|
In early 1987, the fledgling Fox network added a show called Married... with Children to its Sunday-night lineup. Married... with Children was rude and crass, and the Bundys were the opposite of every other prime time television family in the history of the medium. While generating controversy, Married... with Children was also generating viewership. The show seemed to resonate with people whose families weren't as ideal as the Cleavers and the Cosbys. Although The Simpsons is generally credited with being the show that Fox built its empire on, it's fair to say that Married was also very important to the early Fox network. Married... with Children (the elipses are getting annoying) ran for eleven seasons, and we are going to watch them all. From the humble first season, through the awful darkness of the Seven episodes, and on into the novelty-episode-littered home stretch, we will follow the Bundys. We will watch as Peggy loses the last vestiges of her domesticity; we will watch as Al's football glory loses the last of its shine, and his scalp the last of its hair; we will watch as Bud and Kelly evolve from typical combative siblings, to dysfunctional adults struggling to find their place in the world outside the Bundy living room. Al Bundy is one of the greatest characters in television sitcom history. I rank him up there with Basil Fawlty, Archie Bunker, Edmund Blackadder, and Dick Solomon. All of the characters on Married with Children have brilliant moments, but I believe that it would have been possible for every other character on the show (including Peggy) to have been successfully portrayed by a different actor or actress. I don't think anyone else could have been Al Bundy. Ed O'Neill knocks it so far out of the park with Al Bundy that the ball is still traveling today, nearly thirty years after the show launched. Everything about O'Neill's Bundy is perfection. The posture, the vocal inflections, the facial expressions, and the hilarious mix of enthusiasm and fatalism that Al brings to everything he does. This show has its ups and downs. Not every episode is a winner, and there are multiple places where reasonable people could say the show jumped the shark. Unlike many other shows, however, Married with Children usually manages to land on the other side of the shark, and wobble its way to more great episodes. I will update this post with links to watched episodes, and other interesting things that happen in the thread. If no interesting things happen in the thread, well, that's life. Thread guide
Centripetal Horse fucked around with this message at 01:54 on Jul 22, 2016 |
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:05
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 29, 2024 03:32 |
|
|
Season 1: The Unboxening Given that this show ran for eleven seasons, and has to this day a very loyal fanbase, it is surprisingly hard to find quality DVD releases. Sony released the first DVD sets, and they were widely panned for being poo poo quality, for editing the episodes, and for being too cheap to pay for the loving theme song. For season one, this isn't too big a problem. The theme song doesn't disappear until season three, and the worst of the edits happen in season four. Mill Creek bought the rights to do a re-release. On the plus side, they put back the theme song, and they restored most of the episodes, including It's a Bundyful Life, to their (mostly) original glory. On the down side, they didn't use the original audio tracks, so they chopped some poo poo out of the end credits of a lot of episodes when they put back the original theme. There are also still some edits, although not nearly as bad as the original Sony release, and the quality is, frankly, poo poo. I've done my best to mitigate those issues. For season one, I went with the Sony release.    
|
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:05
|
|
|
Episode information Episode title: Pilot Season: 1 Episode: 1 Air date: 04/05/1987 IMDB link: Cast and Crew Albundy.net transcript: Transcript Bundyology notes: Bundyology posted:0101 - After Al said his "if I wanted you to know, I'd be talking" line, he carries on: "But you can't actually say that, 'cause they'd kill you. And they're allowed, too. See, it's this little... period... uh, PMS thing. I don't know, I'm not a doctor, but I think that PMS stands for 'Pummel Men's Scrotums.' Does your wife... does your wife buy you juice, Steve?" This was only on the Original Pilot episode.     Summary: Al wants to go see the Bulls, but Peggy wants him to stay home and meet the new neighbors. Centripetal Horse says: This is the pilot episode, and it does an excellent job of setting the tone for the rest of the series. We get to see the adverserial relationship between Peggy and Al, and between Bud and Kelly. Although these relationships evolve over the course of the show, they don't really stray too far from what was established in this episode; they just get more exaggerated. We can see that Peggy is still at least somewhat domestic in the beginning. Peggy at least pretends to be doing housework when Al gets home. This is a pretense that she abandons later in the series. We can also see where Peggy places her husband on the scale of importance. Knowing that Al is hungry, Peggy gives leftover food to the dog without ever seeming to consider giving it to Al. Although Al and Peggy are mutually antagonistic, we get the impression that Peg's behavior is a little more deliberate, whereas Al's seems to be more reactive. For example, Peggy intentionally makes awful coffee for Al and Steve, and tells Marcy to "get PMS" to use against Steve. We also see Peggy using financial terrorism as a weapon against Al, when she threatens to go shopping if Al does not acquiesce to her demands. In this episode, we also see that, although Peggy likes to criticize Al's anti-social behavior, she is no better. This is seen when Peggy laughs at a mean-spirited Joke Al makes at Steve and Marcy's expense, and then joins Al in mocking their new neighbors. We see right away that Al is at the bottom of life's pecking order, despite his pretenses otherwise. Al brags to Luke that no woman tells him what to do, then meekly obeys when yelled at by a customer. This is pretty much Al's life until the show starts to focus more on Al's schemes and adventures. Although Al is generally the loser, he does have occasional moments of glory throughout the show's run. Al and Peggy are both revealed to be corrupting influences on the people around them. Marcy and Steve appear to be a happy couple, but wihin minutes, the Bundys are manipulating the D'arcys for their own purposes, and their own amusement. By the end of the episode, Al and Peg have driven a wedge between the formerly happy Steve and Marcy, and that draws Al and Peg closer together. This is a central theme for the rest of the show. When there is no external enemy, it's Bundy vs. Bundy, but it's Bundys vs. the world, first and foremost. We will see over and over that the Bundys are brought together by their shared delight in other people's misery. The laugh track is a bit invasive at the beginning of this episode, but genuine laughs come along often enough that you can mostly tune out the laugh track by the midway point of the episode. Notable occurrences: First appearance of Luke First appearance of Steve and Marcy First encounter with a fat woman at the shoe store, and first fat lady joke First joke about Al stinking up the bathroom First petty household struggles, which Al loses, of course: the juice, and the ball game / the neighbors coming over First occurrence of "Want to go upstairs?" Al's first hand down pants
|
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:06
|
|
|
Too many words about love and marriage, op
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:06
|
|
|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L8kYsXg5jQ
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:07
|
|
|
Al Bundy would very much approve.
|
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:08
|
|
|
I'm Al "Axel" Bundy playing a pastrami sandwich for Old Aid.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:08
|
|
|
drat i thought this was just going to be posts hooting and hollering to toilet noises don't know what to think now
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:08
|
|
|
WOOOOOOOOOOO!
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:09
|
|
|
 Uskc my dick.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHz7IqGqo5U
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:10
|
|
|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a2wEMeKJ7g
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:12
|
|
|
no peg
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:14
|
|
|
I don't understand why Al wouldn't bang Peg. I'd still bang Katey Sagal like 20 years later.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:15
|
|
|
Episode information Episode title: Thinnergy Season: 1 Episode: 2 Air date: 04/12/87 IMDB link: Cast and Crew Albundy.net transcript: Transcript Bundyology notes: Bundyology posted:None     Summary: Marcy revelas that her sex life with Steve is rockin', and credits that to the Thinnergy diet. Peg forces Al to go on the diet with her, and Al plots to get both of them back off it. Centripetal Horse says: Steve has already reverted to being a full-on pig when Marcy isn't around, thanks at least partly to Al's influence. While Steve is on his way to buy a copy of "Patsy: Portrait of a Stewardess in Training," which he and Al had watched during "Gullbile Girls Week," he advises Al on how to use Thinnergy to manipulate Peggy. When Luke skeezily invites Al and Steve to ogle a customer's breasts, Steve does't even pretend to be offended at the idea. Steve will waffle back and forth between pig and feminist male stereotype until he finally exits the show. This episode shows us the kids banding together to enjoy their father's suffering. The kids really enjoy watching Al's misery when he is served salad for dinner. Shifting alliances among the Bundys are a running thing in the show, with no permanent loyalty being shown between any two members of the household. "What would you say if I told you I had the answer to all of your problems?" "I don't know. I bought one of those, and it's just not the same." Peggy sings Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey," and "Dominique" from The Singing Nun, while Al cuts his toenails in her presence. Notable occurrences: This is the first episode where Peggy complains about how rarely she and Al sleep together First stinky sock joke, when Peg is luring Al to bed. This is the episode that shows Peggy smoking while tossing a salad, a sequence which shows up in the credits until season eight This episode contains a vibrator joke, which was pretty risque for 1987 Centripetal Horse fucked around with this message at 05:29 on Jul 17, 2016 |
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:18
|
|
|
MANY FOLKS SUPPOSE AL WAS A QB CAUSE OF HIS FAMOUS POSE AND THEY SAY HE THREW 4 TDS IN A GAME REALITY?? AL WAS A FULLBACK & HE CAUGHT 4 TDS IN A GAME. Sorry Fuckers dont even know about MWC.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:20
|
|
|
Also am I the only one who likes Jefferson more than Steve? I just think Steve was super boring. Jefferson is probably emblematic of the show getting a bit too wacky at times as it went on, but I kind of love all his insane former CIA assassin poo poo, and the fact that he's just a total himbo.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:20
|
|
|
I can't believe I read all those words about the show I was conceived to
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:22
|
|
|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGC2LajXRlA
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:22
|
|
|
Call me when Steve fucks off and Jefferson shows up
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:22
|
|
|
poo poo I've traveled back to the late 80's I've got to warn everybody about the Ayatollah!
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:22
|
|
Vince MechMahon posted:Also am I the only one who likes Jefferson more than Steve? I just think Steve was super boring. Jefferson is probably emblematic of the show getting a bit too wacky at times as it went on, but I kind of love all his insane former CIA assassin poo poo, and the fact that he's just a total himbo. I think either one is a fine choice. I don't think Steve was boring, but I have no problem with the Jefferson era. Steve only lasted a couple of seasons, so Jefferson had a lot more time to be fleshed out by the writers.
|
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:23
|
|
|
Applewhite posted:poo poo I've traveled back to the late 80's I've got to warn everybody about the Ayatollah! Luckily it's smooth sailing from here on out!
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:23
|
|
|
Vince MechMahon posted:Also am I the only one who likes Jefferson more than Steve? I just think Steve was super boring. Jefferson is probably emblematic of the show getting a bit too wacky at times as it went on, but I kind of love all his insane former CIA assassin poo poo, and the fact that he's just a total himbo. Stev is the primary reason I won't watch season 1.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:24
|
|
|
wait isn't the op the homeless guy who got diarrhea in his car parked in a library parking lot from eating old sausages?
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:26
|
|
|
Vince MechMahon posted:Also am I the only one who likes Jefferson more than Steve? I just think Steve was super boring. Jefferson is probably emblematic of the show getting a bit too wacky at times as it went on, but I kind of love all his insane former CIA assassin poo poo, and the fact that he's just a total himbo. No you are correct. Jefferson was possibly the greatest character of the series 
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:26
|
|
|
Steve left because the actor was convinced he could have a meaningful film career.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:26
|
|
|
and then he gave his cats to some goons and learned sick rear end coding skills and then drove a motorcycle to detroit in the winter to get a job?
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:27
|
|
|
Also Jefferson is a good landmark for when the series slots from surreal humor to pure satire, or maybe the other way around.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:28
|
|
Hell Yeah posted:wait isn't the op the homeless guy who got diarrhea in his car parked in a library parking lot from eating old sausages? He is. Hell Yeah posted:and then he gave his cats to some goons and learned sick rear end coding skills and then drove a motorcycle to detroit in the winter to get a job? The motorcycle may have been a joke. The cats are now back home with me.
|
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:28
|
|
|
Centripetal Horse posted:He is. whoa
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:29
|
|
|
*hoots like a primate at the appearance of an attractive woman*
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:31
|
|
|
at what point does it become okay to oggle kelly? the late 80s/early 90s were a different time and i don't want to be led astray by the live studio audience
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:34
|
|
|
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:34
|
|
|
Haha... Woo. So many Bundy moments... So little time. Anyways... Great Show!! 10/10 A++ love iit
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:35
|
|
|
argondamn posted:at what point does it become okay to oggle kelly? the late 80s/early 90s were a different time and i don't want to be led astray by the live studio audience in the privacy of your man cave, friend, it's always okay
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:35
|
|
|
Good to see you learned how to use paragraphs op. drat it I was gunna post this.
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:37
|
|
|
*Makes Tang sandwich*
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:37
|
|
|
*wears NO MA'AM t-shirt*
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 05:57
|
|
|
Episode information Episode title: Sixteen Years and What Do You Get Season: 3 Episode: 3 Air date: 05/10/87 IMDB link: Cast and Crew Albundy.net trasncript: Transcript Bundyology notes: Bundyology posted:None     Summary: It's Peg and Al's sixteenth anniversary. They agree to skip gifts, and not make a big deal of it. In fact, Al has planned a wonderful surprise for Peg. When Peggy finds out, she decides to reciprocate, but causes problems when she doesn't take their finances into account. Centripetal Horse says: Steve is largely back under Marcy's thumb in this episode. When Steve wants to watch midget wrestling, Marcy vetoes it, and Steve obeys. Later on, Steve is saying something sweet to Marcy, and she scolds him for speaking, causing Steve to immediately apologize. A common misconception about Al and Peg is that they don't love one another. If you have only watched a few episodes here and there, you can be forgiven for thinking that. However, that is not correct. They've locked themselves into a cycle of power struggles, and financial problems, and it has taken its toll on them. There are episodes, however, where we get to see behind the stress and resentment, to the young couple in love that they once were. This is one of those episodes. Two of my all-time favorite Bundy moments stem from these tender moments, but I don't want to spoil any upcoming episodes. We will get to those when we get to them. Notable occurrences: Richard Sanders, who played Les Nessman on WKRP in Cincinnati, plays the part of the jewelry store customer who buys the watch out from under Al. Walter Olkewicz, who was the loveable Dougie Boudreau on Grace Under Fire, does a turn as the violinist. This episode marks the first time Peggy apologizes to Al, something which does not come easily to her, and which happens only rarely. We learn that "War" by Edwin Starr is their song. Centripetal Horse fucked around with this message at 07:35 on Jul 17, 2016 |
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 06:18
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 29, 2024 03:32 |
|
|
 Uncle Irwin, the one on the left, was in a few episodes. The character was originally written to be played by Divine, of John Waters movie fame. At the time, Divine was really trying to get his name out there outside of drag, in more mainstream stuff. Unfortunately, he died unexpectedly before that could happen, and the character went to King Kong Bundy (no relation).
|
|
#
?
Jul 17, 2016 06:47
|
|