Its a quality show that addresses the bad parts of adulthood. I never got some of the jokes as a kid.
It is said that when Ed auditioned for the role, as he approached the door to come inside the “house”, he paused and sort of sighed. That display of exasperation, of loathing, is part of what got him the job. Subtle, but very recognizable to people…married with children.
Here’s an interview with Ed O’neil about how he came up with the persona for Al and got the part. The other actors were playing Al as loud and excited like Jackie Gleason, while he went for ‘resigned’. Ed O'Neill Reveals How He Landed the Role of Al Bundy on Married with Children | The Rich Eisen Show - YouTube
The show’s message is: Marriage is** EVIL!** :mad:
And kids make it worse.
Meh. *Roseanne *was much better.
Until it wasn’t, but that’s a different topic.
I couldnt disagree more. Also, Roseann was clearly influenced by MWC.
Agree with the disagree. MwC is in my top 3 all-time sitcoms. I used to always joke that I wanted to grow up to be Al Bundy. I think I did. :eek:
“Peg, if I wanted you to know what I was thinking I’d be talking to you.”
Great show. This and the Simpsons kept FOX alive. Archie Bunker was an asshole and Edith was a ditz, but Married made fun of the ‘institution’ of marriage and child rearing.
“Miss me Al?”
“With every bullet so far…”
“Urethra!”
Al Bundy, walking in the door after a tough day selling shoes:
“I WISH THE WORLD WAS A FLY AND I WAS A GIANT ROLLED UP NEWSPAPER!!”
Having once experienced marriage, the message is accurate.
Great story, and I’m almost surprised no one else took the “resigned” interpretation and went Jackie Gleason on him, but I’m glad they did so he could get the part. He was perfect as Al.
The show also seemed to have great cross-cultural appeal. When I was an expat in Hungary, it seemed every one of my non-US friends appreciated the show. There was even a shoe store in Budapest on Erzébet Krt. called “Al Bandy Cipő” (“Al Bundy Shoes”), which I always got a kick out of.
My favorite episode is when Al takes some scouts camping in the woods, ‘gather round the flashlight, kids’ and tells them a ‘horror story’. A horror-story about an evil, rapacious red-haired creature that pursued a man. It would not stop. Oh, he tried to avoid it. He tried dating others, but it would. not. stop! At night he could hear its evil cry…‘Oh honey…oh hoooooneeeyyyyy’…Peg was quite an attractive woman, but Al only had eyes for young sluts. He suffered from the madonna-whore syndrome, as did Elvis . You either had a pure woman or a sullied woman, and they could not be both!..Bud was kind of sad and hilarious at the same time…how many tv sitcoms feature the family’s son being busted for pleasuring himself at the public library?? …also, Christina Applegate was the most beautiful actress on television, wore bangin’ outfits, and how pale blond ladies wear red lipstick like that and look great is a mystery to me even today.
IMO I think Peg was more than attractive enough to Al physically. He just wanted her to work and contribute to keeping up the house. He loved her and stayed with her but he came to accept that she was set in her ways and would never change.
Dan Castellaneta (voice of Homer Simpson) appeared twice on MWC. The second time was as a funeral director but the first time was one of the best episodes ever. He played a guy named Pete talking to Al
Pete: Your wife is going out dancing with my husband.
Al: Your husband?
Pete: Yes, my husband.
Al: You know you’re a guy.
Pete: Yes.
Al: Your husband?
Pete: Yes
Al: You know what this means?
Pete: What?
Al: There’s three guys who don’t want to sleep with her.
Castellaneta was wonderful in the role, playing it “straight” (which he is)
There’s a Russian-produced version called Happy Together. I tried watching it, but found it incredibly lame (though the actress who played the “Marcy” character was really cute).
I’ve never discussed the show with anyone else who saw it, so I’m curious as to what the Russians thought about it.
Peg was one lousy (non) housekeeper. She was a slacker who was more interested in her hair and nails. But even so, men love ‘hot wives’ who are lousy self-absorbed bimbos… For countless seasons, Peg was constantly begging Al for sex, constantly. All he was ever turned on by were young bimbos in skin-tight mini-dresses. (It was kind of disgusting, those young bimbos were not unlike his own daughter, Kelly.) Al didn’t like women period. unless they were young sleazy pinup girls. any of them who were ordinary - like his customers at the shoe store! - were a horrid burden in his sad life. He so missed out, and there he was, a football hero from high school! 
Armin Shimerman (Quark, DS9) played a Briard owner who wanted to breed Buck to his bitch. Unfortunately, after sexy time with Buck, the female becomes the late Lady of Astoria and Al gets stuck with a bill for $10,000.