Plot: What’s it about?
When Fox was just an upstart and no one gave the network a chance, it was decided that the newcomer needed to stand out from the others. And we all know how that happened, as Fox turned into the network with attitude, running numerous controversial shows and while most failed, some became smash hits. One of the network’s first winners was Married with Children, the story of a born loser and his outrageous household. Al Bundy, played to perfection by Ed O’Neill), became a cult icon, a kind of everyman who suffered endless humiliation, but pushed onward and stuck to his guns, even in the face of certain disaster. Bundy was cheap, boorish, and crude, but he loved his family, even if he didn’t often pour his heart out. Add in lazy, greedy housewife Peggy (Katey Segal), disgruntled son Bud (David Faustino), and dumb, slutty daughter Kelly (Christina Applegate), and you have one of television’s first true dysfunctional families. The show was highly popular, even when some groups claimed it was too offensive and some sponsors pulled out, as new ones would buy in and the series remained a success. So it is natural to see the show hit DVD, though fans had hoped for complete season sets, instead of these compilation discs. Even so, fans should enjoy this disc and a brief synopsis on the included episodes is below…
1. A Man’s Castle- Al sends Peggy to the store with money for groceries, but she returns without food, though she does have a new career. After she spent the money on food for herself, she enrolled in an interior decorating program. In addition to costing Al two thousand bucks, it also costs him his favorite place in the entire world. This is because when Peggy has to redecorate a room for class, she chooses Al’s bathroom…
2. Raingirl- As Al prepares to push his boss for a raise, Kelly becomes an intern at a local low rent television station. Just as Al gathers his family to tell them the good news, about his five dollar per week raise, Kelly makes an announcement of her own. Thanks to her looks and hot body, she has been made the new weathergirl at the station. With a salary of one thousand dollars per week, she becomes the new head of the household. A new contract promises over two hundred thousand per year, so Al becomes her agent and even quits his old job. But as per usual things don’t go as planned and Al winds up worse off than before.
3. Have You Driven a Ford Lately- When Al and Steve purchase a banged up Mustang from one of Kelly’s dates, Peggy and Marcy feel left out in the cold. As the guys restore the car, it begins to take up most of their time and resources, which angers their wives. But then Marcy takes a spin in the backseat, which buys some slack for the guys and their project. The search for original parts is smooth and yields some great stuff, which thrills Al and Steve. But will the project turn out as well as they hope, or will it be another bust?
4. If Al Had a Hammer- With a new baby on the way, Al finds himself in danger of having no space of his own. That is due to Peggy’s demand that the baby share their bedroom, which Al opposes, but is outnumbered. When he finds his father’s hammer however, he promises to build a room of his own, where his wife and children are banned. Much to everyone’s surprise, Al not only completes the room, but it turns out to be a virtual paradise. But as usual, Al is snapped back into reality when word of his retreat starts to circulate…
5. Who’ll Stop the Rain?- A hole in the roof rains on Al’s parade, but of course, he refuses to call a roofer to handle the situation. After all, if he stays in the house, he has to deal with Peggy, who is on the prowl for some love. So he heads up to the roof, quickly falls back down, then heads back up to patch the hole. He manages to get most of the work done before he falls again, but then decides to don spiked golf shoes, which creates even more holes. With the threat of a total flood around the corner, will Al ever break down and call a roofer?
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame, as intended. These look as good as you want, as the prints look terrific and minimal defects surface. In other words, the episodes are as clean and clear as when they were first shown, though of course, DVD adds a little to the overall sharpness and refinement. The colors are bright and don’t miss a beat, while contrast is accurate and well balanced also. There is some softness, but the show has always looked this way and by turn, that’s how it should be presented in this edition. So not much else we could want, as these episodes look better than ever.
Audio: How does it sound?
A 2.0 surround option is included for each episode, which is more than adequate to handle this kind of material. The audio has a solid presence here, better than on most of the syndicated airings that I remember watching, in fact. But given the dialogue driven nature of the show, there isn’t much room for anything beyond the basics. Even so, the audience sounds lively and what limited sound effects emerge sound as good as ever, so no worries. The main focus here is on the ribald dialogue, which comes through loud and clear at all times. This disc also includes subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
