The Partridge Family - General Discussion

[Steff]

8 hours ago, WinnieWinkle said:

A local station started replaying The Partridge Family yesterday and I caught the pilot episode.  It was surprisingly watchable - and when did Shirley Jones get so young looking?  (don't tell me I know the answer!).  I really enjoyed it and may keep watching at least until the last season anyway which from the perspective of this once upon a time fan really really sucked!

I had the same reaction to how young Shirley Jones looked the 1st time I saw the Partridge Family.  She was only 36 at the time.  Shirley Partridge had to have had her first 2 kids before/around age 20. 

[Egg McMuffin]

The pilot and the first season was my favorite. I liked how it showed how the family adjusted to their new fame and life on the road as they toured to support their new album. For some strange reason, they decided to tone down the touring aspect of the show starting with the second season, and it because just another domestic sitcom, albeit one with a song each week.

[WinnieWinkle]

I can't remember exactly when it happened but somewhere along the line they made Keith into an absolute doofus.  I guess they were going for pretty but dumb.  As the Vice-President of the David Cassidy Fan Club (extremely local chapter 🙂 ) I was not impressed with that!

[Gemma Violet]

And I hated how they made Danny smarter than Keith, with Keith deferring to Danny's opinion like Danny was the older & wiser brother. 😠

[Maverick]

 But even as early as the pilot Danny is portrayed as the savvy businessman/future Wolf of Wall Street in a kid's body.   I was always found it weird how Chris and especially Tracy were basically window dressing.   It was clear the writers never wanted to deal with the characters and they were there to emphasize the fact it was a family band.   

 I saw one episode not too long ago where Keith wanted a car and he had to get a job if he wanted one.  I was like, WTF?  I get that Shirley was being a good parent by making sure their education was taken care of and keeping the kids grounded by not spending money.  But all the kids had a job.  It's hardly unreasonable for them to get a salary, especially the older ones and some bump in allowance for the younger ones.   Keith was going to school, recording/touring with the band AND acting as its song writer.   He was a big part of why they were earning that money (and let's be real with royalties, tour dates in Vegas, TV appearance, etc it wasn't chump change) and making him get a job to pay for a car wasn't going to teach him anything other than to slack off at school.  

[Blergh]

14 hours ago, Kyle said:

The pilot and the first season was my favorite. I liked how it showed how the family adjusted to their new fame and life on the road as they toured to support their new album. For some strange reason, they decided to tone down the touring aspect of the show starting with the second season, and it because just another domestic sitcom, albeit one with a song each week.

Although it was funny how everyone in their hometown knew who they were and were totally unimpressed by their celeb status. I also thought it funny how Keith was seen being chased by hordes of girl fans when they were playing concerts- yet had trouble getting dates in his local high school! LOL

[Egg McMuffin]

Yeah - I remember one of the producers saying it was a real issue for the creative team. They didn’t want the Partridges to get too famous or successful because the audience wouldn’t be able to identify with them. So they played their little supper clubs and did stories where Keith had to get a part time job for spending money. Even if it didn’t make a whole lot of sense.

David Cassidy was a good sport to play those stories where Keith was such a dimwit. Not sure I would have been happy with that as an actor.

[eel21788]

On 3/30/2021 at 8:23 PM, WinnieWinkle said:

I can't remember exactly when it happened but somewhere along the line they made Keith into an absolute doofus.  

Maybe the absolute doofus came later, but he was always a doofus from the start.

[xls]

On 11/29/2020 at 10:05 PM, Snow Apple said:

I hated Ricky too (the character, not the child actor). He was worse than Cousin Oliver. At least Oliver interacted with the Bradys and acted as a sidekick to Bobby and Cindy. Ricky just pops up out of nowhere and sings an out-of-tune song because "you need cheering up" while the family sit there with forced smiles. He suddenly disappeared midway through the season and I no longer have to change the channel.

ITA, been rewatching on Prime & really enjoying  it till Ricky shows up! Whoever told that kid he could sing was playing a cruel joke. Every time he shows up I think oh, no, him again?  Did they stick him in the show because he's related to someone?

Amazing to see so many people like Farrah Fawcett guests before they got famous.❤️

[Bethany]

On 4/1/2021 at 8:57 PM, eel21788 said:

Maybe the absolute doofus came later, but he was always a doofus from the start.

I disagree.  I've just been watching this show as it came back on in reruns near me and the first year Keith is an intelligent young man who is working on his music as a way of helping his family.  I don't recall him being shown as a "doofus" until a little later in the series.  It was almost like the more gaga the girls got over David Cassidy the dopier they made Keith Partridge!

[Snow Apple]

11 hours ago, xls said:

Amazing to see so many people like Farrah Fawcett guests before they got famous.

Jacqueline Smith guest starred too. She was in the episode where the kids thought Shirley's boyfriend was cheating on her with Jacqueline's character but it turned out she was his niece.

[Egg McMuffin]

Cheryl Ladd is also in an episode (I vaguely remember one of the original VHS releases focusing on “The Partridges and the Angels”)

Jodie Foster, too - she played Danny’s girlfriend in an episode. And Rob Reiner played a love interest for Laurie in the first season (right before All in the Family hit the airwaves).

[xls]

7 minutes ago, Egg McMuffin said:

Cheryl Ladd is also in an episode (I vaguely remember one of the original VHS releases focusing on “The Partridges and the Angels”)

Jodie Foster, too - she played Danny’s girlfriend in an episode. And Rob Reiner played a love interest for Laurie in the first season (right before All in the Family hit the airwaves).

Richard Pryor & Louis Gossett Jr were in the 1971 episode “Soul Club,”

[Bethany]

9 minutes ago, Egg McMuffin said:

And Rob Reiner played a love interest for Laurie in the first season (right before All in the Family hit the airwaves).

Mark Hamill also played a love interest of Laurie's.  IIRC it was the one where her braces are picking up radio signals!

[ctlady]

On 9/26/2022 at 6:07 PM, Elizabeth Anne said:

Mark Hamill also played a love interest of Laurie's.  IIRC it was the one where her braces are picking up radio signals

I remember that one.  Don't know which came first - Marcia getting her braces on TBB or Laurie getting hers here

I rewatch these from time to time on TVLand or Antennae tv.  DC was my first pop star boyfriend (with Donny Osmond running a close tandem)  I still can see the sleeve to their very first album (maroon with the gold partridges along the front) as well as the green and white snowflaked Christmas album.  

I could never get onboard with little Chris playing the drums, unless they only did one song per session.  Very physical and grueling for a little tween boy

[chediavolo]

I just re-watched a few of these after over 50 years. So retro. Shirley Jones was a beauty and of course there is David Cassidy so many of our crushes. One thing I found interesting was Susan Dey..She was cute I guess but my God did she ever do anything with her poor teeth?  

[hypnotoad]

I just started watching this show for the first time since way back in the day.was 6 when this show started, I don't remember much about it. Except the music and my David Cassidy crush!!

I have say I was so surprised watching episodes like when the older contest winner stays with the Partridges. She goes into Keith's bedroom and there he is reading playpen magazine! The magazine shows up in a few other episodes too. I just sat here thinking 'how did they get away with that on a family show?!?'

Quote

Ricky shows up! Whoever told that kid he could sing was playing a cruel joke. Every time he shows up I think oh, no, him again? 

OMG! Completely agree. Maybe I blocked him out or I wasn't watching the show anymore, but I did not remember this kid at all when he popped up. Terrible character and terrible singer.

But as annoying as he is, I found a couple of other characters more annoying: Shirley's parents - particularly her father. Good lawd. I hate every episode they ruin!

The money situation is bizarre. Shirley isn't working at the bank anymore, so I assume she gets a salary from the band stuff. Why don't the kids? Oh I get the college education excuse but come on. In one episode Keith doesn't have a quarter for a taco!

I don't mind they make Keith a bit goofy. I suppose it was an effort for him to not be perfect. Let's face it, in real life he would have been leaving the group as a solo artist, making bank and getting laid every night!