The Brady Bunch revival was reportedly canceled due to hate speech by one of its original stars. Aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974, the iconic sitcom follows the misadventures of a blended family, consisting of three boys and three girls, after a widower and a widow marry. Though it was never a ratings hit nor a critical success during its original run, the series gained popularity in syndication, spawning several Brady Bunch spin-offs, including The Brady Bunch Hour, The Brady Girls Get Married, The Brady Brides, and The Bradys.
Now, a Brady Bunch revival was reportedly canceled due to Cindy Brady actor Susan Olsen’s hate speech. Though she recently claimed on her Walk Away Campaign podcast that CBS canceled the revival due to her political opinions, a new Variety report reveals that it was canceled because of Olsen’s hate speech, including homophobic slurs, which earlier had led to her being fired from a radio job. CBS Studios declined to comment on the report.
What The Report Means For The Brady Bunch Revival
It’s “Dead In The Water”
Cindy Brady actor Susan Olsen recently claimed on her podcast that CBS canceled The Brady Bunch revival because of her support for Donald Trump and controversial views on topics like COVID-19 vaccines and the LGBTQ+ community. However, the recent report reveals there is more to the story, and the project was dropped due to Olsen’s hate speech. In 2016, she was fired from the “Two Chicks Talkin’ Politics” radio show for expressing anti-LGBTQ+ views on social media. Later, she reportedly responded to a guest who had criticized her online by sending a text message containing homophobic slurs.
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The report also clarifies the status of The Brady Bunch revival, which was in development at CBS Studios, but hadn’t been pitched to any networks or streaming services. The revival was meant to bring the Brady family into the modern era, with one of Jan’s children being transgender, and one of the Bradys having a Black spouse, which Olsen was reportedly uncomfortable with. In the end, The Brady Bunch revival is now “dead in the water,” according to Olsen.
Our Take On The Brady Bunch Revival
It Could Still Happen Without Susan Olsen
Susan Olsen’s reported hate speech, if true, is obviously grounds for her exclusion from The Brady Bunch revival. However, the revival could seemingly still continue without her, similar to how The Conners continued without Roseanne Barr after her controversial comments. The Brady Bunch revival could follow suit by excluding its problematic star, preserving the essence of the original show and offering a new take for modern audiences.
Source: Walk Away Campaign/Variety
Considered an Ameircan culture icon, The Brady Bunch follows the titular Bradys, a large blended family living in Ameircan suburbia in the 1970s. The husband and wife of the family, Mike and Carol Brady, meet and marry before the start of the show, each bringing with them three children into the new family. The show is a sitcom centered around the family’s lives and their learning to get along with one another.
- Cast
- Maureen McCormick , Mike Lookinland
- Release Date
- September 26, 1969
- Seasons
- 5