Regular Cast:

Ed O'Neill..............Al Bundy
Katey Sagal.............Peggy Bundy
Amanda Bearse...........Marcy D'Arcy
Christina Applegate.....Kelly Bundy
David Faustino..........Bud Bundy
Ted McGinley............Jefferson D'Arcy
Buck the Dog............Buck

No guest cast.



ACT ONE

SCENE ONE

The Bundy Christmas tree - A single, small branch with a couple of baubles on it - is 
placed on the desk. 
Bud enters from the garage and sits on the couch next to Al, who is watching TV.

TV      And now for your Christmas viewing pleasure, channel two presents...

AL      Anything but "It's A Wonderful Life"!

TV      ..."It's A Wonderful Life"!

Al changes the channel.

TV      "It's A Wonderful Life"!

Al changes the channel again.

TV      "It's A Wonderful Life"!

Al changes channels once more.

TV      It's "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"...

AL      Alright!

TV      ... right after "It's A Wonderful Life".

Al can't believe it.

BUD     Dad, it's Christmas Eve. Shouldn't you be out shoeing the homeless or something?

AL      Quite the noble gesture, Son, but Christmas Eve is a time you should spend with
        your loved ones.

Bud and Al sit quietly for a few moments.

AL      I say that's enough time. Go away, I'm trying to watch TV.

BUD     Dad, every year you and Mom sit here on the couch and end up fighting over what
        to watch. Now, why don't you take her on down to Almost Steak and treat her to the
        "All You Can Keep Down" Christmas Special.

AL      Then where would we go for our anniversary? 

BUD     Dad, its Christmas Eve, there's nothing on.

AL      Of course there is. I've got 40 channels here. The spirit of Christmas has got to
        be on one of them.

Al selects a channel.

TV      And now, live, the great ladies of the Squared Circle present Christmas Oil
        Wrestling!

Al laughs happily.

AL      See that? [Looks at TV] Ooh, look at those chestnuts.

Bud gets up and meets Kelly at the garage door.

BUD     He won't budge, Kel. What are we gonna do?

KELLY   Well, you're the one who wanted to get them a big old jukebox for Christmas.

She points to the jukebox in the garage.

BUD     Hey, if a really cool watch had fallen off the truck, I would've gotten them that
        instead. I just hope they like it.

KELLY   Well, they should. It's got all those geezer records on it. It's even got one from
        way back when Cher used to sing with her son!

BUD     Well, we can't leave it in this freezing garage all night.

KELLY   Well, we can take it upstairs and hide it in one of our rooms?

BUD     Oh, no problem. Just let me eat some spinach first.

KELLY   We'll do it together. We'll just take it up behind Dad. Look, he's watching oil
        wrestling, he seems to be pretty focused.

Al is watching the TV intensely.

AL      She's down!! Her breasts are touching! Her breasts are touching!

BUD     It's kind of nice to see Dad getting into the Christmas spirit. [quietly] Okay,
        come on, let's do it.

Bud and Kelly go into the garage.
Peggy enters with a lot of shopping bags.

PEGGY   Al, guess what I've got!

AL      You got a Christmas present for me?

PEGGY   Uh, no... But I can go back out again. Do you have any money?

AL      Well, I was saving up for a bullet.

PEGGY   That can be from me.

Peg sits next on the couch next to Al.

PEGGY   Is this wrestling?

AL      Uh no, Peg, it's C-SPAN. That's Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg
        settling their differences. Of course it's wrestling!

PEGGY   Well, you know, I don't really...

AL      [cutting her off] Peg, hold it, I know what you're going to do. In a little while 
        you're going to say "is this all that's on?" then you're gonna make me change it
        because you know I like it.

PEGGY   Al, that's just not true. [a few moments later:] Is this all that's on?

AL      Yes, Peg. It's Christmas Eve, it's all that's on and I like it.

PEGGY   Well, change it.

AL      Fine.

Al changes the channel.

PEGGY   Oooh, look, "It's A Wonderful Life."

AL      Peg, I hate this movie.

PEGGY   How can you hate "It's A Wonderful Life"?

AL      Because it's a horrible life. You know the reason they never made a sequel?   
        Because when the guy came back he killed himself! And this time he took that angel
        with him. This must be written by a woman. This stinks, it bites, it blows. But if
        you wanna watch it, Peg...

PEGGY   Oh, never mind, just turn it.

AL      Good.

Al changes channel again.

AL      See, told you there was nothing on. I'm going back to wrestling.

Al changes channels again.
Bud and Kelly are seen coming out of the garage behind Al and Peg, wheeling the jukebox on 
a trolley. 

PEGGY   Honey, how come you never wrestle with me?

AL      Because either I end up on top of you or you end up on top of me and either way 
        I lose.

The jukebox is put down and it lands on Bud's foot. Bud reacts.

BUD     [quietly, in pain] Kel! 

KELLY   What?

BUD     It's on my foot!

KELLY   Which foot?

BUD     The one that's as flat as your head, now help me back out the door with this
        thing!

KELLY   Your stocking's going to be as empty as your bed, young man!

Bud and Kelly push the jukebox back into the garage, but Bud pushes it too fast and Kelly
is heard screaming. A crash is also heard.

AL      Damn carollers.

PEGGY   You know, I have just one thing to say about oil wrestling...

AL      What.

PEGGY   Do we have to watch this?

AL      What is it, you look over and see a smile on my face, you say I can't have this?

PEGGY   No, Al, I just thought it would be nice if we could enjoy something together.

AL      We tried that on our honeymoon, Peg, remember how we cried?

PEGGY   Just change the channel.

Al chooses different channels very quickly.

PEGGY   Oh, now, now, there you go, you're going to fast. [Al doesn't stop] Come on, Al...
        What was that? What was that? What was that??

AL      [very quickly] A "Bewitched" with Dick York, not Dick Sargent, as Darrin; a
        "Gilligan" where a gorilla came to the island; a "Full House" family Christmas
        story when they were snowed in at the airport; and a study of the mating habits of
        the Amazonian catfish with Phillipe, not Jacques, Cousteau.

PEGGY   You can see all that, and yet you can't see the rim around the toilet?

AL      I see what I wanna see, Peg.

Marcy pops her head in the front door. Music is heard coming from the D'Arcy house.

MARCY   It's me!

Marcy enters carrying an esky.

AL      And I don't want to see that. Marcy, are you having a Christmas party this year?

MARCY   Nope, sorry. Uh, by the way, can I borrow some ice?

PEGGY   Oh sure, help yourself.

Marcy walks over to the freezer.

AL      You know, it's a damn shame you're not having that Christmas party. I had a good
        time at that last one. Remember I got 95 cocktail weenies in my mouth?

MARCY   Yeah, that was real funny, Al.

Marcy open the freezer door, and uses a hammer to smash the ice-filled freezer to get a
block of ice for her esky.

AL      You know, I would've got 96 in there if I didn't have to sneeze. You remember the
        look on your boss's face?! Ah, I wish you were having a party, I really enjoyed
        it. It's a shame too, because I've got a whole new batch of dwarf jokes this year.

MARCY   That makes me all the sadder that we're not. Uh, can I take this chair?

PEGGY   Sure, go ahead.

Marcy takes one of the Bundy's kitchen chairs.

MARCY   Uh, say, what are you guys doing for Christmas?

PEGGY   Well, you know, I like to spend my time with the less fortunate, so I'll be
        staying home with Al.

AL      What about you guys?

MARCY   Oh, nothing. Uh, we'll just be at home having a quiet evening. 

Marcy opens the front door to leave. Music is heard from next door. 
Somebody calls out to Marcy.

PERSON  Hey, Marcy! Great blow-out!

Marcy smiles at the Bundys and leaves.

AL      Damn shame about that party.

PEGGY   Give me the remote.

AL      Ah, here we go. Now I know what you're gonna do. You're gonna go real slow and
        aggravate me. Please don't do this, Peg.

PEGGY   I'll go fast, I promise.

Peggy turns the channel once and lets it play.

TV      This is PBS. If you want more bad English television that your friends will insist
        is better than bad American television, please send your pledges in either cash,
        cheque or can food to...

AL      Ah, Pookie?

PEGGY   What, Al?

AL      Just out of curiosity, why are we watching this?

PEGGY   Well, you know, I've -

AL      TURN IT!!

PEGGY   Fine.

Peggy changes the channel once more.

PEGGY   There. "I Love Lucy".

AL      I hate Lucy. The real star was Fred. They should've killed off Ethel and Lucy and
        that illegal alien... They should've made Fred a single guy and called it "Mertz's
        World". But if you want to watch it...

In the backyard, Bud and Kelly are preparing their plans to lift the jukebox into Bud's
room. Bud has a rope.

BUD     Alright, Kel, now look. This is what we're gonna do. You're gonna tie this rope
        around the jukebox, I'm going to go upstairs, and you're ready, I'll pull it up.

KELLY   Okay. We wouldn't be having this problem if we had just used a seesaw.

BUD     We wouldn't be having this problem if Dad used a condom. Just tie it.

Bud gives Kelly the rope and she gives him a dirty look. 
Bud walks around to the front of the house.
Inside, Al and Peg are still watching. 
Someone on the TV is singing "Silent Night" horribly. 

AL      God, is that Michael Bolton screaming "Silent Night"? What's his next number gonna
        be, "Hark the Hairy Angels Sings"?

PEGGY   You know, you don't like anything.

AL      Starting with you!

Bud enters the house and runs upstairs quickly.

BUD     Merry Christmas!

PEGGY   Who's that?

AL      I don't know. Damn, I wish the D'Arcys were having a Christmas party this year!

Jefferson and a few other men enter, drinking beer. Music is still playing outside.

JEFRSN  Do you mind if we just borrow the rest of these chairs?

AL      Oh sure, buddy. No Christmas party this year, uh?

JEFRSN  Oh, afraid not. Say, can we take the table?

AL      Sure.

JEFRSN  Any beer?

AL      Ah, gonna have sex with the wife tonight, eh? [The rest of the guys start taking
        the chairs and table out] Oh, you'll need a couple of six-packs. You want a bag?

JEFRSN  No, I'll just carry it.

AL      No, I meant a bag for your wife.

Al and Jefferson laugh.

JEFRSN  Eh, no, no thanks.

AL      What are gonna do? Just stay home?

JEFRSN  Yeah, yeah, just uh, [walking to the door] me and the little lady and your chairs
        and table and stuff. See ya!

He leaves and joins the party.

AL      You know, Peg, if I didn't know any better I'd swear they were having a party.

Outside, Kelly is finishing tying the rope around the jukebox. 
Bud calls to her from his bedroom window above the patio.

BUD     Alright Kel, did you tie the rope around the jukebox?

KELLY   Yep.

BUD     Okay. Now toss it to me.

KELLY   The jukebox?

BUD     The rope, you lug nut.

KELLY   Oh, gotcha. Ready? Okay.

Kelly throws the ropes to Bud, who catches it, and puts the end of it through a pulley
that is hanging to his window frame. He wheels the end of the rope down to Kelly while
keeping hold of it.

BUD     Okay, now, pull on it and make sure it's tight.

KELLY   Oh, alright.

Kelly looks at the two lanes of rope she has in her hands and pulls the end that Bud is
hanging onto very sharply.
Bud screams as he falls out of his window. Al and Peg don't notice as Bud lands
on the patio.

BUD     Why did you pull on the rope that way?

He gets up.

KELLY   [Cringing] Because I wanted to see if it was tight on your end too.

BUD     [holding his head] Upstairs.

KELLY   But...

BUD     Get upstairs.

Kelly runs around to the front of the house.
Inside, Al is watching Psycho Dad and singing along happily to the theme.

TV      Who's that riding in the sleigh? 
        Who's that firing along the way? 
        Who's got the most popped on Christmas Day? 
        Psycho Dad, Psycho Dad, Psycho Dad...

AL      Look, Peg, it's the Christmas episode of Psycho Dad!

PEGGY   Oh, not again.

AL      Peg, it's a classic. This is the one where you find out how he got the eight
        reindeer heads on the walls of his cabin.

Kelly enters and runs hastily up the stairs.

KELLY   Merry Christmas.

PEGGY   Who was that?

AL      I don't know.

PEGGY   Al, I am not watching Psycho Dad.

AL      Argh, Peg!

PEGGY   I'm turning it!

AL      Well then, I'm going to the bathroom.

Al gets up from the couch.

AL      [to the camera] And I really hate this commercial.



ACT TWO 

SCENE ONE

Al comes down the stairs, looking suspicious.
He sits on the couch next to Peg, who is now wearing a party hat.

AL      You know, I swear I heard noises coming from the D'Arcys. I think they got a party
        going on over there!

PEGGY   Oh, don't be silly, Al. You know if they had a party, they surely would've invited
        you.

AL      Well, that's true...

Al slowly looks at the hat that Peg is wearing, looks away and looks back again.

AL      Say, Peg... Did you have that hat on before I went to the bathroom?

Peggy realises she's wearing the hat.

PEGGY   Uh... Why yes. Yes I did. You know what, Al Bundy? You never look at me.

AL      Oh, yes I do. Yeah, I remember it now.

Peggy takes off the hat and quickly tosses it behind her.

AL      Switch the channel, would ya?

Peggy changes channels.

PEGGY   Ooh, the Christian Shopping Network.

TV      Have your next supper on our Last Supper plates! Service for 13. Only $49.95.

Outside, Bud steps unknowingly into the coiled rope on the ground. 
He starts fixing the rope. Kelly is in his room.

KELLY   Okay, I'm ready. Hey, what are you doing?

BUD     I'm gonna re-tie your knot. Now, don't lift it until I say.

KELLY   Don't what?

BUD     Lift it. [Realises, and looks at the camera] Uh oh.

Kelly pulls on the rope, causing Bud to hang upside down in the air.

BUD     Kelly! Kelly, let me down, you moron! Let - me - down!

KELLY   [Holding the rope] Okay...

BUD     [to the camera] Uh oh.

Kelly lets go of the rope, causing Bud to crash down to the ground again.
He sits up, spitting out snow. 

KELLY   Are you down?

BUD     Yes. And so are you!

Bud starts pulling the rope.
Bud's dresser is seen sticking out of the window.

KELLY   Wait, don't pull it, Bud! I tied it to the....

Bud sees the dresser coming out of the window towards him.

BUD     Dresser.

The dresser is heard falling onto Bud. Only Bud's legs are seen from underneath it.
Meanwhile, Al and Peg are still watching TV.

TV      And now, the Black Entertainment Channel presents "It's A Malcolm X-Mas."

AL      Argh, come on, Peg! I can't stand it anymore. Give me the remote.

Al snatches the remote from Peg and changes channels rapidly.

PEGGY   Al, you're going too fast again. Oh, this just isn't working. I go to slow, you go
        too fast. Gee, what does that remind you of? Look, let's just try this together,
        shall we?

Al and Peg both hold the remote.

PEGGY   Oh, now you're taking up more than half the remote.

AL      Well, you're taking up more than half the couch!

They select a channel.

TV      For those of you who missed the first 53 airings, NBC is proud to present
        "Cheers", the final episode.

PEGGY   What does "Cheers" have to do with Christmas?

AL      What does NBC have to do with television?

AL      Change it.
PEGGY   Change it.

They change the channel.

AL      Ah, not the Sally Struthers Feeds The Third World channel. Sally, open your purse
        up. I'm sure there's enough ding-dongs and ho-hos in there to start a new 7-11!
        It's all these starving kids need, someone like Sally standing there saying "Are
        you gonna finish that?"

AL      Change it.
PEGGY   Change it.

They select another channel.

PEGGY   Oh, this is the TV Movie version of "It's A Wonderful Life." It's from a female
        perspective, starring Suzanne Plechette.

AL      Who plays the female?

Marcy enters. 
She is wearing a racy Santa dress outfit, fishnets, and a silvery wig with mistletoe
hanging off it. She is stinking drunk.

MARCY   Merry Christmas! 

She takes a sip from the drink she holding. 
Marcy stands behind Al so that the mistletoe is hanging over his head.

MARCY   Okay Al... Guess who's under the mistletoe!

She kisses him on the cheek.

AL      Argh, she pecked me, Peg! [To Marcy] Now I know you're having a party over there.

MARCY   [defensively] I am too! Do you have any contraceptives?

Al picks up a magazine and gives it to Marcy.

AL      Well, I've got a magazine with Whoopi Goldberg on the cover.

MARCY   That'll do. And to all a good night.

Marcy turns around and leaves. She has a flashing MERRY CHRISTMAS sign on her backside.

AL      I am almost positive they're having a party over there.

Al changes the channel.

TV      Now on Home Shopping Channel we're offering this gold plated necklace. We've been
        offering it for 49 dollars, but in the next 10 minutes you can buy it for 49 cents.

AL      Look what they put on TV. Look how hideous this stuff is! Do they actually think
        that women will go for this?

Peg is on the phone, ordering.

PEGGY   Ah, yes, I'd like three, please... Yes... Oh yes, I would love a Brazilian
        Christmas Tree emerald ring.

Al takes the phone from her.

AL      How dare you try to sell this crap to women who might actually wear it!? Hey guys,
        you still got that Pocket Fisherman?

Peggy snatches the phone back and hangs it up.
Kelly comes running down stairs and out the door.

KELLY   Happy Birthday!

PEGGY   Who was that?

AL      Kelly.

Peg takes the remote and changes the channel.

TV      A&E, the Arts and Entertainment Channel, present "It's a Hitler Christmas". 

AL      Arts and Entertainment channel? I thought we had that blocked!

PEGGY   Just a few more left. Let's keep going.

She changes channels again.

TV      Now available on CD, cassette and yes, 8-Track - It's A Country Christmas. Here's
        such hits as "Let's Put the Lights on the Trailer."

TV      [singing] Let's put the lights on the trailer...

TV      "Is That Rudolph's Nose or Daddy's?" 

TV      [singing, with Peg miming along] Is that Rudolph's nose or Daddy's? 

Al looks at Peg oddly.

TV      "Grandma's Frozen on the Porch Swing."

TV      [singing, now Al reluctantly mimes along] Grandma's frozen on the porch swing...

Al mimes putting a gun to his head.
Meanwhile, Bud and Kelly are now both on the ground, pulling the jukebox up via the pulley.

KELLY   See, I told you it was easier if we both did the pulling.

BUD     Oh, great, Kel. Now who's going to be upstairs to lift it through the window since
        we're both down here?

KELLY   Oh, you're right. Hey! I'll go do it.

She runs off, leaving Bud holding the rope alone. Bud screams in anticipation as he is
pulled up due to the lack of weight on his end. The jukebox crashing down onto the patio. 
Bud follows soon after.
Inside, Al is flicking through the channels while Peg is asleep with her head resting on
Al's shoulder. She suddenly wakes up to catch Al changing channels.

PEGGY   I was watching that.

AL      That's it, that's it. I've had it, Peg. Every year we sit here, every year it's
        the same thing. TV at Christmas time reeks. I wish that they would just shut it
        off. I wish there wasn't any such thing as TV.

The power goes out and Al and Peg are left in darkness.

AL      Oh my God, Peg, the power's off. What are we gonna do, Peg? There's no TV!

PEGGY   Well, we could cuddle.

AL      Be serious, Peg! There's no TV, now, I'm sorry I said that about the TV. [nearly
        crying] I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

The power and lights come back on.

AL      Oh, thank you. Thank you, thank you!

PEGGY   Well, what are we gonna watch, Al?

AL      Oh, I don't know. Everything stinks. They ought to just shut it off!

Kelly and a dishevelled Bud enter. Kelly is carrying a record.

KELLY   Uhm, Mom, Dad... we have something to tell you.

BUD     [Giving Al and Peg the record] Yeah, we're really sorry, but this is the only
        thing...

AL      [Taking the record] Hey, now. You kids bought us a record?

Kelly and Bud exchange a glance.

KELLY   Yeah, we got you a record!
BUD     Well, yeah, that's what we got ya!

PEGGY   [reading the label] Wow, "Nat King Coles sings The Christmas Song." It's been so
        long since I've heard Nat without Natalie.

BUD     I'll put it on.

Bud takes the record and goes to put it on.

KELLY   So, did you get us anything?

PEGGY   [thinking quickly; taking the watch from Al's wrist] Uh, yes, honey, we did. 
        [she gives the watch to Kelly] There you go. And Bud?

BUD     [expectantly] Yeah, Ma?

PEGGY   ... Merry Christmas!

Bud looks disappointed.
The Christmas Song intro starts playing.
Al puts his arms around his family.

PEGGY   Oh, kids.

AL      Ah, it really is a wonderful life.

The lyrics of The Christmas Song start. Al and Peg mouth along with the words, only to
stop at the fourth word, as the record is broken and gets stuck at that point.
Al and Peg look disappointed while Bud and Kelly look a bit guilty. 


The broken record continues to play while the DIRECTED BY/PRODUCED BY credits are displayed.



THE END



DIRECTED BY  AMANDA BEARSE
WRITTEN BY  LARRY JACOBSON
CREATED BY  MICHAEL G. MOYE AND RON LEAVITT
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER  MICHAEL GREENSPON.
PRODUCED BY  JOHN MAXWELL ANDERSON
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER  MICHAEL G. MOYE

CREATIVE CONSULTANT  DAVID CASTRO
STORY EDITOR  NANCY NEUFIELD
CASTING VICKI ROSENBERG AND GREGORY ORSON
'LOVE AND MARRIAGE' MUSIC AND LYRICS BY SAMMY CAHN AND JIMMY VAN  HEUSEN
MUSIC BY  JOHNATHAN WOLFF
'SILENT NIGHT' SUNG BY  RICK RISO
ART DIRECTOR  RICHARD IMPROTA
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR  JIM YARMER
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR  SAM W. ORENDER
STAGE MANAGERS  RICHARD DRANEY, STEPHANIE SCOTT, NILES GOODSITE
EDITED BY  LARRY HARRIS
PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE  KITTY ROUKE
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR  ROBERT A. BOWEN
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY  THOMAS W. MARKLE
AUDIO  J. MARK KING, LAURA OSBOURN, SCOTT GLICKMAN, ALAN ZIMA
CAMERAS  VANCE BRANDON, MIKE CULP, JIM LUNSFORD, BETTINA MYLENEK, DENNIS TURNER
RE-RECORDING  ROY PAHLMAN, JOHN BICKLEHAUPT
PRODUCTION STAFF  ROCHELLE STATEN, CARL STUDEBAKER, FRAN KAUFER, HELEN PAI,
                  GARRY BOWREN, DON BECK, BERT L. COOK, CARSON SMITH
COSTUMES  MARTI M. SQUYRES
PROPERTY MASTER  MICHAEL SEMON
MAKE-UP  KATHY ROGERS
HAIR STYLIST  DOTTIE MCQUOWN
DOG TRAINER  STEVEN RITT
COPYRIGHT (c) 1993
ELP COMMUNICATIONS
All Rights Reserved
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