The Brady Bunch: Lost Locket, Found Locket

The Brady Bunch: Lost Locket, Found Locket
ABC
March 20, 1970
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Charles Hoffman's first of three Brady scripts has a sweet scene where it turns out that Alice, although she doesn't play favorites, gave Jan the locket because she knows what it's like to be a middle sister.  The reenactment of the "crime" is very Brady.  The episode is also notable for how during the reenactment, Mike doesn't just kiss Carol but starts necking!  And ever since I was a child, I've wondered if Jan's "tele-- totem pole" slip at the end was a blooper they decided to keep because it's cute.

Overall, not a bad ending to the first season, which not only averages out to a B- but almost always earns a B- each episode.  The kids obviously had a ways to improve in their acting (Maureen probably the most) and there's too much of outdated (even for the time) gender stereotypes, but this season is a good starting point for what would go on to be one of my favorite programs.  Note that director Norman Abbott would go on to direct the entire last season of Welcome Back, Kotter, a dubious achievement.