The Partridge Family (TV Series) When Mother Gets Married (1970) User Reviews

First television appearance for Jaclyn Smith

[kevinolzak · 6/10 · 23 February 2014]

"When Mother Gets Married" is set on the road, as the Partridge children fear that the old flame (John McMartin) that Shirley has become reacquainted is 'just a gigolo' (pun unavoidable) interested only in her money. That uncertainty is laid to rest after Reuben's fact checking shows he's worth nearly two million dollars, then another crisis looms when Keith and Laurie see him buying an expensive diamond ring for a much younger woman, played by future Charlie's Angel Jaclyn Smith, in her very first TV appearance (only three episodes after another, Farrah Fawcett, both native Texans). Laurie quickly grows exasperated trying to convince the younger family members that their mother is still a vibrant adult woman, going so far as to mention the romance of Romeo and Juliet (Keith: "and look what happened to them!"). For the second straight entry, the featured song is a Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil composition, "I Really Want to Know You," which, like "I'm on the Road," is an early track featuring Shirley Jones instead of David Cassidy, included on THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY ALBUM.

Jaclyn Smith!

[VetteRanger · 7/10 · 19 January 2023]

This episode provides an appearance for Jaclyn Smith several years before Charlie's Angels. She's quite lovely, and provides a bit of misdirection for the story line.

I always liked John McMartin in his roles, and especially remember him in a role in Murder She Wrote where he played a friend of Jessica Fletcher's who was almost murdered, but survived a car wreck after the brake line was cut and the driver lost control.

In this episode, he plays an old flame of Shirley Partridge the family runs into while on tour. When they begin to spend a lot of time together, the kids worry he might have an ulterior motive and begin to investigate.