Heels on Wheels was the 15th episode of Season 7 of Married... with Children, also the 146th overall episode of the series. Directed by Gerry Cohen and written by Stacie Lipp, the episode originally on FOX, premiering on February 7, 1993.
Synopsis[]
Al worries about Kelly's safety when she buys a motorcycle for herself, although Marcy lives in hope the risk is Al's. Meanwhile, Bud volunteers for all girls art school to pose in the buff.
Storyline[]
Working at the diner is really starting to get to Kelly, so she decides to rebel by getting a motorcycle which Peg deems as too dangerous, until Peg tries it out for herself, and gets some good vibrations, actually getting sexually aroused on it! But it's Al who really takes to the new bike and imagines himself as an "Easy Rider" with babes at his side, and horseback with him on the bike ... at least until an untimely head-on meeting with the Dodge ends it all!
Regular Cast/Guest Stars[]
Regular Cast[]
- Amanda Bearse as Marcy D'Arcy
- Ted McGinley as Jefferson D'Arcy
- Buck as Buck Bundy
Guest Stars[]
- Paris Houghton as Lulu
- Lee Marvin (uncredited, in archive footage)
- Todd McClaren as NBC Announcer (uncredited, in archive footage only)
Quotes[]
- Al: God, for once, I'm actually glad to be home! [puts his jacket down and walks over to Peg] A customer comes into the store today [sits down] Tall, willowy brunette! Sits down, says she'd like to try on a pair of size 12 pumps. So, I'm... down there, you know, just doin' my job and... notice she's wearing a garter belt, like I like... and a nice pair of silk stockings! All the time she's smiling at me. All of a sudden, she uncrosses her leg, like in Basic Instinct...
- Peg: [surprised] You saw it all?!
- Al: [quietly] Yes... IT WAS A GUY! [sobs while trying to regain composure] Aw, Peg, I tell ya... does this me that I'm... that I'm...
- Peg: Gaaaay, Al?!
- Al: No, Peg! Just 'cause I was vaguely excited touching a man's calf and I don't want to sleep with you... No! I have no doubts about my sexuality! No, what I wondering was... am I too sexy for my own good, Peg? You know, I don't want to turn on men! So, uh, I come to the expert! Peg, how do you make them not want you?
- Peg: Well, apparently you marry them!
- [Marcy and Jefferson enter the Bundy residence with a concerned look on both of their faces]
- Marcy: We saw the motorcycle... We saw the motorcycle and we rushed over! Oh, Al! [quickly walks over to the couch and leans in close to him] We couldn't be happier that you got one! [smiles, as Al looks rather confused] You know, there are a lot of myths about motorcycles, like that "Always Wear a Helmet" thing. [grins] But that's not for men like you! Popping wheelies, going 90 the wrong way on the interstate! That's for cool outlaw guys like you! Ride like the wind, wild one! Drive fast, drive often and drive when your really, really tired!
- Peg: Marcy, its not Al's! It's Kelly!
- Marcy: [looks at Kelly horrified, then slides over to her] Oh, God! Get rid of it! They're killers! Give it to your father. [slides back over to Al, with a smile on her face] Ride like the wind, wild one!
Notes[]
Title[]
- The title of this episode is a likely play on "Meals on Wheels", an organization that prepares and delivers meals to people who are housebound, such as the elderly.
- It may also be a play on the idiom, "Hell on Wheels", which is used to describe a person who being rather aggressive and hard to control.
Trivia[]
- Al reveals that he loves the look of women wearing a garter belt with stockings.
- After Bud escorts Lulu out, someone can be clearly heard saying "Go Bud!"
- Bud reveals that Al had previously gotten lost and went to a male nudie bar, believing that the song "Macho Man" had a good beat and thought the women had all gone to the bathroom together.
- After Al tries to defend himself after accidentally going to a male nudie bar, someone in the audience can be heard saying "Yeah, Al!"
- Marcy mentions that for fun she lets her hair grow out and cuts it, making it into little animals, before Jefferson reveals that she needs to get her prescription refilled, indicating that she is on medication for her mood.
- After getting off of Kelly's motorcycle, Peggy grabs Al by one of his ears and leads him up the stairs for sex as he squeals and Bud watches. A very similar scene happens later in "The Wedding Repercussions" but with Marcy and Jefferson also present in the room.
- After getting on Kelly's bike and saying that he should have bought one when he was younger, someone can be heard clearly saying "Yeah, Al! Bunnndy!"
Cultural References[]
- While Peggy watches TV, an announcer mentions that the network, NBC is for sale. Peggy calls them and asks: "If I buy the news division, do I get to use Tom Brokaw any way I want to?" She's offered Bryant Gumbel instead and declines.
- Tom Brokaw is a journalist and retired news anchor, who, at the time this episode originally aired, was the host of NBC Nightly News. He hosted the show from 1982 to 2004 and was considered one of "The Big Three" U.S. news anchor from the 1980s to the early 2000.
- Bryant Gumbel is a journalist and sports anchor, who at the time this episode first aired, was one of the anchors on NBC's Today Show until his departure in 1997.
- At the time this episode aired, NBC was owned by General Electric, though the network was not for sale.
- As Al describe the person who came into the shoe store, he mentions that "...she uncrosses her legs, like in 'Basic Instinct'", a 1991 erotic thriller film. Its most memorable scene, as Al points out, is when the female lead uncrosses her legs in front of a group of detectives questioning her.
- The film and the particular scene was previously mentioned by Marcy in "The Old College Try".
- After questioning whether he might be gay, Peggy suggest that they go see "The Sound of Music" in downtown to get his "toes a tapping", before they both sing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend".
- The Sound of Music is a musical that later became known as a popular 1965 film about the Von Trapp family.
- Peggy suggesting that they go to downtown to watch the musical and get Al's toes a tappin' is a reference to Broadway and musicals in general being popular among gay men.
- "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is a song from the Broadway musical and film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It later became more famous when Marilyn Monroe sang the song in the 1953 film adaptation.
- After Kelly suggest that Peggy go out with Bud, she suggest that it'll "prepare him for a lifetime of going out with his mother. I mean, who taught Liberace?". Liberace was a Las Vegas based musician who known for his rather flamboyant clothing and lifestyle. Although he never confirmed it prior to his death, he was constantly accused of being gay by the media.
- Liberace was also Bud's alter-ego in 1988 according to season 8's "Proud to Be Your Bud."
- Al mentions that he danced to the song "Macho Man" by The Village People after accidentally going inside a male nudie bar.
- The group was previously mentioned in "Al on the Rocks" and would later appear as themselves in "Take My Wife, Please"
- Jefferson mentions that he spent 3 weeks recovering in a specialty hair clinic in Switzerland, sharing a room with boxing promoter Don King who was known for his unique hair.
- During Al's fantasy, he shown riding with a motorcycle gang in black and white before stealing the leader's cigar. The scene is from the 1953 film The Wild One, with Al stealing the cigar from Lee Marvin's character, Chino.
Music[]
- Al and Peggy sing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" from the Broadway musical and film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
- "Born To Be Bad" by George Thorogood and the Destroyers is heard during Al's dream fantasy as he rides a motorcycle.
Locations[]
- Bundy Residence
- Outdoor Park
Sets[]
- Bundy Living Room / Kitchen
- Bundy Garage
- Outdoor Park
Goofs[]
- When Al and Bud work on the car in the garage, Al reminisces that it was just like when he was a kid, but Bud quips, "It sure is dad. In fact its the same exact car!" and suggest that he doesn't paint it when he inherits it. In the first 4 seasons of MWC, Al's car did in fact have a different color, specifically, it was metallic blue with a white racing stripe and a "Gold Duster" badge near the front wheels. This bronze color model didn't come in until season 4's "Oh, What a Feeling" after Al finally traded it in for a car that works. And later in season 9's "Get the Dodge Outta Hell", the bronze color turned out to be dirt and rust, with Al revealing that the car was actually red when he bought it. Though, when the trunk is open, the trunk itself is still bronze, revealing that the car was in fact painted red recently.