Rain Girl is the 21st episode of season four of Married... with Children, also the 78th overall episodes of the series. Directed by Gerry Cohen, the episode was written by Kevin Curran. The episode originally aired on FOX on April 29, 1990.
Synopsis[]
Kelly takes a job as an intern at Channel 83, and winds up as their Weather Bunny, and then its "meterlolologist". Meanwhile, Al works up the courage to ask for a raise at work, but is soon outshined by Kelly.
Episode summary[]
Al finds himself stressed out with having to deal with a growing pile of bills. Seeing how the rest of the family is not willing to help him out, Al decides to finally stand up for himself and ask his boss for a raise. A few moments later, an upset Kelly comes home and reveals that she is being forced by the school to be an intern at local station Channel 83 in order to graduate and work nights. After Al and Bud decide to go out for the night pretend to be panhandlers, Peggy decides to give Kelly some motherly advice by suggesting that it is better to work early in life, so later on, she can appreciate being a housewife and that the three minutes of lousy sex with her breadwinner husband beats having to actually get a job.
On her first day at work, Kelly shows that she is not very smart. But the station manager notices her looks and decides that she will be eye candy for the younger male viewers to give them a boost in ratings. Later that night, Al decides that he wants to let the family know about his big announcement and waits for Kelly to come home. When it is finally time to make his announcement, Kelly ends up cutting him off so she can tell the family that she is now a paid employee and will be getting $1000 a week. As Peg and Bud celebrate with Kelly, Al is left feeling depressed and sulks on the couch. They try to cheer him up and ask him what his news was. Al then tells them that he finally worked up the courage to talk to his boss and will now be getting a $5 a week raise. But instead of congratulating him, the rest of the Bundy just give Al a blank look before resuming their celebration with Kelly.
Kelly is soon dubbed the "Weather Bunny" and gains more attention with her short dress and ditzy ways than that actual weather reporter, Bill Palomino. Al continues to feel upset that he is being outshined and that a shoe salesman is more prestigious than a "Weather Bunny". Later on, Kelly comes home and reveals that she got Bill fired and will now be filling in full time. But in order for her to do that, she would have to quit school. Al then tries to suggest that she stay in school so she can have a better future for herself. But, after revealing that the new job comes with a $250,000 a year contract offer, Al takes back what he said about staying in school and orders her to take the job offer, while also proposing to be her manager. He also agrees to co-sign a lease for Kelly to have a Porsche.
Sometime later, Bud soon finds himself also feeling outshined by Kelly, but Peg dismisses his feelings and points out that Kelly is the one with the fame. Just then, Al, now dressed in an expensive suit, arrives home and tells the family about negotiating Kelly's contracts and that he also quit his job at the shoe store. As Al and Peg celebrate Kelly, Bud tries to chime in and point out that he's getting all A's and has a chance to be the valedictorian. But, they both just laugh at him and wait for Kelly to come on television.
During Kelly's first night as the "Meteorologist Weather Bunny", she struggles to read the teleprompter and argues with the station manager, eventually getting herself fired on live TV. Later that night, as Al paces the living room floor, he becomes concerned about the depreciation rate of the Porsche. Just then Kelly calls from the car phone. Al reassures that he is not mad and that she can come home, but to be careful with the Porsche. Just as he becomes relieved to see her pull into the driveway safely, she ends up accidently driving through the fence and into the patio. She calls from the car phone again, but talks to Bud instead, as the now upset Al decides to grab a baseball bat. As Bud reassures his sister that she can come in, Kelly gleefully gets out of her car and is about to enter through the sliding door, unaware that Al is standing nearby and waiting for her with his baseball bat.
Recurring cast/Guest stars[]
- Regulars
- Amanda Bearse as Marcy Rhoades
- Buck the dog as Buck Bundy
Guest starring[]
- Ben Lemon as Bill Palomino
- Fran Montano as Station Manager
Quotes[]
- [An upset Kelly joins Peg on the couch after revealing that she has to be an intern in order to graduate from high school]
- Kelly: Mom, what am I gonna do? If I don't do this stupid intern thing, I won't graduate.
- Peg: Hmm... graduation. Kelly, maybe it's time we had a little talk. You're getting to be a big girl now, and there's something I've been putting off telling you for a while. But time is slipping by quickly, and I don't want you to learn about it on the street. Honey, [clears throat], there is a thing out there that men will want you to do. In fact, they'll expect it. Now, no woman really enjoys it, but we do it, get them to marry us and then never have to do it again. That horrible thing is called "work".
- Kelly: [frightened] Hold me, Mom. I'm scared!
- [Kelly leans in as Peg holds and comforts her]
- Peg: Aw, I know. I know. But, honey, the important thing is to do it early, while you're still young. That way, when your husband comes home, reeking of beer, wanting some loving, you'll follow that fat rump upstairs. Because you'll know that no matter how disgusting the next three minutes will be, [smiles] it still beats the hell out of work. Ohohoho [hugs Kelly]
- Kelly: [smiles] Thank you, Mom. You're so wise.
- Peg: [smiling] Ah, well. You know, you can't sit on a sofa 20 hours a day and not learn something. [the two hug each other again]
- [Al walks over from the garage to join Peg and Bud on the couch]
- Al: Well, I still think it's a pretty unfair world when someone who doesn't even have a high school diploma makes more than someone important, like a PhD, or a... [pauses, in a quiet tone] shoe salesman.
- Peg: Oh Honey, you may not make much money, but Kelly will never have the satisfaction of saying: [in a deep voice, miming Al putting his hand down his pants, clicks her tongue] "I used to play a little high school ball".
- Al: You know, son, one day you'll have a girl just like the girl that's killing dear old Dad.
- [Marcy joins the Bundys at the dinner table and hears about Kelly getting promoted]
- Marcy: [smiling] Oh, your first job. How exciting. Working during your high school years. That's what I did... [suddenly becomes depressed] While everyone else was out having fun. [upbeat again] But I was saving for a college education. And that's what it went for.... [pauses, suddenly becomes bitter] My sister's college education. Ah! And, of course, Mother wouldn't dream of asking her to work. No. Because sis was too pretty and too delicate to be hauling around slabs of meat. Now she's a physicist, and I can stuff a sausage with one hand tied behind my back. So everything worked out. I guess what I'm trying to say is... [pauses, then has an emotional breakdown] What happened to my life?! My youth?!
- Al: [cringes] Peg, do you mind, here?
- [Peg gets up and walks over to Marcy to comfort her]
- Marcy: All I want is my fair share.
- Peg: [quietly, as she walks Marcy to the door] Yeah.
- Marcy: To go to the prom. To work on a float. To have a date with a boy instead of a pork shoulder I'd call "Vinnie". [reaches the front door, then turns to face Peg] Peggy, do I deserve to be treated like this?! I mean...
- [Peggy immediately shuts the door on Marcy and turns to face the kitchen, where Al gives her a thumbs up gesture and quietly mouths "Thank You"]
- Peg: [nodding] God, she needs a date worse than I do.
- [At the Channel 83 News Desk, Kelly is sitting up proudly with her hands clasped and smiling while looking at the camera]
- TV Announcer: And now, our Action News Weather with meteorologist weather bunny, Kelly Bundy.
- Kelly: Hello, everyone. Oh, hi, Daddy. I like my car. Oh, by the way. Jim here's too modest to tell you, but he won the big office pool on how many people died in that train wreck in Peru. [turns to look offscreen and applauds] Way to go, Jim. Anyway, on to the weather. [reading off teleprompter with difficulty] There is a... "strom".. coming to...
- [back at Bundy house, Peggy and Al are watching Kelly on the television]
- Peggy: [to Al] You know, that reading tutor is really paying off. [Al nods]
- Kelly: To... "Chic-a-go"!
- Station manager: [off-screen] "Chicago"!
- Kelly: Uh-oh. There's a "strom" coming to us? What's a "strom"?
- Station manager: [off-screen] "Storm"!
- [Back at the Bundy residence, Al, Peg and Bud look at the screen befuddled]
- Bud: Why don't they just put some peanut butter on her gums, like they did with Mr. Ed? [Peg nods]
- Kelly: [gets up and sits on the table to read the teleprompter] Winds are up to... 30... "mphs". [smiles and clasps her hands]
- Station manager: [off-screen] That's "Miles Per Hour", you idiot!
- Kelly: Hey, I'm not an idiot. I happen to be a "meterlolologist"... Dork! Anyway, "strom clods" are forming...
- Station manager: [off-screen] "Clouds"! "Strom clouds"! Oh, never mind! Somebody get her off, I'm ripping up her contract, she's gone.
- [Kelly awkwardly smiles, then begins to move the side of her black skirt up to show more of her thigh while staring into the camera]
- Al: [grimaces and then turns to Bud] All "A"'s, huh?
Notes[]
Title[]
- The title of this episode is a reference to the 1988 Dustin Hoffman–Tom Cruise film Rain Man, and Kelly working as a weather girl at the television station.
Trivia[]
- As indicated by the production code, this was the 19th episode filmed, but aired as the 21st episode.
- Bud reveals that he tosses the frisbee to Al and Buck. In the Season 6 episode "Buck Has a Belly Ache", the kids toss Al a frisbee and note how high he jumped to get it.
- Peggy reveals that Al has a credit of $55 on his "Mastercharge" card.
- Al and Bud wash windows by the freeway off-ramp to earn extra money.
- Al and Bud reveal that they hate eating veal, while Kelly seems to like it.
- Bud tells his tour group that Kelly was conceived in Al's Dodge and born in the garage.
- Kelly's conception in the Dodge was confirmed in "Requiem for a Chevyweight (Part 1)" after Al's Four Touchdowns.
- Marcy reveals that she has a younger sister who is a physicist and that she also has to work in a butcher's shop to pay for her sister's education, since her mom viewed her as too pretty to do any work. She also reveals that she missed out on her prom.
- This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Costuming for a Series.
- Adjusted for inflation, Kelly making $1,000.00 a week in 1990 is equal to $2,037.86 a week in 2020.
- Al and Peg reveal that Kelly is 17 years old in this episode.
Cultural References[]
- After Kelly talks about facing the dilemma of quitting school, Al sarcastically calls Peggy "Mama Walton", in reference to the CBS family drama series The Waltons.
- Bud compares Kelly to the talking horse from the television sitcom Mister Ed.
Music[]
- Al sings "Cha, Cha, Cha" to Peg and Bud in regards to the bills that are piling up.
Locations[]
- Bundy Residence
- Channel 83 Studio
Sets[]
- Bundy Living Room / Kitchen
- Channel 83 Action News Set
Goofs[]
- During the last portion of the episode, while Al walks around and then sits down in the living room in his new suit, the studio lights are reflected on his sunglasses.
- Marcy said that she missed out on various high school events during her younger years, including prom because she had to work. But a few episodes earlier, in "A Taxing Problem" she said that she went to prom with her male cousin after paying him $5 to not tell anyone and had to walk home.
External Links[]
Rain Girl at the Internet Movie Database- Rain Girl on Bundyology
- Rain Girl - Transcript on albundy.net
- #79 Rain Girl - MWC Podcast on Horrorphilia
