Cousin Oliver
Cousin Oliver is a jargon used by TV critics when the creators of a television show decide that the addition of a cute child to the cast will improve the ratings of the show, or as a replacement for child cast members that have grown up since the show started.
Origin
Cousin Oliver (played by Robbie Rist) was a character who was introduced in 1974 on The Brady Bunch during what turned out to be the show's final season. Cousin Oliver, who took up residence in the Brady household and appears in the last six episodes of the series, remains unpopular with the show's fans, and is considered by many to be the moment when The Brady Bunch jumped the shark, although that term was yet to be coined at the time the character was introduced.
Examples of the Cousin Oliver syndrome
Shows that have also suffered from the "Cousin Oliver Syndrome":
| Show | Character introduced |
|---|---|
| 2Point4 Children | Declan |
| Ally McBeal | Hayden |
| Bewitched | Tabitha |
| Blossom | Kennedy |
| The Cosby Show | Olivia |
| Diff'rent Strokes | Sam |
| The Donna Reed Show | Trish |
| Family Matters | 3J |
| Family Ties | Andy Keaton |
| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Nicky Banks |
| Full House | Nicky and Alex Katsopolis |
| Good Times | Penny Woods |
| Growing Pains | Chrissy Seaver |
| Malcolm in the Middle | Jamie |
| Married... with Children | Seven |
| My Three Sons | Dodie |
| My Wife and Kids | Franklin |
| The Partridge Family | Ricky |
| Rugrats | Dil |
| Scooby-Doo | Scrappy-Doo |
| 7th Heaven | Sam and David Camden |
| Step by Step | Lilly Foster Lambert |
| Who's the Boss | Billy |
See also
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