Misunderstood: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

In the history of television, there have been several misunderstood shows.  Some may have been ahead of their time and others were just not given a chance.  Some, just because they were a little different, failed.  The failures weren't all deserved.  One of my very favorite TV shows starred Richard Dean Anderson and was called Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  It was based on the movie musical of the same name that starred Howard Keel and Jane Powell.

The series version was filmed in and around Murphy, a small town in Northern California.  The scenery of the ranch and surrounding wilderness was beautiful, and being able to shoot in the town helped to bring the area to life on the screen and make it all that much more real.

The Seven Brides for Seven Brothers television cast was strong, even though many of the regulars were unknown at the time.  Since then, many of stars have gone on to acclaim for other performances.  Anderson, who was hired for this part not long after leaving the soap opera General Hospital, went on to great accolades as MacGyver and then as Colonel Jack O’Neill in Stargate SG-1. Peter Horton moved on to  Thirty-Something, Drake Hogestyn found security for many years on Days of our Lives, and River Phoenix had all kinds of theatrical success as he entered adulthood until his tragic death.

The TV series had the same basic premise as the well-known movie, with the McFadden boys growing up on their own, due to the passing of their parents.  Being the oldest, it was Adam (Anderson) who had the responsibility of ensuring that his six younger brothers grew up right. He surprises them one day when he returns from a trip to town with his new wife, Hannah (Terri Treas). She's really not sure what she's getting into to, especially with the way the boys live.  Her first attempt at eating a meal at the McFadden ranch is quite hysterical.  With buns being tossed through the air, she was in over her head, but only until she caught her second wind.

Eventually, the boys' skepticism of Hannah ebbs, and she shows she can take care of herself.  This opens the door to her being accepted as their sister and friend.  In some ways, she was even a mother to the youngest of the brood.

I always enjoyed the opening theme which was light and airy and then swelled with love.  I don't know who sang the theme, but it's a big favorite of mine.  The lyrics fit the theme of the show, and the images of the sprawling ranch were lovely.  It really showed off what life on the ranch was all about.

Unfortunately, as my opening indicated, critics and viewers never really gave this show a chance because it was, in essence, a TV musical.  As happened in the movie, the cast often broke out into song to enhance the story being told.  Each week it was a different regular who was featured in the singing department.  I just loved the musical aspect.  It made Seven Brides for Seven Brothers unique and gave it an extra dose of heart.  I do have one pet peeve about the singing, though, and that is that my favorite, Anderson, was only featured a couple of times during the entire season.  Granted, his voice wasn't as strong as some of the others, but he was able to keep up, and I just felt he was due more solo singing time than he actually received.

It's possible viewers have forgotten just how wonderful musicals are, or maybe the world is just beyond that now, but I think it's an unfortunate mistake.  Viewers missed out on a really warm family show that was uplifting, dramatic, fun, and entertaining.  It's just a true shame that this series only lasted a season.  For me, it's still a huge favorite that I enjoy watching as much as possible.