At the Zoo is the tenth episode of Married... with Children, also the 67th overall episode of the series. Directed by Gerry Cohen, the episode was written by Katherine Green. It originally aired on FOX on November 26, 1989.
Synopsis[]
Steve begins spending his time taking Peg, Kelly, and Bud to the zoo instead of looking for a job, which doesn't sit well with the recently-demoted Marcy.
Full summary[]
Steve plans to cook his way back into Marcy's good books...
Al and Marcy are the suckers in their respective families, still bringing home the bacon while their spouses spend the day at the zoo, along with the Bundy kids, in the fourth season's tenth episode. Newly unemployed Steve decides he doesn't really want to work, so he fritters away his days with the Bundys, visiting zoos and taking fishing trips. In order to cover this up, he lies to Marcy that he has been spending all day at job interviews and employment exchanges, but always getting the thumbs down. When Marcy discovers the truth, she explodes and says that he will be going to a job interview at her bank, which she set up herself.
Recurring cast/Guest stars[]
Regulars[]
- Amanda Bearse as Marcy Rhoades
- David Garrison as Steve Rhoades
- Buck the Dog as Buck Bundy
Guest starring[]
- Matt McKenzie as Reporter (Waldo)
- Lisa Moss as TV Announcer
- Jennifer Banko as Courtney
- Michael Francis Clarke as Bartender
- Dan Tullis, Jr. as Sonny
- Frank Lloyd as Norris
- Trudy Adams as Chelsea
Quotes[]
- [Al arrives at the front door and is about to enter, just as a local girl scout stops by to sell him cookies]
- Courtney: Mr. Bundy. Would you like to buy some chipmunk cookies?
- Al: No. Go away.
- Courtney: You can't tell me you're not hungry. My daddy says you eat bugs and dirt.
- Al: [turns around and leans in] Well, you go home and tell your daddy you have the mailman's eyes.
- [At the Bundy residence, after Steve took Peg, Kelly, and Bud to the zoo, he starts to panic after hearing the doorbell]
- Steve: Oh my God! I bet that's Marcy! I was supposed to be out looking for a job today. If she smells fun on me I'm a dead man! [begins rummaging through his gym bag, pulling out a tie and dress shirt and then bolts out into the backyard] Stall her!
- Peg: Hmm. Pretty pathetic, huh? You know, I don't think Steve has what it takes not to work. He almost seems ashamed of it. I'll tell you what, if I ever get like that... shoot me.
- Al: [gets up from the kitchen table] Uh, in case I'm not here when that happens, can I just wing you now?
- [Marcy is at a bar with Al after she knocked out Steve for lying about finding work]
- Marcy: Thanks for bringing me here, Al. [Al pats her on the back] I'm sorry you had to see me like that. I usually pride myself on being a lady at all times. [to bartender] Hey, Lardbutt! A couple of brewskies over here!
- Al: Hey, guys. A toast. To the working man. The last American hero. [the bartender swaps out Al and Marcy's beer mugs] Right, guys?
- [Marcy, the bartender and the rest of the bar patrons there raise their beer mugs and chant together]
- Bar Patrons: Right!
- Al: We work to make a living and what do we get?
- Bar Patrons: Squat!
- Al: And what else?
- Bar Patrons: Nothing!
- Al: And why do we go on?
- Bar Patrons: We're stupid!
- Al: A toast to the stupid working man. [Marcy and Al clink their mugs together]
- Bar Patrons: To us!
Notes[]
Title[]
- The title is a reference to the Marx Brothers' 1939 film, At the Circus
Trivia[]
- Steve confirms that he is unemployed, after losing his job following the events of "976-SHOE", by spending his time with Peggy and the kids.
- Marcy confirms that she has been demoted to drive thru teller following the events of "976-SHOE", saying that she works 50 hours a week, has a 6 minute lunch break, and people spit at her.
- After Al tells Marcy to "ignore them, chew your cud and hold your horns up high", her reply to Al and then worrying about Steve's job hunt while he quickly changes in the Bundy's patio were cut from the Season 4 DVD release by Sony Pictures. Instead, it immediately cuts back to Steve arriving at the Bundy residence in his suit.
- The scene with her reply is fully intact on the Mill Creak DVD reissue.
- Dan Tullis, Jr., who previously played the sheriff in "976-SHOE" and later played Officer Dan, appears in this episode as Sonny, one of the construction workers drinking at the bar who follows Norris out after a pretty woman walks past them.
- Michael Francis Clarke, who plays the bartender in this episode would later appear on MWC in season 9's "Kelly Breaks Out" as the stage manager at the commercial shoot for Ice Hole beer.
- This is one of the few times that Al comforts Marcy and treats her as a friend.
- Marcy mentions that she and Steve had talked about having kids before, but she realized it would be difficult with only one working partner and having to deal with the issues and cost of raising them.
- Steve reveals that he is able to make a chocolate soufflé.
- Marcy tells Al how Steve was greedy and materialistic when they first met and how they used to drive to the poor side of town and mock the people there by asking if they had change for a $1000.
- This is the only episode where Bud refers to Steve as "Uncle Steve" instead of "Mr. Rhoades".
- Trudy Adams, who plays Chelsea the attractive woman at the bar, was a member of Glamourous Ladies Of Wrestling (G.L.O.W.) who appeared on MWC a few episodes later in "You Gotta Know When to Fold 'Em (Part 2)", although she didn't appear with the team in the episode.
- Adams' character "Amy, the Farmer's Daughter", was a replacement for "Sally, the Farmer's Daughter" played by Becky Mullen, who appeared on MWC in the Season 5 episode, "Al... with Kelly" as Yvonne.
Cultural References[]
- Al mistakes Steve's reference to Bosco the sea turtle with Bosco Chocolate Syrup when he suggests that Steve put some in a glass and he'll spit in it.
- Kelly mixes up the phrase "There, but for the grace of God, go I" with "There, but for the flippers, go I".
- After seeing Marcy on the news, he tells the Bundys that he'll get a change of clothing and will be "staying at the Y", in reference to the organization, YMCA, which, at the time this episode originally aired, offered affordable dormitory style rooms for young men to stay in.
Music[]
- Al sings "Born Free" after he closes his bar tab.
- The news reporter mentions that Steve sang the song as he kept throwing Bosco back into the water.
Locations[]
Sets[]
- Bundy Living Room / Kitchen
- The Leading Bank of Chicago exterior
- Bar
Goofs[]
- At the conclusion, Steve is supposed to have killed a salt water Caribbean pygmy turtle by putting into Lake Michigan, a fresh water lake. First of all, there is no such animal as a Caribbean pygmy turtle. Second, turtles are reptiles and are not vulnerable the way a salt water fish placed in fresh water would be. Salt water turtles can survive in fresh water for short periods of time.
External Links[]
At the Zoo at the Internet Movie Database- At the Zoo on Bundyology
- At the Zoo - Final Draft Script on albundy.net
- At the Zoo - Transcript on albundy.net
- #68 At the Zoo - MWC Podcast on Horrorphilia
