I really fell in love with this show this year! I was born into the era it was made and it is such a perfect glimpse into the world of the early 70s, that I feel it is as if it is bringing me back to my subconscious infant eye where everything was new, and,,,so cool (however tacky upon today's standards). I remember watching this in reruns when my eyes were already in their conscious memory stage. I thought it was kinda cool, I especially liked Bonaduce. However, I did not really pay too much attention to it; I actually connected more with the Brady Bunch reruns. I was recently surfing Youtube and I rediscovered some episodes, and was immediately awestruck. The entire premise was a revolution; a single mom with five kids and the main adult male character is Rueben who is their manager and is more like a comic relief acting as if he is Shirley's brother, and there is no sense of romance between them. I couldn't get enough, so I went ahead and ordered the entire DVD boxset. I have to say that me, being a male, developed a weird crush not on Lori, but on Shirley Jones, well at least her character. She seems like the perfect wife and a perfect and fun mother to one's kids (I am about the age she was back then). Anyways, we can feel the Cassidy-mania and other factors that were so palpable back then (btw: just like Bonaduce, his humor and wit were often spot on). Anyways, amidst the very rare cheesiness in dialogue and even some of their songs (most are actually very pleasant), this is a classic show that I wish lasted much longer. The Bradys do not stand a change to the Partridges in terms of coolness.
Review of The Partridge Family
