The Brady Bunch Episode #2

Welcome to my Brady review of episode two! This episode originally aired on October 3, 1969 and is called “Dear Libby”. It guest-starred Jo De Winter as Elizabeth “Dear Libby” Carter, an Ann Landers rip-off. Winter is best known for roles in Dirty Harry, Gloria, and Bird.

This episode opens with Marcia in her bedroom reading the paper. She’s reading the Dear Libby column to Jan while Cindy plays with her doll. Marcia realizes one of the Dear Libby letters from Harried & Hopeless sounds awfully similar to her new family. Harried & Hopeless hates their new blended family of three boys and three girls. Marcia starts to freak out and assumes that Mom or nu-Dad wrote the letter to the newspaper.

Cut to Mike and Carol reading the paper while drinking late night coffee. (I like my late night coffee with Bushmills.) They realize part of the paper is missing (Dear Libby) so Marcia offers to run and get another newspaper. Greg goes with her and she tells him about the problem and how one of the new parents is hating life. Greg and Marcia devise a plan to become perfect little children.

All of the Brady kids are in on the plan and do things like wash the windows, weed the garden, and clean out the garage. The older kids run to the room where they hear the younger ones fighting. They shut them up quickly to continue the mirage of being perfect. Peter arguing with Jan: “If you’re so smart, why are you a girl?” Good one, Peter.

Cut to Greg raking leaves on the AstroTurf and Marcia trimming the fake grass that doesn’t grow. Alice comes out to pump them for info. She knows the kids aren’t acting like they normally do and wants to know what’s up. When they don’t give her any info, she threatens them with snitching to all the kids at school about how they’re do-gooders at home. Blackmail. I like it, Alice.

The kids share the Dear Libby letter with their parents. Mike and Carol are now suspicious of each other and paranoia is running rampant in the Brady house. Good way to start a marriage. Both Carol and Mike confide in Alice to see if they think their spouse could have written that letter to Dear Libby. It’s just like middle school!

All the kids are watching a western on TV when the doorbell rings. Guess who? It’s Dear Libby. I guess advice columnists make house calls. Dear Libby states that the letter was not about the Brady family. It’s about a loser family in Illinois. Everyone jumps around in celebration. Cindy jumps into her dad’s arms and says “I’m thure glad we’re not Harry Hopeleth!” The end.

Silly Trivia – All of the kids and Alice sent a letter to Dear Libby. They signed their names as follows: Kitty Karry-All” (Cindy), “Feeling Awful” (Bobby), “Desperately Worried” (Marcia), “Down in the Mouth” (Peter), “Real Frantic” (Jan), “Guilt Complex” (Greg), and “Innocent Bystander” (Alice).

I’ll be back soon with another review. You know you want to check it out.