Married with Children (1987–1997)

Al Bundy is a misanthropic women's shoe salesman with a miserable life. He hates his job, his wife is lazy, his son is dysfunctional (especially with women), and his daughter is dim-witted and promiscuous.

Creators:

Ron Leavitt, Michael G. Moye

Stars:

Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, Amanda Bearse

Nominated for 7 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Ed O'Neill	...	Al Bundy (261 episodes, 1987-1997)
Katey Sagal	...	Peggy Bundy (261 episodes, 1987-1997)
Amanda Bearse	...	Marcy D'Arcy (261 episodes, 1987-1997)
David Faustino	...	Bud Bundy (260 episodes, 1987-1997)
Christina Applegate	...	Kelly Bundy (259 episodes, 1987-1997)
Ted McGinley	...	Jefferson D'Arcy (168 episodes, 1989-1997)
Buck	...	Buck the Dog (105 episodes, 1991-1995)

Storyline

The Bundys are a stereotypical "white trash" American family. Al is a shoe salesman who is fond of frequently reliving his doubtful 15 seconds of fame on the football field. Al is terrified of the all-to-frequent amorous advances his ditsy wife Peggy, a woman who must spend most of Al's wages at the salon and the mall. They have two children: Kelly, the stunning but superficial party animal, and Bud, who is too wrapped up in himself to realize his goal of "scoring" with a girl.

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Plot Keywords:

shoe salesman | teen | sitcom | neighbor | dysfunctional family | 

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Taglines:

Domestic bliss was never like this!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Entertainment Television [br] Sony Pictures Entertainment

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Married... with Children

Filming Locations:

ABC Television Center - 4151 Prospect Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Embassy Television, ELP Communications, Columbia Pictures Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

22 min 22 min (262 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first prime time series aired on the new Fox Broadcasting Company. It debuted on Sunday, April 5, 1987 at 7:00 pm Eastern Standard Time, and the first episode was repeated twice throughout the night.

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Quotes

Al: I work in a shoe store, I make less than minimum wage, and yet I'm not happy to be home.

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Crazy Credits

Since the show's original theme song "Love and Marriage" has been removed from all Region 1 DVD releases of the series, the songwriting credit is generally removed from the DVD versions of these episodes. However, the credit erroneously remains in a few episodes.

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Connections

Referenced in Law & Order: Married with Children (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Love & Marriage"
Music by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyrics by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen
Performed by Frank Sinatra
Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

User Reviews

Hilarious!! We all have some Bundy in us!!

This long running American sitcom has a strange kind of following and appeal. The show has a kind of knowing badness and is intentionally cheesy and politically incorrect. The actors perform their lines with a knowing wink at the audience, as if to say 'yes we know this crude, rude, and lude'. The audiences at the recordings consist of primarily hillbillies who woof, howl and screech in delight at as much as Al flushing the toilet. It is infectious.

The cast and characters are good. Ed O'Neil is superb as Al Bundy. He makes the show as popular as it is. The facial expressions that he pulls and his delivery are hilarious. Whatever Al says or does, makes me laugh. Then there is his wife Peggy Bundy, the curviest woman alive and a hell of a milf. It's another strange mystery of the show that all of a sudden in season 2, Peggy turned into the delightfully huge chested wife from hell audiences loved. It was a jarring change, sudden in your face jubblies. Katey Sagal is excellent as Peggy and she delivers the lines brilliantly. She can screech well too and every time she cries out 'AL!' and he flinches we know why. Then there are the kids. Every young Americans dream woman in the early 90's, Christina Applegate who gets a deserved howl of male appreciation when she enters each episode. Then Bud Bundy the young loser who despite being the only Bundy with brains has no luck with the ladies, despite thinking he is god's gift.

Basically this show revolves around sexism, innuendo and machismo. You see all the jokes coming a mile off. They have long running gags that never manage to get tired, such as Peggy's constant jibes about Al's sexual prowess. This is funny. It's love it or hate it but I love it.