch: Why The Spin-Offs Failed 

This has to be the best Brady video I've ever watched . Very informative...I learned new stuff and I consider myself a huge Brady fan. Thank you for your hard work!

Robert Reed may have hated the show, but he loved the kids. After his divorce he didn't have the relationship he would have liked with his own daughter, and working with the TV kids filled that gap in his life. He kept coming back for their sake.

My favorite Brady Bunch episode is the one where the entire family goes to the amusement park Kings Island, I was at the park during one of the days it was filmed there, It was early 1970's and one hot day! I got to see the Brady sisters waiting around the Eiffel Tower looking hot, bored and tired, A little white plastic rope was all they were sitting behind, They weren't getting much attention from the parks visitors, I can see myself in the crowd chase scenes, as a few of the Brady kids run back to the log flume ride, to get their father's next house or building design they left on the ride, We extras were warned not to look at the cameras, as we were being filmed in the big crowd. Quite a memory from way back when, 😊😊💕💕😊😊💕💕

I have had a special place in my heart for A Very Brady Christmas since ‘88. I’ll watch it for nostalgia’s sake every now and again.

This isn't a matter of "Why They Failed" so much as "How Many Times Can They Fail."

I personally love the Brady movie because the 70s family were living in the 90s and felt no need to adapt to the change. I love it thank you for making this ….what a treat.

The Brady Bunch Cinematic Universe.

What a massive episode and a massive treat! Thank you so much for all this Brady and 1970s and 80s television history 😃

I had no idea that there were so many spinoffs to this show, nor that Ke Huy Quan was involved. I grew up on the 1990's movies.

This is incredible! So hilariously narrated, and so cleverly edited, just a lot of fun to watch. Long Live The Bradys!

Am I in a different dimension? I grew up watching the Brady Bunch and have never heard of any of these spin-offs until today. I didn't know they existed.

This was absolutely fascinating. LOL. As a kid who grew up on the re-runs during the late 70s (and experienced the awfulness of most of these spin-offs firsthand), I thought I knew everything "Brady", but you dug up some stuff that blew my mind! Great work!

The funny thing is with the Variety show, Robert Reed - who hated being on the originally show and would constantly butt heads with producers over the ridiculous storylines - really liked being on it. Though he considered himself a serious actor, he relished the opportunity to sing and dance.

I like how they renovated the Brady house into the actual Brady house. It turned out great. It should be a pop culture landmark.

I can’t believe it’s been over 50 years since the first season! Boy has time gone by fast!

I actually watch “A Very Brady Christmas” as part of my Christmas movie lineup every year. And as a 90s kid, “The Brady Bunch Movie” is a stand-by for me.

This is the first that I’ve heard about Susan Olsen not appearing in ‘A Very Brady Christmas’ because of money issues. I had read (in several sources) at the time that she didn’t come back because she had just gotten married.

"No family would do that " Actually, my grandfather remarried 3 years after my birth grandmother passed and brought my mom (age 9) and uncle (age 11) on their honeymoon. Apparently my new grandmother was all for it

I think the reason that Kelly's Kids never became a series was because the show was too ahead of it's time. Had the creator waited a few years I believe that Kelly's Kids would have been a hit like Different Strokes and Webster.

I remember watching the Brady Bunch when it first ran. The Variety show is definitely the weirdest of all the spin-offs.

Wow, that was amazing! I can tell you put a lot of effort and love into this video. 👏🏿

The 1970's was an awesome time to be alive!

You forgot to mention Ken became the new sheriff in Mayberry, "Mayberry RFD"

The Simpsons did a great job of spoofing the Brady's variety show in the episode the Simpson's spin-off showcase with the The Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour.

This is funny, AND informative. I'm right in the age bracket (born in '64) where I remember the tail end of the original series' network run. But, by 1975, in my area anyways, the original series was on Sunday nights in the "almost prime time" slot of 7:30. In short, from 1977 to 1990, the Brady's were always competing with...themselves. If you didn't like it...don't watch it. You'll get another chance. That's kind of why the theatrical reboot was soooooooooo needed. What a blast that was! If you don't mind, I'm going to deny the existence of "The Brady Bunch in the White House:"

Melanie Hutsell’s contribution cannot be overlooked, she brought her Jan character from the stage show to SNL, and helped popularize it in the 90s, which helped the movies get made.

This was way more enjoyable than I expected it would be

Not sure why this was recommended but I’m not complaining

My family was poor, we could only afford to watch The Bradley Bunch, who were our neighbors, with telescopes and binoculars.

Stunningly comprehensive, with a ... bunch ... of well-thought-out connections among performers between different shows. There might only be 2 things missing in this: #1 - The Brady family members are the only TV characters to not only appear on the same night (Fridays) but also the same TIME SLOT (8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific) on all 3 TV networks. And, #2 - There was another reunion of all 6 Brady kids on an episode of a syndicated weekly celebrity sports competition series called "Star Games" that aired in the early part of 1986.

I grew up watching this show, and dreamed of living in the States someday. When the dream finally came true after two decades, I felt as if I were in the scenes of Brady Bunch.😁 (from Japan)

18:38 THANK YOU! In conversations about Saturday morning cartoons, I always bring up the show where a teacher with magical powers draws a door on the chalkboard and she takes her students through it on an adventure and no one can ever remember it. I never knew the name. It's been like that for decades. MISSION: Magic. Finally! Excellent video! And your editing is top notch - very clever.

I grew up watching the original Brady Bunch and am a little ashamed to say I have seen every single Brady concoction you have listed. I tried to explain the variety show to my wife "No, you don't understand. It's not the actors who played the Bradys, it's the Bradys!"

I knew about the TV wedding and Christmas movies and the theatrical ones - which I love. All the other things, i had no clue. You did a spectacular job, loved it! I discovered your videos a month ago and became an instant fan. Keep up the great work!!

Growing up whenever there was a new Brady Bunch special or reunion show WE WERE THRILLED. I don’t think we cared in the slightest if it was any good or ir not. It was just exciting to see the Brady’s again.

The Brady Girls Get Married and the Very Brady Christmas did well as one-off movies, at least in terms of ratings. The problem is the networks decided to launch follow up series to them, which no one really wanted.

I've watched a bit of The Bradys. I like the idea that it's more serious now that the Brady kids are adults. I wish it wasn't canceled to see where they would have gone with the plotlines. Feels nice to go back and watch shows from different times.

The Brady's probably should have been a soap opera with a continuing story arc.

Your videos are always incredibly well researched and expertly put together, but you guys have outdone yourselves with this one. Some of your finest work, Atomic Abe crew!

Fun fact: Former Louisiana Governor Piyush "Bobby" Jindal took his nickname from Bobby Brady.

Amazing video! I absolutely loved everything about this. My favorite spin-off? A Very Brady Christmas tied with the 2 movies, not that White House one.

I didnt expect to watch an hour and five minute video about the brady bunch today but this is enthralling.

Great video! I thought I knew a lot about the history of the Brady’s but had no idea about the cartoon connections to WW and Lone Ranger. Jay Silverheels who played Tonto in the Lone Ranger TV show, guest starred on the Brady Bunch as an Indian Chief when they are are the Grand Canyon.

The biggest question on my mind is: did Filmation ever recycle that Archies band performance animation for Star Trek the Animated Series? Just kidding, I've seen every episode, so I already know the answer. More importantly: fantastic video! The pop culture avenues you are able to explore with this series is downright amazing!

This is so well produced, informative, and edited, especially with all the clips from the spinoffs. Well done!

The commentary and editing of this doc is top notch and lol funny. Great work!

Thank you for making this great journey through Brady history. 😊

FLASH FACT: The Wondertwins from the "Superfriends" series were based on Donnie and Marie Osmond crossbred with Space Ghost's sidekicks, twins Jan and Jace. Both pairs of twins were even saddled with a pet simian.

This was great! I was born in '77, so it was reruns for me. 2 episodes a day after school ❤

Watching this was so much fun. I remember all of it. Thanks for all your hard work.

Fun Fact: I was cast as Sally on the show Together We Stand but my lovely agent (sarcasm) sent Natasha Bobo to the filming in error and they just kept her because they couldn't/wouldn't reschedule shooting the show. They cut her lines substantially because she couldn't read yet. I was a year older and reading the script on my own.

I watch the Brady Bunch chronologically, starting with the episodes from the original series, to the Brady girls, get married, the Brady brides, a very Brady Christmas, and finally the Bradys. Then I start all over again. It’s a really neat way to watch this iconic family.

The Brady song and dance routines were Robert Reed's coming out party.

Great presentation 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾classic, timeless amd full of information...thanks for all the hard work....

In the 1970s, my parents split up when i was young. About 5-6 years old. Mother retained custody of us kids. After the split, she turned into this psychotic, abusive monster. As a result, I turned towards watching LOTS of tv as a way to provide myself with escape and comfort from my misery. Out of the many, many tv shows i watched in daily syndicated reruns, the Brady Bunch was (and still is) my number one favorite tv show. The Brady Bunch tv show more than just entertained me. It helped me to preserve what few shreds of sanity I had plus provided me with much needed happiness, laughter, and joy in an otherwise joyless existence. More than once my mother said to my face, "I wish you were never born." Can anyone see Carol Brady saying THAT to any of her 6 kids? Much less multiple times? The Brady family i saw on tv is the family i wished i had. Nice, normal, loving, no abuse, etc. My desire to belong to the Brady Bunch family was so intense, that on more than one occasion, while I slept, I actually dreamed that I was a Brady family member. They are easily the fondest, most happiest dreams I ever had in my lifetime. Dont get me wrong. I had no illusions. I was well aware that the brady bunch wasnt a real life family. Just a bunch of actors playing a part. But at the same time i just knew that the fictional brady family was much more closer to how a family was supposed to behave. And much, much more closer to happy, loving, and normal than my real life family, home, and circumstances.

The intro to this video is perhaps the strongest I've ever seen on RU-vid!

This was an amazing and informative video. Awesome work.

As a kid in the 70's I watched most of this Brady stuff. I'm from a large family and the boy/girl ratio was split evenly. What a great iceberg!

Here's a fun fact, the Brady Bunch was spoofed once on Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show during the segment "When Bradys Attack." It featured Adam Brody and Kaitlin Cullum as Greg and Jan who played the same roles in the movie Growing Up Brady

As a kid, I watched the original Brady Bunch series, not regularly. I never realised how many spin-offs & TV movies were made--holy cow! I thought only the 1995 Brady Bunch movies (with Gary Cole and Shelley Long) existed. But looking on IMDB, there is a whole Brady Bunch franchise & eco-system. Wow!

Knowing only the "basic" series because it was broadcasted here in Spain in early 90s when I was a kid, this is truly fascinating. I can't believe that variety show. Having a blast watching this video. Awesome work.

Wow. So much I didn't know about the iconic Bradys'. So informative. Great job. Thx!

I've been avoiding this video for so long....but this was such a TREAT!

The Brady Bunch visiting Kings Island was the one that was special in our region. The then-new theme park was a really big deal.

Amazingly detailed, fun and informative awesome retro-ness here. Loved it. Thanks so much for the memories.

This video was so much fun!! I really had no clue about the 3rd Brady parody novie. Also, I didn't remember Growing Up Brady being that dramatic when I watched it on TV as a kid. Time for a rewatch.

An extraordinarily thorough and entertaining video! So many layers! You’ve earned a new subscriber.

Such great video! It's nice to see the cast stays together even nowadays!

You just gained a new subscriber. Great research and presentation. I'm gonna fall in love with your channel.

This is a very in-depth Brady Bunch video. I applaud your sleuthing. You have a new fan and follower

LOVED this! i learned a lot of things i didn't know. Thank you for sharing this :)

This was excellent!! I can't wait to watch your other videos! I'm turning 50 in a couple weeks & you just brought back such wonderful memories!

Thank you thank you thank you! This is so well made and a must see for any Brady fan. My favourite new fun fact was the Wonder Woman episode where Eve was being hypnotised by a rock star playing flute music. That is a sentence I never thought I would be typing ! 😅

In a video full of hilarious commentary, bites and clips, I have many favorites, but the one thing that makes me laugh over and over no matter how many times I see it is the exchange between Mike and Carol Brady, "That's showbiz and coffee! When you're hot you're hot!" "Yeah, and when you're not you're not. I just hope those kids don't get their hopes up too high." @ 28:46

Atomic Abe, congratulations on such a thorough research. Excellent work! Hugs from Brazil!

I remember that pool. Even as a young kid, I thought it was bizarre.

I couldn’t get enough of this, so fun to watch!

Hell yes! More 1 hour videos about sitcoms please!

Just a note to say, Thank You!. That was really Great and all that research on the history of the Brady Bunch was wonderful. That was worth my time.

This channel is so great!!

I have no idea how youtube knew to suggest a video on a franchise ive seen way too much of and have never youtubed a video on but here we are. Cant wait.

This is the most comprehensive Brady video I’ve ever seen! Great job Atomic Abe!

This was great! Going to rewatch/watch some Brady shows! Thank you!

I've only recently discovered your channel, and you do excellent work. This may be your best video yet, enough to make me a subscriber. Kudos.

Thank you for this! I grew up with the Brady Bunch, and even saw the stage show when it came to Los Angeles. So many memories....

You missed the reality show where Barry moves to Brandson Missouri to put on a live show.

Another great video. I always look forward to your next releases. I cannot believe that the variety hour would be considered that bad, it looked very entertaining

This was amazing. The research that was done for this is top notch. As a child of the 70’s, thank you!

I don't even remember the last time I smiled for a whole hour. Thanks!

This was really well done, and packs more laughs than all the Brady spin-offs combined. Gold star for acknowledging the oft-overlooked Day By Day episode! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

That was incredible. I couldn't look away. You had me hooked from the very beginning.

The Video on the Brady Bunch Spin-Off is just huge! Thanks for this kooky video, Atomic Abe.

Forgot that Jerry Houser played Marcia's husband in the 80s Brady movies & spin-offs. Fun fact - he played Dave "Killer" Carlson in "Slap Shot" 🏒

i think 1970s style variety shows should come back. I wanna see shit like this on tv.

I love this video! I thought I’d seen just about everything Brady, but I’ve learned of a few things I missed! Thank you!

I ran home from high school, excited to watch The Brady Brides, and was disgusted that the reason Marcia felt compelled to get married was because Mike said no when Philip asked permission to marry Jan. Mike felt that it wouldn't be right for Jan to get married before Marcia. I was outraged. I'm 54 now, but I still remember that scene.

This like REALLY GOOD...I mean this...this is why I love RU-vid...one of my favorite videos on RU-vid now...

I'm not a big Brady fan and this was excellent. Thank you.

Okay Atomic Abe Productions you have simply outdone yourselves with this latest video! Wow!

Brilliant piece, knew absolutely nothing about these spinoffs. Thank you!