Quite the dilemma.

[Poor Jonathon]

If I was suffering from an extraordinarily severe case of amnesia and was unable to recall any events prior to my lunch break then I could honestly say that there is a question that's been bugging me for as long as I can remember. As it is though I can't, which in some ways is a shame, but anyway since I watched FotY at lunch today I thought I might as well as ask the following question.

Was Marcia allowed to go on the ski trip in the end or not? I'm inclined to think she wasn't because I don't think Mike could overlook such wanton disregard for the house rules. You of course might have a different opinion though, on the other hand you might not but I can't speak for you, so let's hear it.

[Scott]

You can't be too sure, but in the end, I think she did get to go along. Just the kind of dumbfounded expression that he had when he found out that all of what Marica had been doing was for this, which was the reason she got into trouble in the first place. I think he even said something along the lines like: "You mean all this was for that?" which kind of subconsciously makes the viewer think he forgives her.

The second reason I think she went is: this is The Brady Bunch after all! The show is pretty much made up of happy endings ;D

[Poor Jonathon]

I think your second reason actually supports the theory that she didn't get to go because, like you said, it wasn't as if the Brady Bunch ever shied away from showing a happy ending if there was one. If Mike decided not to punish Marcia purely because the end result was for his benefit then that would set a dangerous precedent. Amateur Night would have been a very different episode if Jan had just stolen the money to pay for their anniversary gift. Or what about The Not-So-Rose Colored-Glasses, that would have been a very different episode if Jan had just stolen the money to pay for their anniversary gift.

[Kevin]

I think that both your observations seem correct.

[Poor Jonathon]

Be careful not to sit on that fence for too long, you might get splinters.

[Sharon]

Yes, because if they didn't Marsha would have sent in a retraction to the paper. ;D

[Poor Jonathon]

If she had done that though it would have been obvious to Mike that she was lying when she wrote in her letter that, "Even when he punishes me, it's because I deserve it." That’s a serious offence; the most appropriate punishment for such a crime would have been to ban her from the ski trip. There was no way to avoid it; fate just didn't want Marcia to go skiing.