The Brady Bunch is a great show, or rather it was, for its time. However, seeing as we live in a a world that recycles more brands than soda cans, it seems as though the powers that be have decided to bring it back… again.
After the original show aired from 1969-1974, it spawned a couple follow ups, some albums, some specials and then some parody movies in the mid 90’s. That really should have been it. Sadly… it is not. CBS and Vince Vaughn are working on bringing the show back and rebooting it as a new multi-Camera comedy for the network.
I have been railing against the Munsters reboot, Mockingbird Lane, for a while now, but I think this just helps me put things in perspective. It really isn’t about recapturing the magic. It is about recycling a brand (something that is a lot cheaper than creating a new one) and then tagging it on to a new show that has a super vague resemblance to the original.
What does this mean for Brady Bunch? Probably a blended family comedy with a maid, a dog and the occasional visit by a clumsy cousin. Why is it being made? My guess would be to go up against Modern Family.
Here is the treatment for the reboot:
In the new Brady Bunch, written by Mike Mariano (Raising Hope, My Name Is Earl), a divorced Bobby Brady, with children of his own, is remarried to a woman who also has kids, and together they also share a child. In addition, their ex-spouses are still part of their lives. The changes in the premiere reflect the evolution of family dynamics over the past four decades. Back in 1969, Schwartz wanted Carol to be a divorcée but the network refused, so the end of her first marriage was never addressed.