Married... with Children
Season 11
DVD cover
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes24
Release
Original networkFox
Original releaseSeptember 28, 1996 (1996-09-28) –
June 9, 1997 (1997-06-09)
Season chronology

This is a list of episodes for the eleventh and final season (1996–97) of the television series Married... with Children.

Fox moved the show's time slot several times throughout the course of the season, which cost the show ratings. Rising production costs and decreasing viewer shares led to the show's cancellation on April 17, 1997, after the final taping for Season 11. This was the only season to feature teaser scenes before the opening credits and a few episodes during this season also featured tag scenes just before the closing credits. For this season, the still of Al and Peggy sitting on the couch was dropped from the closing credits, which for this season are shown against a black background and in a separate card format, instead of scrolling. The opening theme was also greatly shortened, dropping the highway scenes taken from National Lampoon's Vacation, as well as the scene of Al on the couch giving money to Bud, Kelly, Peg, and their dog.

Amanda Bearse missed five episodes this season. Ted McGinley also missed one episode.

In May 2022, it was announced an animated revival of the series with the original cast was in the works.[1]

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
2361"Twisted"Gerry CohenRichard GurmanSeptember 28, 1996 (1996-09-28)11.038.3[2]
To scare a woman into having sex with him, Bud simulates a tornado – which turns all too real when an actual tornado is headed for Chicago. Marcy takes up as their leader and the Bundys and D'Arcys move into the Bundy house basement. Kelly goes out to look for Lucky. It is revealed in this episode that the Bundy Basement has a "Secret Escape Route" (behind the large picture of the busty blonde in a bikini on the far wall) that leads to the underlying part of the stage in the Jiggly Room.
2372"Children of the Corns"Amanda BearseMatthew Berry & Eric AbramsOctober 5, 1996 (1996-10-05)11.027.4[3]
Al and Griff blackmail Gary because of a bad promotion contest, when they find the shoes from the shoe store are made by children in sweatshops. They rope in Jefferson and Bud's help. Meanwhile, Peggy wins a microwave and recruits Kelly to help her hide it from Al.
2383"Kelly's Gotta Habit"Amanda BearseLaurie Lee-Goss & Garry BowrenOctober 12, 1996 (1996-10-12)11.066.7[4]
Kelly must abstain from sex to get a part as a nun in a commercial for "extra extra virgin olive oil", while Al poses as a police officer and appears with Officer Dan on the TV show COPS. Tina Yothers appears at the end of the episode.
2394"Requiem for a Chevyweight: Part 1"Gerry CohenSteve Faber & Bob FisherNovember 10, 1996 (1996-11-10)11.0713.3[5]

Part one of two. Al's Dodge starts sputtering so he sends the rest of the family to find a fuel pump for it. The episode also includes flashbacks of how The Dodge has always been with Al, from his days as a high school athlete to his descent into becoming a reluctant husband to Peg and father to Kelly (who became stupid when Al hit the brakes on his car and she hit her head while reading) and Bud (who became a pervert when Peg gave Bud one of Kelly's rubber dolls to play with).

Note: Amanda Bearse does not appear in this episode.
2405"Requiem for a Chevyweight: Part 2"Amanda BearseRussell MarcusNovember 17, 1996 (1996-11-17)11.099.1[6]
Part two of two. Al buries the Dodge in the backyard and has a funeral for it (complete with his buddy Ike playing the bagpipes), and leases a new sports car, the Testica 2000, which turns out to be a lemon. Meanwhile, Peg, Kelly and Bud dig up the Dodge so they can sell the engine to a collector for $10,000, but ex-CIA operative Jefferson makes a quick trip to Cuba to ask a favor of his old nemesis, Fidel Castro: since there are so many old cars there due to the trade embargo, maybe one of them has a fuel pump that might fit in the Dodge.
2416"A Bundy Thanksgiving"Amanda BearseVince Cheung & Ben MontanioNovember 24, 1996 (1996-11-24)11.1110.1[7]
When Jefferson cannot find a turkey for Marcy to cook, Bud, Jefferson, and Peg go after Kelly's pet turkey so they can kill it and cook it for Thanksgiving. Kelly tries to save Hank the turkey, by throwing it out of the window so that it flies away, but it instead dies and becomes their dinner. Meanwhile, Al and Griff go to a black neighborhood to find Al's favorite pie maker and end up in her funeral. He steals the pie from the funeral. NFL on Fox personalities James Brown, Terry Bradshaw, Ronnie Lott, and Howie Long guest star.
2427"The Juggs Have Left the Building"Gerry CohenVince Cheung & Ben MontanioDecember 1, 1996 (1996-12-01)11.088.5[8]
Peg wants to go to Branson, Missouri, and the Bundys end up there with no money by chaining their car to a bus. The prize for the local talent contest is $500, so Peg and Kelly enter as a singing duo called "The Juggs", and turn out to be talented enough to win not only the money, but a gig touring with Tammy Wynette for a year – until they all manage to screw it up and she fires them. Meanwhile, Jefferson and Marcy agree to feed Lucky while the Bundys are gone and start feeling a little amorous, but they can't decide on what bedroom game to play. They try a new one: they dress up as Al and Peg and do a little role-playing, which leads to a hot time in Al's and Peg's bedroom.
2438"God Help Ye Merry Bundymen"Amanda BearseSteve Faber & Bob FisherDecember 22, 1996 (1996-12-22)11.138.9[9]
Gary hires two young men to help out Al and Griff for the Christmas sale. They take advantage of them and make them do all the work. When the boys are trained, Gary fires Al and Griff and they end up taking menial jobs at the mall. When the new boys quit, Al and Griff get their jobs back. To win the neighborhood decoration competition, Marcy gets life-sized Virgin Mary and Joseph statues, which gets kidnapped by Kelly and Bud. When they try to get a ransom from the D'arcys, it goes horribly wrong. Peg gets into making gingerbread houses and bakes a replica of the entire neighborhood, which gets her the first prize in the decorating contest.
2449"Crimes Against Obesity"Amanda BearseRussell MarcusDecember 29, 1996 (1996-12-29)11.0512.4[10]

On his birthday, when Al insults fat women on the way to the Jiggly Room, he is put on trial in the shoe store by a group of fat women who accuse him of being prejudiced against the obese. Meanwhile, Bud and Kelly attempt to tint the Dodge's windows as a birthday present to Al. Peg bakes him a cake and eats it. She later comes to the shoe store to watch Al getting tried and tortured by the fat women by having them rip up the free coupons that he accumulated over the years in each insult he makes about them. Despite being sympathetic to the women's plight since her mother was obese, Peg openly insults them for ruining the free coupons.

Note: Amanda Bearse does not appear in this episode.
24510"The Stepford Peg"Amanda BearseValerie Ahern & Christian McLaughlinJanuary 6, 1997 (1997-01-06)11.017.78[11]
Peggy slips on a candy bar wrapper and hits her head on the table, giving her amnesia. With no memory of how she used to be, Al brainwashes Peg into acting like the perfect housewife. Even when Marcy tries to tell her the truth, Peg doesn't believe her. When she and Al are trying to have sex, her memory comes back and she makes him have sex again as a punishment.
24611"Bud on the Side"Sam W. OrenderValerie Ahern & Christian McLaughlinJanuary 13, 1997 (1997-01-13)11.108.17[12]

Al tells Bud to lower his standards in finding women when he can't get a date. Al and Griff take off to avoid explaining to Gary why the sales have dropped 500% and still they are asking for a break room. Bud stops by and Gary finds him attractive. Al, Peg and Kelly later catch Gary trying to sneak out of Bud's room, much to Al's horror. But all is okay when she decides to build them a break room at the shoe store and install a big-screen TV and a refrigerator stocked with beer. After a while, Bud doesn't like being treated as a piece of meat that exists only to satisfy Gary's carnal desires.

Note: Amanda Bearse does not appear in this episode.
24712"Grime and Punishment"Sam W. OrenderSteve Faber & Bob FisherJanuary 20, 1997 (1997-01-20)11.046.87[13]
Kelly takes an improv class and Al takes advantage of her by asking her to act (work) like him. Bud asks Al to repair the basement after Al starts charging him rent. When Al refuses, Bud calls a health inspector who makes Al live in the basement after it is deemed uninhabitable. Bud then gets Marcy, Kelly and Peg to torture him so that he repairs the basement.
24813"T*R*A*S*H"Amanda BearseStory by : Todd Newman & David Faustino
Teleplay by : Terry Maloney & Mindy Morgenstern		January 27, 1997 (1997-01-27)11.147.12[14]
Seeking regular meals, Al and Griff join the Army with Jefferson's help. Marcy makes Kelly and Bud pick up all the garbage they threw into her yard. After training, Al and Griff end up cleaning up due to a garbage strike with Jefferson as their leader.
24914"Breaking Up Is Easy to Do: Part 1"Mark K. SamuelsEric Abrams & Matthew BerryFebruary 24, 1997 (1997-02-24)11.1611.85[15]
Part one of three. Bud gets Kelly a new acting gig, where she has to compete with Heather, her nemesis. They end up challenging each other to a boxing match. After a lot of training, Kelly beats Heather. When Al and Peggy lose badly in a "Know Your Spouse Board Game" against Marcy and Jefferson and Griff and his girlfriend, they decide to see a marriage counselor on Marcy's and Jefferson's suggestion. They fight and break up.
25015"Breaking Up Is Easy to Do: Part 2"Gerry CohenRussell MarcusFebruary 24, 1997 (1997-02-24)11.1711.85[15]
Part two of three. Al moves out of the house and into an apartment near an airport. He invites Griff and Jefferson over to celebrate. Peg is heartbroken and the kids try to cheer her up. Marcy and the rest of the neighborhood celebrates with fireworks and parades. The girls and the guys go to the same bar to pick up a new mate for Peg and Al. Peg ends up finding herself a man, whom the kids love.
25116"Breaking Up Is Easy to Do: Part 3"Gerry CohenRussell MarcusMarch 3, 1997 (1997-03-03)11.1810.11[16]
Part three of three. Al keeps striking out with women. Bud and Kelly break up Peg and her new boyfriend after discovering that he'll put the entire family to work. Peg admits that she misses Al and goes to meet him. They go out together and make up.
25217"Live Nude Peg"Amanda BearseMatthew Berry & Eric AbramsMarch 10, 1997 (1997-03-10)11.129.71[17]
Peggy poses as a stripper in the Jiggly Room's talent search to trick Al and wins. She has to keep her identity a secret because Al loves Peggy's stripper persona more than herself. Bud forces Kelly to gain weight for a weight-loss commercial, which all goes to her butt.
25318"A Babe in Toyland"Gerry CohenValerie Ahern & Christian McLaughlinMarch 17, 1997 (1997-03-17)11.157.77[18]

Kelly takes over for a surly kids' show host after he goes insane on the set. She entertains the kids with a puppet that looks like Bud. She belittles all the other characters in the show and fires Bud. Finally Bud gets her fired by getting the old host back. Meanwhile, Al and Peg experiment with sleeping in separate beds; first twin beds and then bunk beds.

Note: Amanda Bearse and Ted McGinley do not appear in this episode.
25419"Birthday Boy Toy"Gerry CohenTerry Maloney & Mindy MorgensternMarch 31, 1997 (1997-03-31)11.199.12[19]
Al cuts off Peggy from shopping. Jefferson is very insecure about his looks and turns to Peggy for help. Peggy gets him hooked on shopping. When Marcy objects, he gets a job as an exercise coach, where all the girls ogle him. Marcy forces him to resign. Bud directs a commercial for Gary Shoes with Kelly and Al. After a bad performance, Griff replaces Al and Al tries to sabotage the shoot.
25520"Damn Bundys"Richard CorrellBen Montanio & Vince CheungApril 28, 1997 (1997-04-28)11.209.73[20]
Al makes a pact with The Devil (Robert Englund) to play with the Chicago Bears and take them to the Super Bowl in exchange for his soul. When Al insists on not quitting after his aim is achieved, The Devil sends him to hell, where he meets his entire family,as well as the D'Arcys, who are now dead. As his life is exactly as it is on Earth, he challenges The Devil to a football match for returning to Earth.
25621"Lez Be Friends"Gerry CohenPamela EellsApril 28, 1997 (1997-04-28)11.2210.17[20]

Marcy's cousin, Mandy (Amanda Bearse in a dual role) comes to town and befriends Al. Marcy being very jealous of her cousin asks Al to keep her away from Jefferson. Later Mandy reveals that she is a lesbian (in real life, Bearse is a lesbian[21]) to Al and then to Marcy, which makes her very angry considering that Mandy stole many of Marcy's boyfriends. Al manages to console Marcy, into accepting Mandy.

Note: This episode aired two days before the infamous The Puppy Episode of Ellen (TV series), in which Ellen DeGeneres' character, Ellen Morgan, comes out as gay.
25722"Chicago Shoe Exchange"Mark K. SamuelsMatthew Berry & Eric AbramsJune 9, 1997 (1997-06-09)11.216.26[22]

Al and Griff turn the shoe store into a barter shop after Gary leaves, so they can get massage chairs. Finally they are forced to reverse their work when Gary returns. Meanwhile, Kelly takes massage lessons and tests them out on Bud, which goes horribly wrong.

Notes: Amanda Bearse does not appear in this episode.
25823"The Desperate Half-Hour"Gerry CohenValerie Ahern & Christian McLaughlinMay 5, 1997 (1997-05-05)11.2315.20[23]
Bud's pen-pal from prison (Tricia Cast) and her boyfriend (Charles Esten) pay a visit to the Bundy household and take the family hostage. Marcy and Jefferson dress up for a cruise and visit the Bundys to rub it in. Kelly ends up falling in love with the prisoner's boyfriend, Lonnie. Meanwhile, Al and Griff plan to watch a pay-per-view 3D movie at home but end up as hostages too.
25924"How to Marry a Moron"Gerry CohenStory by : Vince Cheung & Ben Montanio
Teleplay by : Russell Marcus & Pamela Eells		May 5, 1997 (1997-05-05)11.2415.20[23]

After Lonnie is released from jail, he proposes to Kelly. When Al realizes that Lonnie is the son of the Weenie Tots owner, he agrees. With hours before Kelly's wedding, Al learns that Kelly's new beau is lusting for other women. He is in a dilemma, but finally ends up breaking the wedding.

Note: FOX cited this episode alongside The Desperate Half-Hour as the very last episode and series finale.[24][25]

References

  1. ↑ "'Married… with Children' Animated Series with Original Cast Heats up TV Marketplace". May 13, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 2, 1996. p. 3D.
  3. ↑ Graham, Jefferson (October 9, 1996). "Baseball on NBC helps CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  4. ↑ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 16, 1996. p. 3D.
  5. ↑ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 13, 1996. p. 3D.
  6. ↑ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 20, 1996. p. 3D.
  7. ↑ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 27, 1996. p. 3D.
  8. ↑ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 4, 1996. p. 3D.
  9. ↑ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 25, 1996. p. 3D.
  10. ↑ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. January 1, 1997. p. 3D.
  11. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 6-12)". The Los Angeles Times. January 15, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  12. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 13-19)". The Los Angeles Times. January 22, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  13. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 20–26)". Los Angeles Times. January 22, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  14. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 27–Feb. 2)". The Los Angeles Times. February 3, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. 1 2 "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 24–March 2)". Los Angeles Times. March 5, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  16. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 3–9)". The Los Angeles Times. March 12, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  17. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 10–16)". The Los Angeles Times. March 19, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  18. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 17–23)". The Los Angeles Times. March 26, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  19. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 31-April 6)". The Los Angeles Times. April 9, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. 1 2 "National Nielsen Viewership (April 28–May 4)". The Los Angeles Times. May 7, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  21. ↑ "Bearse comes out of the closet". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. October 17, 1993. p. 20H.
  22. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (June 9–15)". The Los Angeles Times. June 18, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  23. 1 2 "National Nielsen Viewership (May 5–11)". The Los Angeles Times. May 14, 1997. Retrieved April 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  24. ↑ "MWC fox promo - Desperate Half Hour & How To Marry A Moron". YouTube. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Fox May Events: Married with Children Series Finale". IMDb. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
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