Synopsis
It’s the Brady Bunch. What, exactly, by way of synopsis are you hoping for? At any rate, among the notable episodes is one with guest star Davy Jones of the Monkees. Plus, there’s the epic start to the season: a three-parter that has the family hitting the road with a tent trailer and running into misadventures on the way to the Grand Canyon (such as encountering a hostile prospector or Cindy and Bobby getting lost). The other ongoing thread is Jan’s inferiority complex with regards to Marci…, and her attempts to crawl out from her sister’s shadow. The show is what it is. Nostalgia for Gen X viewers, I suppose, though it does have value as something of a pop culture icon. In purely objective terms, this is television at its most innocuous and disposable.
Audio
The mono is serviceable, but the age of the show is apparent. Don’t play the theme music too loud, or the harshness might pierce your eardrums. All in all, though, the sound is good enough, but no better than it would be on a single-speaker TV in the 70s.
Video
The same goes for the picture. The picture is no better, really, than if one were watching an old VHS tape. The colours are decent, if a bit muted. The image has some softness to it, and the grain, always present, varies from acceptable to irritating.
Special Features
Other than some ads for other DVD releases, nada. Which is a bit of a slap in the face to fans, don’t you think? The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
Given that the sound and picture are no better than broadcast quality, and there are no extras, this is good for people who really, really need every episode, and it won’t hog space on a shelf.
Special Features List
- Trailers
