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Business Still Sucks, Part 2 is the 189th episode of Married... with Children also the 6th episode of Season 9 of the series. Directed by Gerry Cohen and written by Stacie Lipp, the episode originally aired on FOX-TV on October 9, 1994.

Synopsis[]

Part two of two-episode story. Al is forced to give up when he realizes that law is with Marcy and the gang. To avoid further issues, Al turns the store into a men's shoe store. Gary, the owner, plans to visit the store, so he paints the men's shoes and passes it off as women's shoes. She gets an idea and turns it into a store for women's shoes, breastfeeding and nursery.

Storyline[]

In this conclusion of of a two-episode story, it starts off on day 2 of the standoff between the preggos and Fem-crusader Marcy and Al and his beer-bellied NO MA'AM cohorts and the fight over allowing pregnant women to breast feed in the shoe store. With both sides unwilling to back down, Al concocts a plan to rid the shoe store of women for good by selling mens shoes. But will it hold up when the oft-unseen owner Gary finally shows up? Al's case is blown to bits after Gary shows up, and forces he and his cohorts to relent upon their preggo-bashing and allow women to breast-feed, as she forces he and Griff to begin selling womens' shoes again!

Recurring Cast/Regulars[]

Guest starring[]

Notes[]

Title[]

  • The title of the episode is a reference to the expression "...sucks!" which is used to indicate that someone or something is not doing well at a particular activity, as well as a play on suckling, which is what a baby does when it is being breastfed.

Trivia[]

  • Al reveals that he has worked at Gary's Shoes for over 20 years at this point.

Cultural References[]

  • When Al explains to Peggy and Marcy that this is still America, he tells them "That's why George Washington cut down that cherry tree, called it 'Macaroni'!"
    • George Washington was the first President of the United States and one of the Founding Fathers of the country. One of the enduring myths about him was that he cut down his father's cherry tree at the age of six.
    • The line about "called it 'Macaroni'!" is taken from the lyrics of "Yankee Doodle", with "macaroni" referring to a specific type of mid-18th Century fashion and not the pasta.
  • Also in Al's speech, he tells Peggy and Marcy "That's why George Hamilton and Raymond Burr fought their famous dual!", mixing up two actors with U.S. political figures Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr.
    • Aaron Burr was the U.S. Vice President under President Thomas Jefferson while Alexander Hamilton was one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S., having served under then-President George Washington as the 1st Secretary of the Treasury.
      • A personal dispute between the two men lead to the infamous dual, with Burr firing a fatal shot that killed Hamilton, as well as essentially ruined Burr's political career.
    • George Hamilton is an American actor is known for his deep tan.
    • Raymond Burr was a Canadian actor who was best known for his role in the television series, Perry Mason and Ironside. He had been mentioned in several past MWC often as a fat joke.
      • Raymond Burr died about a month before this episode aired.
  • At one point, Officer Dan tells Al, "And then sometimes late at night I like to pretend I'm Barney from 'Mission Impossible'." This is a reference to the character Barnard "Barney" Collier from the 1960s television, Mission Impossible.
  • Gary tells Al that some changes will include a bidet and Michael Bolton music. Michael Bolton is an American musician known for his soft ballad music. Al has expressed his distaste for him in several past episodes.
  • The entire plot of this episode and "Business Sucks" (Part 1) is most likely based on a short scene during the Seinfeld season 5 episode "The Stand-In." That scene featured Jerry showing disgust at a woman breastfeeding her baby in public.
    • Naturally, MWC took the issue much further with the battle between Marcy and her feminist group and NO' MA'AM after Al kicked out a mother and her breastfeeding baby.

Music[]

  • A soundalike of Michael Bolton's music can be heard after Gary makes some changes to the store.

Locations[]

Sets[]

  • Gary's Shoes Seating Area / Cash Register
  • Bundy Living Room / Kitchen

Goofs[]

  • When Peg comes in to bring Al his lunch she says he's been gone a week ( doing the shoe store protest). But the protest only had been going on 2 days, and peg had just got home way earlier at 4:00 am in that morning.
  • After the NO MA'AM member returns with just the wrappers from the burgers he bought for everyone, the member on the left side of the screen (opposite of Bob Rooney), throws the wrapper on the floor. Immediately, the camera cuts to Peggy saying "Now, look Al...", and over Peggy's shoulder, the same NO MA'AM member is now throwing his empty wrapper to the guy who ate all the burgers instead of the floor.
  • Al thinks Gary is going to fire him for turning the women's shoes store to a men's shoe store, he says " I'm gonna get my lunch box" but his has a lunch bag instead.
  • In the season 1 episode, "Where's the Boss?", everyone refer to Gary as "he", and Al paid a man named Nick to impersonate Gary. And in some episodes, such as "It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This", Al appears to know Gary in some capacity, since Al said his boss gave him the keys to his personal mountain cabin and there doesn't appear to be anyone above Al's position at the shoe store. Yet in this episode Al claims that he has never seen Gary in over 20 years, and when Gary shows up, he is completely surprised that it turns out to be a woman.
◄ Season 8 Season 9 Episodes Season 10 ►
Shoeway to HeavenDriving Mr. BoondyKelly Breaks OutNaughty but Niece
Business Sucks (Part 1)Business Still Sucks (Part 2)Dial B for VirginSleepless in Chicago
No Pot to Pease InDud BowlA Man for No SeasonsI Want My Psycho Dad (Part 1)
I Want My Psycho Dad: Second Blood (Part 2)The Naked and the Dead, but Mostly the NakedKelly Takes a Shot
Get the Dodge Outta Hell25 Years and What Do You Get?Ship Happens (Part 1)
Ship Happens (Part 2)Something Larry This Way ComesAnd Bingo Was Her Game-OUser Friendly
Pump FictionRadio Free TrumaineShoeless AlThe Undergraduate
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