Radio Free Trumaine

Radio Free Trumaine was the 23rd episode aired in Season 9 of Married... with Children. Directed by Gerry Cohen and written by Richard Gurman and Stacie Lipp, the episode originally aired on FOX, premiering on May 7, 1995.

Synopsis

In this spin-off pilot (which features Bud, Steve Rhoades, and Marcy D'Arcy), two obnoxious college radio DJs are expelled by Steve Rhoades during an interview after suggesting he got his new job through blackmail, since he had been a chauffeur only two months before (in the episode "Get the Dodge Outta Hell"). Marcy arrives at the radio station looking for April (Keri Russell), a new bank employee who is romantically entangled with both Bud and a giant Russian basketball star. She decides to protest against Steve and get him fired.

Summary

In this episode, which was to originally serve as a pilot for a proposed new TV series of the same title, set on Trumaine University's radio station, W.H.I.P., DJ's Oliver Cole and Mark Campbell host several hours of unconventional and overlooked programming. After a probing interview, divulging the past of Trumaine's new dean of students, Steve Rhoades, both Oliver and Mark are kicked off the air and expelled from the college. Marcy arrives and upon hearing the news, she tries to get revenge against her ex-husband by leading a feeble on-air protest against their expulsion.

But their protest doesn't attract much attention. Meanwhile, Bud is dating April Adams, a fellow student and intern from Marcy's bank, who is also being pursued by Nickolai Pushkin, a rugged, handsome basketball star from Russia. When Bud desperately attempts to seal April's affections away from Nickolai, Mark happens by and secretly broadcasts the conversation over the station and calls it "Hot Talk With April." Mark, Oliver and their new show become so popular that dozens of people turn out for the protest, in which Steve backs down and lets them stay on the air and at the college. April ends up rejecting both Bud and Nickolai, as well as a job at Marcy's bank to remain with Mark and Oliver at their radio station.

Recurring cast/character regulars

• Buck the Dog as Buck Bundy
• David Garrison as Steve Rhoades

Guest starring

• Eric Dane as Oliver Cole
• Andrew Kavovit as Mark Campbell
• Timothy Elwell as Nikolai Pushkin
• Keri Russell as April Adams
• Joseph D. Reitman as The Stoner

Trivia

• This was the final appearance of David Garrison (Steve Rhoades) on the show.
• This episode was the backdoor pilot of a proposed spin-off series starring Eric Dane, Andrew Kavovit, Keri Russell and David Garrison.