Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life father with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name. The show is centered around a Sacramento, California family with eight children (from oldest to youngest: David, Mary, Joanie, Susan, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy, and Nicholas). The father Tom Bradford (Dick Van Patten) was a newspaper columnist for the fictional Sacramento Register.
The show was parodied in "Brian: Portrait of a Dog" with Thomas beating Joanie until stopped by Mary while the Griffins watch in horror.
Van Patten reprised his role while Mary Scheer voiced daughter Mary Bradford.