Watch Building Brady

Building Brady is an HGTV show that premiered in 2018 and features the renovation of the iconic Brady Bunch house that was originally used for exterior shots of the beloved 1970s sitcom. The show stars Maureen McCormick, Christopher Knight, and Susan Olsen, who played the roles of Marcia, Peter, and Cindy Brady, respectively, in the original series.

The premise of the show is to completely overhaul the Brady Bunch house, transforming it into a modern, livable space while still paying homage to the show's roots. In the first episode, the Brady "kids" are given a tour of the dilapidated house and express their excitement at the prospect of bringing it back to life. McCormick states that the house was "frozen in time," and that it's time to "unfreeze it."

The renovation process proves to be quite the challenge. The house is much smaller than the Brady Bunch set, so the designers must get creative with their use of space. The show's designers, including Jonathan and Drew Scott from Property Brothers, work with the Brady kids to come up with a plan that works for everyone. Michael Layne and Dylan Eastman are also heavily involved in the renovation process.

One of the biggest challenges of the renovation is updating the layout of the house to make it more functional for modern living while still maintaining the iconic feel of the original series. The designers add a new open-concept kitchen and living area, which makes the space feel much larger than it actually is. They also convert the garage into a functional living space, complete with a kitchenette and a bathroom.

Throughout the episodes, there are numerous nods to the original series that fans will surely appreciate. For example, the iconic staircase that the Brady kids famously ran up and down has been retained, although it has been given a modern update. The designers also incorporate other classic elements, such as the shag carpet in Greg's attic bedroom, the retro wallpaper in the girls' room, and Mike Brady's iconic den. Olsen even gets to recreate the famous "pork chops and applesauce" dinner from the show.

Another crucial aspect of the show is the relationship between the Brady kids. They share their memories of the original series, and filming the new show together brings back a flood of emotions for them. Knight speaks candidly about how the show changed his life, saying that it gave him "purpose and direction." McCormick also gets emotional at times, revealing that she's excited to create new memories in the renovated house.

One of the most interesting episodes is when the designers bring in a Brady Bunch historian to help them with the renovation. The historian, Jack Squire, provides the group with fascinating behind-the-scenes insights about the original show. For example, he reveals that the orange-and-green color scheme of the house was chosen specifically because it would look good on television. He also shows the group some never-before-seen footage from the show.

Overall, Building Brady is a delightful show that will appeal to anyone who has fond memories of the original series. The renovation process is fascinating to watch, and the designers do an excellent job of creating a modern living space that still pays tribute to the classic sitcom. The interactions between the Brady kids and the nods to the original series make this show a must-watch for any fan of the Brady Bunch.