3-2-10 : TV TUESDAY!

MARRIED WITH CHILDREN

To me Married with Children is one of the most quintessential dysfunctional family sitcoms. The Bundy family was white trash at it's best. Each member of the Bundy family had their own trademark whether it be stupidity, laziness or just plain old mediocrity.
What made this show last as long as it did was the fact that it was character driven. Interesting characters are the driving force behind a television show's longevity. Now, in TV Tuesday fashion, I will present you with the characters:

AL BUNDY

Al Bundy's main characteristic would have to be mediocrity. His glory days were in high school, when he was quarterback on the football team. Ever since then his life has been on a down-hill slope. He's a woman's shoes salesman, who has a wife and kids that make his life a living hell. The only place he can find happiness is front of the TV, on the couch with one hand firmly planted down his pants. He finds his wife Peg to be a vile woman, and avoids having sex with her at all costs. From his hate towards any woman who isn't in Big 'Uns (his favorite nudie magazine) or is a swedish swimsuit model, he formed the males liberation group, "NO MA'AM".

PEG BUNDY

Peg Bundy does...well nothing. She's a lazy housewife and is content shopping or eating bon-bons on the couch all day. Her blazing, big hair is a masterpiece in itself. She loves fondling male strippers and spending Al's money (sometimes both at once). Oh! And she has her own walk, appropriately named the "Peggy shuffle".

KELLY BUNDY

She's your typical blonde bimbo. To put it lightly - she's a fucking idiot. She constantly reminds her little brother, Bud, that he's a sexless dweeb. Whether that may be true or not, that's what the rest of the family thinks as well.

BUD BUNDY

Bud is the youngest of the family, and all in all, the most promising. He's the only one in the family besides the dog, Buck, that shows any signs of intelligence. But besides that he is sex-crazed and has little to no luck with girls.

MARCY D'ARCY

Marcy is a working woman (an accountant to be exact), intelligent, and a ball-buster to all men. She's had two husbands, and is enjoying the childless life. Being the ball-buster that she is, Al has not taken a liking to her. She gets made fun of by the Bundy's because of her short hair and because they see her as the most unattractive thing ever. This might be an expression of the show underlying misogynistic tones (whether they be intentional or not).

JEFFERSON D'ARCY

Jefferson is Marcy's second husband. He's not that bright at all and will side with her on anything. Jefferson is just a nice guy.

STEVE RHOADES

Steve is Marcy's first husband. He's a prick to say in the least. He's got a stick permanently shoved up his ass, and it shows. He too, like Marcy, was an accountant as well in a bank.

BUCK THE DOG

He's just another member in the family. He gets to have a conscious (or voice if you will) later on in the series. He's not neutered and he takes advantage of it. He has many a mutt-ly progeny.

THE VERDICT?

I love this show. It's everything that I don't want in family life. The characters are wonderfully bad, and the plot lines to the shows, even worse. All the characters are such anti-heroes that they grow on you. Their bad traits become their best.