The Brady Bunch Episode #12
Welcome to my review of The Brady Bunch Episode #12! This is entitled The Voice of Christmas and originally aired on December 19, 1969. This is the only Christmas episode from the original series which I find odd. Why didn’t they do a holiday theme each year? This episode is about Carol losing her voice, but the best part of The Brady Bunch Episode #12 is adorable Susan Olsen as Cindy.
The background music starts with sleigh bells jingling and jangling. How festive. Cut to Mike and Alice wrapping gifts in the family room. Carol walks in and whispers “I can’t talk”. Mike screams “Praise the Lord!” Just kidding. Carol is upset because she’s supposed to sing a big solo at church on Christmas. It turns out that all of the rehearsing Carol has done for her big solo has strained her vocal chords. She needs to shut up if she’s going to be able to sing on Christmas.
Ginormous Tree
Peter, Greg, and Bobby come home with a big ass tree. Do parents really let their young kids go out on their own to buy the Christmas tree? The boys are being all stupid trying to get the tree through one of the front doors. Mike comes along and opens the second door so the tree can easily fit through. Smort. Carol comes in and starts bossing everyone around with no voice. She keeps having the men move the Christmas tree because she can’t decide on where it looks best. It’s just a tree. Whatever.
Marcia, Jan, and Cindy come down the stairs with boxes of ornaments to help Carol decorate the tree. Thindy asks what fragile means. Why is she wearing orange and red? Did the wardrobe department think she matched?
Thanta Clauth
Mike has Cindy stand in line to wait to see Santa Claus while he exchanges a gift. Thindy introduces herself to the cute little boy in front of her. The boy’s response was “I hate girls!” Hahaha! I love that little boy. I wonder what happened to him. Cindy asks Santa for her mommy to get her voice back. Susan Olsen looks just adorable in this scene. “Mommy’s got larry-gitis real bad.” Cindy kisses Santa after he agrees to her wishes and then runs all pigeon-toed towards her daddy. “Thanta’s going to give mommy her voith back for Chrithmath.” Mike asks Cindy how Santa can promise that since he’s not a doctor. Cindy says “He’s better than a doctor. He’th Thanta Clauth”. She’s so cute.
Mike goes into the workroom and rips Santa a new one.
There’s a scene where everyone is trying to hide presents. We never did that in my house. We just put them under the tree. What’s the purpose of hiding presents?
Greg sneaks downstairs the night before Christmas while everyone is in bed. Why are the lights on the Christmas tree still lit? Hello? Fire danger! Marcia, Peter, and Jan eventually make their way downstairs as well. The kids talk around the tree about how it’s no fun and it’s all depressing because mom has laryngitis. Really? Marcia wants to postpone Christmas until their mom can talk again. So stupid. Hey, let’s cancel Christmas and have a pity party instead! Alice comes in from her hole in the kitchen and tells them they’re being stupid.
It’s A Miracle!
Carol wakes up the next morning and can miraculously sing. I’ve had laryngitis many times and the onset and recovery are all very gradual. Maybe there are sudden cases like Carol had, but I’ve not heard of them before. Carol ends up being able to sing in church. The family listens to her and looks very proud. She sang a boring Christmas song (O Come All Ye Faithful). She should have sung like Jingle Bell Rock or Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer. That would have been way more cool.
The Brady Bunch Episode #12 ends with Cindy writing a thank you letter to Santa. Susan Olsen was just spectacular in this episode.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my review of The Brady Bunch Episode #12. Please come back soon!