The Brady Bunch/Greg Gets Grounded

Greg Gets Grounded
Season 4, Episode 15
Airdate	January 19, 1973
Production Number	090
Written by	Elroy Schwartz
Directed by	Jack Arnold
Produced by	Howard Leeds
← 4x14 Law and Disorder	4x16 → Amateur Night
The Brady Bunch — Season Four

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Greg Gets Grounded is the fifteenth episode of the fourth season of The Brady Bunch, and the eighty-seventh episode overall.

Starring: Robert Reed (Mike Brady), Florence Henderson (Carol Brady)

and Ann B. Davis (Alice)

Maureen McCormick (Marcia), Eve Plumb (Jan), Susan Olsen (Cindy), Barry Williams (Greg), Christopher Knight (Peter), Mike Lookinland (Bobby)

Additional Cast: Gracia Lee (Jenny), Hope Sherwood (Rachel)

Plot Overview

Greg and Bobby return home from the record store, a new rock album in their hands. Bobby quickly remarks to his parents that Greg was such a great driver ... he was able to stop just in time to avoid a potentially serious accident. Mike immediately knows what this means: Greg was not paying attention to the road (instead, he was looking at the album cover), and was nearly involved in a collision. Mike — who has talked to Greg about his driving habits before — is angry and declares the family's cars off-limits for a week.

Greg is hurt and offended, especially since he has that upcoming rock concert (and a potential date with old girlfriend Rachel) in mind, and is in an even tougher bind when Mike doesn't relent. Knowing that his father's directive meant "no driving for a week," he goes behind Mike's back and asks a friend to borrow his car. However, Carol finds out, reports her knowledge to Mike ... and the two confront Greg when he returns home from the box office. They get Greg to admit what he did, but Greg insists that Mike's directive of no driving the family's cars was vague. Mike isn't buying Greg's reasoning and makes his toughened punishment - except for school, no leaving the house - very clear. Greg runs off to his room in frustration.

Late that night, Greg goes to his parents to insist once again that the punishment was too vague. After all, Mike didn't use "exact words" when doling out the original punishment. Mike, perhaps deciding this would be a good time to teach his eldest son a lesson, decides to give him a taste of what he asked for. He drops the grounding (Greg's original punishment of no driving still stands), but from this point forward, Greg is living by an "exact words" agreement.

Several examples of this new arrangement - washing dishes and washing the car - are played out. Meanwhile, Bobby and Peter are preparing for an upcoming frog jumping contest, which Greg had earlier agreed to take his brothes to. However, this falls in conflict with the rock concert and his big date with Rachel.

When Greg tries to back out of his agreement with his brothers, Mike reminds him of the "exact words" arrangement, and that his brothers take precedence over Rachel. Greg agrees to respect his earlier agreement and takes his brothers to the frog-jumping contest. But he is still able to salvage his date with Rachel by going to a drive-in movie after the last frog has crossed the finish line.

Greg and Rachel have a great time at the movies and are just about to make out ... when a frog jumps on Rachel's head. Then more jump around in the car. Bobby and Peter had forgotten to take the frogs out of the car (they realize this only after Greg had barrelled out of the driveway). Rachel is at first horrified and Greg panics, but then they laugh. Mike and Carol also laugh about what happened, then Greg realizes that his parents were right all along ... that punishments are sometimes meant to be ambiguous. They mutually agree to drop the exact words arrangement, and a lesson is learned.