The Brady Bunch (TV Series) Bobby's Hero (1973) User Reviews

Bobby And Jesse James

[Jimmy_the_Gent4 · 15 August 2020]

Mike and Carol are worried when Bobby writes a school composition saying Jesse James is his hero.

My favorite Bobby episode. It starts with Mike and Carol being summoned to the principal's office. Bobby is playing Jesse James with Cindy when they return. He sees a movie about Jesse James which makes him more of a hero to him. The show takes a serious turn when Mike contacts an elderly writer whose father was murdered by James. The man is played by Burt Mustin, who was appearing in nearly every hit show of the 1960s and 1970s. After talking to the old man, Bobby has a nightmare of Jesse James shooting and killing his family on a train. Although there is no blood or actual gunshots, Mike Lookinland gives an excellent performance as he becomes distraught in the scene.

THE JESSE JAMES LESSON.

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 30 November 2023]

Leslie Martinson directed this episode, who also headed lots of cop shows, and there is a dramatic slant to this one, believe it or not. It certainly was an offbeat episode.

The big problem is all about Bobby, who writes an essay, making outlaw Jesse James his hero! Bobby thinks he's kind of a cool gunslinger, unaware he was one of the most fiendish villains of the old west. This is perhaps the only episode that deals with some very dramatic material, although played out in a comedic way at times.

Gordon De Vol (who looks a bit like Jack Nicholson!) is very convincing as the snickering, heartless Jesse, who appears in one of Bobby's nightmares, holding up a train and actually shooting everybody, dressed in western costumes. The scene looks like a high school play, but it's enough to change Bob's mind.

Special guest appearance by none other than Burt Mustin, who plays a writer and relates the tale of how the real Jesse actually shot and killed his father. Burt was everywhere on tv at the time, and in his 80s, best known for ALL IN THE FAMILY, and is the cherry on the top in this episode. You have to watch him.

Definitely one about hero worship, and the wrong heroes, lessons to be learned. This may be Mike Lookinland's best performance on the show also.

Applause to the wardrobe department for the cool costumes and the production people for putting together a choo choo train! Also Greg and Peter get the best dressed award, for their 70s jeans and shirts. Had to squeeze that in.

From SEASON 4 remastered ABC/Paramount dvd box set.