The Computer Show is the 20th episode of season 3 of Married...With Children, also the 55th overall series episode. It originally aired on FOX on May 14, 1989. Directed by Gerry Cohen, the episode was written by Ralph R. Farquhar.
Synopsis[]
Against Al's wishes, Peg and Marcy buy a home computer for the Bundy house.
Full episode summary[]
Season three's twentieth episode sees Al being pushed by Steve and Marcy into buying a computer for the family. Steve gets him a discount, on an expensive model, and Al finds himself looking at a $2500 paperweight, which the rest of the Bundys ridicule, decorate and argue about, but never manage to use.
Recurring cast/Guest stars[]
Regulars[]
- Amanda Bearse as Marcy Rhoades
- David Garrison as Steve Rhoades
- Buck the dog as Buck Bundy
Guest starring[]
- Nick Toth as Computer voice
Quotes[]
- Peg: Al, we have to get Bud a computer. He has a chance to be the first Bundy ever to go to college!
- Al: My uncle Edwin went to college.
- Peg: He was a cadaver for the pre-med students!
- [Al turns to Bud and gestures to not listen to Peg]
- Peg: And what about Kelly? She could use one. You know, she might want to go to college, you know. [Kelly comes down the stairs].
- Kelly: Oh, God. Remedial reading test tomorrow. [holds her head] I mean, what do I care if Jack and Jill fell down a hall? I mean, why were they even in the building? [Bud, Al and Peg stare at her oddly]
- Al: [sitting on the couch, petting Buck] You know, I just realized that we got someone in this house that eats, lies around all day and does absolutely nothing.
- Peg: Aw, Buck is cute.
- Al: I was talking about you, Peg.
- Computer: Aw come on, Al! It's just not you. Me and my kind are really of no use to a regular family. I'm the Pet Rock of the '80s, buddy. [laughs]
- [Al nods and gestures to the computer to wait a moment. He then gets up and goes out into the garage]
- Computer: Aw, come back, Al. I really can do great things. Listen, why did the shoe salesman buy a computer? Give up? Because he's married to an idiot. [laughs]
- [Al emerges from the garage, carrying a sledgehammer and starts walking casually to the computer]
- Computer: Al? What are you doing, Al? [nervously] Peggy...? Kids...? [confidently] Ah, what am I worried about? No one's stupid enough to break a $2,500...
- [Al smashes the computer into a smoking heap]
Notes[]
Title[]
- The title is a reference to the episode being focused on the Bundys getting a new computer
Trivia[]
- The computer's performance specs are:
- 3600 baud modem
- VGA high resolution color monitor
- 40 MB hard disk
- 7 MB RAM
- While training Buck to bring him slippers, he brings Al what looks like a bra and suggests that he uses that for when they go to the beach. In the next episode, the family does go to the beach.
- Peggy mentions that it was Buck who potty trained Kelly and Bud.
- Kelly mentions that she is in remedial reading.
- Marcy states that she and Steve has been neighbors with the Bundys for 937 days, which is approximately 2.5 years
- Al mentions that he had an Uncle Edwin who was one of the first Bundys' to go to college, before Peggy points that he went there as a cadaver for the pre-med students.
Cultural References[]
- Al mentions watching the television series The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin and compares Buck to the eponymous character.
- Al mentions talk show host Oprah Winfrey when quipping about coming home from work.
- Al says that "Bud is dealing 'Three-card Monte' at the old folks home", referring to the card game in which a person has to find a Queen of Hearts card in one of the three card after they are shuffled, and the dealer relying on sleight of hand to confuse the person.
- Three card Monte was previously mentioned by Bud in the Season 1 episode, "Where's the Boss?" when he brings his friend Teddy over and explains to the now unemployed Al that Teddy's father gets the family money by dealing in that game.
- Al mentioned the orange flavored drink mix, Tang.
- Kelly attempts to understand the children's nursery rhyme, Jack and Jill.
- Steve tells Al "Welcome to Tomorrowland" and asks him where to put the new computer. Al sarcastically tells him to put it in "It's a Broke World After All".
- Both refer to the Disney parks attractions, "Tomorrowland" and "It's a Small World".
- After Peggy tells him to say something about the computer after planning to dust the coffee table for it, Al wonders out loud if he is the forgotten Marx Brother, Zeppo Bundy, referring to actor Zeppo Marx.
- Kelly attempts to write a report on the classic novel Moby-Dick, but Bud tricks her and mixes in elements from the television series Mister Ed, by claiming the whale could talk, and referring to Ishmael as "Wilbur", before singing a variation of the show's theme song.
- The computer jokingly refers to itself as "The pet rock of the 80s", referring to a literal rock that was marketed and sold as a pet in 1975, becoming a short lived fad.
- After Marcy compares the computer to Steve, he tells her "You ain't just whistling IBM, baby". This is a reference to the idiom "You ain't just whistlin' Dixie" (meaning that someone is absolutely correct in regards to what was previously said) and the computer company IBM.
Music[]
Locations[]
Sets[]
- Bundy Living Room / Kitchen
Goofs[]
- Steve tells Al the computer was $2,100 but he also got him a $200 rebate, which Al noted that it lowered the price to $1,900. Then, near the end of the episode, Al smashes the computer, as the computer says it is worth $2,500.
- The computer alone was $1,900 and but they later added additional accessories (printer, phone, vase, mini hat, and desk) which could bring the total up to $2,500.
- The cost of $2,500 might be the suggested retail price. $2,100 may be a sale price for the computer.
External Links[]
The Computer Show at the Internet Movie Database- The Computer Show on Bundyology
- The Computer Show - Transcript on albundy.net
- #56 The Computer Show - MWC Podcast on Horrorphilia
