Al Bundy Site - Forum

I've always thought about this, and to me it makes perfect sense. If it weren't for MWC, I don't think The Simpsons would exist today.

We all know that MWC set the standard for what you can get away with on TV even to this day. The Simpsons simply followed in their footsteps, and on what network? FOX!

The similarities between the families are also many:

*Both families are very dysfunctional in a similar way

*Both families has a house mom with a big hairdo in a strong color (Marge blue, Peggy red)

*Both families has a not-so-smart dad who loves to drink beer and sit in front of the TV and who always have bad luck with things. Spending quality time with the kids is not something either do frequently

* Both families have 2 (talking) kids where where one is stupid (Bart, Kelly) and one is smart (Bud, Lisa)

* Both families have neighbours that the dads does not like (Homer don't like Flanders, Al don't like Marcy & sometimes Steve)


There are more things that are similar but at the moment they aren't coming to me, maybe you guys have something to add?

Oh, and The Simpsons stole the bit where they make fun of the FOX Network from MWC who was first doing so.

Any thoughts on this? Agree/disagree?

AxelFoley wrote:I've always thought about this, and to me it makes perfect sense. If it weren't for MWC, I don't think The Simpsons would exist today.

I second that. Married... with Children definitely paved the way for other shows that were then considered "offensive" for these days standards. In my opinion, after MwC, everybody thought "Hey, let's do something different now; after all, they did it first!"

We all know that MWC set the standard for what you can get away with on TV even to this day. The Simpsons simply followed in their footsteps, and on what network? FOX!

I think that this wasn't just because Matt Groening picked it. You have to remember, that The Simpsons started out as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show. I don't know if my info is correct on this, but I think they started out in 1987 just when MwC did. So in the first days, it was MwC - TUS w/ The Simpsons, and all over again. But the short got picked up by FOX in 1989 due to high demand for the cartoon, and also the Simpsons family got revamped into what we see today.

EDIT: I just checked it out. My info was correct - The Simpsons started out as shorts in 1987 on The Tracey Ullman Show, the first show aired alongside MwC in the very first days of FOX. The airdate of the first cartoon, named "Good Night", is 19.04.87. This is how the family looked in their first era - 1987 to 1989.

The similarities between the families are also many:

*Both families are very dysfunctional in a similar way

Yes, but the Simpsons clearly have more love towards each other than the Bundys. Homer isn't repulsed with Marge like Al is with Peggy. Sure, when there was the call, the Bundys always got together and supported each other, but you don't see Homer and Marge insulting each other (sure the kids fight - but which kids don't? heheh), or Marge begging for sex with Homer going "Oh, Marge, we had sex last month!".

*Both families has a house mom with a big hairdo in a strong color (Marge blue, Peggy red)

Marge had this haircut all the way from the TUS shorts. But Peg's hairdo is waaaaay better

*Both families has a not-so-smart dad who loves to drink beer and sit in front of the TV and who always have bad luck with things. Spending quality time with the kids is not something either do frequently

True. But Homer and Bart had more quality time together, and they are well bonded as a father and son, so I wouldn't really consider this as a similarity.

Also, in my opinion, Al is half-smart. He has stupid ideas, generally does stupid things on his 'get-rich-quick' schemes, but sometimes he can pull off something smart. But Homer is very dim-witted, almost mentally challenged. He always did stupider things than Al and Marge had to pull him out from almost everything he got into. But generally I consider Al smarter than Homer.

* Both families have 2 (talking) kids where where one is stupid (Bart, Kelly) and one is smart (Bud, Lisa)

Bart isn't stupid in my opinion. What he lacks in school smarts, he makes up for it in street smarts. He's a 10 year old boy, but he is nowhere near "stupid as Kelly".

* Both families have neighbours that the dads does not like (Homer don't like Flanders, Al don't like Marcy & sometimes Steve)

Yep, this is true. But also, both families sometimes got close with their neighbours

Oh, and The Simpsons stole the bit where they make fun of the FOX Network from MWC who was first doing so.

True. I can't remember the first sign of making fun of FOX on MwC, but it probably was when Peg was watching TV. A voice came on, announcing some stupid new show, and said "...only on FOX!" to which Peg replied, "Of course.". Then there are the FOX viewing positions

And The Simpsons make fun of FOX even in their new "The Simpsons: Movie" flick (which I have seen and loved very much ) There's one scene, where in the middle of screen action, a bar comes up on the bottom of the screen, which tells people to watch a new show on FOX (most likely made up), and ends with: "Yep. We even advertise in theatre movies now."

Any thoughts on this? Agree/disagree?

I agree

But even though there is evidence of The Simpsons taking some from The Bundys, I am a great fan of both shows. I like MwC better, but I also love The Simpsons.

Panek wrote: I think that this wasn't just because Matt Groening picked it. You have to remember, that The Simpsons started out as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show. I don't know if my info is correct on this, but I think they started out in 1987 just when MwC did. So in the first days, it was MwC - TUS w/ The Simpsons, and all over again. But the short got picked up by FOX in 1989 due to high demand for the cartoon, and also the Simpsons family got revamped into what we see today.

I just checked it out. My info was correct - The Simpsons started out as shorts in 1987 on The Tracey Ullman Show, the first show aired alongside MwC in the very first days of FOX. The airdate of the first cartoon, named "Good Night", is 19.04.87. This is how the family looked in their first era - 1987 to 1989.[/b]

Yes they existed before MWC got famous but they were not the same as later when they started to resemble the Bundy's when the show started in 1989.

Yes, but the Simpsons clearly have more love towards each other than the Bundys. Homer isn't repulsed with Marge like Al is with Peggy. Sure, when there was the call, the Bundys always got together and supported each other, but you don't see Homer and Marge insulting each other (sure the kids fight - but which kids don't? heheh), or Marge begging for sex with Homer going "Oh, Marge, we had sex last month!".

Of course, I didn't mean the family was all the same in every aspect, but very dysfunctional none the less.

True. But Homer and Bart had more quality time together, and they are well bonded as a father and son, so I wouldn't really consider this as a similarity.

Nah, the times Homer really don't want to spend times with kids reminds me of Al, as well as the times they do care for each other in a few episodes.

Also, in my opinion, Al is half-smart. He has stupid ideas, generally does stupid things on his 'get-rich-quick' schemes, but sometimes he can pull off something smart. But Homer is very dim-witted, almost mentally challenged. He always did stupider things than Al and Marge had to pull him out from almost everything he got into. But generally I consider Al smarter than Homer.

Absolutely, I don't deny that. But both have less IQ which results in similar slapstick humor etc.

Bart isn't stupid in my opinion. What he lacks in school smarts, he makes up for it in street smarts. He's a 10 year old boy, but he is nowhere near "stupid as Kelly".

I think Kelly has her moments too, but yeah Bart is not as stupid but he's not very bright, lets leave it at that

Yep, this is true. But also, both families sometimes got close with their neighbours

True, not denying that

True. I can't remember the first sign of making fun of FOX on MwC, but it probably was when Peg was watching TV. A voice came on, announcing some stupid new show, and said "...only on FOX!" to which Peg replied, "Of course.". Then there are the FOX viewing positions

And The Simpsons make fun of FOX even in their new "The Simpsons: Movie" flick (which I have seen and loved very much ) There's one scene, where in the middle of screen action, a bar comes up on the bottom of the screen, which tells people to watch a new show on FOX (most likely made up), and ends with: "Yep. We even advertise in theatre movies now."

Yeah I know, I saw it too, it was really good and that part was hilarious

But even though there is evidence of The Simpsons taking some from The Bundys, I am a great fan of both shows. I like MwC better, but I also love The Simpsons.

Ditto!

Thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate it

AxelFoley wrote:

Bart isn't stupid in my opinion. What he lacks in school smarts, he makes up for it in street smarts. He's a 10 year old boy, but he is nowhere near "stupid as Kelly".

I think Kelly has her moments too, but yeah Bart is not as stupid but he's not very bright, lets leave it at that

Agreed :]

Also, about Kelly; in my opinion, the only moments she had was in seasons 1-4. In season 5 it all went downhill. Her IQ lowered from episode to episode. In one ep, she was normal, had a stupid line or two, but that was it. Then in the other, she had more stupid lines. And even more with the next episode. Yes, she had her moments in seasons 5-11, but they were very scarce. In 1-4 she seemed "regular". Not a complete idiot, but not very smart at the same time. Season 5 begins, and somebody apparently said "Hey, let's make her more and more stupid!" - and it unfortunately happened. Bimbo -> complete moron. I must say, I didn't really like this transfer. Kelly is to me a very likeable character, but this didn't do her any good. I haven't noticed this until I've began to watch the series for the third time (right now). I'm at the beginning of season 5 (just after 05x04). And to my surprise, while watching between 04x26 and season 5, I could pinpoint the moment when I thought Kelly's IQ just went down, down, down...

Sure, without her stupidity, there wouldn't be great jokes, like...
- Hey Bud, what's this word?
- "A".
- Oh, cool, just like the letter!
...but IMO the creators could have done it without "idiotifying" her so much.

Thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate it

No problem

I like Kelly as a very dumb blonde. I haven't seen the earlier episodes nearly as much as the newer ones, so I'm very used to seeing Kelly as a borderline retard But I enjoy the one from season 1-4 as well.