The Weaker Sex (22 Oct. 1995)

Peggy takes up a self-defense class. What's worse, she is soon promoted to the advanced class. This makes Al feel emasculated. To make Peg drop the self-defense class, Kelly suggests Al ... See full summary »

Director:

Amanda Bearse

Writers:

Dvora Inwood, Ron Leavitt (creator),

Stars:

Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal, Amanda Bearse

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Ed O'Neill	...	Al Bundy
Katey Sagal	...	Peggy Bundy
Amanda Bearse	...	Marcy D'Arcy
Christina Applegate	...	Kelly Bundy
David Faustino	...	Bud Bundy
Ted McGinley	...	Jefferson D'Arcy
Harold Sylvester	...	Griff
Teresa Parente	...	Miranda Veracruz de la Jolla Cardinal
Joseph D. Reitman	...	Ghengis
Dot Jones	...	Dot
Jody Mullenax	...	Thunder
Jonathan Fahn	...	Camera Person
Dee Booher	...	Biker Chick (as Deanna Booher)
Mike McKenna	...	Bartender
Steve Valentine	...	Guy in Line

Storyline

Peggy takes up a self-defense class. What's worse, she is soon promoted to the advanced class. This makes Al feel emasculated. To make Peg drop the self-defense class, Kelly suggests Al take Peg out on a romantic date to see the Director's Cut of The Bridges of Madison Country.

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Plot Keywords:

self defense | self defense class | red dress | martial arts training | pickpocket | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 October 1995 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Sony Pictures Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

23 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Miranda Veracruz de la Jolla Cardinal: This is the bravest thing this reporter has seen since Bill said, "Hillary, I beg to differ".

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Connections

References Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)

User Reviews

Focus, gentlemen, focus on another great season (dvd)

This 10th season starts slowly as the first episodes involves my less favorite characters: Peggy's family and the dog. For the former, I'm rather a cat people so dogs leave me cold. For the latter, I have always been uneasy with country people, especially the ones that keep on living ignoring modernity and technology. This rednecks bashing is common in America entertainment unlike in France where these people are rather praised! Here, we think crazily that it's cool to live like this! In all cases, Peggy's family has invaded our family as the wife (10.13) and the father keep interfering (10.11, 10.12, 10.26)

The no ma'am club is rather a fine idea as it gives Al a lot of pals to have fun with (all the more than Peggy disappeared for the last episodes) and it's a good tool for free speech: this year, weight challenge people (10.2), religion and booze (10.4). But their highest moment was to turn their roof into a second home (10.15) or give Griff an unforgettable anniversary (10.26).

In the same vein, it's cool to have Kelly with the same girl-band but I'm surprised to see how much she had troubles with her hairstyle. Slowly and surely, I find that Jefferson is reaching the pantheon with his cool attitude and funny lines. His dedicated episode (10.17) is great as the entire episode really pushes the envelope this time.

If some episodes are so-so because they failed to blend two story lines together, we still have got pure gems of comedy when all the family is involved in an absurd plot: Kelly's experiment (10.5), Peggy's self- defense (10.6), Bud's wrestling (10.7) or Bud's calendar (10.16). Bradshaw wins this year the MVP for the best guest star as his episode about scoreboard is really a touchdown! And the last disc (starting with 10.18) is a winner!

So, this is untrue to say that old show turn into senility. It's about fine-tuning and this year, it was great to see that around the original cast, the production have succeeded to bring cool recurring characters. In that view, I pick 10.6 as my best episode because Al smelling leather men is hilarious and we have a great regular with Miranda Veracruz de la Jolla Cardinal.

NB: notice that they tried to apply the MWC ingredients to a "Friend" sitcom. It's 10.22 with the sympathetic Nicole Eggert and it's as corrosive as MWC!