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What if The Brady Bunch wasn't axed in 1974?


https://www.quora.com/What-if-The-Brady-Bunch-wasnt-axed-in-1974/answer/Jon-Mixon-1

It probably would have been cancelled in 1976 or 1977 at the latest - The problem with the series is that not only were the children aging out of “cuteness” (as exhibited by the failed attempt to introduce Cousin Oliver) but the stories were becoming dull and repetitive even for a show aimed at “families”. Eventually the ratings would have dropped to the point where it would have been untenable to be on the air.

Ann B. Davis likely would have remained a working actor in demand until her dotage or her death, whichever came first - An initial Brady Bunch series that had lasted a few years longer would have made most of the cast in demand, and Davis was a television veteran who could have easily been cast in any number of new sitcoms. The cancellation of the first series caused her career to falter, and even the new adaptations of the series in the 1980s/early 1990s weren’t enough to keep her career afloat.

Florence Henderson would have remained an in-demand actor - Henderson was modestly talented, but could have easily moved onto her own program(s) with the success of a different incarnation of The Brady Bunch. As it was, she was typecast as a “mother” over a large family and her career never recovered.

Sherwood Schwartz would have been a great deal wealthier - More Brady Bunch episodes would have meant more money in syndication packages. Even two more seasons would have made it far easier to sell the series to stations needing content and that would have made the major stakeholders far more money than it did.

There would have more “Bradylike” series aired - A more successful Brady Bunch would have spunoff numerous imitators, and the networks would have been flooded with them. Some would have been superior to the original; however most would be inferior copies that would have lasted a single season or less.

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I think if they had allowed the younger kids to act their ages, it could have lasted another season. How about Bobby and Cindy going on their first dates - maybe a double date? Give Marcia a steady boyfriend as a recurring character. (I am thinking a 70s error Nick from Family Ties but more of a hippy type). Sam and Alice getting engaged, with references to the wedding planning) and the finale being the wedding. Peter would already be in high school, they could show her meeting Phillip and her transition from how she was into the uptight person she became.

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It would still be on the air to this day.

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I think since Greg went to college, they canceled the show because it would have been weird without him. You are right though about the points you made; season 5 kind of lost it's flare and wasn't as good as the other seasons. I think if they made a season 6, the ratings would have dropped significantly.

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