'''''Married… with Children''''' is a popular [[United States|American]] [[situation comedy|sitcom]] about a [[dysfunctional family]] living in [[Chicago]] that lasted 11 seasons over a span of 10 years. It was the first-ever [[prime time]] [[television series]] to air on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX network]], debuting on [[April 5]], [[1987 in television|1987]], and airing its final first-run broadcast on [[June 9]], [[1997 in television|1997]]. The series was created by [[Michael G. Moye]] and [[Ron Leavitt]]. The show featured various racy topics which garnered the fledgling FOX network a standing among the [[Big Three Television Networks]] (i.e., [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[NBC]] and [[CBS]]).
* [[Christina Applegate]]
* [[David Faustino]]
* [[Ted McGinley]]
}}
| theme_music_composer = {{Plainlist|
* [[Sammy Cahn]]
* [[Jimmy Van Heusen]]
}}
| opentheme = "[[Love and Marriage]]"<br />by [[Frank Sinatra]]
| endtheme = "Love and Marriage"<br />(instrumental)
'''''Married... with Children''''' is an American television [[sitcom]] created by [[Michael G. Moye]] and [[Ron Leavitt]] for the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mclellan |first=Dennis |date=February 12, 2008 |title=Co-creator of 'Married . . . With Children' |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-feb-12-me-leavitt12-story.html |access-date=March 23, 2022}}</ref> broadcast from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997. It is the longest-running live-action sitcom ever aired on Fox. ''Married... with Children'' was the first primetime series broadcast on the new Fox network. The series' run ended with the episode broadcast on May 5, 1997.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3wRsf9NAVw | title=MWC fox promo - Desperate Half Hour & How To Marry A Moron | date=April 27, 2022 | publisher=[[YouTube]] |access-date=2 July 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0642293/mediaviewer/rm2176877569/?ref_=tt_md_9 | title=Fox May Events: Married with Children Series Finale | publisher=[[IMDb]] |access-date=2 July 2023 }}</ref> Two previously unaired episodes were broadcast on June 9, 1997, and June 18, 2002.
The show's 262 episodes over 11 seasons make it the second-longest-lasting sitcom on the FOX network (second only to ''[[The Simpsons]]''). The show's theme song is "[[Love and Marriage]]" by [[Frank Sinatra]].
The show is set in [[Chicago]] and follows the lives of [[Al Bundy]], a former high school football player turned hard-luck women's shoe salesman; his lazy wife [[Peggy Bundy|Peggy]]; their pretty but dim-witted daughter [[Kelly Bundy|Kelly]]; and their smart-aleck son [[Bud Bundy|Bud]]. The show also features their neighbors [[Steve Rhoades|Steve]] and [[Marcy D'Arcy|Marcy]] Rhoades, both of whom Al finds annoying, but likewise feel the same way about him. Later in the series, Marcy marries [[Jefferson D'Arcy]], a white-collar criminal who becomes her "trophy husband" and Al's sidekick.
==Synopsis==
The show follows the lives of [[Al Bundy]], a once-glorious high school [[American football|football]] player turned hard-luck salesman of women's shoes, his wife, Peggy, a tartish, uneducated [[housewife]] known for her large red [[bouffant]] hairdo, 1960s clothes and funny walk due to always wearing high heels, and their two children: Kelly, their attractive, promiscuous, dim-witted daughter, and Bud, their unpopular and girl-crazy but intelligent son (as the only Bundy who ever attended college). Their neighbors are the upwardly mobile Steve and Marcy Rhoades. (Marcy later marries second husband Jefferson D'Arcy.) Most storylines involve a scheming Al being foiled by his cartoonish dim wit and bad luck. His rivalry and loathing of Marcy also play a significant role in most episodes.
The series is one of the longest-running sitcoms in American television history, covering 11 seasons with 259 episodes in its run. Its theme song is "[[Love and Marriage]]" by [[Sammy Cahn]] and [[Jimmy Van Heusen]], performed by [[Frank Sinatra]]. Critical reception was mixed during its original run, and the show's sexually charged humor and depiction of a dysfunctional family were in stark contrast to family sitcoms of the era.
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The first eight seasons were taped at [[Sunset Gower Studios]] in Hollywood, and the final three seasons were taped at [[Sony Pictures Studios]] in [[Culver City]]. The series was initially produced by [[Embassy Communications]]. Starting halfway through the second season, it was produced by ELP Communications under the studio [[Columbia Pictures Television]].
== Characters ==
:''see also [[List of Married... with Children cast members]]''
=== The Bundy family ===
In 2008, the show made the top 100 on ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''{{'s}} "New TV Classics" list, placing number 94.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The New Classics: TV|url=https://ew.com/article/2007/06/18/new-classics-tv/|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=February 21, 2012|date=June 18, 2007|archive-date=October 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020093840/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C20207339%2C00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2022, an animated revival was in the works.<ref name=animatedseries>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/married-with-children-animated-series-original-cast-revival-1235023019/amp/ |title='Married… With Children' Animated Series With Original Cast Heats Up TV Marketplace |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=May 13, 2022 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |access-date=May 13, 2022}}</ref>
* The creators of the show named the "Bundy" family after their favorite wrestler [[Chris Pallies|King Kong Bundy]], though some fans mistakenly believed that the name was derived from serial killer [[Ted Bundy]]. King Kong Bundy once appeared on the show as Peg's hick inbred uncle Irwin, and again appeared as his wrestling persona, since "NO MA'AM" (a fictional club depicted on the show) were big fans of King Kong Bundy.
==== AlBundy====
== Cast and characters ==
{{Main|List of Married... with Children characters}}
| [[Katey Sagal]] || [[List of Married... with Children characters#Peg Bundy|Margaret "Peggy" Bundy]]|| style="text-align:center;" | 1987–1997 || style="text-align:center;"| 1–11 || style="text-align:center;"| 247
|-
| [[Christina Applegate]] || [[List of Married... with Children characters#Kelly Bundy|Kelly Bundy]]|| style="text-align:center;" | 1987–1997 || style="text-align:center;"| 1–11 || style="text-align:center;"| 256
|-
| [[David Faustino]] || [[List of Married... with Children characters#Bud Bundy|Bud Bundy]]|| style="text-align:center;" | 1987–1997 || style="text-align:center;"| 1–11 || style="text-align:center;"| 257
|-
| [[Amanda Bearse]] || [[List of Married... with Children characters#Marcy B. Rhoades/D'Arcy|Marcy Rhoades/D'Arcy]]|| style="text-align:center;" | 1987–1997 || style="text-align:center;"| 1–11 || style="text-align:center;"| 236
|-
| [[David Garrison]] || [[List of Married... with Children characters#Steve Rhoades|Steve Rhoades]]|| style="text-align:center;" | 1987–1990, 1992–93, 1995 || style="text-align:center;"| 1–4, guest 6–7, 9 || style="text-align:center;"| 73
|-
| [[Ted McGinley]] || [[List of Married... with Children characters#Jefferson D'Arcy|Jefferson D'Arcy]]|| style="text-align:center;" | 1989, 1991–97 || style="text-align:center;"| Guest 4, main 5–11 || style="text-align:center;"| 166
|}
* [[File:Married With Children Bundy Family 1987.jpg|thumb|The cast of ''Married... with Children'' in 1987. From left to right: Katey Sagal, Ed O'Neill, David Faustino and Christina Applegate.]]Al Bundy ([[Ed O'Neill]]) – A [[misanthropy|misanthrope]], afflicted by the so-called "Bundy curse" that consigns him to an unrewarding career selling women's shoes and a life with a family that mocks and disrespects him, who still enjoys the simple things in life. He constantly attempts to relive his high-school football days, when he was an "All State Fullback". His most noted achievement was having scored four touchdowns in a single game for Polk High. His favorite things in life are the local [[Strip club|nudie bar]], his collection of [[pornographic magazine|''BigUns'' magazine]], his [[Dodge]] car with more than {{convert|1|e6mi|e6km|abbr=unit}} on the odometer, and a television show called ''Psycho Dad''.<ref>{{Citation|title=Married with children, Physco dad compilation which includes Physco mom|url=https://www.bitchute.com/video/o3McdK5HyTZJ/|language=en|access-date=2021-08-30}}</ref> Despite his family's antipathy for him, and his for them, Al is always ready to defend his family and the Bundy honor.
The head of the Bundy family, Al ([[Ed O'Neill]]) is doomed to fail in all aspirations because of the 'Bundy curse'. Once a promising [[fullback (American football)|fullback]] for fictional [[James K. Polk|Polk]] High School (his proudest moment in life was running for four [[touchdown]]s in a single game), he was on his way to [[college]] on a [[scholarship]] until he impregnated his girlfriend, married her, broke his leg, and ended up a shoe salesman at Gary's Shoes in the New Market Mall. Al often spends time attempting to recapture his glory days but is usually undermined in spectacular fashion by bad luck and poor judgment. He considers his family to be the cause of his failures, and his resentment of them (and fear of having sex with his wife) provides much of the show's humor. However, Al is still devoted to them, given that he protectively beats up Kelly's boyfriends, once threatened a male stripper that "if my wife loses anything down your pants, so will you," once gave his entire paycheck to Bud to enjoy his eighteenth birthday at the nudie bar, and holds down a lousy job to put food on the table. Despite his yearning for "the touch of a beautiful woman," he always passes on those rare temptations, once explaining, "I actually kinda like my family." He frequents "nudie bars" and strip joints with his friends. The only thing that seems to consistently put him in the mood for his wife is watching her do manual labor, which virtually never happens. It is mentioned in a Season 5 episode, aired in [[1990]], that Al is 43, which means his age pays homage to his real-life self, Ed O'Neill, who was also 43 at the time. Al has extremely severe [[foot odor]], prefers the escapism of television and bowling over his dysfunctional family and life of drudgery and starvation (as Peg refuses to cook, she claims that she is allergic to fire, despite the fact that she smokes.), and is often seen in his trademark couch-potato pose — seated on the sofa with one hand stuck under the waistband of his pants. The foot odor is not his only health problem, for once in [[1983]] he had a bad case of [[dandruff]]. He also has terrible teeth, as noted in the episode "Tooth or Consequences" where his extremely poor dental hygiene (green, black, bleeding and loose teeth amongst them) leads to a trip to the dentist with typical bad luck results.
* Peggy Bundy ([[née]] Wanker) ([[Katey Sagal]]) – Al's wife who is always pestering him about money and refuses to do any housework or get a job. Peggy is a lazy redhead who spends most of her time watching talk shows such as ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show|Oprah]]'' or stealing Al's limited funds to go shopping; she frequently mocks Al about his unglamourous job, his meager earnings, his hygiene, and his poor sexual abilities. Her careless spending on things like clothes and male strip clubs has run Al into debt on numerous occasions. A recurring joke in the series is Al's and Peggy's regrets of having married each other, although on occasion they will show affection towards one another. Peggy's best friend is Marcy, with whom Peggy occasionally leads into trouble. Peggy's side of the family is a backwoods clan of [[hillbilly|hillbillies]] whom she often forces the other Bundys to endure, especially her morbidly obese mother, whom Al finds intolerable.
* Kelly Bundy ([[Christina Applegate]]) – the Bundys' firstborn; a [[Blonde stereotype|dumb blonde]] who is often derided as promiscuous and dates guys who irritate Al to the point that he wants to physically assault them. Her stupidity manifests in many ways, from forgetting ideas on the spot to mispronouncing or misspelling simple words. She and her brother Bud generally get along, but enjoy belittling one another.
* Budrick "Bud" Franklin Bundy ([[David Faustino]]) – the younger Bundy offspring, and sometimes the more level-headed family member, although his preoccupation with sex sometimes leads to inevitable failures with women. He and older sister Kelly constantly taunt each other, but when Kelly is in a legitimate bind he will support her, much like Kelly does for him under similar circumstances.
* Marcy Rhoades, later Marcy D'Arcy ([[Amanda Bearse]]) – the Bundys' next-door neighbor, Al's nemesis and Peggy's best friend; an educated banker, but also a [[feminism|feminist]] and environmentalist who often protests Al's schemes with his NO MA'AM (National Organization of Men Against Amazonian Masterhood) group. Marcy is the founder and leader of an anti-man support group called "FANG" (Feminists Against Neanderthal Guys). Marcy and Al constantly bicker and do not get along. For the first few seasons of the show, Marcy is married to Steve Rhoades. After Marcy and Steve divorce and he leaves during the fourth season, Marcy meets and marries Jefferson D'Arcy, giving her the name Marcy D'Arcy.
* Steven "Steve" Bartholomew Rhoades ([[David Garrison]]) is Marcy's first husband, a stuffy banker who finds himself frequently entangled in Al's schemes. Steve's most prized possession is his [[Mercedes-Benz]], which he does not even let Marcy drive. Although very much in love at the beginning of the series, Steve and Marcy grow apart and he leaves her during the fourth season to become a forest ranger at [[Yosemite National Park]]. He later comes back in "The Egg and I" episode to try and reclaim his old life with Marcy, but finds trouble with Jefferson, Marcy's second husband. Steve later has another job as the dean of Bud's college, after blackmailing the previous one he worked under as a [[chauffeur]].
* Jefferson Milhouse D'Arcy ([[Ted McGinley]]), a pretty-boy scammer to whom Marcy wakes up one morning and discovers she has married. Unlike Steve, Jefferson is more of a free spirit, likes to have fun, is constantly unemployed, has no money of his own, and uses Marcy for financial purposes. Marcy is aware of this, but whenever Jefferson gets into trouble with her, he distracts her by working his charm and resorting to sexual bartering. In several episodes, Jefferson is implied, but never confirmed, to have had a past life as a former spy/CIA operative.
=== Pilot episode ===
Al's favorite television series, the fictional ''[[Psycho Dad]]'', was a source of joy and entertainment that Al seemingly at times wanted to emulate. He would hum the words to the theme song and pretend to "shoot" his fictional gun while watching the show. Much like Al's family, "Psycho Dad" was tormented by his family and was stated to kill his wife and get revenge on his children in the opening credits and during various fictional "airings" of the episode though no video was ever shown. His other joys were Westerns, often John Wayne films, most notably "Hondo" where Peg's family ruined his recording of the movie by taping over it with a song dedicated to Peg. He has also referenced "Shane" where the Wanker clan ruined his enjoyment of that movie.
In the show's pilot episode, actors Tina Caspary and [[Hunter Carson]] played the roles of Kelly and Bud Bundy, respectively. Before the series aired publicly the roles for the two Bundy children were re-cast. Ed O'Neill and the show's producers worried about a lack of chemistry with the parents and the original actors cast as the children. A re-casting was done and all of the scenes in the pilot with Carson and Caspary were re-shot with David Faustino and Christina Applegate playing Bud and Kelly Bundy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.directexpose.com/married-with-children-facts/|title=Facts About Married… With Children That Will Surprise You|first=Eric|last=Sumner|date=August 26, 2018|access-date=January 1, 2020|archive-date=January 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101073406/https://www.directexpose.com/married-with-children-facts/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== Recurring characters ===
Al also has his "faithful" Dodge that invariably had bad brakes, no brakes, constant break-downs and numerous other problems associated with its age. At the time of the fourth season at least, Al was still paying it off, despite it being over 20 years old and by the eighth season, had passed one million miles.
{{Main|List of Married... with Children characters#Recurring_characters|l1=List of Married...with Children recurring characters}}
==Development==
The producers originally wanted to cast comedian [[Sam Kinison]] as Al Bundy. However, they ultimately chose not to, due to the profaneness of Kinison's comedy routines. Kinison would later play Al's guardian angel in the episode "[[It's a Bundyful Life]]", spoofing [[Frank Capra]]'s ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]''. The producers also considered [[Michael Richards]] for the role.
The working title of ''Married... with Children'' was ''Not the Cosbys'', as a mockery of family sitcoms that were common on primetime television in the mid-1980s such as ''[[The Cosby Show]]''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vREzBwAAQBAJ&dq=%22married+with+children%22+%22Not+the+cosbys%22&pg=PA165|title=The American Family on Television: A Chronology of 121 Shows, 1948-2004|last=Brooks|first=Marla|place=Jefferson, North Carolina|publisher=McFarland|year=2005|isbn=9780786420742|pages=165–166|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="Kimmel 2004">{{cite book|last=Kimmel|first=Daniel M.|title=The Fourth Network: How FOX Broke the Rules and Reinvented Television|date=2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4N5XAwAAQBAJ&dq=%22married+with+children%22+%22Not+the+cosbys%22&pg=PA66|place=Chicago|publisher=Ivan R. Dee|isbn=9781566639514}}</ref>{{rp|66}} Creators [[Ron Leavitt]] and [[Michael G. Moye]] were told by [[Garth Ancier]] and other [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] executives "to be as outrageous as they could be, doing the sort of material the [[Big Three (American television)|Big Three]] would never allow on the air", wrote [[Daniel M. Kimmel]] in 2004.<ref name="Kimmel 2004"/>{{rp|66}} However, Fox CEO [[Barry Diller]] had initial doubts that ''Married... with Children'' would be successful.<ref name="Kimmel 2004"/>{{rp|66}}
====Peggy Bundy====
Margaret "Peggy" Bundy ([[Katey Sagal]]) is Al's very lazy high school drop-out housewife. She refuses to cook or to clean the house, and prefers shopping for new clothes to washing them and does not even think of having a job. During the day, she likes to watch all the daytime [[talk show]]s, sitting on the beloved family couch and eating tons of bonbons (without getting fat, amazingly enough). Her favorite TV shows are ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show|Oprah]]'' and ''[[The Phil Donahue Show]]'', but also enjoys watching the [[Home Shopping Network]]. Peggy is a [[red hair|red-head]] with the [[bouffant]] hairdo and usually wears 1960s-styled fashion with tight pants and [[stiletto heel]]s, which makes her walk in a unique way.
==Reception==
Despite her inappropriate behavior, she generally appeals to men, including Al whenever she does work. Like Al, she would never cheat on her partner -- but unlike Al, enjoys marital sex. She frequents strip joints with male dancers, causing some of them to establish the "Bundy rule" -- where women can no longer go into the back rooms to meet the dancers. Her maiden name is [[wikt:Wank|Wank]]er, and her family hails from the fictitious rural Wanker County, [[Wisconsin]], "where everyone is relative." At Peg and Al's high school reunion one rival muttered "Peg, Peggy Wanker don't bother to thank her." What is never made clear is how she managed to go to high school with Al when her parents apparently never left Wanker County. During Season 6, Katey Sagal got pregnant in real-life so it was written into the show. Sadly, Katey delivered a stillborn child so in true 'Dallas' fashion, the writers made the whole storyline into one of Al's nightmares. Katey was pregnant again twice in the series' run, but instead of writing her pregnancies into the show, the producers either used camera shots from above the stomach or wrote episodes without the character of Peggy.
===Critical response===
For season 1, [[Metacritic]] calculated an average of 58 out of 100 based on 5 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/married-with-children/season-1|title=Married with Children - Season 1 Reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=March 21, 2023}}</ref> Reviews of the debut episode were mixed. In 1987, [[Howard Rosenberg]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' praised the casting of the Bundys, found the character development of the D'Arcys lacking, and warned viewers: "The satire is heavy-handed."<ref>{{cite web|last=Rosenberg|first=Howard|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-04-04-ca-1111-story.html|title=2 new Fox series--plainly no vanilla|date=April 4, 1987|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=March 21, 2023|url-access=limited|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230321194741/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-04-04-ca-1111-story.html|archive-date=March 21, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> Conversely, also in 1987, [[Tom Shales]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' called the debut episode "nasty-minded, overacted and poorly cast".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1987/04/04/the-day-of-the-fox/e25de9ce-e4cb-424a-84d3-aba64e22f905/|title=The day of the fox|last=Shales|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Shales|date=April 4, 1987|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=March 21, 2023|url-access=subscription}}</ref> For ''The New York Times'', [[John J. O'Connor (journalist)|John J. O'Connor]] described it as "loud, coarse and life-of-the-party vulgar".<ref name="OConnor 1987">{{cite web|last=O'Connor|first=John J.|authorlink=John J. O'Connor (journalist)|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/03/arts/tv-weekend-2-shows-in-fox-prime-time-debut.html|title=2 Shows in Fox Prime-Time Debut|work=The New York Times|date=April 3, 1987|access-date=September 1, 2024|page=C30|url-access=subscription|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20150524203530/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/03/arts/tv-weekend-2-shows-in-fox-prime-time-debut.html|archive-date=May 24, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> O'Connor also compared ''Married...'' unfavorably to other family shows like ''[[The Life of Riley]]'' and ''[[All in the Family]]'', describing the show as "pure blue-collar shtick, dressed up with the usual sexual-potency and bathroom jokes".<ref name="OConnor 1987"/>
===Ratings===
The producers originally wanted [[Roseanne Barr]] to play Peggy Bundy, but she declined and the producers cast Katey Sagal.
Despite the show's enduring popularity and fanbase, ''Married... with Children'' was never a major ratings success. Part of the reason was that Fox, a startup network, did not have the affiliate base of the [[Big Three television networks]], thus preventing the series from reaching the entire country. In an interview for a special commemorating the series' 20-year anniversary in 2007, Katey Sagal stated that part of the problem the series faced was that many areas of the country were able to get Fox only through low-quality [[UHF television broadcasting|UHF channels]] well into the early 1990s, while some areas of the country did not receive the new network at all, a problem not largely rectified until the launch of [[Foxnet]] in June 1991 and later the network's acquisition of [[National Football League]] rights which led to [[1994 United States broadcast TV realignment|several stations across the United States changing affiliations]]. For instance, Ed O'Neill's hometown of [[Youngstown, Ohio]] did not have its own Fox affiliate until [[CBS]] affiliate [[WKBN-TV]] signed on [[WYFX-LD|WFXI-CA/WYFX-LP]] in 1998, one year after the show went off the air (the area was served by [[WPGH-TV]] in [[Pittsburgh]] and [[Cleveland]]'s Fox affiliates—initially [[WOIO]], then [[WJW (TV)|WJW]]—as default affiliates on cable), so many of O'Neill's friends and family mistakenly thought he was famous for beer commercials during this time.
Another problem lay in the fact that many of the newly developed series on Fox were unsuccessful, which kept the network from building a popular lineup to draw in a larger audience. In its original airing debut, ''Married... with Children'' was part of a Sunday lineup that competed with the popular ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' and Sunday-night movie on CBS. Fellow freshman series included ''[[Duet (TV series)|Duet]]'', cancelled in 1989, along with ''[[It's Garry Shandling's Show]]'' and ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'', both of which were canceled in 1990. The success of ''[[The Simpsons]]'', which debuted on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' in 1987, helped draw some viewers over to Fox, allowing ''Married... with Children'' to rank in the Nielsen Top 50 from Season 4 through Season 8, peaking at No. 37 in Season 6. Although these ratings were somewhat small in comparison with the other three networks, they were good enough for Fox to keep renewing the show. In its prime in the early 1990s, the show was averaging over 20 million viewers each week.
==== Kelly Bundy ====
Kelly ([[Christina Applegate]]) is the oldest child in the Bundy family, born in approximately [[1972]] or [[1973]] on [[November 27]] or sometime before [[February 19]] as noted in "Peggy Turns 300," where Kelly says her birthday is in February but erroneously refers to herself as an "Aquarium" instead of Aquarius. "Pumpkin," as Al often calls her, is a promiscuous [[bimbo]] and stereotypical "[[dumb blonde]]." She may have inherited her behavior from her mother, known as "The Big Easy" in high school. Peg has attempted to convey some of her other "values" to Kelly, most notably advice on how to avoid working.
While the series did not end on a [[cliffhanger]], it was expected to be renewed for a 12th season (which would have been the final season) and thus did not have a proper [[series finale]] when Fox decided to cancel it in 1997. With Fox announcing the cancellation publicly before informing the cast and crew, most if not all of them found out about the series cancellation from fans and low-level employees instead of from network executives. Katey Sagal stated that she constantly felt that the series was neglected by Fox despite helping bring the fledgling network on the map (''Married... with Children'' having been on even before ''The Simpsons''); for his part, Ed O'Neill attributed possible neglect of the series by Fox to constant turnover of some of the top positions at the network.<ref name="E!">{{Cite episode|series=[[E! True Hollywood Story]]|title=Married... with Children|network=[[E!]]|date=August 26, 2001|season=5|number=36}}</ref> In a 2013 interview, O'Neill stated that he felt TV stations who owned syndication rights to the series put pressure on Fox and [[Sony Pictures Television]] to end the series since the show had [[100 episodes|nearly three times the episodes needed for syndication]] and the production of more episodes would have resulted in higher rights fees.
During the series' run, Kelly got progressively more stupid. Intially, she was not the stereotypical dumb blonde bimbo she eventually becomes known for being. In one episode, a flashback to Kelly's childhood reveals her to once be a prodigious reader until she banged her head during a road trip, instantly changing her personality to prefer focusing on her "shiny, shiny shoes." The show hints to her amazing intrinsic intellectual ability, which only exhibits itself on those rare occasions when she is not preoccupied with her social standing or the opposite sex. For instance, she can predict the next number drawn on a roulette wheel, but only after letting her mind go blank. When properly motivated, she is able to solve complex mathematical equations, such as her calculation of the trajectory to shoot garbage bags into the D'Arcys' yard from a self-built catapult. It has been demonstrated that she can absorb a limited amount of information very well, but will forget something that she learned in the past once her limit is reached. She is also known to display excellent hand-eye coordination when playing pool or performing archery.
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
Kelly's comedic function tends to include blatant displays of naïvete and ignorance, with the typical response by the family of willfully allowing her to remain ignorant. Bud in particular likes to sow misconceptions in her mind. For example, she asks Bud to help her with her book report on ''[[Robinson Crusoe]]'' but ends up reviewing ''[[Gilligan's Island]]'' instead. Her family is surprised to learn that she earned her high school diploma in [[1990]] -- but when she receives her diploma through the mail after finishing [[summer school]], she asks her mother to read it to her. She then worked as a model and waitress. She had become a bottle-blonde at an early age at her mother's encouragement after a boy at school liked a natural blonde more than Kelly. (Years afterward, neither can remember their own natural hair-color). She is obsessed with boys, hair [[bleach]] and the [[telephone]]. Kelly was not allowed to have sleepovers or birthday parties from age eight to age sixteen, thanks to an experience she had at age eight, where "the judge wanted to trial [her] as an adult!"
|+Ratings overview
|-
! Season
! Episodes
! Timeslot ([[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]])
! Premiere
! Finale
! style="background:#ffdead;"| TV season
! style="background:#ffdead;"| Rank
! style="background:#ffdead;"| Rating
|-
! [[List of Married... with Children episodes#Season 1 (1987)|1]]
| align="center"| 13
| align="center"| Sunday 8:00 PM
| align="center"| {{Start date|1987|4|5}}
| align="center"| {{End date|1987|6|28}}
| style="background:#fc9; text-align:center;"| [[1986–87 United States network television schedule|1986–87]]
| style="background:#fc9; text-align:center;"| '''6.7'''<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/1991/08/1996-97-ratings-history.html | title=The TV Ratings Guide: 1996-97 Ratings History }}</ref>
|}
=== Controversy and legacy ===
Though she often pokes fun at her younger brother Bud for being an underdeveloped, pubescent [[sexual arousal|horndog]], she usually seems to be proud of him whenever he manages to get an attractive date. On at least one occasion, she has also avenged Bud by humiliating a girl that humiliated him. For a short time, Bud is her official agent, entitled to 80% of her earnings. Kelly is very fond of her pets, even when unable to sufficiently care for them. Buck, the family dog, was generally considered to be hers, and she was the most upset when he died. However, when Buck was to be neutered, Al (not wanting to have Buck fixed) says "Buck is Bud's dog and we have to get Bud's permission." But Peg asks Bud if it is ok to neuter "his" dog, Bud does not seem to care and simply says "sure".
The sexual humor and depiction of family life on ''Married... with Children'' were controversial from its debut. Daniel M. Kimmel reflected on the show in 2004: "It had achieved a cult status as a somewhat tasteless family sitcom that was so well written and acted that some actually saw it as dark satire of modern suburban life rather than simply an unending stream of sex jokes."<ref name="Kimmel 2004"/>{{rp|66}} In 2007, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' TV critic [[James Poniewozik]], in ranking the show among the 100 greatest of all time, called it "a twisted mirror of TV's instant-gratification culture...suitable for a medieval morality play."<ref name="Time 2007"/> Poniewozik concluded about the characterization of the show: "Zestily lowbrow and sex-obsessed, ''Married'' was dedicated to the classical ideal that unhappy families were more interesting than happy ones... and a lot funnier."<ref name="Time 2007"/> Reviewing Sony's original DVD release of the first season in 2003, Aaron Belerle of [[DVD Talk]] reflected that the show's humor "doesn't seem so edgy anymore".<ref name="DVD Talk">{{cite web|last=Belerle|first=Aaron|title= Married with Children - The Complete First Season |publisher=DVD Talk|date=November 7, 2003|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/8210/married-with-children-the-complete-first-season/|access-date=September 1, 2024|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040101114701/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=8210|archive-date=January 1, 2004|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 1989, [[Terry Rakolta]] from [[Bloomfield Hills, Michigan]], attempted to lead a boycott<ref name="Time 2007">{{cite magazine|last=Poniewozik |first=James |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1651341_1659192_1652601,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026140557/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1651341_1659192_1652601,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 26, 2007 |title=Married ... With Children The 100 Best TV Shows Of All Time |magazine=Time |date=2007-09-06 |access-date=2012-03-14}}</ref> of the show after viewing the episode "[[Her Cups Runneth Over]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundyology.com/hpg/306.html |title=Bundyology—Episode "Her Cups Runneth Over" |publisher=Bundyology.com |access-date=2012-03-14}}</ref> Offended by the images of an old man wearing a woman's garter and stockings, the scene in which Steve touches the pasties of a mannequin dressed in S&M gear, a homosexual man wearing a tiara on his head (and Al's line "...and they wonder why we call them 'queens{{' "}}), and a half-nude woman who takes off her bra in front of Al (and is shown with her arms covering her bare chest in the next shot), Rakolta began a letter-writing campaign to advertisers, demanding they boycott the show.
Her favorite comic strip is ''[[Garfield]]''. Her less-than-stellar reading skills led to many comedic situations in which she would read the ''Garfield'' comic aloud, mispronouncing [[lasagne]] as "luh-SAG-nee." She also watches cartoons such as ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' under the impression that it is a nature show.
Rakolta's campaign resulted in [[Gillette]], [[Warner–Lambert]], and [[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]] ending sponsorships; ironically, Coca-Cola owned the studio that produced the show, [[Columbia Pictures Television]].<ref name="Kimmel 2004"/>{{rp|68}} Fox pulled the episode titled "[[I'll See You in Court]]" (in which the Bundys attempt to improve their love life by having marital relations in a different setting). This episode became known as the "Lost Episode" and was aired on [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] on June 18, 2002, with some parts cut.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?26509|title=Censored 'Married ... with Children' to Air on FX|work=Zap2It.com|date=June 17, 2002|access-date=August 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030212064318/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?26509|archive-date=February 12, 2003|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= The Illustrated Lost Show Transcript|url=http://www.bundyology.com/lost1.html|work=Bundyology|date=November 25, 2002|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20071219184320/http://www.bundyology.com/lost1.html|archive-date=December 19, 2007|access-date=August 17, 2024|url-status=dead}}</ref> The episode was packaged with the rest of the third season in the January 2005 [[DVD]] release (and in the first volume of the ''Married ... With Children Most Outrageous Episodes'' DVD set) with the parts cut from syndication restored.
The show and specifically, Christina Applegate's character is referenced in the movie ''[[Donnie Darko]]''.
Viewers' curiosity over the boycott and over the show itself led to a drastic ratings boost.<ref name="Kimmel 2004"/>{{rp|68}} Rakolta has been alluded to twice on the show: "Rock and Roll Girl",<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=married-with-children&episode=s04e15|title=Married with Children s04e15 Episode Script |website=Springfield! Springfield!|access-date=2019-08-25|archive-date=2014-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909161100/http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=married-with-children&episode=s04e15|url-status=dead}}</ref> in which a newscaster mentions the city Bloomfield Hills, and "No Pot to Pease In",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=married-with-children&episode=s09e09|title=Married with Children s09e09 Episode Script|website=Springfield! Springfield!|access-date=2019-08-25 |archive-date=2014-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909161041/http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=married-with-children&episode=s09e09|url-status=dead}}</ref> in which a television show is made about the Bundy family and then cancelled because, as Marcy stated, "some woman in Michigan didn't like it."
==== Bud Bundy ====
Budrick Franklin "Bud" Bundy ([[David Faustino]]) is the second child, born around [[1974]]. He was named after Al's favorite beer, [[Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)|Budweiser]]. The first word Bud spoke was "hooters." He believes himself to be attractive, [[sexy]] and smooth, but often is typically caught in sexually humiliating scenarios. He is also shorter in stature than his sister, and a lot shorter than his mother. He does not appear to know how to impress women upon meeting them and is often rejected. It is unclear when he actually lost his virginity, as it was depicted that he may have bedded women as far back as age 14, but in the fourth season it is mentioned that he is still a virgin. Later in the series, he manages to have one-night-stands, including one with his cousin's fiancee, played by [[Joey Lauren Adams]]. He tries to get girls with the help of various [[alter-ego]]s, including street rapper 'Grandmaster B' -- a persona often ridiculed by his family with the epithets 'Bed-wetter B', 'Cross-Dresser B', 'Grandma B', 'Grand bastard', 'Grand Marshall B', "Buderace",<ref>[http://www.bundyology.com/bbud.html More Examples]</ref> etc. (Interestingly, David Faustino has actually been featured in a few rap albums in real life, and manages a nightclub.) Another alter-ego is 'Cool Bud', Bud's sexual, suave side with which he eventually 'merges', prompting him to become more 'cool'. Bud has been known to fail at romance, as those attracted to him are often undesirable (such as fat hotel guests, dowdy college librarians, and male hotel workers). Bud also takes an interest in Marcy; when Steve leaves her, he actively pursues her. After playing a trick on Kelly to prove her stupidity, Kelly proves not to be so foolish by making Bud and Mrs Rhoades falsely believe they spent the night together. (Bud asks Marcy, "You are on the pill right?" In response, Marcy looks nervous).
Socially conservative criticisms of the show were not limited to Rakolta. The [[Media Research Center]] named ''Married... with Children'' the worst show of the 1995–96 television season, calling it the "crudest comedy on prime time television" for "lewd punch lines".<ref name="MRC 1996">{{cite web|title=Top 10 Best and Worst Primetime TV Shows|url=http://townhall.com/mrc/entertainment/topten.html|publisher=Media Research Center|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/19961129110404/http://townhall.com/mrc/entertainment/topten.html|archive-date=November 29, 1996|access-date=August 16, 2024|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/prowrestling/married-with-children-wrestling-episode-king-kong-bundy/|title=The Wrestling Episode: The Battle Of The Bundys On 'Married … With Children'|last=Stroud|first=Brandon|work=Uproxx|date=April 26, 2018|access-date=August 16, 2024}}</ref> Republican U.S. Senator [[Jesse Helms]] called the show "trash".<ref>{{cite web |last=McLellan |first=Dennis |title=Ron Leavitt-co-created 'Married…With Children' |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Ron-Leavitt-co-created-Married-With-3227123.php |website=San Francisco Gate |date=February 13, 2008 |access-date=9 August 2022}}</ref> Fellow Senator [[Joe Lieberman]] (D-CT) also strongly criticized the sitcom, after having walked in on his stepson and young daughter watching an episode one evening in late 1993. In an interview many years later, Lieberman would specifically cite ''Married...With Children'' as the impetus for his becoming a vocal opponent of pop culture and the entertainment industry throughout his Senate career.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/12/08/lieberman-versus-hollywood/34114372-56bf-47f8-8cbd-5d4b09fd44bd/ |title=
Out of the Bundys, Bud seems to be the most ashamed of the family as he often pretends to not know them. He is also arguably the most academically intelligent. He ridicules Kelly as a promiscuous dimwit, and although he quite frequently uses her ignorance to his benefit, he occasionally feels obliged to defend her when others exploit her foolishness -- but he is known to scheme against his own family. He makes [[honors student|honor roll]] throughout [[high school]], and gets himself through college (and even earns scholarship money which his family spends without his consent). During his college years, Bud is portrayed as the leader in his social circle (most of whom are stereotypical "losers"), as he appears to be the only one with the least bit of self-confidence. He is also Kelly's agent, receiving 80% of everything she makes.
Lieberman Versus Hollywood |newspaper=The Washington Post |last=Farhi |first=Paul |date=December 8, 2003 |access-date=January 17, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1996/10/16/congressmen-ask-fox-to-show-married-with-children-later/ | title=Congressmen ask Fox to show "Married with Children' later |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=October 16, 1996 |access-date=January 17, 2024 }}</ref>
However, the show was recognized for giving women prominent roles behind the scenes. Producers decided to rewrite the sixth season storyline of Peggy's pregnancy, which coincided with Sagal's actual pregnancy, as a dream that Al had. This was done to prevent Sagal from suffering further trauma by having her character Peggy interact with a new baby, when Sagal's pregnancy ended with her going into premature labor and the baby being stillborn.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.throwbacks.com/married-with-children-pregnancy/|title=The Heartbreaking Tragedy That Changed An Entire Season Of 'Married With Children'|website=Throwbacks|date=September 7, 2018|access-date=2021-02-21}}</ref> Bearse showed she was a talented director as well as an actress by moving to the director's chair and directing her co-stars for over 30 episodes of the series between 1991 and 1997. Bearse also became one of the first mainstream actresses to publicly [[Coming out|come out]] as [[lesbian]], which she did during the series run and received positive recognition for doing so.<ref name="E!"/> In 2024, Ed O’Neill said that his misconceptions about Bearse's lesbianism was one of the reasons behind the casts' later breakup.[https://www.thedailybeast.com/ed-oneil-regrets-tv-guide-fiasco-that-caused-rift-with-married-with-children-co-star/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe%20all%20get%20along%20great,was%20wonderful%20for%20three%20years.]
Although he is occasionally bullied and beaten by bigger men, Bud has inherited his father's talents for fistfighting, once teaming up with Al to singlehandedly beat up an entire gang of teenage punks while helping Peg's father find a bear from Wanker County on the loose in Chicago. In two episodes, he has also assisted his fellow Bundys when they brawl with another family -- Al beats up the father, Peg beats up the mother, Kelly beats up the daughter and Bud beats up the son. On his eighteenth birthday, Bud also helped Al at a strip club brawl.
On April 22, 2012, Fox re-aired the series premiere in commemoration of its 25th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/04/11/fox-will-rebroadcast-the-series-premiere-of-married-with-children-to-celebrate-the-networks-25th-anniversary-sunday-april-22/128662/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412050718/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/04/11/fox-will-rebroadcast-the-series-premiere-of-married-with-children-to-celebrate-the-networks-25th-anniversary-sunday-april-22/128662/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 12, 2012|title=Network TV Press Releases FOX Will Rebroadcast the Series Premiere of 'Married...With Children' to Celebrate the Network's 25th Anniversary Sunday, April 22|last=Bibel|first=Sara|date=April 11, 2012|work=[[TV by the Numbers]]|access-date=April 11, 2012}}</ref>
==== Buck ====
Buck (voiceover by writer [[Kevin Curran (writer)|Kevin Curran]]; on special episodes Buck is voiced by [[Cheech Marin]]) is the family dog. He is often "heard" by the audience through voiceovers that tell what is on his [[mind]]. He is just as disgusted with the family as the others. Peggy dotes on him, sometimes even cooking for him. Though extremely lazy, Buck has a huge, insatible sexual appetite, having at one point impregnating all the female dogs in the neighborhood. He died at one point in the series to allow the ten-year-old [[Briard]] that portrayed him to [[retire]], although he was immediately [[reincarnated]] as Lucky.
==== Lucky====
== Episodes ==
{{Main|List of Married... with Children episodes}}
A character whose voiceovers were performed by writer Kevin Curran, Lucky is the [[spaniel]] that the family gets after Buck dies. He is the [[reincarnation]] of Buck, but no one in the family ever realizes this. In the episode "Lez Be Friends", the Bundy kids have difficulty entertaining a depressed Lucky; it is revealed that Lucky is gay, with a leather-clad [[pit bull]] as a companion.
{{:List of Married... with Children episodes}}
{{notelist}}
During its 11-season run on the Fox network, ''Married... with Children'' aired 258 episodes. A 259th episode, "[[I'll See You in Court]]" from season 3, never aired on Fox, but premiered on FX and has since been included on DVD and in syndication packages. Three specials also aired following the series' cancellation, including a cast reunion.
==== Seven ====
Seven-year-old Seven ([[Shane Sweet]]) is adopted by the Bundy family after being abandoned by his own parents, cousins of Peggy from Wanker County ([[Linda Blair]], [[Bob Goldthwait]]). True to the Bundy name, he quickly proves himself to be manipulative, conniving, and good in a fist fight. Although the character was intended to generate fresh storylines, the show's writers ultimately found it difficult to work the boy into the show’s adult-themed scripts. The character was abruptly dropped to the delight of the viewers. (A poll showed that more than 80% of the viewers did not like that character). His final appearance was in the episode "Peggy And The Pirates" where Peggy sends him off to bed so that she can make love to Al. The character was never to be mentioned again, except for three occasions in Season 8. one in which his face appears on the side of a milk carton over the words, “Have you seen me?” Another instance is when Marcy and Jefferson comes over to inform the family that Seven has been staying with them, and has learned to chant "Kill the Bundys" with the neighborhood. In episode 0823 ("Kelly knows Something"), when Al is teaching sports trivia to Kelly we see numerous (many essential) facts leaving her brain as she is learning. A picture of Seven flows out of her brain, indicating that she will no longer remember him. Durring Seven's time on the show the title was changed to "Married... With ''More'' Children."
''See also:'' [[Jumping the Shark]].<ref>[http://www.jumptheshark.com/forum/marriedwith-children/1282 Married...with Children - General Comments in M in in Jump The Shark]</ref>
==== Peggy'smother====
== Home media ==
[[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]] has released all 11 seasons of ''Married... with Children'' on DVD in Regions 1, 2, & 4. On December 12, 2010, Sony released a complete series set on DVD in Region 1.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-The-Complete-Series/14661 |title=Married... with Children DVD news: Date Change for Married... with Children - The Complete Series |publisher=TV Shows On DVD|date=2007-05-25 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121180356/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-The-Complete-Series/14661 |archive-date=2011-11-21 }}</ref>
Heard only in frightening voiceovers by [[Kathleen Freeman]] and ground-shaking gags (making her an [[unseen character]]), she lives with the Bundys in later seasons. There are vague and comical references to her gigantic weight. This woman is mostly the victim of Al's abrasive, behind-the-back, and hatred-filled insults. She was set to be played by [[Divine (Glen Milstead)|Divine]], who died before production. She works a phone sex line under the moniker "Butter."
In December 2007, the Big Bundy Box—a special collection box with all seasons plus new interviews with Sagal and David Faustino—was released.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.albundy.net/?p=108 |title=Big Bundy Box Released |publisher=Blog.albundy.net |access-date=2012-03-14}}</ref> This boxset was released in Australia (Region 4) on November 23, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/809613 |title=Married With Children - The Big Bundy Box 1-11 (34 Disc Box Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2009-11-23 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411101837/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/809613 |archive-date=2011-04-11 }}</ref>
==== Peggy's father ====
Ephraim Wanker, Peggy's father, was played by [[Tim Conway]], appearing occasionally in the last three seasons. It is implied that he was drunk and held a shotgun to Al's head at Al's and Peggy's wedding. (He calls Peggy by her true name "Margaret"). Unlike many other sitcoms, where the father-in-law usually disapproves of the husband having married his daughter, Peg's father approves of Al so much so that he held a gun to Al's head to force him to follow through on the marriage Al had drunkenly proposed to Peg, although Ephraim implied in "The Joke's on Al" that the gun wasn't loaded at the time.
The Sony DVD box sets from season 3 onward do not feature the original "Love and Marriage" theme song in the opening sequence. This was done because Sony was unable to obtain the licensing rights to the song for later sets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children/2711 |title=Married... with Children DVD news: Want to hear the alternate theme song for Season 3 DVDs? |publisher=TV Shows On DVD|date=2007-05-25 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121181550/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children/2711 |archive-date=2011-11-21 }}</ref> Despite this, the end credits on the DVDs for season 3 still include a credit for "Love and Marriage."
=== The neighbors ===
==== Marcy D'Arcy ====
Marcy D'Arcy (Marcy Rhoades from Episodes 0101-0512, played by [[Amanda Bearse]]) is Peggy's best friend, Al's nemesis, and the family's next-door neighbor. Though she considers herself to be better than the Bundy family, Marcy often sinks to their level. She originally worked as a loan officer at the city bank (in a higher position than her husband Steve), and then as the manager of the Kyoto National Bank since the second season. But for a brief time, she was demoted to drive-up window teller as punishment for approving a loan Al could not repay. She wins back her old job after [[frug]]ging on her boss's desk for 20 minutes, clad only in a slip, while the other drive-up window tellers toss quarters at her.
On August 27, 2013, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mill Creek Entertainment {{!}} The Leader in Value Entertainment |url=https://www.millcreekent.com/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Mill Creek Entertainment |language=en}}</ref> had acquired the home media rights to various television series from the Sony Pictures library including ''Married... with Children''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Site-News-Mill-Creek-Sony-License-Deal/18902 |title=Mill Creek Entertainment Signs Deals With Sony Pictures Home Entertainment To Expand Their Distribution Partnership |publisher=TV Shows On DVD|date=2013-08-27 |access-date=2014-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006134321/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Site-News-Mill-Creek-Sony-License-Deal/18902 |archive-date=2014-10-06 }}</ref> with the original theme song "[[Love and Marriage]]" sung by [[Frank Sinatra]]. They have subsequently re-released the 11 seasons on DVD. The Mill Creek Entertainment version (along with the versions available for streaming and downloading) include scenes that are normally edited in syndication and most of the licensed music that's dubbed over or deleted due to copyright issues.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-1-and-2/19184 |title=Mill Creek Provides Bundy Box Art for Their 'Seasons 1 & 2' Set |publisher=TV Shows On DVD|date=2013-11-15 |access-date=2014-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428211546/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-1-and-2/19184 |archive-date=2014-04-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-3-and-4/19543 |title=Short Delay plus Box Art for Mill Creek's 'Seasons 3 & 4' DVDs |publisher=TV Shows On DVD|date=2014-06-03 |access-date=2014-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509002548/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-3-and-4/19543 |archive-date=2014-05-09 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-5-and-6/20218|title=Box Artwork Now Available from Mill Creek for 'Seasons 5 & 6'|access-date=October 27, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027225349/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-5-and-6/20218|archive-date=October 27, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-7-and-8/20417|title=Mill Creek Schedules Re-Releases for the 7th and 8th Seasons|access-date=October 30, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028041634/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-7-and-8/20417|archive-date=October 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/feature/more/dvd-calendar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326221641/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Seasons-9-and-10/20894|url-status=dead|title=DVD Calendar Feature Articles - Metacritic|archive-date=March 26, 2015|website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/feature/more/dvd-calendar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430182438/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Married-Children-Season-11-and-The-Complete-Series/21033|url-status=dead|title=DVD Calendar Feature Articles - Metacritic|archive-date=April 30, 2015|website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> A Complete Series DVD set was re-released on July 7, 2015, in Region 1. All seasons of ''Married... with Children'' are now available for [[online]] download and streaming through [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[iTunes]], [[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]], [[Hulu]], and [[Vudu]].
Initially, Marcy was a sweet, wholesome newlywed, but years of living next to the Bundys apparently warped her into a character almost as outrageous as the Bundys. She contemptuously bickers with Al, and revels at his misery. Marcy seems to have a disturbing dark side and enjoys sharing her past memories with Peg, but often tends to get lost in them. At various points in the series she is identified as Republican who looks down on the lower class Bundy clan, but at other times she is portrayed as a man-hating [[radical feminism|radical feminist]] and environmentalist. Al's most frequent targets are Marcy's tiny chest and her [[chicken]]like stance when annoyed.
One of the running gags in the series has Marcy often mistaken for a young boy; when she reminisces about her first training bra, Al asks "How old were you then - twenty-five?!". Her cousin Mandy (also played by real-life lesbian Bearse) is a [[lesbian]]. Despite wanting to appear prudish, Marcy is shown to be a very sexual person, and it is revealed to have a rather sordid sexual history, such as the "Little Bo Peep and the Cop" game.
Although Marcy and Al are usually adversaries, they often unite in common causes such as when Steve loses his job and later when Jefferson comes into the series. Their teamwork is attributable to the fact that they are both breadwinners, giving them occasional moments of mutual understanding.
==== Steve Rhoades ====
Steven "Steve" Bartholomew Rhoades ([[David Garrison]]) is Marcy's first husband. He is a [[banker]] who seems unfazed by his lower position than Marcy at the city bank. (When Marcy moves up to a high position at another bank, he gets her former job). Steve initially condescends to the Bundys but eventually becomes more like them, and generally turns to Al for male bonding. Marcy was initially attracted to him because of his self-centered [[materialism]].
Steve seemed to be a fairly demure and buttoned-down character, compared to his wife and the Bundys, although he did show a dark side. As a banker, Steve took sadistic pleasure in humiliating people who [[bullied]] him in high school by making his former tormentors (many of whom were stuck in poor, dead-end jobs similar to Al's) grovel for bank loans, which he flatly refused. Steve also got his job as Dean of Bud's college by [[blackmailing]] the man who employed him as a [[chauffeur]].
Steve was written out of the show in the middle of the fourth season; Garrison had decided he no longer wanted to be tied down to a weekly television series, preferring to avoid being typecast in one role, and to devote more time to his first love: stage acting. He reached an agreement with FOX to buy out the remainder of his contract. In the final episode shot (though confusingly, not the final episode aired) in which he was a regular character, Steve is disenchanted with his and Marcy's [[yuppie]] lifestyle and is increasingly interested in becoming an outdoorsman (a real-life interest of Garrison's). He then disappears, with the explanation that he left Marcy to become a forest ranger at [[Yosemite National Park]]. Prior to disappearing, his last job was as a "pooper scooper" at an exotic pet shop. In later seasons, Garrison would reprise the Steve Rhoades character on four occasions, returning to guest star in individual episodes (with Steve having pursued other careers in the meantime), as he eventually returns to professional life to become the Dean of Bud's college. This episode was to be the [[television pilot|pilot]] of a [[spin-off]] series that never happened.
==== Jefferson D'Arcy ====
Jefferson Milhouse D'Arcy ([[Ted McGinley]]) is Marcy's second husband (age unknown but younger than Steve Rhoades), a prettyboy who marries her for money. Self-centered and lazy, he is a male equivalent of Peggy. Marcy met Jefferson (a bartender) at his workplace after a bankers' convention, where she got drunk and found herself married to him the next morning; she was horrified to find out that her name was now Marcy D'Arcy. He is the closest friend of Al and often angers Marcy when bonding with him; unlike Steve Rhoades, who was more of a foil or straight man to Al, Jefferson tends to be very encouraging and attuned to Al's behavior. Marcy constantly bosses around Jefferson to keep him in check. However, behind her back, Jefferson often insults Marcy and ignores her orders. When Marcy's favorite squirrel Zippy dies, Jefferson tells her that he would give it a proper burial, only to punt it out of his sight when Marcy turns around.
Jefferson is a member of "[[NO MA'AM]]" along with Al, wearing the trademark T-shirt, but he always keeps a clean "YES MA'AM" T-shirt on underneath, which he quickly reveals if Marcy is about to bust one of NO MA'AM's activities. He seems very afraid of provoking his wife's anger, and his fear is justified-in one episode after he angered Marcy, she kicked him in the behind so hard he had to go to the hospital to get her boot removed from his nether regions.
Marcy constantly hounds Jefferson to get a job. However, on the rare occasions when he actually gets one (working at the shoe store, being cast as an actor in a commercial, working as an aerobics instructor) he usually ends up working with beautiful women, which prompts a jealous Marcy to make him quit and return to his [[de facto]] job as her [[gigolo]]. This tendency runs in the D'Arcy family, as Jefferson's father also worked as a gigolo and his mother worked as an [[exotic dancer]] before she was eaten by her snake at an airport.
He is easily the most financially scheming character of the show -- even more than the Bundys. Often, when Al stumbles into a unique financial opportunity, Jefferson typically persuades Al to take advantage of it. When Al was robbed in his shoe store, Jefferson convinced him to sue the mall while feigning psychological trauma. When Al discovered hidden shoes that he stocked away in the 1970s, Jefferson convinced him to use the shoes as a new gimmick for the store by taking advantage of the old trend's popularity. When discovering Al's boss Gary was using illegal sweatshops to manufacture the shoes, Jefferson assists Al in a search for incriminating evidence. When Bud was involved in a romantic relationship with the (surprising to the characters, female) Gary (played by [[Janet Carroll]]), Jefferson convinced Al to permit the relationship so Al can milk Gary out for her money through his son. After discovering that they were in possession of private pictures of [[Shannon Tweed]] in sexually provocative manners, Jefferson convinced Al to sell it to the media. During a rare time in which Al is struck with good luck, Jefferson persuades him into a high-stakes poker game with a group of criminals. Jefferson also convinced Al to go home to have sex with his wife so Al could win a radio contest cash prize.
[[Ted McGinley]] had appeared previously as Peggy's husband, Mr. Norman Jablonski, in the second part of "It's a Bundyful Life", where Al's guardian angel ([[Sam Kinison]]) shows Al what his family would have become if he was never born. The episode lightly parodies Capra's ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]''.
==== Amber ====
Amber ([[Juliet Tablak]]) is Marcy's niece. Amber's mother sent her to Marcy to get her out of her bad [[Los Angeles, California|L.A.]] neighborhood. Bud keeps on trying to bed her, but succeeds only once (0904) — and that may have been a dream, as his fantasies about her became a central issue in the later episode 0923. After season nine, Amber disappears without explanation. Like most females on the sitcom, she is typically repulsed by his objectifying views of females. However, she does appear to demonstrate an attraction to Bud (remarking to Kelly in private that she thinks he is cute), and freely kisses him as a way of saying goodbye.
=== Recurring characters ===
* '''Griff''' ([[Harold Sylvester]]) – First appears early in Season 9 and is a friend of Al and co-worker at the shoe store. He is also a member of Al's [[NO MA'AM]] organization. A divorcee, he shares many of Al's characteristics as far as work ethic and views on women go. However, Griff isn't quite as impolite and outspoken to their customers nor to their boss, Gary. He is also less callous; occasionally he feels uneasy when going along with one of Al or Jefferson's many schemes. Griff drives a [[GEO Metro]] and is often mocked for this. However, Griff is happy because it still more reliable than Al's 1970s Dodge.
* '''Bob Rooney''' ([[E.E. Bell]]) – One of [[Al Bundy|Al]]'s friends from the neighborhood and treasurer of NO MA'AM. He works as a butcher, has a wife named Louise, who is a friend of Peggy, and played on the same football team as Al, at Polk High. He is always called by both first and last name, even by his wife, and it is spelled as one word on his [[bowling]] shirt. [[Television producer|Producer]] [[Tim Weiskopff]] had a theory that "in every neighborhood in the midwest of the U.S. there is one guy all the people in the neighborhood refer to with both his names" (e.g. "[[Charlie Brown]]").{{Fact|date=May 2007}} E.E. Bell was the only member of the extended cast to spend a lot of time on the [[Usenet]] newsgroups fielding questions from viewers.
* '''Officer Dan''' ([[Dan Tullis Jr.]]) – A friend of Al's who is in NO MA'AM. Surprisingly, though he is part of NO MA'AM, he often arrests them for their illegal antics. However, he does admit to his friends that he is a corrupt officer, which indicates he does help out the group now and then.
* '''Ike''' ([[Tom McCleister]]) – Another member of NO MA'AM. Sergant of Arms of No Ma'am. Believes [[Elvis Presley|Elvis]] is still alive.
* '''Miranda Veracruz de la Hoya Cardinale''' ([[Teresa Parente]]) – Latina local news reporter typically assigned to cover the pathetic news stories in which the Bundys inevitably involve themselves. She often laments the sad state of her career on-air. While she only appears in a handful of episodes throughout the series, the character seems to be quite popular with fans.
* '''The Wankers''' – Peggy's family, living in Wanker County ("The home of the gassy beaver"). They are more often mentioned than seen on camera. Peggy's mother is never shown (though she is heard in several episodes, voiced by [[Kathleen Freeman]]), but her father ([[Tim Conway]]) appears in a few episodes. Mrs. Wanker's unbelievable obesity is the subject of many jokes, including one in which Al goes blind after accidentally walking in on her bathing. In the UK and Australia the word 'wanker' is a slang insult meaning someone who masturbates. It is not known whether the producers knew this and included is as an injoke for the benefit of British/Australian audiences, or whether the name is just a coincidence.
* '''Gary''' ([[Janet Carroll]]) – The owner of Gary's Shoes and employer of Al. Gary's first appearance in the series came after Al turned her women's shoe store into a men's, assuming Gary was male and therefore wouldn't notice. Gary is incredibly wealthy (she would have been in the [[Forbes 400]], but only reached #401 because of the shoe store--her only failing business venture). Over the course of the series she makes several more appearances, always to the chagrin of Al, and in one episode even becomes the Sugar Momma of Bud, much to the chagrin of those who still thought she was a man.
* '''Luke Ventura''' ([[Ritch Shydner]]) – A co-worker at the shoe store early in the series. He was a sly womanizer who was always seducing beautiful women and stealing Al's sales. Peg hated him while Al tolerated him. He disappears from the show after the first season, but is mentioned again in the ninth season episode "Pump Fiction", when Al learns from the shoe industry publication "Shoe News" that Luke is being given an award. Though he was portrayed to be a friend of Al's in the beginning of the series, after his disappearance, he had been spoken of as if he had since become Al's rival.
* '''Aaron Mitchell''' ([[Hill Harper]]) – The third co-worker of Al's at the shoe store. A young football star at Polk High, he is on the verge of marrying a wonderful woman and going to college, achieving everything that Al ever wanted. Al chooses to live his life vicariously through Aaron, until his misguided advice accidentally drive the boy to a shrewish woman named "Meg" (a young copy of Peg) and the same dismal fate which had befallen Al. Aaron appeared only in the eighth season (5 episodes).
* '''Dexter''' ([[Chi McBride]]) – He was the second co-worker with Al in Gary's Shoes. He was killed off when a fat woman fell on him during an Earthquake that was ironically caused by fat women.
*'''Ariel''' ([[Jennifer Lyons]]) – One of Bud's love interests. She is the quintessential [[dumb blonde]], sporting blonde hair, large breasts, skimpy outfits and a high-pitched voice. She is not very smart and Bud is constantly thinking of new ways to con her into having sex with him.
*'''Jaclyn''' ([[Melissa De Sousa]])
==FOX broadcast history==
{| class="wikitable" width="50%"
|-
|-
! rowspan="2"|DVD name !! rowspan="2"|Ep # !! colspan="3"|Release dates !! rowspan="2"|DVD special features
! Date
! Time slot
|-
|-
! Region 1!!Region 2!!Region 4
|[[1987#April|April]] - [[1987#October|October]] [[1987 in television|1987]]
|Sunday, 8:00 [[p.m.]]
|-
|-
|| Season One || style="text-align:center;"|13 || October 28, 2003<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-First-Season/dp/B0000C9JFQ/|title=Married...with Children: The Complete First Season (1987)|website=Amazon |date=October 28, 2003 |access-date=February 11, 2012}}</ref> || April 7, 2004 || October 25, 2005<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/781729 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 1st Season (2 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2005-10-25 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017205746/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/781729 |archive-date=2009-10-17 }}</ref>
|[[1987#October|October]] [[1987 in television|1987]] - [[1989#July|July]] [[1989 in television|1989]]
| Married with Children reunion
|Sunday, 8:30 [[p.m.]]
|-
|-
|| Season Two || style="text-align:center;"|22 || March 16, 2004<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Second-Season/dp/B00000F5W8/ Married...with Children: The Complete Second Season (1987)]. Amazon.com Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || October 26, 2004 || September 22, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800932 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 2nd Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2008-09-22 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022132100/https://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800932 |archive-date=2009-10-22 }}</ref>
|[[1989#July|July]] [[1989 in television|1989]] - [[1996#August|August]] [[1996 in television|1996]]
| Clips from the 2003 reunion
|Sunday, 9:00 [[p.m.]]
|-
|-
|| Season Three || style="text-align:center;"|22 || January 25, 2005<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Third-Season/dp/B0006J27WY/ Married...with Children: The Complete Third Season (1987)]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || February 10, 2005 || September 22, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800933 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 3rd Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2008-09-22 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022195140/https://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800933 |archive-date=2009-10-22 }}</ref>
|[[1996#September|September]] [[1996]] - [[1997#June|June]] [[1997 in television|1997]]
| Clips from the 2003 reunion
|Saturday, 9:00 [[p.m.]]
|}
==Nielsen ratings==
1994-1995 Season: #64
1995-1996 Season: #78
1996-1997 Season: #97
== Controversy and edited content ==
One episode of ''Married... with Children'' was "lost" due to the efforts of a Michigan housewife (see below); it did, however, air outside the U.S. ever since the show went into syndication. Another edited episode involved Al trying to sell his Dodge before he is contacted by a Dodge representative wanting to record the moment when the odometer on the Dodge reaches all-zeros (1 million miles) was also the source of controversy. After meeting various people, Al is approached by two men dressed in all white tunics, holding a bundle of dynamite attached to an alarm clock. The men declare, "Look, we have no time to haggle; we need car and directions to [[Sears Tower]]." This sequence was edited because of the [[World Trade Center bombing|1993 World Trade Center attacks]]. The unedited version of this episode is still re-run in full on the Canadian network [[TVtropolis]], and some syndicated versions of the episode in the U.S. still contain the sequence.
=== Rakolta boycott ===
In 1989, [[Terry Rakolta]], a homemaker from [[Bloomfield Hills, Michigan]], led a boycott against ''Married... with Children'' after viewing the episode "[[Her Cups Runneth Over]] - 0306".<ref>http://www.bundyology.com/hpg/306.html</ref> Offended by the images of an old man wearing a garter and stockings, the scene where Steve touches the panties of a mannequin dressed in S&M gear, a homosexual man wearing a tiara on his head (and Al's line, "And they wonder why we call them 'queens,'"), and a woman who takes off her bra in front of Al (and is shown with her arms covering her chest in the next shot), Rakolta began a letter-writing campaign to advertisers, demanding they boycott the show.
After advertisers began dropping their support for the show and while Rakolta made several appearances on television talk shows, FOX executives refused to air the episode titled "[[I'll See You in Court|I'll See You In Court - 0310]]".<ref>http://www.bundyology.com/hpg/308.html</ref> This episode would become known as the "[[Lost episode|Lost Episode]]" and was aired on [[FX Networks|FX]] on [[June 18]], 2002, with some parts cut for time reasons. The episode was packaged with the rest of the third season in the January 2005 [[DVD]] release (and in the first volume of the ''Married...With Children'' Most Outrageous episode DVD set) with the parts cut from syndication put back in.
During the first boycott, [[Nielsen Ratings|ratings]] for ''Married... with Children'' ironically rose due to interest in the show caused by Rakolta's crusade to have the show canceled. The increased number of viewers kept the show on the air until 1997. According to sources on the set, the producers sent Rakolta a fruit basket every [[Christmas]] as a way of saying "Thank you."
Rakolta has been referenced twice on the show: "Rock and Roll Girl - 0414,"<ref>http://www.bundyology.com/hpg/414.html</ref> when a newscaster mentioned the city Bloomfield Hills, and "No Pot To Pease In - 0909,"<ref>http://www.bundyology.com/hpg/909.html</ref> when a television show was made about the Bundy family and then was canceled because (according to Marcy) "some woman in [[Michigan]] didn't like it."
==DVD releases==
''' Region 1 Releases'''
{| class="wikitable"
!DVD Name!!Release Date!!Ep #!!Additional Information
|-
||The Complete First Season||[[October 28]] [[2003]]||align="center" |13||Reunion special and Bonus trailers.
|-
|-
|| Season Four || style="text-align:center;"|23 || August 30, 2005<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Fourth-Season/dp/B0009YCLBS/ Married...with Children: The Complete Fourth Season (1987)]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || December 22, 2005 || September 22, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800934 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 4th Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2008-09-22 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006072307/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800934 |archive-date=2009-10-06 }}</ref>
||The Complete Second Season||[[March 16]] [[2004]]||align="center" |22||13 Hidden Easter Eggs Featuring Interviews With the Cast.
|None
|-
|-
|| Season Five || style="text-align:center;"|25 || June 20, 2006<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Fifth-Season/dp/B000FBH3WM/ Married...with Children: The Complete Fifth Season (1987)]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || June 27, 2006 || September 22, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800935 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 5th Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2008-09-22 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022131944/https://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800935 |archive-date=2009-10-22 }}</ref>
||The Complete Third Season||[[January 25]] [[2005]]||align="center" |23||Easter Eggs and Previews.
|Promos for other TV shows
|-
|-
|| Season Six || style="text-align:center;"|26 || December 19, 2006<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Sixth-Season/dp/B000JBWWQK/ Married...with Children: The Complete Sixth Season (1987)]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || August 17, 2006 || September 22, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800936 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 6th Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2008-09-22 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022193754/https://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800936 |archive-date=2009-10-22 }}</ref>
|| Season Seven || style="text-align:center;"|26 || September 18, 2007<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Seventh-Season/dp/B000SSQ7J2/ Married...with Children: The Complete Seventh Season (1987)]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || October 5, 2006 || September 22, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800937 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 7th Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2008-09-22 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005204042/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/800937 |archive-date=2009-10-05 }}</ref>
|| Season Eight || style="text-align:center;"|26 || March 18, 2008<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Eighth-Season/dp/B00127RAFS/ Married...with Children: The Complete Eighth Season (2010)]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || December 19, 2006 || October 22, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/802232 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 8th Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2008-10-21 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022182020/https://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/802232 |archive-date=2009-10-22 }}</ref>
|| Season Nine || style="text-align:center;"|26 || August 19, 2008<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Ninth-Season/dp/B001APMD1I/ Married...with Children: The Complete Ninth Season]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || February 20, 2007 || October 22, 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/802233 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 9th Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2008-10-21 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022142154/https://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/802233 |archive-date=2009-10-22 }}</ref>
|| Season Ten || style="text-align:center;"|27 || March 17, 2009<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Tenth-Season/dp/B001OXLGIM/ Married...with Children: The Complete Tenth Season (2010)]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || March 20, 2007 || March 11, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/804377 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 10th Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2009-03-10 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022133104/https://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/804377 |archive-date=2009-10-22 }}</ref>
||The Complete Eighth Season|| EARLY 2008 ||align="center" |26||
|None
|-
|-
|| Season Eleven || style="text-align:center;"|24 || October 13, 2009<ref name="S11R1DVD">[https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Eleventh-Season/dp/B002FU8JTM/ Married...with Children: The Complete Eleventh Season]. Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.</ref> || May 8, 2007 || March 11, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/804378 |title=Married With Children - The Complete 11th & Final Season (3 Disc Set) |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |date=2009-03-10 |access-date=2012-03-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017210507/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/804378 |archive-date=2009-10-17 }}</ref>
||The Complete Ninth Season|| LATE 2008 ||align="center" |26||
|Promos for other TV shows
|-
|-
|The Big Bundy Box
||The Complete Tenth Season|| EARLY 2009 ||align="center" |26||
|209
|N/A
|N/A
|December 3, 2008<ref>{{Cite web|title=Married with Children- Bundy Box Collection|url=https://www.sanity.com.au/products/2118968/Married-with-Children--Bundy-Box-Collection|access-date=2020-12-20|website=Sanity|language=en}}</ref>
|style="text-align:left;"|Seasons 1–9 with room for 10 & 11.<br />Special features same as individual seasons.
|-
|-
|| The Complete Series || style="text-align:center;"|259 || October 13, 2009<ref name="S11R1DVD"/><br />July 7, 2015 (re-release)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Married with Children: The Complete Series|url=https://www.amazon.com/Married-Children-Complete-Ed-ONeill/dp/B00WV7TQDW/|access-date=January 16, 2021|website=Amazon}}</ref>|| November 22, 2009 ||November 23, 2009<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.booktopia.com.au/married-with-children/dvd/9317731072529.html|title=Married With Children, The Big Bundy Box Complete Collection (Seasons 1 - 11) by Katey Segal | 9317731072529 | Booktopia|via=www.booktopia.com.au}}</ref><br />June 17, 2020 (re-release)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/married-with-children-the-big-bundy-box-1-11-1987-dvd|title=Married With Children - The Big Bundy Box 1-11|website=JB Hi-Fi|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608021201/https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/married-with-children-the-big-bundy-box-1-11-1987-dvd|url-status=dead}}</ref>
||The Complete Eleventh Season|| LATE 2009 ||align="center" |24||
|style="text-align:left;"|Married with Children reunion (2003)<br>Clips from the 2003 reunion<br>David Faustino interview<br>Katey Sagal interview<br>Promos for other TV shows<br>Bonus wall poster
|}
|}
== Merchandise ==
For the most part the episodes on the North American DVD box sets are the unedited versions as seen on the FOX network, however there are some instances where scenes have been cut or the syndicated version of an episode was placed on the DVD instead. This is most noticeable in Season 4, where 8 of the 22 episodes have some type of edit. The German region 2 Season 4 set uses non-syndicated versions of these episodes, although the Dutch and French sets have the syndicated versions.
=== Books ===
The DVD box sets from Season 3 onward do not feature the original "Love and Marriage" theme song in the opening sequence. Instead both the opening sequence and ending credits feature a new instrumental theme song. This was done because Columbia Tri-Star was unable to obtain the rights to the theme song. It is highly unlikely that the theme song will return in any yet to be released DVD box set.
* ''Pig Out with Peg: Secrets from the Bundy Family Kitchen'', by Linda Merinoff and Peg Bundy, Avon Books, November 1990, {{ISBN|0-380-76431-8}}
* ''Bundyisms: The Wit and Wisdom of America's Last Family'', Boulevard Books, May 1997, {{ISBN|1572972513}}
* ''The Complete "Married... with Children" Book: TV's Dysfunctional Family Phenomenon'', by Denis Noe, Bear Manor Media, August 2017, {{ISBN|1629331899}}
* ''Married... with Children vs. the World'', by Richard Gurman, Permuted Press, April 2024, {{ISBN|9781637588314}}
==== Comic books ====
The replaced theme song was the cause of the syndicated versions of seven episodes in Season 4, as Sony did not have access to the original masters of these episodes, and had to use syndicated prints. As the end credits had to be altered to credit the new theme song, certain scenes that originally ran during the end credits had to be replaced with a freezeframe. In most episodes affected, the original audio plays in the background while you see a freezeframe, however in a few cases a freezeframe is used, but the original audio is replaced with the theme song.
''Married... with Children'' was adapted into a comic book series by [[NOW Comics]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bundyology.com/comics.html |title=Married... with Children Comics |publisher=Bundyology.com |date=2001-01-21 |access-date=2012-06-23 |archive-date=March 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318121153/http://www.bundyology.com/comics.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Remakes==
=== Toys ===
===Argentina===
In Argentina a remake has been done under the name of ''[[Casados con hijos]]''. The show aired in 2005 and although it wasn't successful at first, it was aired again during summer and it got one of the highest ratings of the year and because of that, a second season has been done for 2006. The characters are Pepe ([[Guillermo Francella]]), Moni ([[Florencia Peña]]), Coqui ([[Darío Lopilato]]) and Paola ([[Luisana Lopilato]]), all under the 'Argento' surname. It should be noted that the show's reruns had higher ratings than when the episodes were first aired.
===Brazil===
==== Board game ====
*''Married with Children: Act Like...Think Like...Be Like a...Bundy'' was released in 1990 by [[Galoob]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10366/married-with-children-act-like-think-like-be-l |title=Married With Children: Act Like...Think Like...Be Like a...Bundy |publisher=Boardgamegeek.com |access-date=2012-06-23}}</ref>
''[[A Guerra dos Pintos]]'' (''War of the Pintos'') was the title of the Brazilian remake. It ran for a short time on BAND before it got cancelled in 1999 due to poor ratings. Many episodes were left unaired. The Brazilian Bundys were called "Pintos" (hence the name of the series). Pinto translates to [[dick]] in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], and as in the United States, it's also a common Brazilian surname. The Pintos lived in Rio de Janeiro. Al's equivalent, "Zé Pinto", was a shoe salesman just like Al, and he was a former soccer player as Al was a former football player. Peggy equivalent was named "Neide Pinto", Kelly named "Kelly Pinto" and Bud was "Joca Pinto" in the series. They also had a dog named Cachorro (which means [[dog]] in portuguese). Their neighbours, the "Fialho's", were based on the Rhoades, not the D'Arcys. The storyline was exactly the same as in the early original version.
===Chile===
==== Action figures ====
Two series (10 in all) of 8" action figures were produced by Classic TV Toys in 2005 and 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.classictvtoys.com/search.aspx?find=married+with+children |title=Married With Children 8 inch Action Figures |publisher=Classictvtoys.com |access-date=2012-06-23}}</ref>
In Chile, a remake was made in 2006 and 2007, with the name ''[[Casado con Hijos]]'', and it has been getting higher ratings, beating soap operas broadcasting in the same hour. The show is broadcasted daily and because of higher ratings, it is now being shown three times a day and it has been renewed for a third season. The characters are Alberto "Tito" Larraín (Al), Quena Gómez de Larraín (Peggy), Nacho (Bud), and Titi (Kelly). Their neighbors are Marcia Durán (Marcy) and Pablo Pinto (both Steve Rhodes and Jefferson D'Arcy).
In 2018, [[Funko]] produced figures of Al, Kelly, Bud and Peggy as a part of their Funko POP! line.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/2018/08/30/funko-launches-married-with-children-pop-figures/|access-date=2019-03-10|title=Funko Launches 'Married with Children' Pop Figures}}</ref>
That same year, Funko also released a ''Married... with Children'' action figures box set.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tvweb.com/married-with-children--funko-new-york-comic-con-exclusives/toys |title=Not found! |access-date=March 10, 2019 |archive-date=August 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803172900/https://tvweb.com/married-with-children--funko-new-york-comic-con-exclusives/toys |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2018 and 2019, [[Mego Corporation|Mego]] released [[Target Corporation|Target]] exclusives of Al, Peggy and Kelly in 1/9 scale.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.target.com/s?sortBy=relevance&Nao=0&category=5xtb0&searchTerm=bundy |title=Mego Married with Children Bundy Action Figure 8 |access-date=September 24, 2020}}</ref>
== International remakes ==
===Colombia===
;Armenia
In Colombia a remake named ''[[Casados con Hijos]]'' was made on 2005. The characters are "Paco" Rocha (Al), "Lola" (Peggy), Willy (Bud), and Kelly (Kelly).
An Armenian remake was made in 2016, called ''[[The Azizyans]]''. The Azizyans is an Armenian sitcom television series developed by Robert Martirosyan and Van Grigoryan. The series premiered on [[Armenia TV]] on October 31, 2016. However, the series was not available to the public until Armenia TV started airing the sitcom from October 10, 2017. The series takes place in [[Yerevan]], [[Armenia]]. The Azizyans sitcom is starred by [[Hayk Marutyan]]. He embodies the character of Garnik Azizyan – a clothes store seller, who is the only one working in the family. Mrs. Ruzan Azizyan is lazy enough to perform the duties of a housewife.
The problems of the father of the family do not bother his 3 children – his daughter, who is internet-addicted and is active in all social networks; his unemployed eldest son, who is a complete loser, and his youngest son, who is a schoolboy. The roles in this sitcom, created for family watching, are played by Ani Lupe, Satenik Hazaryan, Ishkhan Gharibyan, Suren Arustamyan and other popular Armenian actors. The project is directed by Arman Marutyan. In the second season of the sitcom, the Azizyan family continues to survive thanks to the meager salary of Garnik.
===Germany===
The [[Germany|German]] sitcom ''[[Hilfe, meine Familie spinnt]]'' (''Help, my Family is crazy''), showing the family ''Strunk'', is a remake of the 26 early episodes of ''Married... with Children''. The show first aired in 1993.
The wife of Garnik – Ruzan, remains in the status of a housewife, without even thinking about finding a job. The elder son of Garnik and Ruzan – Azat, continues to look for a new job, a young man appears in the life of Marie, who is trying to win the girl's heart. Their younger son Levon, continues to live his own life and does not understand what he has in common with this family. And their neighbors Irina and Alik continue to be friends with the family, which Azizyans do not quite approve. The only bright spot in the life of the family is their house, which Garnik inherited from his grandfather.
===Hungary===
In 2006, Hungarian TV network [[TV2 (Hungary)|TV2]] brought the license rights including scripts and hired the original producers from Sony Pictures for a remake show placed in Hungarian environment. It was entitled ''[[Egy rém rendes család Budapesten]]'' (in English : ''Married with children in [[Budapest]]'', loan translation : ''A horribly nice family in Budapest''). The main story began with the new family called the Bándis inherit an outskirt house from their American relatives the Bundys. The filmed a whole season of 26 episodes, all of them being remade versions of the plots of the original first seasons. It was the highest budget sitcom ever made in Hungary. First it was aired on Tuesday nights, but was beaten by a new season of ''[[American Emergency Room]]'', then placed to Wednesday nights. The remake lost its viewers, but stayed on the air due to the contract between Sony and TV2. (<ref>[http://index.hu/kultur/media/bundy7904/ Index.hu] '''In Hungarian'''</ref><ref>[http://index.hu/kultur/media/mc5808/ Index.hu] '''In Hungarian'''</ref><ref>[http://index.hu/kultur/media/rem486/ Index.hu] '''In Hungarian'''</ref>)
;Argentina
===Poland===
An Argentine remake was made by [[Telefe]] in 2005, called ''[[Casados con Hijos (Argentine TV series)|Casados con Hijos]]''. Two seasons were made (2005 and 2006), totaling 215 episodes and it became a smashing success during the replaying. More than fifteen years after the release, it is still aired on Saturdays at 7:30 pm.<ref>{{cite web |title=Casados con hijos |url=http://www.telefe.com/programas/casados-con-hijos/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530050452/http://www.telefe.com/programas/casados-con-hijos/ |archive-date=May 30, 2012| language=es}}</ref> The series has been also shown by local channels in [[Uruguay]], [[Paraguay]], and [[Peru]].
There is a sitcom called ''[[Świat według Kiepskich]]'' (''The World According to the Kiepscy''), which is loosely based on ''Married... with Children'' (in Poland entitled ''Świat według Bundych'').
The character names are: José "Pepe" Argento (based on Al, played by [[Guillermo Francella]]), Mónica "Moni" Argento (based on Peggy, played by [[Florencia Peña]]), Paola Argento (based on Kelly, played by [[Luisana Lopilato]]), Alfio "Coqui" Argento (based on Bud, played by [[Darío Lopilato]]), Dardo and María Elena Fuseneco (based on Jefferson D'Arcy, Steve Rhoades and Marcy; played by [[Marcelo de Bellis]] and [[Érica Rivas]]).
===Russia===
Russian remake ''[http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Счастливы_вместе_(телесериал) Счастливы вместе] (Sсhastlivy Vmeste)'' (''Happy Together'') is now airing on [http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/ТНТ_(телеканал) TNT] channel across the country.
;Brazil
===Spain===
In Brazil [[Rede Bandeirantes]] made a remake in 1999 with the name ''A Guerra dos Pintos'' (The War of The Pintos). 52 episodes were recorded but only 22 aired before cancelation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.teledramaturgia.com.br/tele/guerradospintosb.asp |title=A Guerra dos Pintos |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140414104236/http://www.teledramaturgia.com.br/tele/guerradospintosb.asp |archive-date=April 14, 2014 |language=pt-BR}}</ref>
Originally it was aired at public channel "[[TVE|La 2]]". The Spanish TV network [[Cuatro]] is currently showing a Spanish version called ''[[Matrimonio con Hijos]]'' (''Marriage with Children'').
;Bulgaria
=== United Kingdom ===
In Bulgaria a remake is aired from March 26, 2012, with the name ''Женени с деца в България'' (Zheneni s detsa v Bulgaria) (Married with children in Bulgaria).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://novatv.bg/zheneni|publisher=novatv.bg|title=Official site of Married with children in Bulgaria|access-date=March 26, 2012 |language=bg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327155957/http://www.novatv.bg/zheneni |archive-date=March 27, 2012}}</ref>
''Married... with Children'' is one of a handful of U.S. comedies that have been remade for [[United Kingdom|Britain]].{{Fact|date=March 2007}} It was shown on [[ITV]], and made no great impact, perhaps because of the questionable use of wholesome family comedian [[Russ Abbott]] in the lead role, or perhaps because the original had already been shown on the same channel, albeit in a late-evening slot. Also, this version was considerably toned down from the original, despite the fact that British TV is in general more risque than American, and the BBC had already been showing shows like ''Married ''for years. The show was called ''[[Married for Life]]'', in order to distinguish it from the original, which already had a cult following in the UK.
;Croatia
== Spin-offs ==
In Croatia a remake called ''Bračne vode'' was broadcast from September 2008 until November 2009 on [[Nova TV (Croatia)|Nova TV]] channel. The characters based on the Bundys were called Zvonimir, Sunčica, Kristina and Boris Bandić while the ones based on Marcy and Steve were called Marica and Ivan Kumarica.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.index.hr/xmag/clanak/pala-prva-klapa-hrvatskih-quotbracnih-vodaquot-ala-ce-glumiti-damir-loncar/399776.aspx |title=Pala prva klapa hrvatskih "Bračnih voda": Ala će glumiti Damir Lončar |access-date=August 30, 2013 |date=August 26, 2008 |website=Index.hr |language=hr}}</ref>
*''Married... with Children'' was adapted into a comic book series by [[NOW Comics]] in 1990.
*The episodes "Top of the Heap", "Radio Free Trumaine", and "Enemies" were meant to be spin-offs.
** "Top of the Heap"<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101222/ IMDb.com - Top of the Heap]</ref> was the only episode of the three to get its own show. It was notable as an early sitcom starring [[Matt LeBlanc]]. The show was about Vinnie Verducci (played by LeBlanc) and his father Charlie (played by [[Joseph Bologna]]) always trying [[get rich quick]] schemes. The Verduccis were introduced in an earlier episode where Vinnie played Kelly Bundy's boyfriend and Charlie played an old friend of Al Bundy's. The end of the pilot episode shows Al breaking into their apartment and stealing their TV to replace the one he lost betting on Vinnie in a boxing match.
** "Radio Free Trumaine" was to be about Bud Bundy's time in college with the campus radio station, with Steve Rhoades as the antagonistic Dean.
** "Enemies" was a ''[[Friends (TV series)|Friends]]'' clone, featuring [[Alan Thicke]], based around Kelly Bundy's social circle.
* In addition to those three spin-offs, a ''[[Frasier]]''-type spin-off (''i.e.'', picking up from where the show it spun-off from left off) about Kelly Bundy was planned but never made for two reasons: Christina Applegate turned it down, and FOX's contract stated that the two Bundy children couldn't get spin-offs. Also, series co-creator Michael G. Moye proposed a NO MA'AM, spin-off, but got turned down mainly due to FOX's fears of alienating much of the female demographic.
;Germany
==Trivia==
In Germany, the 1992 remake ''[[Hilfe, meine Familie spinnt]]'', broadcast in the [[prime time]], reached double the audience of the original (broadcast in the [[dayparting|early fringe]] time). This, however, was not enough to maintain the series, so it was cancelled after one season with 26 episodes. The remake used the exact translated scripts of the original series (which already substituted [[Language localization|localised]] humour and in-jokes for incomprehensible references to American TV shows not shown in Germany, as well as some totally different jokes) and just renamed places and people according to the new setting.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Hendrik Ternieden, Oliver Trenkamp |url=https://www.spiegel.de/geschichte/20-jahre-al-bundy-in-deutschland-a-947496.html |title=Al Bundy in Deutschland: Die Hand in der Hose |website=spiegel.de |date=February 23, 2012 |access-date=March 19, 2023 |language=de}}</ref><ref name="quotenmeter.de" /> It had a rerun twice on [[Super RTL]] in 1996 and 1997.<ref name="quotenmeter.de">{{Cite web |author=Christian Richter |url=https://www.quotenmeter.de/n/32542/der-fernsehfriedhof-hilfe-meine-familie-spinnt |title=Der Fernsehfriedhof: "Hilfe, meine Familie spinnt" |website=quotenmeter.de |date=January 15, 2009 |access-date=March 19, 2023 |language=de}}</ref>
*The street address the Bundy's live at is ''9764 Jeopardy Lane''.
''{{lang|de|Hilfe, meine Familie spinnt}}'' was aired from March to December 1993 for 26 episodes.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tvsi.de/comedyserien/hilfe_meine_familie_spinnt.php |title=Hilfe meine Familie spinnt! |website=tvsi.de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113121222/http://www.tvsi.de/comedyserien/hilfe_meine_familie_spinnt.php |archive-date=November 13, 2009 |access-date=March 19, 2023 |language=de}}</ref>
==International and America==
*'''[[United States|America]]''': It ran on [[Fox television]] for its ten year run but it has also appeared in reruns on other channels. [[Sony Pictures Television]] picked it up and Sony has only released it on DVD but never aired it on any channel. It is currently showing on [[Fox television]] sub channel [[FX Network]].
;Hungary
''Married...with Children'' is also popular in other countries around the world.
In 2006, Hungarian TV network [[TV2 (Hungarian TV channel)|TV2]] purchased the license rights including scripts and hired the original producers from Sony Pictures for a remake of the show placed in a Hungarian environment. It was entitled ''{{lang|hu|Egy rém rendes család Budapesten}}''<ref>[[:hu:Egy rém rendes család Budapesten]] {{in lang|hu}}</ref> (in English: ''Married with children in [[Budapest]]'', loan translation: ''A gruesomely decent family in Budapest''). The main story began with the new family called the Bándis inheriting an outskirt house from their American relatives the Bundys. They filmed a whole season of 26 episodes, all of them being remade versions of the plots of the original first seasons. It was the highest budget sitcom ever made in Hungary. First it was aired on Tuesday nights, but was beaten by a new season of ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'', then placed to Wednesday nights. The remake lost its viewers, but stayed on the air due to the contract between Sony and TV2.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://index.hu/kultur/media/bundy7904/ |title=Budapestre jön a rém rendes család |first=Szabó |last=Zoltán |date=August 4, 2006 |website=index.hu |language=hu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://index.hu/kultur/media/mc5808/ |title=Megverte a Vészhelyzet a magyar Rém rendest |date=October 18, 2006 |website=index.hu |language=hu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://index.hu/kultur/media/rem486/ |title=Magyarország a magyar tahóké! |first=Szabó |last=Zoltán |date=October 17, 2006 |website=index.hu |language=hu}}</ref> Also the Hungarian critics have strongly condemned the [[copyright infringement]] of the original series. They also criticized the lack of quality and the dilettante forcing of the American cliches in [[Eastern Europe]]an (Hungarian) environment.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.origo.hu/teve/20061018bandi.html |title=Bemutatkozott a magyar Al Bundy |website=origo.hu/ |date=October 18, 2006 |language=hu}}</ref>
;Israel
*'''[[Australia]]''': Reruns of the show run four times during week at 10pm and three episodes are shown from 9am Sunday on the cable network [[TV1 (Australia)|TV1]]. Original episodes aired on the [[Nine Network]] and later on the [[Ten Network]].
The complete American series aired in Israel in the 1990s, with reruns of it ever since. There has also been an Israeli remake to the show titled ''Nesuim Plus'' (Married Plus) that aired its two seasons from 2012 to 2017.
;Mexico
*'''[[Austria]]''': The show aired from [[March 6]], 1995 until [[March 18]], 1998 under the name ''Eine Schrecklich nette Familie'' meaning ''A Terribly Nice Family'' on the Pubcaster [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]]. It started airing again on [[July 13]] [[2007]], weekdays on [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]].
{{Main|Casados con hijos (Mexican TV series)}}
In May 2023, Sony Pictures Television announced a Mexican remake for [[Sony Channel (Latin American TV channel)|Sony Channel]].<ref>{{cite web |title=SPT anuncia el protagonista de la versión mexicana de Casados con Hijos |url=https://www.todotvnews.com/spt-anuncia-el-protagonista-de-la-version-mexicana-de-casados-con-hijos/ |website=todotvnews.com |access-date=18 September 2024 |language=es |date=24 May 2023}}</ref> The series premiered on 8 May 2024 and stars [[Adrián Uribe]] and [[Sandra Echeverría]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baños |first1=Sughey |title="Casados con hijos": Adrián Uribe y Sandra Echeverría encabezan versión mexicana de "Married with children" |url=https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/espectaculos/casados-con-hijos-adrian-uribe-y-sandra-echeverria-encabezan-version-mexicana-de-married-with-children/ |website=[[El Universal (Mexico City)|El Universal]] |access-date=18 September 2024 |language=es |date=4 May 2024}}</ref>
;Russia
*'''[[Belgium]]''': The show still periodically runs on the commercial network [[VT4]].
{{Main|Happy Together (Russian TV series)}}
The Original ''Married... With Children'' ran on [[TV-6 Russia]] in the late 1990s and early 2000s (before the closing of the channel) in prime-time basis, broadcasting the episodes from seasons 1–11. The show later aired on DTV and Domashniy TV. A Russian adaptation, titled ''[[Happy Together (Russian TV series)|Happy Together]]'' (Schastlivy Vmeste; ''Happy Together''), was broadcast on [[TNT (Russian TV channel)|TNT]] across the country in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/10/world/europe/10sitcom.html?em&ex=1189656000&en=53663b3615f7d656&ei=5087%0A |work=The New York Times |title=Still Married, With Children, but in Russian |first=Clifford J. |last=Levy |date=September 10, 2007 |access-date=May 12, 2010 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://schastlivyvmeste.tnt-online.ru/ |script-title=ru:Счастливы вместе : ТНТ |language=ru |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701101059/http://schastlivyvmeste.tnt-online.ru/ |archive-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref>
The character names are: Gena Bukin (based on Al, played by Viktor Loginov), Dasha Bukina (based on Peggy, played by [[Natalya Bochkareva]]), Sveta Bukina (based on Kelly, played by [[Darya Sagalova]]), Roma Bukin (based on Bud, played by [[Alexander Yakin]]), Elena and Anatoliy Poleno (based on Marcy and Jefferson D'Arcy, played by [[Yulia Zaharova]] and [[Pavel Savinkov]]), Evgeniy Stepanov (based on Steve Rhoades, played by [[Aleksey Sekirin]]), Sema Bukin (based on Seven, played by [[Ilya Butkovskiy]]), and Baron Bukin (based on Buck and Lucky, played by Bayra).<ref>{{cite news|title= Still Married, With Children, But Trading Insults in Russian|newspaper= The New York Times|date=September 10, 2007|url= http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00611F93B540C738DDDA00894DF404482&fta=y&incamp=archive:article_related|access-date=January 15, 2011|first=Clifford J.|last=Levy |language=en-US}}</ref>
*'''[[Brazil]]''': Has been running (on and off) since 1991 under the name ''Um amor de Família'' meaning ''A Lovely Family'' on different national channels. Today the show runs on [[Sony Entertainment Television]] with original sound and subtitles, the dubbed version runs on [[PlayTV]].
;Turkey
*'''[[Bulgaria]]''': The show ran its all seasons on [[BTV (Bulgaria)|bTV]] and is currently airing on [[Fox life]] and is translated as ''Женени с деца'' (''Zheneni s detsa'' - ''Married... with Children'').
A remake was aired in Turkey in 2004 for one season under the name ''Evli ve Çocuklu'' (Married and with Children), featuring Ege Aydan and Yıldız Kaplan in the roles of Niyazi (based on Al) and Jale (based on Peg) Tonguç.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.medyapim.com/productions/evli-ve-cocuklu/ |title=Evli ve Çocuklu (2004) |date=May 15, 2004 |access-date=July 3, 2021 |language=tr}}</ref> The producer, Med Yapım, has published 10 episodes on YouTube in 2018.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/uU5Ncky1ZrU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201204225636/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU5Ncky1ZrU Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU5Ncky1ZrU&list=PLu7IcF0M-30YNYyFMKNXk2NRo6fKOBjc7 |title=Evli ve Çocuklu – Bölümler |date=December 8, 2018 |publisher=Med Yapım |language=tr}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
;United Kingdom
*'''[[Canada]]''': The show is being run on the channel [[TVtropolis]]. It also airs on Country-music oriented channel, [[CMT Canada|CMT]].
{{Main|Married for Life}}
[[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] had been screening the original ''Married... with Children'' since 1988. In 1996, the British production company [[ITV Central|Central Television]] and [[Columbia Pictures Television]] ([[Columbia TriStar Television|Columbia TriStar Central Productions]]) produced a British version called '''''Married for Life''''', which lasted for one series with seven episodes.<ref>{{cite news|first=Thomas |last=Sutcliffe |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/in-search-of-intelligent-life-on-planet-sitcom-1340823.html |title=In search of intelligent life on Planet Sitcom | News |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=March 8, 1996 |access-date=March 3, 2016 |language=en-UK}}</ref>
== Spin-offs ==
*'''[[Chile]]''': The show is being run on the channel [[Megavision]] .
''[[Top of the Heap]]'' was a sitcom starring [[Matt LeBlanc]]. The show was about Vinnie Verducci (played by LeBlanc) and his father Charlie (played by [[Joseph Bologna]]) always trying [[get rich quick]] schemes. The Verduccis were introduced in an earlier episode where Vinnie dated Kelly Bundy, and Charlie was introduced as an old friend of Al Bundy's. The end of the pilot episode shows Al breaking into their apartment and stealing their TV to replace the one he lost betting on Vinnie in a boxing match. However, the show did not last long and was ultimately cancelled. It had its own spin-off/sequel called ''[[Vinnie & Bobby]]'' a year later, which was also cancelled.
Also, an attempt was made to make a spin-off out of [[David Garrison]]'s Steve Rhoades character which took place on Bud's Trumaine University. The spin-off was called ''Radio Free Trumaine'' where Garrison played the Dean.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0642354/|title="Married with Children" Radio Free Trumaine (TV Episode 1995)|work=IMDb}}</ref> ''Enemies'' was another spin-off, but played to be a spoof on the TV series ''[[Friends]]''. Meanwhile, a proposed series focusing on the NO MA'AM group without Al Bundy was outright rejected by Fox over fears of [[misogyny]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://splitsider.com/2011/06/the-lost-roles-of-married%E2%80%A6-with-children|title=The Lost Roles of Married… with Children - Splitsider|work=Splitsider|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214102028/http://splitsider.com/2011/06/the-lost-roles-of-married%E2%80%A6-with-children/|archive-date=2014-12-14}}</ref>
*'''[[Croatia]]''': The show runs on [[RTL Televizija]] as ''Bračne vode'', translated as ''Marriage Waters''. It was originally aired on [[Croatian Radiotelevision]] (HRT) in late 1990s.
On September 11, 2014, it was announced that a spin-off was in the works, centered on the character of Bud Bundy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/married-children-spinoff-works-732268|title='Married ... With Children' Spinoff in the Works|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|date=September 11, 2014|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=September 25, 2014}}</ref> Ed O'Neill revealed plot details for the proposed spin-off in 2016: "Bud is now grown up and living in the old house with some of his buddies, but they're all bust-outs, they aren't working. His ex-wife is living in one of the bedrooms with Bud's best friend [...] Peg and Al are retired and living in Vegas; they won the lottery."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.albundyquotes.com/blogs/news/185319879-ed-o-neill-explains-fizzled-plot-of-married-with-children-reunion-says-the-bundys-are-done|title=Ed O'Neill Reveals the Fizzled Plot of 'Married with Children' Reunion, Says the Bundys Are Done|date=June 13, 2016|work=[[Zap2it]]|access-date=May 17, 2024}}</ref>
*'''[[Czech Republic]]''': The show is entitled ''Ženatý se závazky'', which is the literal translation of the show title. First it was aired on [[TV Nova]] and then re-run on [[Prima TV]] several times.
== Animated revival ==
*'''[[Denmark]]''': The show is called ''Vore værste år'' (''Our Worst Years''), and it is seen on TV3. ''(See also Sweden)''
On May 13, 2022, ''[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]'' reported that an animated revival of the series was currently in the works with the original cast attached to return. It was further revealed that Sony Pictures Television had been working on the animated series for over a year and waited until they had closed deals with the cast before presenting it to networks and streamers.<ref name="animatedseries"/> It was felt that an animated revival worked best due to the original cast's busy schedule as well as Applegate being diagnosed with [[multiple sclerosis]] in 2021, making an animated revival more feasible due to the cast's schedules and Applegate's physical limitations.<ref name="animatedseries"/> Applegate confirmed in a 2023 ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' interview that she, O'Neill, Sagal, and Faustino remained attached to the revival and were just waiting.<ref name="vanityfair">{{Cite web |date=2023-05-04 |title=Christina Applegate on MS and Its Toll on Her Life and Iconic Career: "It F--king Sucks" |last=Shaw |first=Jessica |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/05/christina-applegate-on-ms-and-its-toll-on-her-life-and-iconic-career-it-f-king-sucks |access-date=2023-05-07 |work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |language=en}}</ref>
A sample clip of the animated series leaked onto the internet on May 17, 2024, along with a synopsis and presentation web site.
*'''[[Dominican Republic]]''': The show is called ''Casado con Hijos'' (''Marrried with Children''), and it is seen on Telesistema 11.
{{Cquote|After a string of misfortunes, the Bundys move to the cheapest home in Dumpwater, FL – a small house with a sinkhole front yard. As they get to know their Latin neighbors, war with HOA snobs, & yuck it up at their community pool, Al is desperate to be a big shot but continually gets fleeced in Florida – where the weather is sunny, but the people are shady. Adapted from the series ''Married... with Children''.|author=Animated series synopsis from Sony Pictures<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marriedwithchildren.com |title=Married With Children |publisher=Marriedwithchildren.com |accessdate=May 17, 2024}}</ref>}}
*'''[[Estonia]]''': The show is called ''Tuvikesed'' (''Lovebirds'') and runs on [[Kanal 2]].
== Memoir ==
*'''[[Finland]]''': The show is called ''Pulmuset'' (''Loveydoves'') and runs on [[Nelonen]]. (Formerly on [[MTV3]])
In April 2024, a memoir, ''Married... with Children vs. the World'', written by ''Married... with Children'' writer and producer Richard Gurman, was published by Permuted Press. In it, Gurman gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the show and his time working on it. The show's cast also contributed to the book.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-13 |title=New Book Offers 'Inside Account' into Married… With Children and the Challenges of Bringing it to TV |last=Speakman |first=Kimberlee |url=https://people.com/new-book-offers-inside-account-into-sitcom-married-with-children-8579259 |access-date=2024-04-23 |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |language=en}}</ref>
== U.S. syndication and international airings ==
*'''[[France]]''' : The show has been seen on [[Métropole 6|M6]] as ''Mariés, deux enfants'' (''Married, Two Children'') since 1989. It also runs on the cable channel [[Comédie!]] since 2002.
{{refimprovesect|date=July 2024}}
Distributed by [[Columbia Pictures Television|Columbia Pictures Television Distribution]], later [[Sony Pictures Television]] since 2002, ''Married... with Children'' debuted in off-network syndication in the fall of 1991. The series later began airing on [[cable television|cable]] on [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] from September 1999 until September 2008. In June 2002, FX became the first television network to air the controversial, previously banned episode "I'll See You in Court", albeit in an edited format. The full version of "I'll See You in Court" can only be seen on the DVD release ''Married... with Children: The Most Outrageous Episodes Volume 1'' and the Mill Creek Entertainment complete series collection. The version found on the Third Season DVD set under Sony is the edited-for-TV version. In 2008, the [[Paramount Network|Spike]] network reportedly paid US$12 million for broadcast rights to every episode including the unedited version of the infamous episode "[[I'll See You in Court]]".<ref>[https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/married-set-for-spike-run-1117983581/ 'Married' set for Spike run] . ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', April 6, 2008.</ref>
Following its acquisition by [[Nexstar Media Group]] and rebrand to [[NewsNation]], the network indicated it would start rolling off its non-news programming as those contracts expire to expand news coverage.<ref>{{cite news|title=Chicago cable network WGN America changing its name to NewsNation, going all-in on news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-wgn-cable-newsnation-name-change-20210125-ufqsqaueqvgq7d2l57gujozhsu-story.html|first=Robert|last=Channick|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=January 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=WGN America To Rebrand As NewsNation, Expanding Nightly Programming|url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/wgn-america-rebrands-newsnation-expands-nightly-programming-1234679613/|first=Dade|last=Hayes|website=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> In November 2018, the entire 11-season run became available to watch through [[Hulu]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/every-episode-of-married-with-children-hits-hulu|title=Cuddle Up with Al and Peggy This Weekend|website=[[CNET]]|date=2018-11-08|access-date=2018-11-28}}</ref> On September 17, 2018, [[GetTV]] began airing the show and continued until around 2020 or 2021.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}} In July 2024, [[Cozi TV]] acquired the rights to the show along with ''[[The King of Queens]]'' and began airing on August 5, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 10, 2024 |title=Cozi TV Acquires Rights To 'Married…With Children' & 'The King Of Queens' |url=https://tvnewscheck.com/programming/article/cozi-tv-acquires-rights-married-with-children-the-king-of-queens/ |access-date=August 17, 2024 |website=TV News Check}}</ref>
*'''[[Germany]]''':It ran from 1992 on [[RTL Television|RTL]] ("RTLplus" at that time) as ''Eine schrecklich nette Familie'', which roughly translates as 'A Terribly Nice Family' (the same title is used). It aired also on [[ProSieben]]. It now currently airs two episodes a day Monday-Friday on [[Kabel1]] <ref>[http://www.kabeleins.de/serien_shows/schrecklich_nette_familie/]</ref>. The show runs in a constant loop. It runs Season 1-11 and then starts all over again.
''Married...with Children'' has also been a ratings success in other countries around the world.
*'''[[Greece]]''': Has been on and off the air in [[ANT1]] channel from the nineties onwards, entitled "Παντρεμένοι με παιδιά", a literal translation of the English original. The show has seen many re-runs.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-right:0"
|-
! Country
! Foreign title
! Translation
! Network(s)
! Notes
|-
| [[Brazil]]
*'''[[Hungary]]''': The show is entitled ''Egy rém rendes család'' (meaning circa "A gruesomely decent family", which is a translation from the German title) and has ventured from channel to channel over the years, from the now-defunct TV3 through [[RTL Klub]] to [[Viasat 3]], where it is occasionally repeated. A cable television called CoolTV airs 3 episodes each day.
| '''Um amor de Família'''<br />(''A Lovely Family'')
| Dubbed<br />Subtitled
| [[Sony Channel (Latin America)|Sony Entertainment Television]]<br />[[PlayTV]]
| The show runs on [[Sony Channel (Latin America)|Sony Entertainment Television]] and Comedy Central Brasil (since 2012 February) with original sound and subtitles (source: [https://web.archive.org/web/20111114105829/http://www.comedycentral.com.br/programas/married-with-children/]), the dubbed version runs on [[PlayTV]]. 57 dubbed and subtitled episodes are now available on the Brazilian version of Netflix.
|-
| [[Bulgaria]]
*'''[[Ireland]]''': Shown on [[RTE 2]] and on the UK's [[Paramount Comedy]].In the 90'S it aired on the UK's [[Sky One]].It disappeared in the early 2000s.Very recently on [[RTE One]] it appeared early January 2007 on a Late Thursday Night/Early Friday Morning at 4am and showed two episodes each time.It disappeared off of the schedule Late April 2007.Not Currently Showing on Irish Television.
| '''Женени с деца'''<br />(''Married with Children'')
*'''[[Israel]]''': Called "נשואים פלוס" (Neshuim Plus - Married plus[Children]). The show can usually be seen on HOT cable television, in the channel [[Bip]], channel 4. A shoe store in [[Herzliya]] named itself Bundy Shoes (though the shop in the series is Gary's). In the past Played on channel 2 channel 3 and channel 6 in the 1990s and on [[Bip]] channel since 2006.
| '''''Married...with Children'''''
| None
| [[CMT (Canadian TV channel)|CMT]]<br />[[Global Television Network|Global]]<br />[[Paramount Network|Spike]]<br />[[DejaView]]<br />[[TVtropolis]]<br />[[OMNI.1|CFMT]]<br />[[Much (TV channel)|Much]]<br />[[MTV (Canadian TV channel)|MTV]]
| Broadcasting on [[Paramount Network|Spike]], [[DejaView]], [[Much (TV channel)|Much]], and [[MTV (Canadian TV channel)|MTV]]. Episodes available to stream for free (with ads) on the [[CTV Television Network|CTV]] app.
|-
| [[Chile]]
*'''[[Latin America]]''': The show runs on [[Sony Entertainment Television]].
| '''''[[Casado con hijos (Chilean TV series)|Casado con hijos]]'''''<br />(''Married... with Children'')
| Subtitled
| Sony Entertainment Television
| Today the show runs on Sony Entertainment Television.
|-
| [[Colombia]]
*'''[[Lithuania]]''': The show periodically runs on [[TV3 Lithuania|TV3]].
| '''''[[Casados con hijos (Colombian TV series)|Casado con hijos]]'''''<br />(''Married... with Children'')
| Subtitled
| ''[[Cadena 1]]''<br />[[Sony Entertainment Television]]<br />[[Comedy Central]]
| The original series aired in Colombia presented by Cinevision on Channel 1 from 1992 to 1994. Reruns on the original language aired on basic cable channels Sony and Comedy Central. The Colombian remake ''Casados con hijos'' airs on Teleantioquia (2000–2005), [[Caracol Television|Caracol Channel]] (2004–2006, 2011–2012) and [[Citytv Bogotá|CityTv]] (2014–2016).
|-
| [[Croatia]]
*'''[[Mexico]]''': Runs on Sony Entertainment Television and ran on and off on TV Azteca.
| The show runs weekly from Monday to Friday on TV Smíchov.
|-
| [[Denmark]]
*'''[[Norway]]''': Originally (some ten years ago on TV3) aired as ''Våre verste år'' (''Our Worst Years''), the show is now called ''Bundy'' and is currently in re-runs after midnight every day except weekends on TV3. Is also shown on ZTV Norway weekdays at 5:30 p.m. local time. ''(See also Sweden)''
*'''[[Spain]]''': The original series were a classic that ran for a decade in the public national channel ''TVE 2''. Recently the [[Spain|Spanish]] TV channel [[Cuatro TV|Cuatro]] did a remake of the original series under the name ''Matrimonio con Hijos''.<ref>[http://www.cuatro.com/programas//series/matrimonioconhijos/ Cuatro.com]</ref>
| '''Mariés, deux enfants'''<br />(''Married, Two Children'')
| Dubbed
| [[M6 (TV channel)|M6]]<br />[[Comédie!]]
| Runs on the cable channel [[Comédie!]].
|-
| [[Germany]]
*'''[[Poland]]''': The show is entitled ''Świat według Bundych'' (''The World According to Bundys''). It was aired many times on [[Polsat]], and it is still on air there today. Its popularity spanned a [[sitcom]] with similar premise made by [[Polsat]] - ''[[Świat według Kiepskich]]'' (''The World According to the Kiepscy'').
| [[RTL (German TV channel)|RTL]]<br />[[ProSieben]]<br />[[Kabel1]]<br />[[Comedy Central Germany|Comedy Central]]<br />[[kabel eins classics]]<br />[[RTL Nitro]]
| It first ran from 1992 on [[RTL (German TV channel)|RTL]] ("RTLplus" at that time), moving to [[ProSieben]] for the final 51 episodes, ending in 1997. It airs two episodes a day Monday-Friday on RTL Nitro, with an additional two episodes on Thursday night.
|-
| [[Greece]]
*'''[[Peru]]''': The show runs on TV 13 - RED GLOBAL. The show is entitled correctly ''Matrimonio con Hijos'' (''Married... with Children''). It runs from Monday to Friday at 20.00 p.m.
| '''Παντρεμένοι με παιδιά'''<br />(''Married with Children'')
| The series returned on January 9, 2016, for reruns, airing every weekend at 10:40 p.m., starting from season 1, on [[Mega Channel]] which initially aired just the last seasons.
|-
| [[Hungary]]
*'''[[Romania]]''': Runs periodically as ''Familia Bundy'' (''The Bundy Family'') on a commercial network [[PRO TV]].
| '''Egy rém rendes család'''<br />(''A gruesomely decent family'')
| A cable television called CoolTV airs 3 episodes and PrizmaTV 2 episodes each day.
|-
| [[Italy]]
*'''[[Russia]]''': The show is entiled ''Женаты... с детьми'' (''Zhenaty... s det'mi'') runs on the [[Domashny]] channel. TNT Network made a Russian version of the [[sitcom]] called ''Счастливы вместе'' (''Schastlivy vmeste'', ''Happy Together'')
| '''{{ill|Sposati...con figli|it|Sposati... con figli|vertical-align=sup}}'''<br />(''Married...with Children'')
| Dubbed
| Canale 5<br />Sky Show
|
|-
| [[Norway]]
*'''[[Sweden]]''': The show is entitled ''Våra värsta år'', translated to ''Our Worst Years''. Meant as a pun on the title for the long-running soap opera ''[[Days of Our Lives]]'' called ''Våra bästa år'' which is ''Our Best Years''. It has been shown repeatedly on the [[Kinnevik]]-owned channels [[TV3 (Viasat)|TV3]] and [[ZTV]] since the start off the show and with repeated re-runs. After several years off the air, it returned in 2006 as a part of [[TV6]]'s launch schedule.
| '''Bundy'''<br />(''Bundy'')
| Subtitled
| [[TV3 (Norway)|TV3]]<br />[[Viasat 4]]
| Originally named ''Våre verste år'' (''Our worst years''), but was later renamed ''Bundy''. It had its on run on TV3, and now in reruns after midnight every day except weekends on TV3. Reruns have also been shown on TV3's sister channel Viasat 4.
|-
| [[Poland]]
*'''[[Turkey]]''': The show still runs on [[CNBC-E]] with subtitles.
| '''Świat według Bundych'''<br />(''The World According to the Bundys'')
| Voice-over
| [[Polsat]]
| The show was aired many times on [[Polsat]] and is still broadcast on that channel. The series' success brought about a local TV show ''[[Świat według Kiepskich]]'' (''The World According to the Kiepskis'') that paraphrased the Polish title of ''Married... with Children''; however, the premise of the Polish show is significantly different from that of the American original (e.g. has got other characters only similar to the original ones and satirises Polish, not American reality), which is why it is usually not considered a remake. In the book "Świat według Kiepskich. Zwariowana historia kultowego serialu" (''The World According to the Kiepskis. A crazy story of the cult TV series) by Jabłonka and Łęczuk, a producer of Świat według Kiepskich- Tomasz Kurzewski says that Polsat wanted to create a brand new sitcom and announced a competition for the best idea and Kurzewski was advised to make a Polish version of the most popular Polsat sitcom, which was Married... with Children and competitive ideas were not connected with Married... with Children, so the American TV series is only an inspiration of the Polish one, not an original version of a remake. Świat według Kiepskich was not made under the American licence.''
|-
| [[Romania]]
*'''[[United Kingdom|UK]]''': The show recently could be seen on [[ITV4]] and also could have on cable comedy channel [[Paramount]] where has been since 1999. The show previously aired on [[ITV]] between 1988 and 1996. From 1996 to 1997 [[Sky One]] and aired on [[ITV2]] from 2004 to 2006.The Show does not currently air on UK Television.
| '''Familia Bundy''' (''The Bundy Family'')
| Subtitled
| [[Pro TV]]
| The show was aired in the 1990s, multiple times.
|-
| [[Russia]]
| '''Женаты... с детьми''' (''Married... with Children''), [[Happy Together (Russian TV series)|'''Счастливы вместе'''<br />(''Happy Together'')]]
| Voice-over (original)
| [[TV-6 (Russia)|TV-6]], DTV, Domashniy TV (original)<br />[[TNT (Russian TV channel)|TNT]] (remake)
| The Russian remake of the show, Счастливы вместе, has been broadcast since March 2006 on [[TNT (Russian TV channel)|TNT]] every weekday. The series was cancelled in 2013.
|-
| [[Serbia]]
| '''Брачне воде / Bračne vode'''<br />(''Marriage Waters'')
| Dubbed (Season 1)<br />Subtitled
| [[Fox televizija]]<br />[[Fox Life]]
| Fox televizija aired season 1 dubbed, by the studio "Prizor". The show aired on Fox Life too, with all of its seasons in subtitles only.
|-
| [[Spain]]
| '''Matrimonio con hijos'''<br />(''Marriage with Children'')
| Dubbed
| [[TVE2]]<br />SET en VEO
| The original series was a classic that ran for a decade in the public national channel [[TVE2]]. The Spanish TV channel [[Cuatro (TV channel)|Cuatro]] did a remake of the original series under the name ''Matrimonio con Hijos''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cuatro.com/programas/series/matrimonioconhijos/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801165322/http://www.cuatro.com/programas/series/matrimonioconhijos/ |archive-date=2008-08-01 |title=Cuatro.com |date=2008-08-01 |access-date=2012-03-14}}</ref> In [[Catalonia]], the Catalan dub was aired on the [[Digital Terrestrial Television|DTT]] channels [[Canal 300]], while in [[Valencian Community|Valencia]] the full series was aired with a dub of their own.
| The show aired on TET (first two seasons) in 2009 and on 1+1 (all seasons) in 2011–2012.<br />The Russian remake of the show, ''Счастливы вместе'', is being shown on Novyi Kanal (New Channel) every Sunday from 12:20–14:20.
There was also a Ukrainian version of Polish Świat według Kiepskich which was called Nepruhi and was aired in 2010.
|-
|}
== Locations ==
The opening footage comprises views of [[Chicago]], opening with a shot of [[Buckingham Fountain]] in [[Grant Park (Chicago)|Grant Park]]. The aerial downtown shot was taken from the [[Lake Shore Drive]] section north of the Loop. The expressway entrance shot was taken from the 1983 movie ''[[National Lampoon's Vacation]]'' featuring the Griswolds' green family truckster with a northeastward view of the [[Dan Ryan Expressway|Dan Ryan]]/[[Interstate 55 in Illinois|Stevenson]] junction southwest of the Loop. The exterior shot used for the Bundys' house was taken in a subdivision in [[Deerfield, Illinois]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Locations|first=Global Film|date=2018-01-04|title=Married With Children – House Location|url=https://globalfilmlocations.net/2018/01/04/married-with-children-house-location/|access-date=2020-08-20|website=Global Film Locations|language=en-US}}</ref> Non-English versions might differ, e.g. the dubbed German version always includes the expressway shot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundyology.com/opening.html |title=Opening Credits |publisher=Bundyology |date=2003-02-16 |access-date=2012-03-14}}</ref>
== See also ==
== See also ==
*''[[Modern Family]]'', a show where [[Ed O'Neill]] also plays a family man.
{{wikiquotepar|Married... with Children}}
*''[[Star-ving]]'', a web series created by [[David Faustino]], where the original cast was reunited.
* [[List of Married... with Children episodes]]
*''[[Unhappily Ever After]]'', another show created by [[Ron Leavitt]], treating similar themes.
== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>
== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Wikiquote|Married... with Children}}
* [http://www.sonypictures.com/tv/shows/marriedwithchildren/ Official site] from [[Sony Pictures Television]]
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.sonypictures.co.uk/tv/shows/marriedwithchildren/index.html UK Official site] from [[Sony Pictures Television]]
* {{Official website}}
* [http://amazon.com/dp/1594575924?tag=fe01-20 The Official Married With Children Trivia Book]
* {{imdb title|id=0092400|title=Married... with Children}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{epguides}}
* [http://www.albundy.net/marriedaniac/ate/script.html Text scripts of all episodes]
* [http://www.bundyology.com/ Bundyology, a fan's website]
* [http://www.albundy.net/ Al Bundy Site, a fan's website (infos, making ofs, forum,..)]
* [http://www.jumptheshark.com/forum/marriedwith-children/1282 Jump The Shark - Married... with Children]
* [http://video.aol.com/video-category/married-with-children/3105 Full episodes of ''Married...With Children'' on AOL Video]
{{Married... with Children}}
{{Married... with Children}}
{{Portal bar|Television|United States}}
[[Category:1987 television program debuts]]
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[[Category:Fox network shows]]
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[[Category:Television shows set in Illinois]]
[[Category:Married... with Children| ]]
[[Category:Married... with Children| ]]
[[Category:1987 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1997 American television series endings]]
[[be-x-old:Шлюб... зь дзецьмі]]
[[Category:1980s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
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[[Category:1990s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[cs:Ženatý se závazky]]
[[Category:Television shows about casual sex]]
[[da:Vore Værste År]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[de:Eine schrecklich nette Familie]]
[[Category:Nudity in television]]
[[et:Tuvikesed]]
[[Category:Obscenity controversies in television]]
[[es:Married... with Children]]
[[Category:Television controversies in the United States]]
[[fr:Mariés, deux enfants]]
[[Category:Television series by Sony Pictures Television]]
[[hr:Bračne vode]]
[[Category:Television series about dysfunctional families]]
[[id:Married with Children]]
[[Category:Television series about marriage]]
[[he:נשואים פלוס]]
[[Category:Television shows adapted into comics]]
[[la:In matrimonio...cum liberis]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Chicago]]
[[lt:Vedęs ir turi vaikų]]
[[Category:Television shows filmed in Los Angeles]]
[[hu:Egy rém rendes család]]
[[Category:Television series created by Ron Leavitt]]
Married... with Children is an American television sitcom created by Michael G. Moye and Ron Leavitt for the Fox Broadcasting Company,[1] broadcast from April 5, 1987, to June 9, 1997. It is the longest-running live-action sitcom ever aired on Fox. Married... with Children was the first primetime series broadcast on the new Fox network. The series' run ended with the episode broadcast on May 5, 1997.[2][3] Two previously unaired episodes were broadcast on June 9, 1997, and June 18, 2002.
The show is set in Chicago and follows the lives of Al Bundy, a former high school football player turned hard-luck women's shoe salesman; his lazy wife Peggy; their pretty but dim-witted daughter Kelly; and their smart-aleck son Bud. The show also features their neighbors Steve and Marcy Rhoades, both of whom Al finds annoying, but likewise feel the same way about him. Later in the series, Marcy marries Jefferson D'Arcy, a white-collar criminal who becomes her "trophy husband" and Al's sidekick.
The series is one of the longest-running sitcoms in American television history, covering 11 seasons with 259 episodes in its run. Its theme song is "Love and Marriage" by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, performed by Frank Sinatra. Critical reception was mixed during its original run, and the show's sexually charged humor and depiction of a dysfunctional family were in stark contrast to family sitcoms of the era.
In 2008, the show made the top 100 on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list, placing number 94.[4] In May 2022, an animated revival was in the works.[5]
The cast of Married... with Children in 1987. From left to right: Katey Sagal, Ed O'Neill, David Faustino and Christina Applegate.Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill) – A misanthrope, afflicted by the so-called "Bundy curse" that consigns him to an unrewarding career selling women's shoes and a life with a family that mocks and disrespects him, who still enjoys the simple things in life. He constantly attempts to relive his high-school football days, when he was an "All State Fullback". His most noted achievement was having scored four touchdowns in a single game for Polk High. His favorite things in life are the local nudie bar, his collection of BigUns magazine, his Dodge car with more than 1 million mi (1.6 million km) on the odometer, and a television show called Psycho Dad.[6] Despite his family's antipathy for him, and his for them, Al is always ready to defend his family and the Bundy honor.
Peggy Bundy (née Wanker) (Katey Sagal) – Al's wife who is always pestering him about money and refuses to do any housework or get a job. Peggy is a lazy redhead who spends most of her time watching talk shows such as Oprah or stealing Al's limited funds to go shopping; she frequently mocks Al about his unglamourous job, his meager earnings, his hygiene, and his poor sexual abilities. Her careless spending on things like clothes and male strip clubs has run Al into debt on numerous occasions. A recurring joke in the series is Al's and Peggy's regrets of having married each other, although on occasion they will show affection towards one another. Peggy's best friend is Marcy, with whom Peggy occasionally leads into trouble. Peggy's side of the family is a backwoods clan of hillbillies whom she often forces the other Bundys to endure, especially her morbidly obese mother, whom Al finds intolerable.
Kelly Bundy (Christina Applegate) – the Bundys' firstborn; a dumb blonde who is often derided as promiscuous and dates guys who irritate Al to the point that he wants to physically assault them. Her stupidity manifests in many ways, from forgetting ideas on the spot to mispronouncing or misspelling simple words. She and her brother Bud generally get along, but enjoy belittling one another.
Budrick "Bud" Franklin Bundy (David Faustino) – the younger Bundy offspring, and sometimes the more level-headed family member, although his preoccupation with sex sometimes leads to inevitable failures with women. He and older sister Kelly constantly taunt each other, but when Kelly is in a legitimate bind he will support her, much like Kelly does for him under similar circumstances.
Marcy Rhoades, later Marcy D'Arcy (Amanda Bearse) – the Bundys' next-door neighbor, Al's nemesis and Peggy's best friend; an educated banker, but also a feminist and environmentalist who often protests Al's schemes with his NO MA'AM (National Organization of Men Against Amazonian Masterhood) group. Marcy is the founder and leader of an anti-man support group called "FANG" (Feminists Against Neanderthal Guys). Marcy and Al constantly bicker and do not get along. For the first few seasons of the show, Marcy is married to Steve Rhoades. After Marcy and Steve divorce and he leaves during the fourth season, Marcy meets and marries Jefferson D'Arcy, giving her the name Marcy D'Arcy.
Steven "Steve" Bartholomew Rhoades (David Garrison) is Marcy's first husband, a stuffy banker who finds himself frequently entangled in Al's schemes. Steve's most prized possession is his Mercedes-Benz, which he does not even let Marcy drive. Although very much in love at the beginning of the series, Steve and Marcy grow apart and he leaves her during the fourth season to become a forest ranger at Yosemite National Park. He later comes back in "The Egg and I" episode to try and reclaim his old life with Marcy, but finds trouble with Jefferson, Marcy's second husband. Steve later has another job as the dean of Bud's college, after blackmailing the previous one he worked under as a chauffeur.
Jefferson Milhouse D'Arcy (Ted McGinley), a pretty-boy scammer to whom Marcy wakes up one morning and discovers she has married. Unlike Steve, Jefferson is more of a free spirit, likes to have fun, is constantly unemployed, has no money of his own, and uses Marcy for financial purposes. Marcy is aware of this, but whenever Jefferson gets into trouble with her, he distracts her by working his charm and resorting to sexual bartering. In several episodes, Jefferson is implied, but never confirmed, to have had a past life as a former spy/CIA operative.
In the show's pilot episode, actors Tina Caspary and Hunter Carson played the roles of Kelly and Bud Bundy, respectively. Before the series aired publicly the roles for the two Bundy children were re-cast. Ed O'Neill and the show's producers worried about a lack of chemistry with the parents and the original actors cast as the children. A re-casting was done and all of the scenes in the pilot with Carson and Caspary were re-shot with David Faustino and Christina Applegate playing Bud and Kelly Bundy.[7]
The working title of Married... with Children was Not the Cosbys, as a mockery of family sitcoms that were common on primetime television in the mid-1980s such as The Cosby Show.[8][9]: 66 Creators Ron Leavitt and Michael G. Moye were told by Garth Ancier and other Fox executives "to be as outrageous as they could be, doing the sort of material the Big Three would never allow on the air", wrote Daniel M. Kimmel in 2004.[9]: 66 However, Fox CEO Barry Diller had initial doubts that Married... with Children would be successful.[9]: 66
For season 1, Metacritic calculated an average of 58 out of 100 based on 5 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[10] Reviews of the debut episode were mixed. In 1987, Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times praised the casting of the Bundys, found the character development of the D'Arcys lacking, and warned viewers: "The satire is heavy-handed."[11] Conversely, also in 1987, Tom Shales of The Washington Post called the debut episode "nasty-minded, overacted and poorly cast".[12] For The New York Times, John J. O'Connor described it as "loud, coarse and life-of-the-party vulgar".[13] O'Connor also compared Married... unfavorably to other family shows like The Life of Riley and All in the Family, describing the show as "pure blue-collar shtick, dressed up with the usual sexual-potency and bathroom jokes".[13]
Despite the show's enduring popularity and fanbase, Married... with Children was never a major ratings success. Part of the reason was that Fox, a startup network, did not have the affiliate base of the Big Three television networks, thus preventing the series from reaching the entire country. In an interview for a special commemorating the series' 20-year anniversary in 2007, Katey Sagal stated that part of the problem the series faced was that many areas of the country were able to get Fox only through low-quality UHF channels well into the early 1990s, while some areas of the country did not receive the new network at all, a problem not largely rectified until the launch of Foxnet in June 1991 and later the network's acquisition of National Football League rights which led to several stations across the United States changing affiliations. For instance, Ed O'Neill's hometown of Youngstown, Ohio did not have its own Fox affiliate until CBS affiliate WKBN-TV signed on WFXI-CA/WYFX-LP in 1998, one year after the show went off the air (the area was served by WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh and Cleveland's Fox affiliates—initially WOIO, then WJW—as default affiliates on cable), so many of O'Neill's friends and family mistakenly thought he was famous for beer commercials during this time.
Another problem lay in the fact that many of the newly developed series on Fox were unsuccessful, which kept the network from building a popular lineup to draw in a larger audience. In its original airing debut, Married... with Children was part of a Sunday lineup that competed with the popular Murder, She Wrote and Sunday-night movie on CBS. Fellow freshman series included Duet, cancelled in 1989, along with It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Tracey Ullman Show, both of which were canceled in 1990. The success of The Simpsons, which debuted on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987, helped draw some viewers over to Fox, allowing Married... with Children to rank in the Nielsen Top 50 from Season 4 through Season 8, peaking at No. 37 in Season 6. Although these ratings were somewhat small in comparison with the other three networks, they were good enough for Fox to keep renewing the show. In its prime in the early 1990s, the show was averaging over 20 million viewers each week.
While the series did not end on a cliffhanger, it was expected to be renewed for a 12th season (which would have been the final season) and thus did not have a proper series finale when Fox decided to cancel it in 1997. With Fox announcing the cancellation publicly before informing the cast and crew, most if not all of them found out about the series cancellation from fans and low-level employees instead of from network executives. Katey Sagal stated that she constantly felt that the series was neglected by Fox despite helping bring the fledgling network on the map (Married... with Children having been on even before The Simpsons); for his part, Ed O'Neill attributed possible neglect of the series by Fox to constant turnover of some of the top positions at the network.[14] In a 2013 interview, O'Neill stated that he felt TV stations who owned syndication rights to the series put pressure on Fox and Sony Pictures Television to end the series since the show had nearly three times the episodes needed for syndication and the production of more episodes would have resulted in higher rights fees.
The sexual humor and depiction of family life on Married... with Children were controversial from its debut. Daniel M. Kimmel reflected on the show in 2004: "It had achieved a cult status as a somewhat tasteless family sitcom that was so well written and acted that some actually saw it as dark satire of modern suburban life rather than simply an unending stream of sex jokes."[9]: 66 In 2007, Time TV critic James Poniewozik, in ranking the show among the 100 greatest of all time, called it "a twisted mirror of TV's instant-gratification culture...suitable for a medieval morality play."[25] Poniewozik concluded about the characterization of the show: "Zestily lowbrow and sex-obsessed, Married was dedicated to the classical ideal that unhappy families were more interesting than happy ones... and a lot funnier."[25] Reviewing Sony's original DVD release of the first season in 2003, Aaron Belerle of DVD Talk reflected that the show's humor "doesn't seem so edgy anymore".[26]
In 1989, Terry Rakolta from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, attempted to lead a boycott[25] of the show after viewing the episode "Her Cups Runneth Over".[27] Offended by the images of an old man wearing a woman's garter and stockings, the scene in which Steve touches the pasties of a mannequin dressed in S&M gear, a homosexual man wearing a tiara on his head (and Al's line "...and they wonder why we call them 'queens'"), and a half-nude woman who takes off her bra in front of Al (and is shown with her arms covering her bare chest in the next shot), Rakolta began a letter-writing campaign to advertisers, demanding they boycott the show.
Rakolta's campaign resulted in Gillette, Warner–Lambert, and Coca-Cola ending sponsorships; ironically, Coca-Cola owned the studio that produced the show, Columbia Pictures Television.[9]: 68 Fox pulled the episode titled "I'll See You in Court" (in which the Bundys attempt to improve their love life by having marital relations in a different setting). This episode became known as the "Lost Episode" and was aired on FX on June 18, 2002, with some parts cut.[28][29] The episode was packaged with the rest of the third season in the January 2005 DVD release (and in the first volume of the Married ... With Children Most Outrageous Episodes DVD set) with the parts cut from syndication restored.
Viewers' curiosity over the boycott and over the show itself led to a drastic ratings boost.[9]: 68 Rakolta has been alluded to twice on the show: "Rock and Roll Girl",[30] in which a newscaster mentions the city Bloomfield Hills, and "No Pot to Pease In",[31] in which a television show is made about the Bundy family and then cancelled because, as Marcy stated, "some woman in Michigan didn't like it."
Socially conservative criticisms of the show were not limited to Rakolta. The Media Research Center named Married... with Children the worst show of the 1995–96 television season, calling it the "crudest comedy on prime time television" for "lewd punch lines".[32][33] Republican U.S. Senator Jesse Helms called the show "trash".[34] Fellow Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) also strongly criticized the sitcom, after having walked in on his stepson and young daughter watching an episode one evening in late 1993. In an interview many years later, Lieberman would specifically cite Married...With Children as the impetus for his becoming a vocal opponent of pop culture and the entertainment industry throughout his Senate career.[35][36]
However, the show was recognized for giving women prominent roles behind the scenes. Producers decided to rewrite the sixth season storyline of Peggy's pregnancy, which coincided with Sagal's actual pregnancy, as a dream that Al had. This was done to prevent Sagal from suffering further trauma by having her character Peggy interact with a new baby, when Sagal's pregnancy ended with her going into premature labor and the baby being stillborn.[37] Bearse showed she was a talented director as well as an actress by moving to the director's chair and directing her co-stars for over 30 episodes of the series between 1991 and 1997. Bearse also became one of the first mainstream actresses to publicly come out as lesbian, which she did during the series run and received positive recognition for doing so.[14] In 2024, Ed O’Neill said that his misconceptions about Bearse's lesbianism was one of the reasons behind the casts' later breakup.[1]
On April 22, 2012, Fox re-aired the series premiere in commemoration of its 25th anniversary.[38]
During its 11-season run on the Fox network, Married... with Children aired 258 episodes. A 259th episode, "I'll See You in Court" from season 3, never aired on Fox, but premiered on FX and has since been included on DVD and in syndication packages. Three specials also aired following the series' cancellation, including a cast reunion.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released all 11 seasons of Married... with Children on DVD in Regions 1, 2, & 4. On December 12, 2010, Sony released a complete series set on DVD in Region 1.[39]
In December 2007, the Big Bundy Box—a special collection box with all seasons plus new interviews with Sagal and David Faustino—was released.[40] This boxset was released in Australia (Region 4) on November 23, 2009.[41]
The Sony DVD box sets from season 3 onward do not feature the original "Love and Marriage" theme song in the opening sequence. This was done because Sony was unable to obtain the licensing rights to the song for later sets.[42] Despite this, the end credits on the DVDs for season 3 still include a credit for "Love and Marriage."
On August 27, 2013, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment[43] had acquired the home media rights to various television series from the Sony Pictures library including Married... with Children[44] with the original theme song "Love and Marriage" sung by Frank Sinatra. They have subsequently re-released the 11 seasons on DVD. The Mill Creek Entertainment version (along with the versions available for streaming and downloading) include scenes that are normally edited in syndication and most of the licensed music that's dubbed over or deleted due to copyright issues.[45][46][47][48][49][50] A Complete Series DVD set was re-released on July 7, 2015, in Region 1. All seasons of Married... with Children are now available for online download and streaming through Amazon, AppleiTunes, Peacock, Hulu, and Vudu.
Seasons 1–9 with room for 10 & 11. Special features same as individual seasons.
The Complete Series
259
October 13, 2009[71] July 7, 2015 (re-release)[74]
November 22, 2009
November 23, 2009[75] June 17, 2020 (re-release)[76]
Married with Children reunion (2003) Clips from the 2003 reunion David Faustino interview Katey Sagal interview Promos for other TV shows Bonus wall poster
Two series (10 in all) of 8" action figures were produced by Classic TV Toys in 2005 and 2006.[79]
In 2018, Funko produced figures of Al, Kelly, Bud and Peggy as a part of their Funko POP! line.[80]
That same year, Funko also released a Married... with Children action figures box set.[81] In 2018 and 2019, Mego released Target exclusives of Al, Peggy and Kelly in 1/9 scale.[82]
An Armenian remake was made in 2016, called The Azizyans. The Azizyans is an Armenian sitcom television series developed by Robert Martirosyan and Van Grigoryan. The series premiered on Armenia TV on October 31, 2016. However, the series was not available to the public until Armenia TV started airing the sitcom from October 10, 2017. The series takes place in Yerevan, Armenia. The Azizyans sitcom is starred by Hayk Marutyan. He embodies the character of Garnik Azizyan – a clothes store seller, who is the only one working in the family. Mrs. Ruzan Azizyan is lazy enough to perform the duties of a housewife.
The problems of the father of the family do not bother his 3 children – his daughter, who is internet-addicted and is active in all social networks; his unemployed eldest son, who is a complete loser, and his youngest son, who is a schoolboy. The roles in this sitcom, created for family watching, are played by Ani Lupe, Satenik Hazaryan, Ishkhan Gharibyan, Suren Arustamyan and other popular Armenian actors. The project is directed by Arman Marutyan. In the second season of the sitcom, the Azizyan family continues to survive thanks to the meager salary of Garnik.
The wife of Garnik – Ruzan, remains in the status of a housewife, without even thinking about finding a job. The elder son of Garnik and Ruzan – Azat, continues to look for a new job, a young man appears in the life of Marie, who is trying to win the girl's heart. Their younger son Levon, continues to live his own life and does not understand what he has in common with this family. And their neighbors Irina and Alik continue to be friends with the family, which Azizyans do not quite approve. The only bright spot in the life of the family is their house, which Garnik inherited from his grandfather.
Argentina
An Argentine remake was made by Telefe in 2005, called Casados con Hijos. Two seasons were made (2005 and 2006), totaling 215 episodes and it became a smashing success during the replaying. More than fifteen years after the release, it is still aired on Saturdays at 7:30 pm.[83] The series has been also shown by local channels in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Peru.
The character names are: José "Pepe" Argento (based on Al, played by Guillermo Francella), Mónica "Moni" Argento (based on Peggy, played by Florencia Peña), Paola Argento (based on Kelly, played by Luisana Lopilato), Alfio "Coqui" Argento (based on Bud, played by Darío Lopilato), Dardo and María Elena Fuseneco (based on Jefferson D'Arcy, Steve Rhoades and Marcy; played by Marcelo de Bellis and Érica Rivas).
Brazil
In Brazil Rede Bandeirantes made a remake in 1999 with the name A Guerra dos Pintos (The War of The Pintos). 52 episodes were recorded but only 22 aired before cancelation.[84]
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria a remake is aired from March 26, 2012, with the name Женени с деца в България (Zheneni s detsa v Bulgaria) (Married with children in Bulgaria).[85]
Croatia
In Croatia a remake called Bračne vode was broadcast from September 2008 until November 2009 on Nova TV channel. The characters based on the Bundys were called Zvonimir, Sunčica, Kristina and Boris Bandić while the ones based on Marcy and Steve were called Marica and Ivan Kumarica.[86]
Germany
In Germany, the 1992 remake Hilfe, meine Familie spinnt, broadcast in the prime time, reached double the audience of the original (broadcast in the early fringe time). This, however, was not enough to maintain the series, so it was cancelled after one season with 26 episodes. The remake used the exact translated scripts of the original series (which already substituted localised humour and in-jokes for incomprehensible references to American TV shows not shown in Germany, as well as some totally different jokes) and just renamed places and people according to the new setting.[87][88] It had a rerun twice on Super RTL in 1996 and 1997.[88]
Hilfe, meine Familie spinnt was aired from March to December 1993 for 26 episodes.[89]
Hungary
In 2006, Hungarian TV network TV2 purchased the license rights including scripts and hired the original producers from Sony Pictures for a remake of the show placed in a Hungarian environment. It was entitled Egy rém rendes család Budapesten[90] (in English: Married with children in Budapest, loan translation: A gruesomely decent family in Budapest). The main story began with the new family called the Bándis inheriting an outskirt house from their American relatives the Bundys. They filmed a whole season of 26 episodes, all of them being remade versions of the plots of the original first seasons. It was the highest budget sitcom ever made in Hungary. First it was aired on Tuesday nights, but was beaten by a new season of ER, then placed to Wednesday nights. The remake lost its viewers, but stayed on the air due to the contract between Sony and TV2.[91][92][93] Also the Hungarian critics have strongly condemned the copyright infringement of the original series. They also criticized the lack of quality and the dilettante forcing of the American cliches in Eastern European (Hungarian) environment.[94]
Israel
The complete American series aired in Israel in the 1990s, with reruns of it ever since. There has also been an Israeli remake to the show titled Nesuim Plus (Married Plus) that aired its two seasons from 2012 to 2017.
The Original Married... With Children ran on TV-6 Russia in the late 1990s and early 2000s (before the closing of the channel) in prime-time basis, broadcasting the episodes from seasons 1–11. The show later aired on DTV and Domashniy TV. A Russian adaptation, titled Happy Together (Schastlivy Vmeste; Happy Together), was broadcast on TNT across the country in 2006.[97][98]
The character names are: Gena Bukin (based on Al, played by Viktor Loginov), Dasha Bukina (based on Peggy, played by Natalya Bochkareva), Sveta Bukina (based on Kelly, played by Darya Sagalova), Roma Bukin (based on Bud, played by Alexander Yakin), Elena and Anatoliy Poleno (based on Marcy and Jefferson D'Arcy, played by Yulia Zaharova and Pavel Savinkov), Evgeniy Stepanov (based on Steve Rhoades, played by Aleksey Sekirin), Sema Bukin (based on Seven, played by Ilya Butkovskiy), and Baron Bukin (based on Buck and Lucky, played by Bayra).[99]
Turkey
A remake was aired in Turkey in 2004 for one season under the name Evli ve Çocuklu (Married and with Children), featuring Ege Aydan and Yıldız Kaplan in the roles of Niyazi (based on Al) and Jale (based on Peg) Tonguç.[100] The producer, Med Yapım, has published 10 episodes on YouTube in 2018.[101]
Top of the Heap was a sitcom starring Matt LeBlanc. The show was about Vinnie Verducci (played by LeBlanc) and his father Charlie (played by Joseph Bologna) always trying get rich quick schemes. The Verduccis were introduced in an earlier episode where Vinnie dated Kelly Bundy, and Charlie was introduced as an old friend of Al Bundy's. The end of the pilot episode shows Al breaking into their apartment and stealing their TV to replace the one he lost betting on Vinnie in a boxing match. However, the show did not last long and was ultimately cancelled. It had its own spin-off/sequel called Vinnie & Bobby a year later, which was also cancelled.
Also, an attempt was made to make a spin-off out of David Garrison's Steve Rhoades character which took place on Bud's Trumaine University. The spin-off was called Radio Free Trumaine where Garrison played the Dean.[103]Enemies was another spin-off, but played to be a spoof on the TV series Friends. Meanwhile, a proposed series focusing on the NO MA'AM group without Al Bundy was outright rejected by Fox over fears of misogyny.[104]
On September 11, 2014, it was announced that a spin-off was in the works, centered on the character of Bud Bundy.[105] Ed O'Neill revealed plot details for the proposed spin-off in 2016: "Bud is now grown up and living in the old house with some of his buddies, but they're all bust-outs, they aren't working. His ex-wife is living in one of the bedrooms with Bud's best friend [...] Peg and Al are retired and living in Vegas; they won the lottery."[106]
On May 13, 2022, Deadline reported that an animated revival of the series was currently in the works with the original cast attached to return. It was further revealed that Sony Pictures Television had been working on the animated series for over a year and waited until they had closed deals with the cast before presenting it to networks and streamers.[5] It was felt that an animated revival worked best due to the original cast's busy schedule as well as Applegate being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, making an animated revival more feasible due to the cast's schedules and Applegate's physical limitations.[5] Applegate confirmed in a 2023 Vanity Fair interview that she, O'Neill, Sagal, and Faustino remained attached to the revival and were just waiting.[107]
A sample clip of the animated series leaked onto the internet on May 17, 2024, along with a synopsis and presentation web site.
After a string of misfortunes, the Bundys move to the cheapest home in Dumpwater, FL – a small house with a sinkhole front yard. As they get to know their Latin neighbors, war with HOA snobs, & yuck it up at their community pool, Al is desperate to be a big shot but continually gets fleeced in Florida – where the weather is sunny, but the people are shady. Adapted from the series Married... with Children.
— Animated series synopsis from Sony Pictures[108]
In April 2024, a memoir, Married... with Children vs. the World, written by Married... with Children writer and producer Richard Gurman, was published by Permuted Press. In it, Gurman gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the show and his time working on it. The show's cast also contributed to the book.[109]
Distributed by Columbia Pictures Television Distribution, later Sony Pictures Television since 2002, Married... with Children debuted in off-network syndication in the fall of 1991. The series later began airing on cable on FX from September 1999 until September 2008. In June 2002, FX became the first television network to air the controversial, previously banned episode "I'll See You in Court", albeit in an edited format. The full version of "I'll See You in Court" can only be seen on the DVD release Married... with Children: The Most Outrageous Episodes Volume 1 and the Mill Creek Entertainment complete series collection. The version found on the Third Season DVD set under Sony is the edited-for-TV version. In 2008, the Spike network reportedly paid US$12 million for broadcast rights to every episode including the unedited version of the infamous episode "I'll See You in Court".[110]
Following its acquisition by Nexstar Media Group and rebrand to NewsNation, the network indicated it would start rolling off its non-news programming as those contracts expire to expand news coverage.[111][112] In November 2018, the entire 11-season run became available to watch through Hulu.[113] On September 17, 2018, GetTV began airing the show and continued until around 2020 or 2021.[citation needed] In July 2024, Cozi TV acquired the rights to the show along with The King of Queens and began airing on August 5, 2024.[114]
Married...with Children has also been a ratings success in other countries around the world.
The show runs on Sony Entertainment Television and Comedy Central Brasil (since 2012 February) with original sound and subtitles (source: [2]), the dubbed version runs on PlayTV. 57 dubbed and subtitled episodes are now available on the Brazilian version of Netflix.
The original series aired in Colombia presented by Cinevision on Channel 1 from 1992 to 1994. Reruns on the original language aired on basic cable channels Sony and Comedy Central. The Colombian remake Casados con hijos airs on Teleantioquia (2000–2005), Caracol Channel (2004–2006, 2011–2012) and CityTv (2014–2016).
It first ran from 1992 on RTL ("RTLplus" at that time), moving to ProSieben for the final 51 episodes, ending in 1997. It airs two episodes a day Monday-Friday on RTL Nitro, with an additional two episodes on Thursday night.
The series returned on January 9, 2016, for reruns, airing every weekend at 10:40 p.m., starting from season 1, on Mega Channel which initially aired just the last seasons.
Originally named Våre verste år (Our worst years), but was later renamed Bundy. It had its on run on TV3, and now in reruns after midnight every day except weekends on TV3. Reruns have also been shown on TV3's sister channel Viasat 4.
The show was aired many times on Polsat and is still broadcast on that channel. The series' success brought about a local TV show Świat według Kiepskich (The World According to the Kiepskis) that paraphrased the Polish title of Married... with Children; however, the premise of the Polish show is significantly different from that of the American original (e.g. has got other characters only similar to the original ones and satirises Polish, not American reality), which is why it is usually not considered a remake. In the book "Świat według Kiepskich. Zwariowana historia kultowego serialu" (The World According to the Kiepskis. A crazy story of the cult TV series) by Jabłonka and Łęczuk, a producer of Świat według Kiepskich- Tomasz Kurzewski says that Polsat wanted to create a brand new sitcom and announced a competition for the best idea and Kurzewski was advised to make a Polish version of the most popular Polsat sitcom, which was Married... with Children and competitive ideas were not connected with Married... with Children, so the American TV series is only an inspiration of the Polish one, not an original version of a remake. Świat według Kiepskich was not made under the American licence.
The original series was a classic that ran for a decade in the public national channel TVE2. The Spanish TV channel Cuatro did a remake of the original series under the name Matrimonio con Hijos.[115] In Catalonia, the Catalan dub was aired on the DTT channels Canal 300, while in Valencia the full series was aired with a dub of their own.
The show aired on TET (first two seasons) in 2009 and on 1+1 (all seasons) in 2011–2012. The Russian remake of the show, Счастливы вместе, is being shown on Novyi Kanal (New Channel) every Sunday from 12:20–14:20.
There was also a Ukrainian version of Polish Świat według Kiepskich which was called Nepruhi and was aired in 2010.
The opening footage comprises views of Chicago, opening with a shot of Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. The aerial downtown shot was taken from the Lake Shore Drive section north of the Loop. The expressway entrance shot was taken from the 1983 movie National Lampoon's Vacation featuring the Griswolds' green family truckster with a northeastward view of the Dan Ryan/Stevenson junction southwest of the Loop. The exterior shot used for the Bundys' house was taken in a subdivision in Deerfield, Illinois.[116] Non-English versions might differ, e.g. the dubbed German version always includes the expressway shot.[117]
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