Kelly Takes a Shot was the 15th episode of Season 9 of Married... with Children, also the 198th overall series episode. Directed by Amanda Bearse, and written by Al Aidekman, the episode originally aired on FOX, premiering on January 15, 1995.
Synopsis[]
Al gets an owl costume to scare away the birds who keep him awake. To impress Amber, Bud helps Kelly to learn archery for her audition.
Storyline[]
Kelly gets trained in archery to land a role in a commercial. Bud helps Kelly with her work to impress Amber and get her to sleep with him again. Meanwhile, Al dresses up as an owl to scare away an annoying bird outside his bedroom window.
Recurring Cast/Regulars[]
- Amanda Bearse as Marcy D'Arcy
- Ted McGinley as Jefferson D'Arcy
- Buck the Dog as Buck Bundy
Guest starring[]
- Juliet Tablak as Amber
- Dion Anderson as Fryer Tuck
- Katherine Olsen as Beth
- Kevin Curran as Voice of Buck (uncredited)
Quotes[]
- Kelly: I went to go read for this great movie part but before I had a chance to audition, they gave it to somebody else.
- Amber: Who?
- Kelly: [scoffs] Meryl Streep. Now, come on, what does she have that I don't have?
- Bud: What? You mean, besides the Oscars, the fame and the command of the English language?
- Kelly: Yeah.
- Bud: Well, it begins with a "T".
- Kelly: Tssh, I got those.
- Bud: "Talent", Gump.
- [An upset Amber rejects Bud's attempt at sex after watching him insult Kelly's acting skills, causing her to cry]
- Amber: [disgusted] A good, caring brother would help build her self-esteem. I thought you were different from other guys. I thought you were sensitive.
- Bud: I'm sensitive. I am. Honest. I come from a long line of caring, sensitive, Bundy men.
- [Al and Peg, dressed in sleepwear, begin to descend the staircase]
- Al: [angry] Where's my shotgun?! Where's my shotgun?! I'm gonna blow his freaking head off!
- Peg: Don't you think you're overreacting just a little?!
- Al: Some bird chirps on my side of the window every night for a week. And just because I want to pump 6 pounds of buckshot into its 3-ounce body, I'm overreacting?!
- Bud: I said we were sensitive, not sane.
- [Al, who is dressed like an owl, falls from the tree in the backyard after Kelly attempted to shoot a target with a bow and arrow. He then attempts to crawl into the house with the arrow sticking out from his left buttock]
- Al: [weakly, mimicking an owl] Whooo... whooo.. whooo..
- Bud: Now... Dad, before you get mad, just please try to encourage her. She's just learning.
- Al: Fine. I'll keep the bleeding internal. [continues slow crawling back into the house] Whooo... whooo.. whooo..
- Bud: Thanks, dad.
- [Kelly, who is in the final stage of the competition, eventually realizes that she has nothing to prove by attempting to shoot the apple off of the top of Bud's head and possibly injuring him in the process]
- Kelly: [puts the bow down and walks over to Fryer Tuck] I can't do this. I don't need to be the Fryer Tuck girl. [looks over to Bud] I'm just proud enough to be that horndog's sister.
- Bud: [quietly, while looking upward with praying hands] Thank you, God. Thank you.
- Kelly: I'm out of the contest. [to Beth] The job's yours.
- Beth: [smugly] Couldn't do it, could you?... Candy ass.
- Kelly: [after a brief moment] Candy this!
- [without looking or re-aiming her bow, Kelly launches an arrow and hits the apple on top of Bud's head]
- Bud: AAHHH!!!! [proceeds to look up and stare at the arrow and apple above him for several seconds]
- Fryer Tuck: [offscreen, applauding] Bravo!
- [As Bud slowly collapses, Kelly looks over at the now bitter Beth before walking off while Fryer Tuck and the crowd cheer for her]
Notes[]
Title[]
- The title of the episode is a reference to the idiom "To take a shot", meaning that someone wants to try something. In this case, Kelly takes a shot at learning archery.
- It may also refer to the more literal meaning as Kelly is shown practicing archery, requiring her to take a shot with her bow and launch an arrow into a target.
Trivia[]
- Bud reveals that it has been more than a month since he and Amber had sex and that it lasted for a total of 3 minutes.
- Jefferson mentions that he took up birdwatching while in college
- It is possible that the birdwatching mentioned by Jefferson is of the human female variety.
- The onesie that Bud wears after being traumatized by the apple shot on his head is the same one that he wore in the 1970s flashback in the season 7 episode, "Christmas".
Cultural References[]
- After Kelly talks about not getting an acting role because it was given to someone else, she reveals it was given to actress Meryl Streep.
- After explaining why the casting director chose Meryl Streep over Kelly, Bud calls Kelly "Gump" in reference to the fictional slow-witted character, Forrest Gump from the 1994 film of the same name.
- While trying to find his shotgun, Peggy reveals to Al that she gave his gun away to the postal worker, who was depressed about losing his job.
- This is in reference to multiple cases of United States Postal Workers going on mass shooting sprees since 1983, citing excessive stress from their jobs or suddenly losing their jobs. In 1993, these types of shootings lead to the creation of a slang term called "Going Postal".
- A similar incident happened in "I Want My Psycho Dad: Second Blood (Part 2)" when Officer Dan reveals it was a postal worker who was shooting at the NO MA'AM members in their hotel room.
- When Marcy finds Amber at the Bundy Residence, she tells her that this is where the "Bundyville Horror" took place. This in reference to the book series The Amityville Horror.
- While trying to cheer Kelly up after insulting her earlier, he tries to clarify what he meant, telling her "I meant you suck at choosing your roles. Like anyone from the 'Saturday Night Live' cast."
- This is in reference to the NBC late night comedy sketch show and its cast members choosing roles that were not well written for them both on the show and in films during or after they had left the show.
- Also, season 20 of SNL, which was from 1994-1995, (around the time this episode of MWC originally aired) was a troublesome season and almost caused the show to be cancelled. This was due to many of its long time cast members quitting midway and clashes between new hires and cast members who had been on the show for years, as both were trying to get more face time.[1]
- Kelly confuses the idiom, "Those who can - do, those who can't - do not" while talking to Bud.
- The original idiom "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach", is often used as a disparagement towards teachers, especially those teaching acting or fine art, implying that despite their training and efforts, they were unable to achieve fame and fortune, and have now settled on teaching.
- Bud tells Kelly about the audition for Fryer Tucks and its Merry Menu. This is a reference to characters from the stories of Robin Hood, Friar Tuck and the Merry Men.
- Friar Tuck was a former monk with a penchant for good food and ale that serves as one of Robin Hood's traveling companions.
- Merry Men refers to the group of men who accompany Robin Hood on his adventures. This would include Friar Tuck who serves as the clergyman.
- There is a Wisconsin resturant chain called Friar Tuck's. However, this chain's speciality is sandwiches, not chicken.
- A quick web search also reveals the existance of a steakhouse called Friar Tuck's in Nevada City, CA.
- The phrase "Finger Lickin' Good," which Kelly utters near the end of the episode, is Kentucky Fried Chicken's long time slogan first said by Colonel Harland Sanders in commercials for the chain.
- The scene with Kelly shooting an apple off of Bud's head is based on "apple-shot" a feat of marksmanship with a bow. It has become associated with the story of "William Tell" and his feats.
- Also, part of the William Tell Overture, which is from the play about William Tell, is heard during the competition.
- When Fryer Tuck tosses the coin in the air, Beth hits it with an arrow. This is similar to a stunt in the Three Stooges short "Horse Collars."
- That short featured a coin toss which included a bullet going through the coin.
Music[]
- "Finale (March of the Swiss Soldiers)" from the "William Tell Overture" is heard during the competition between Kelly and Beth.
Locations[]
- Bundy Residence
- Fryer Tuck Restaurant
Sets[]
- Bundy Living Room / Kitchen
- Bundy Backyard
- Fryer Tuck Parking Lot
Goofs[]
- While practicing in the backyard, Bud reminds Kelly about what the employee at the archery store told her. She is holding her bow at a low angle with her right arm down near her waist and her head looking down to her left at the same angle as her arrow. Immediately the camera cuts to a close up of her as she tells him that the employee took pictures while having her jump up and down. In the close up, her arm is closer to her chest and her head is now almost straight at Bud, with this happening in less than a second.
- The apple on Bud's head appears to be different in the close up compared to the wider shot.