Kelly Knows Something was the 183rd overall series episode of Married... with Children also 26th and final episode of Season 8 of the series. Directed by Amanda Bearse and written by Al Aidekman, the episode originally aired on FOX-TV on May 22, 1994.
Synopsis[]
Al auditions to be on a sports trivia show to win $10,000, when his TV breaks down. But when the producer rejects him for having no personality, Al trains the dim-witted Kelly to be a contestant. Former NFL All-Pro tight end Todd Christensen guest stars as Travis James, the sports game show host.
Storyline[]
When the Bundy TV set blows its condenser, Al decides to try out for a place on a new sports trivia game show, hoping to win a new TV set as the first prize. But when he is denied by the show's producer, because of his perceived "lack of personality", an upset and determined-to-win the show's prize obsessed Al then has another plan; he then tries to transfer his knowledge of sports to the usually dim-witted Kelly, as he gets her to appear on the show to win the show's main prize for him! But for each fact that she takes in, another seems to fall out!
Recurring Cast/Regulars[]
- Amanda Bearse as Marcy D'Arcy
- Ted McGinley as Jefferson D'Arcy
- Buck the Dog as Buck Bundy
Guest starring[]
- Todd Christensen as Travis James
- Neal Lerner as Traney
- Alex Nevil as Mike
- Mary-Pat Green as Max
- Mike Cannizzo as Tony (as Michael Cannizzo)
Quotes[]
- [Al arrives home and hangs up his coat before heading to the couch where Peggy is sitting at]
- Al: A fat woman Godzilla's into the shoe store today asks for something she could wear to walk in the woods. Jokingly, I suggest she wear a sign that says: "Don't shoot. From the front I look human". Now, you'd think a woman could take a little good humored teasing, but what does she do? Complains to the owner, gets a gift certificate for $200 worth of free shoes. And you know whose paycheck that's gonna come out of.
- Peg: Kelly's?
- Al: [looks around the room] Damn right if I could find out where she hides her purse.
- Al: Bud! Now, listen. You've helped Kelly with her schoolwork. Tell me, is she capable of uh,.. you know, anything?!
- Bud: Well, sure. You just got work within her limitations. Look, Kelly's brain...
- [Bud gestures holding a human-sized brain, but then looks down and pauses for a second, before adjusting it to indicate that her brain is much smaller]
- Bud: Kelly's brain can hold anything. You just gotta make sure of two things before you start: One, that it's totally empty.
- Al: [chuckling] Well, we know that. [Bud and Al share a quick laugh]
- Bud: And two, you gotta feed her information slowly. A drop at a time until she's full.
- Al: Full?
- Bud: Oh, yeah. Kelly's brain can actually get full. And then you gotta be really careful because each new fact after that will totally replace an old one. That's how come she forgot to put on a blouse the day she took her driver's test.
- Al: No wonder why her license expires every 60 days.
Notes[]
Title[]
- The title of this episode is a reference to Kelly's learning ability
Trivia[]
- Todd Christensen, who plays the game show host Travis James, was best known at this time for playing as a Tight End for the Los Angeles Raiders from 1979 to 1988 and then serving as a sports commentator.
- According to his son, Todd Christensen still receives $1.60 worth of residuals every time this episode is rerun.[1]
- Mary-Pat Green who plays Max in this episode, previously appeared in the episode, "Scared Single" as the customer who says "I need shoes!".
- Green would appear in several more episodes, often doing the "I need shoes!" line.
- In this episode, Bud reveals to Al that Kelly's brain has limited capacity and has to be cleared before it can absorb and remember anything new. On the flip side, it also means that she looses any older memory that she already possessed. This was previously brought up in the season 3 episode, "Here's Lookin' at You, Kid".
- At the very end of the ending credits, it says "Garfield © 1978 United Features Syndicate, Inc.", likely due to the use of Garfield's face during the scene of Kelly learning new things.
- Al reveals that the television set that malfunctioned at the beginning of the episode was bought secondhand for $10.
Cultural References[]
- On the front of the tabloid that Peggy reads at the beginning states "Joke Found in Howie Mandel's Act!". This is in reference to the comedian who at the time was known for his comedy routines as well as being on the FOX animated sitcom, Bobby's World. He was previously mentioned in "Valentine's Day Massacre" as the opening act for Crystal Brooks.
- During the Psycho Dad opening song, it sounds like the ending lyrics are "Shoulda told Reno to eat it raw".
- "Reno" is a reference to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, who was critical of violence on television shows, which she felt was affecting society by encouraging it in real life. She sat down with network and studio executives to discuss this and even suggested that if nothing was done by the networks and studios, then the White House and Congress would step in to do something.[2][3][4]
- Notably, this also affected MWC, as it lead to co-creator Michael G. Moye to stop finishing up a two-part episode during season 8 in protest. This two part episode would later be moved to Season 9 and become "I Want My Psycho Dad (Part 1)" and "I Want My Psycho Dad: Second Blood (Part 2)". The two part episode dealt with Psycho Dad being cancelled due to excessive violence and NO MA'AM traveling to Washington D.C. to argue about violence on television versus real life.[5]
- Al is told that he won't be coming back to appear on the game show, Touchdown Trivia. When he asks why, the host tells him it was because he scored low in terms of personality with the audience, saying "It was somewhere between Joe Piscopo and the fat kid who played on 'Head of the Class'.".
- Joe Piscopo is an American actor and comedian, who at this time was best known for being a cast member on Saturday Night Live during the early to mid 1980s. He was mentioned earlier in "A Tisket, a Tasket, Can Peg Make a Basket?".
- Head of the Class was an ABC sitcom that focused of group of gifted students and their teacher. It ran from 1986 to 1991.
- The "fat kid" in question is the character, Dennis Blunden.
- The notes that Al wrote on the chalkboard read:
- Superbowls -Answer XXVII = 28
- 1. 1992 All NFL TEAM QB - Answer, Steve Young
- Steve Young is a former NFL quarterback best known for playing with the San Francisco 49rs. He received various awards and recognitions in 1992, including NFL MVP, First Team All-Pro, and Offensive Player of the Year.
- 2. 1978 Most Stolen Bases - Answer - Moreno
- Moreno refers to MLB player Omar Moreno who played for the Pittsburg Pirates from 1975 to 1982. He held the record for most stolen bases for 1978 and 1979.
- 3. Led Bulls in Scoring 6 years in 70' - Answer - Bob 'Butterbean' Love
- Bob "Butterbean" Love is a former NBA Player who spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls from 1968 to 1976.
- 4. Oilers Beat the L.A. Chargers in 1st AFL Championship in 1961
- Referring to the American Football League, a major sports league from 1960 to 1970, which competed with the older National Football League (NFL) before they merged together in 1970.
- 5. Super Bowl 27 MVP Answer: Troy Aikman
- Troy Aikman is a retired NFL quarterback who spent his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1989 to 2000.
- 6. OJ Stands for Orenthal James
- Referring to former NFL running back and actor, O.J. Simpson.
- Coincidentally, three weeks after this episode originally aired, O.J. Simpson made headline news for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. The murders took place at her residence in the city of Brentwood, on a street named South Bundy Drive.
- Referring to former NFL running back and actor, O.J. Simpson.
- The text and images that goes through Kelly's head are:
- "Doctor J" replacing "Shampoo, Rinse, Repeat"
- Julius Erving, known as "Doctor J", is a retired NBA player
- "802 Goals" replacing an image of Garfield the Cat.
- "802 Goals" refers to former NHL player Wayne Gretzky who on March 31, 1994, became the NHL's all-time goals leader by scoring his 802nd goal.
- "Immaculate Reception" replacing "Dinner First, Then Sex"
- "Immaculate Reception" refers to a play used during the 1972 AFC Divisional playoff by Pittsburg Steelers quarterback (and MwC guest star) Terry Bradshaw to help the team win.
- "Helsinki, 1952" replacing an image of Gilligan and The Skipper from Gilligan's Island
- Referring to the 1952 Summer Olympics, which took play in Helsinki, Finland. The U.S. won both the most medals and gold medals.
- "Kentucky Derby" replacing "Just Say Know"
- The Kentucky Derby is a horse race that is one of the most watched and most attended events.
- "Arthur Ashe" replacing "E=MC^2"
- Arthur Ashe was an American tennis player who was known for being the only black man ever to win the singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. He had died a little over a year before this episode aired.
- "Fearsome Foursome" replacing an image of Buck Bundy and Seven
- The Fearsome Foursome was the nickname given to the defensive line of the Los Angeles Rams during the early to mid 1960s.
- One of the members, Merlin Olsen, was referenced on MWC in "Valentine's Day Massacre" and "Just Shoe It", as during the 1980s and 1990s, he served as a spokesman for FTD Florists.
- The Fearsome Foursome was the nickname given to the defensive line of the Los Angeles Rams during the early to mid 1960s.
- "Doctor J" replacing "Shampoo, Rinse, Repeat"
- During the question about what do Karl Marx, Bob Dylan and Sonny Liston have in common, one of the contestants answers Mamie Van Doren, an actress and sex symbol during the 1950s
Music[]
- The Psycho Dad Theme is heard at the beginning of the episode and again at the end.
- An instrumental version of "Mr. Touchdown U.S.A." plays during Al's audition and again during Kelly's appearance on Touchdown Trivia
- A soundalike version of "Rock and Roll Part 2" by Gary Glitter is heard during the montage of Kelly learning sports trivia
Locations[]
- Bundy Residence
- Television Studio
Sets[]
- Bundy Living Room / Kitchen
- Touchdown Trivia Studio Set
References[]
- ↑ Teren Christensen on Twitter
- ↑ TV Violence Foe Janet Reno Dies. NextTV (November 7, 2016). Retrieved on September 9, 2024.
- ↑ Reno Chastises TV Networks On Violence in Programming. New York Times (October 21, 1993). Retrieved on September 9, 2024.
- ↑ LOS ANGELES TIMES INTERVIEW : Michael Moriarty : When Fighting Against Censorship Means Defending Television Violence. Los Angeles Times (March 6, 1994). Retrieved on September 9, 2024.
- ↑ ‘Married’ exec PO’d at spiking. Variety (December 22, 1993).