From: dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dean Adams)
Subject: Re: Married With Children
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 09:47:47 GMT

>joe.siegler@satalink.com (Joe Siegler) writes:
 >That would be Al as the bartender, wouldn't it?

Yea.  Jefferson too.  The producers made it sound like that was going to 
be a "change", but it really didn't look that way on the show.  It was OK 
for a "one shot" deal.  I'm just not too interested in seeing a topless 
MEN's bar every week. :->

 >I think the "concept" of Seven could work if 
 >only they had a kid who could act in there.

Except that bringing in the "cute kid" is such an incredibly OLD idea.
I really expect more originality from MWC...

 >What I thought was funny as a one shot was the episode where women 
 >wanted Al, and he bought the leopard underwear.   That was good as a 
 >one shot gag, as it was totally against the regular character (same 
 >reason I like the "It's a Bundyful Life" episode.. Whoa Jablonsky!).

Right.  That is something i've always liked about the show.  They can
come up with some *really* wild ideas at times and make a very original 
(and usually very FUNNY) episode out of it.

 >The idea of Al being rich would probably work for awhile, but I think 
 >I agree now, thinking back, as it wouldn't hold up permantely. (sp?)

Yea, that would turn it into a totally different show.  Drastic change
of that sort makes for a great "one shot" crazy episode, but you need
to bring things back so they can be there to try something different
next week...

 >I'm surprised you never saw it.   If you need a timeframe reference, I 
 >saw it in front of "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane" 

Ahh... maybe that is why I missed it!  :-)

 >There was a couple of typical Bundy lines.   Marcy comes walking into the 
 >house with a can, saying she's collecting for something, and Al wasn't going
 >to give anything, but capitulated, and said, "I'm in for a 10 spot", and 
 >drops a dime in there.  (With a LOUD clang).   
Ha!!

 >Peggy then puts in the "Yet another thing you start that I have to finish"
But of course.

 >line, and puts in some money.    There were Bud & Kelly lines, but I 
 >don't remember what they are now.
Wow, sorry I missed that.  

 >some things will be funnier than others, but there has been very LITTLE 
 >that I don't like in MWC.   With me, I tend to find something really 
 >small that I like in something that's generally bad.    

Even with the new kid around, there has still been plenty of stuff 
that I thought was incredibly funny and deserving of huge laughs.

 >As for Seven, I think the character is fine, it's the kid that's the problem.

I'm not sure what I would think with someone "different".  It would seem 
that most kid-actors of that age would be about the same, but who knows. 
I also don't see a NEED for it.  That combined with it being such a tired
old idea makes it hard for me to find it "good".  We'll see though...

 >As long as Seven doesn't "take over" screen time, I have no problem 
 >with him being there.   If he became the focus TOO Much, then I'd 
 >probably object.    

"EVERY BUNDY HAS A BIRTHDAY" may have reached that limit for me.  At least 
I didn't find it nearly as funny as most episodes.  Of course there were
SOME laughs, but just not as many as usuall.

 >We've had 3 episodes so far this season. The first one had to deal with him
I thought there was some really funny stuff in that one, although the ending
made absolutely NO sense whatsoever and was VERY strange...

 >and the 2nd had one small scene (which I thought was funny).   

Phew, to me that was one of the worse examples of "bad acting".  I thought
he was totally awful and it really confirmed my worst fears of his ability.
I could not laugh at ALL at the way he "recited" those lines.  Of course the 
OTHER characters reactions (Bud mainly) was VERY funny and I laughed a lot.

 >I rather liked the end scene with him and the Pinata, and "I'm proud 
 >to call that pig (was it pig) my daddy."   I liked it, and while I 
 >didn't exactly LAUGH out loud at it, I did enjoy it.

Hmmm...  I watch MWC to *laugh* (and see Kelly :).  Those sort of cheap
"awww" lines are just too much like a "family" show for me to stomach.

 >>|IMHO, that does not sound like someone who is much of a "real fan" 
 >>|of the show the producers called "NOT the cosbys"...
 >Well, "real fan" is a bit ambiguous a term to use, and in an 
 >electronic medium, it's probably not the best word to use.  :) 
OK, it's a semi-fair cop...<heh>

 >However, using this definition above, then I would agree.
OK.  That was the main point I was trying to make.

 >It's not cool to make 'em like the Cosbys.
That is how I see the "awww" scenes with the new kid though.  If it was 
something with KELLY or Peg, then it fits into the overall scope of things,
but when they bring in a new "cute kid" for that purpose, then it becomes
like "cosbys" to me...

 >What I think is stale now on the show is Marcy and Jefferson.   
 >They're pretty much cardboard anymore.   
Jefferson has always had that problem it seems.  I still like the
stuff between Marcy and Al though.  That can be very funny at times.

 >They have good lines, but I didn't get this feel with her & Steve.

Right.  There really is just nothing happening with them.  Marcy and
Steve belonged together, and the characters really played well off 
each other.  That "chemistry" is nowhere to be found between M&J.

 >DAMMNIT, why did Steve have to leave?  :)
Ditto.

 >I wasn't in the best of moods when I wrote that.
Heh, well I guess that I know the feeling.  :->

 >>|After all, they did NOT put him into the opening credits...
 >That's what I was thinking myself.  With him not in the opening 
 >credits, then they haven't totally comitted to it. 
Let's hope so.  I would certainly enjoy seeing Bobcat show up again.

 >I think the bottom line is that I'm not against Seven the character,
 > I'm against Seven the kid.

What is it you think could be different/better?  I obviously agree with 
you about the kid, but I also think they could have come up with a much
more interesting and ORIGINAL idea to "liven up" the show...

 >DA> that was none other than "WAGS the Perpelexed Pup". (Cartoon cutie)
 >Is that a real cartoon character?   

I really doubt it.  Those were just Kelly's words I was repeating.

 >I've got a question about the episode in which Marcy got married.   
 >She said something like "Marcy Darcy?  My name is MARCY DARCY?   
 >My god, I've got the name of a cartoon character!"   
Heh.

 >Was this to mean that she had a name that sounded LIKE a cartoon 
 >character name, or that Marcy Darcy is a real cartoon character?

The *former* i'd think, but I guess i'm no expert on comics. :->
It sort of SOUNDS like a cartoon name, and that is probably all.

I'd much rather see "WAGS" anyway...<heh>

-{ DA }-

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