The Way We All Became The Brady Bunch
How the Canceled Sitcom Became the Beloved Pop Culture Icon We Are Still Talking About Today
In celebration of the Brady Bunch’s 50th anniversary, TV writer Kimberly Potts writes a Seinfeldia-like definitive history of the show that changed the family sitcom and made an indelible impact on pop culture.
There isn’t a person in this country who hasn’t heard of The Brady Bunch or heard repeatedly its earworm of a theme song. The show has lived a dozen lives, from its original comedy debut, multiple spin-offs, and big-screen movies, to the football legends, movie superheroes, and Emmy-winning TV auteurs (including Vince Gilligan and Jill Soloway) it has inspired.
Not bad for a series that was given a critical drubbing when it premiered and never finished a season ranked higher than 31 in the ratings.
In The Way We All Became The Brady Bunch, TV historian and entertainment journalist Kimberly Potts will take readers behind the scenes and into the history of the series to document how, despite middling ratings and negative reviews, Mike, Carol, Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby, Cindy, and Alice emerged as America’s favorite family. And why, as the show celebrates its 50th anniversary, its title as shorthand to describe blended families, large families, and happy families, and the prevalence of its iconic opening sequence—reverently spoofed by a diverse lineup of TV series that includes Sesame Street, Full House, and Family Guy—are examples of how its influence on pop culture endures.
Filled with the kind of insights, interviews, and stories that would make Scoop Brady proud, Potts takes a deep dive into the journey of the show and its most memorable moments to shed new light on Brady fans (including famous ones like Michelle Obama and Tom Hanks), Brady surprises (XXX Brady, anyone?), and Brady might-have-beens (Carol as a widowed cougar?!). For both the casual Brady viewer and the most devoted aficionado of the series, The Way We All Became The Brady Bunch promises a delightful, revealing read, and definitive reasons why we’re still happily talking about this show 50 years after it began.
Published in 2019 by Grand Central Publishing
“Potts’s book both entertains and educates, dropping numerous pearls of wisdom about why the Brady’s mattered then. . . and now.”
“There is still more to know about [The Brady Bunch] — as revealed by author Kimberly Potts.”
“An all-purpose guide to all things Brady.”
“Kimberly Potts brings a sophisticated, streaming-era perspective to one of the great mysteries of our time: How did a simplistic, sweet, widely disrespected TV show like The Brady Bunch become a formative influence on some of our greatest Gen X pop culture figures, including Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, First Lady Michelle Obama, and parody genius Weird Al? Through behind-the-scenes stories and analysis, Potts takes the Brady phenomenon seriously and shows that no matter who we are, we’re all looking for a happy TV family to call our own.”
“Growing up in a family with six children, I can think of no other show that embodies my childhood and my relationship with television more than The Brady Bunch. Kimberly Potts captures some of that Brady Bunch magic in this great book.”
“Mom always said, ‘Don’t play ball in the house.’ I say, ‘If you remember that line, you need to read this book.’”
Oh, hello there!