249. 02/24/97  "BREAKING UP IS EASY TO DO (PART 1)"  (1116)

 Eric Abrams & Matthew Berry / Mark Samuels


This is part one of a 3 parter, although this review will cover the 3 episodes as one.

Rating: 6 out of 10. Amusing, entertaining, but not gut busting MWC humour as we've 
come to know. Still beats Seinfeld anyday. Somehow I was not taken with the prospect
of Al and Peg separating. Part of their curse is that they are stuck with each other 
- that is one fact of the Bundy life that is set in stone!


Al and Peg spilt up after Al scores miserably on a Couples game. Peggy realises that 
Al knows nothing about her.

Al actually has some money stashed away where Peg could never find it - hidden under 
the toilet seat - the one thing Peggy would never lift. He uses this cash to get 
himself set up in a pad by the airport (where the noise from jets is deafening).

Peg goes to pieces without Al, but Al is initially in his element, relishing single 
life and chasing babes in the bars. The kids also relish the change, when they realise 
a new 'stepdaddy' might be a step up in life. Suddenly their biggest fantasy seems to 
be coming true.

After some time though, Al gets tired of 'going out', 'forking out', and 'striking out' 
('cause none of the babes are puttin' out - at least not for him). Peggy on the other 
hand has found a new man. He's wealthier (barely - he's a used car salesman) (The MWC 
team who went on to make UEA made the lead man a Used Car Salesman. Jack Malloy was an 
even bigger loser than Al). Kelly and Bud are initially excited about the new 'rich' 
stepdaddy, but once they find he expects them to move out, they oppose his advances to 
Peg. Having tasted Peg's cooking, it is not hard to get rid of Mr Wright.

On a happier note, the third of these three episodes has a brilliant scene, where 
Jefferson is told to suck-up to Mr Wright in order to get a job. Mr Wright begins to 
choke on Peg's food... Jefferson gets in behind him, giving him a series of Heimlich 
thrusts... To the girls though, it looks more like a gay scene, with Mr Wright being 
Jefferson's Bitch, and Peg comments "Gee, Jefferson must REALLY want a job".

Al and Peg finally get back together, making up in the Dodge, in the same spot where 
they made up after their first big fight.