Hopefully, you caught yesterday's episode of the Simpsons, which contained some of the best TV parodies that I've ever seen on the small screen. We saw The Big Easy and Miami Vice revisited as Chief Wiggum, PI. We saw My Mother, The Car reinvented as Grampa Simpson, The Love Tester in Moe's Tavern (complete with laugh track). And The Simpsons Variety Hour lampooned Laugh-In and one singularly heinous show from 1977: The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, featuring Replacement Jan (kudos to Eve Plumb, who wanted no part of this atrocity). I actually own a copy of the first Brady Bunch Variety Hour (thank you, Eric), and I have read more than one review describing it as the worst sixty minutes of television that have ever aired. Although you've probably heard this story from me (or someone equally as goofy), I will tell it again...
In 1977, a full four years after the Brady Bunch was cancelled due to slumping ratings, some producer thought it would be a good idea to bring them back. They contacted the producers of the Donny and Marie show, who were kicking ratings butt at the time. The D&M producers agreed to throw something together, and throw something together they did. The result was the worst costuming, dance routines, special guests, scripts, and singing that have ever graced the small screen, and it shocks and horrifies to this very day. The parody that Matt Groening's crew did on the Simpsons was 100% dead nuts accurate, down to the blatant misuse of special guest stars (Tim Conway in the Simpsons, Tony Randall in the BBVH) and the odd use of animal costumes. I only wish that more people had seen the original Brady Bunch Variety Hour. (Come on over and we'll fire up the VCR.) I'm in the process of transferring the soundtrack to the first BBVH onto CD, so you can sleep soundly tonight knowing that I'm using my magical superpowers for good, not evil.
Naturally, this will all appear in this week's Crap From The Past.
Later,
Ron "Next week is the season finale" G
Monday, May 12, 1997
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