Married... with Children

Tom Sharpe once wrote the following regarding one of his characters: "Like so many great men, Lord Petrefact loathed his nearest and dearest..."

Many of us identify with Lord Petrefact, but are at a loss to express ourselves in this "don't worry--be happy," never-say-anything-negative world. We have very few role models to lead us against appalling, manipulative family members, and have often resigned ourselves to our fate. We've gone about our lives lacking the words to easily repel the smiley-face squads.

The Bundys are a superb resource for people like us. We can't and shouldn't adopt a Bundy-like demeanour to truly nice, kind people. But the Bundys suggest to us what we can say to obnoxious relatives and neighbours -- our nearest and (supposedly) dearest, who want US to do THEIR bidding so THEY can receive undue obedience, money, goods or status from OUR successes or aspirations.

For example, in one episode, Al thinks of buying a new car. Peg, Kelly and Bud all sneer at the type of car he chooses, telling him high-handedly what kind each of them particularly thinks he should buy -- i.e., what they want HIM to buy to satisfy THEM. Al does what most of us should do in such circumstances: He spreads his arms in a great paternal gesture, smiles broadly, and says, "Your wishes [slight pause for effect] mean nothing to me." It's extremely refreshing to hear. And it's very, very funny. The fact that virtually every character appearing throughout the show's long run was extremely sleazy allows this sort of repartee to continue uninterrupted.

God bless Al Bundy. The show has changed my life.

OK, what's to say about this underappreciated masterpiece of a sitcom that hasn't already been said? Ed O'Neill IS Al Bundy in a way that most of us aren't even ourselves in our own lives. The series wore out its welcome long before its end, but its prime years were incredible. I enjoy my life so much more knowing that I could be Al Bundy, but I'm not!

I've read the comments and looks like we all like MWC. I stayed with the show through thick and thin. There were a few years when the writing went downhill, but it came back up during the last 2 or 3 years of the show's run.

Anyway, my favorite episode HAS to be the one concerning the Barbie doll. The scene where Al is stuck in bed with Marcy is a CLASSIC (much like the scene in All In The Family where Archie's neice goes out with Lionel, the black neighbor) and when Jefferson comes in and forces Al out the window is nothing short of hilarious. My eyes are filling up with tears of laughter thinking of that scene.

Now for a few unforgettable lines I like:

the episode where the Dodge turns over to 1,000,000 miles: Al turns on the radio and a cowboy is singing "And that's when my hound dog, started looking good to me"

I forget what episode this was in, but Bud kicks his family out so he can study. He says to Buck the dog, "looks like it's just you and me". Bucks says to himself: "Uh oh. I've seen porno movies that start out like this."

I had an idea for a storyline: Al's favorite strip club, The Nudie Bar, is burned down. Was it accidental or was it set by Marcy "Chicken Legs" Darcy and her anti-male friends?

What do you think of that plot? Could it have worked?

I almost submitted this without saying which of Marcy's husbands I liked better. I like Steve just a little bit better. He had that straight face that never cracked a smile no matter how ridiculous Al got. Jefferson was goo too, don't get me wrong.

This show is an all time classic and it's easy to see where more modern shows, especially such total and blatant rip-offs as the Simpsons, have their roots.

Married came about at a time when all other family sit-coms were sickly-sweet and correct. Who can forget such horrors as the Cosby Show or Diff'rent Strokes? Married was different. It dared to push the envelope of what was considered (at the time) right and proper. The family wasn't nice to each other all the time (or even any of the time!) and the show had a more real feel to it as a result.

Of course, reality quickly became subjective in Married, as the episodes became ever more ridiculous and crazy. But every show pandered to some aspect of family life that we can all identify with - car sharing, hatred of our spouses relatives, puberty, dating, work etc. etc. The list is endless. If it's a real life issue, Married has spoofed it in some way or other. Nothing was sacred. Even PMS! Though the writers were reigned in a few times, by all accounts.

The show ran for eleven seasons and over 250 episodes, which is pretty incredible for a comedy show and really should give you an indication of the dedicated fan base that Married attracted. I suspect the show will be in re-runs somewhere until the end of TV as an entertainment medium.

For more info on the show I recommend the E True Story documentary on the show, which really gives an insight into how the show started, progressed and finally was cancelled.

Meet Al Bundy. He sells shoes. For women, no less. And not pretty ones, either. His wife is a couch potato(a crimson-haired Sagal who never misses Oprah), his son a dateless loser(who tries to be cool), and his daughter an airheaded tramp(who takes great pleasure in finding Waldo). And while he remains pathetically locked into the lower middle class, his next-door neighbours, the Rhoades, freely flaunt their Mercedes, their high-paying jobs at the bank and their position above him. Over the course of the 10 years that this ran(!), Bindi... sorry, Birdie... oh, nevermind... will start his own religion(to enjoy tax-exempt status), become an inventor, will go to Washington and in general try(usually ending up at the starting position, like the tendency goes for sit-coms) to recapture his glory days(did you know that he scored four touch-downs in a single game in high school football?). His life may be miserable, but it certainly is never boring to watch. The comedy is raunchy, crude(with that said, it is also clever, referential, cartoony and at times, satirical), and not politically correct... in short, an incredible release for all the pent-up anxiety and frustration for every viewer forced to sit through the Brady Bunch and every other "perfect family with well-behaved kids" that preceded this. Finally, there was a group of people who you could point to and, rather than go "man, why can't we be like them?", say "well, at least we're not as bad as them!". This was the American Pie of its time; telling teenagers that, yes, it is, in fact, OK. You're not as weird or as randy as you might think you are. And this extends that to the older generation, as well; Ed O'Neill(who *nails* the role) voices many opinions held by Conservatives(no, I do not always agree with them... still, I defend the right to have them expressed in a free media), even if they were no longer considered to be "ok", when the changes(men becoming metrosexuals, women gaining rights, computers, etc.). The Liberals had their arguments presented(through Marcy), as well. This very directly confronts actual issues from the time, such as the low wages for public school teachers. The characters tend to be unsympathetic, yet they capture and keep our attention. Part of us wants them to succeed, and cheer them on. This grew as it progressed... compare the pilot to later episodes, and you may have trouble recognizing them. Early on, they didn't cross the line much; later, they pushed it whenever they could. In addition to a time capsule of the late 80's and most of the 90's(from the perspective of someone who grew up decades earlier), this, based on its popularity, is solid proof that we do, indeed, need to blow off some steam sometimes. Does anyone want to be these people? No. So you don't see anyone trying. This is an understandable reaction to TV of varying quality all based around the idea that the only thing that could be presented was good examples, something to look up to and copy. There is a lot of disturbing content, violence(bloodless), sexuality(nothing explicit), and a little moderate language in this. I recommend it to anyone not too prudish for it, and especially fans of Benny Hill, 'Allo 'Allo and similar series. 9/10