Torch Song Duet is the 26th episode of Season 10 of Married... with Children and the 237th overall series episode. Directed by Gerry Cohen and written by Donelle Q. Buck , it premiered on FOX-TV on May 19, 1996.
Synopsis[]
Al gets Griff to participate in a radio quiz show, where the winner will get an all expense paid trip to the Summer Olympics in Atlanta Georgia, as well as carry the Olympic torch through the mall. Griff wins it and becomes a local hero, while Al becomes jealous with envy.
Plot Summary[]
Al and Griff are listening to the sports quiz show on the radio, where the winner gets an all-expense paid trip to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. As Al has been banned from calling the radio show, due to a previous comment he had made, he instead feeds the answers to Griff who ends up winning the contest. Griff and Al plan out their trip before Calvin arrives, where he informs Griff that as an added bonus, he will also get to carry the Olympic torch through the New Market Mall. Griff decides to let Al carry it instead.
After Calvin leaves, Al thanks Griff for letting him have the opportunity, as he can finally live out of one of his life's dreams. Moments later, a beautiful woman named Marla enters the store and tells Griff how hot she thinks he would be running the torch. Upon hearing her words, Griff goes back on the deal with Al. Griff reassures him that despite backing out of the torch carrying deal, he and Al will still go to the Olympics together and that no one else is concerned about the torch except for Al. Just then, a swarm of news reporters barge in and ask Griff about the torch carrying and the product endorsements that come with it. As Griff tells the media that he has his best friend to thank, Al tries to get in close, but Griff pushes him aside and calls out to Marla to share in his joy.
At home, the jealous Al begins to think about how to get back at Griff, debating whether two weeks in prison for murdering him would be worth it. While the kids simply tell him to let it go because its not a big deal, Al is unable to, as he considers it high treason for his own best friend to betray him like that. He even becomes more upset after turning on the television, seeing Griff on several television programs. After Kelly offers some words of wisdom, Al decides to let his anger go and be a supportive friend.
On the day of the relay, the media camp is set up in the shoe store, questioning Al on what it is like to work with Griff. Although he promised that he would be supportive of Griff, after seeing professional athletes Roy Jones Jr. and Larry Brown waiting to meet Griff, as well as Big 'Uns founder, Flint Guccione, making Griff "Man of the Year", Al can no longer take it anymore. He proceeds to exit the store and tackles Griff as he runs by with the torch. They end up wrestling, causing the flame to be hurled into the mall fountain and become extinguished for the first time in Olympic history. The Atlanta games are postponed as they have to take the torch back to Greece to start the relay over. This causes Al to be internationally hated by the world as he, Kelly and Bud are unable to leave the house until it blows over.
Recurring Cast/Regulars[]
Guest Cast[]
- Richard Kline as Flint Guccione
- Renee Tenison as Marla
- Rosie Tenison as Carla
- Petra Verkaik as Model #1
- Victoria Fuller as Model #2
- Burke Roberts as Reporter #1
- Nikki Dunn as Reporter #2
- Alex Carl as Alex
- Larry Brown as himself
- Bo Jackson as Calvin Farquhar (the radio show host)
- Roy Jones, Jr. as himself
Quotes[]
- Griff: You know all the answers. Why don't you call in?
- Al: Because I was banned from the radio station for making one innocent comment.
- Griff: What did you say?
- Al: I simply said we can put a man on the moon but we have yet to build an attractive woman golfer.
- Griff: And?
- [Al shrugs]
- [At Gary's Shoes, radio show host Calvin Farquhar and a photographer have arrived to present Griff with his prize]
- Calvin: Excuse me, I'm Calvin Farquhar and are either of you Griff X?
- Griff: [stands up and extends his hand out] I'm Mr. X.
- Calvin: Nice to meet you.
- Griff: You'll have to excuse my friend, Al [Al taps him on the leg] ...Fredo. Alfredo. He doesn't talk much. Lost his tongue in the war. [looks back at Al, in a quieter tone] And a few other things too. [Al punches the back of his leg] Ow!
- Calvin: [shrugs, then pulls out a piece of paper] Well, Griff, if you'll just sign for these tickets.
- Griff: Sure. Have a seat.
- [As Calvin sits down, Kelly, wearing a leather jacket, runs into the store holding hands with a biker and a concerned Bud following behind them.]
- Kelly: Hey, Dad. [runs over to Al, smiling while embracing the biker] Can I go to Las Vegas this weekend with... with, uhm... [struggles to remember his name, before finally looking at him] What was your name? Oh, it doesn't matter. Can I go?
- [Al gives her an angry look and is about to say something, but then stops as Calvin is sitting right next to him]
- Kelly: [smiling] Oh, well, thanks, Dad. I won't get married or anything stupid. Hehe, come on, let's go!
- [Kelly and her boyfriend quickly run out of the store. Bud then looks at Al, who is unable to say anything.]
- Bud: [upset] You're gonna let Kelly go to Vegas?
- [Al uses his head to gesture towards Calvin, but Bud does not understand.]
- Bud: [disgusted] You're not the Al Bund--
- Al: [gets up, angrily] EEEE....
- Bud: Wha..what..
- [Al immediately grabs him by his throat and makes walk back several stops before violently throwing Bud into the breakroom]
- Bud: AAAHHH!!! [slams into the wall]
- [As a horrified Griff and Calvin look on, Al suddenly lowers his head and slowly walks back to his seat.]
- Al: Hey! You're Flint Guccione, publisher of Big 'Uns magazine.
- Flint Guccione: Right you are. Who would have thought that an instamatic, drunken family reunion, and 50 bucks could start an empire?
Notes[]
Title[]
- The title of this episode is a reference to Torch Song Trilogy, a collection of three plays written by actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein.
Trivia[]
- During the episode, Marcy is repeatedly mistaken for Olympic swimming legend Bruce Jenner. This was 19 years before Jenner came out as transgender, in this case being born male though identifying as female. Jenner underwent physical gender transitioning between 2015 and 2017, adopting the name "Caitlyn Jenner" and undergoing female hormone therapy before officially completing surgical gender reassignment in 2017. Jenner's second wife Linda Thompson has publicly stated that Jenner personally identified as a woman even by the time their marriage ended in 1986,[1] ten years before "Torch Song Duet" aired.
- In this episode, Kelly has a shorter bob hairstyle compared to the previous episodes. Prior to the season 10 premiere, Christina Applegate had actually cut her hair short and dyed it red for her role in the film, Nowhere, which was filmed during the summer between the ninth and tenth seasons. As such, she wore a wig for most of season 10.
- During the credits, instead of a still frame of Al and Peg on the couch, a tag scene featuring Calvin at the radio station introducing Larry Brown, Roy Jones Jr. and Marcy D'Arcy as Bruce Jenner is shown.
- Bo Jackson, who plays sports radio show host Calvin Farquhar (named for MWC writer/consulting producer Calvin Brown Jr. and former writer/creative consultant Ralph R. Farquhar), is a retired athlete who has the distinction of being an All-Star in both MLB and NFL. He played for the Los Angeles Raiders between 1987 to 1990 and three baseball teams (Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and California Angels) from 1986 to 1994.
- Richard Kline, who played Big 'uns publisher Flint Guccione, is best known for his role as Larry Dallas, the sleazy friend of Jack Tripper, in the 1977–1984 ABC sitcom Three's Company.
- Renee Tension, who plays Marla, Griff's love interest in the episode (and one of the Big 'Uns cover models), previously appeared on MWC with her twin sister Rosie in the season 6 episode "Looking for a Desk in All the Wrong Places" during Jefferson's fantasy. She also appeared as Miss Detroit, Marla Strong in "Spring Break (Part 2)".
- The women who appear with Griff (and Al) on the Big 'Uns Man of the Year cover were all in Playboy:
- Renee Tension - Playmate of the Month November 1989 / Playmate of the Year 1990
- Rosie Tension - Posed with her twin sister for the August 2002 issue
- Petra Verkaik - Playmate of the Month December 1989
- Victoria Fuller - Playmate of the Month January 1996
Cultural References[]
- While Griff became distracted by the female customer, Al asks him who holds the record for the longest standing broadjump but does not get an answer. At the time this episode originally aired, the record belonged to Norwegian shot putter Arne Tvervaag, which was set in 1968.
- As of 2015, the record now belongs to NFL player Byron Jones.
- After Griff tells Calvin that his ex-wife took everything, Calvin tells him, "Keep your problems to yourself, man. This isn't 'Fraiser!'", which is in reference to the 1993–2004 NBC sitcom about a radio psychiatrist.
- One of the recurring guest stars who appeared on Fraiser, Edward Hibbert, previously appeared on MWC as Dr. Richelieu.
- Calvin offers Griff a prize of 11 pieces of chicken (it was supposed to have been 12 pieces, but Calvin ate a drumstick while doing the Olympic trivia contest on-air) from El Pollo Loco, which is a real restaurant chain that specializes in Mexican-style grilled chicken.
- When Marcy visits Griff after his win on the radio, she shows him brochures for the Martin Luther King Memorial, Peachtree Plaza, and Jimmy Carter Peanut Museum, which are real sites located in Georgia.
- Throughout the episode, Marcy is mistaken for Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner, who, almost 20 years after this episode aired, underwent surgery to become Caitlyn Jenner.
- The name Flint Guccione is a reference to Larry Flynt, the publisher of Hustler Magazine and Bob Guccione, the publisher of Penthouse Magazine.
- Griff mentions that he sounds Caucasian when excited "...like that guy from 'Hangin' with Mr. Cooper'!", referring to actor/comedian Mark Curry and his 1992–97 ABC sitcom.
- The theme of this episode revolves around the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Bud tells Al "when people think of Olympic shame, they'll think of Al Bundy first, and then Tonya Harding." referring to the figure skater who was involved with the attack on Nancy Kerrigan while trying out for the 1994 Winter Olympics.
- Al reveals that his life dream was to feel up actress, Barbara Eden, who is best known for her role as Jeannie in the 1960s sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie.
- She was previously mentioned in "I Want My Psycho Dad (Part 1)", when Al asked the actor who played Psycho Dad in a letter what Barbara Eden looked like naked.
- While watching television, Al stops on the BET Network, which mentions that "Griff asks O.J. the tough questions". This is in reference to former NFL player O.J. Simpson, who at the time this episode originally aired, was found not guilty in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.
- When Al meets Larry Brown Jr., he calls the NFL player a "Super Bowl hero" before mentioning, "Even though that bum O'Donnell threw those two passes right to you.". Brown then responds with "Hey, I know that and you know that, but Disneyland and the Raiders don't!".
- The dialogue is in reference to Super Bowl XXX, which took place in January 1996 between the Dallas Cowboys (with Brown serving at the cornerback) and Pittsburgh Steelers, with Neil O'Donnell serving as the quarterback. Infamously, O'Donnell threw two nearly identical interceptions to Brown that set up short touchdown drives in the second half and caused the Steelers to lose 27-17.
- As Brown points out, after the Super Bowl, he transferred to the Oakland Raiders in February 1996, though the team did not make it to the next Super Bowl and Brown would later be transferred to the Minnesota Vikings after a disappointing two years with the Raiders.
Music[]
- A character can be heard singing a parody of the Barney the Dinosaur ending theme "I Love You".
Locations[]
- Bundy Residence
- Gary's Shoes & Accessories for Today's Woman
- Sports Radio 600 Studio
Sets[]
- Bundy Living Room / Kitchen
- Gary's Shoes Sitting Area
- Sports Radio 600 Recording Booth
Goofs[]
- The reporter, looking off screen, reports that Al has tackled Griff and knocked the torch into a fountain. However, we hear the splash only after the reporter said it happened.
- The reporter stated that when the torch went out that it was the first time it had been extinguished in 3000 years. While the lighting of altar fires were a part of the ancient games, the first use of it in the modern Olympics was during the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.
- The reporter mentions that the torch must be re-lit in Athens and the Summer Olympic games have been cancelled indefinitely because of the torch being extinguished before the game. In reality, if the flame from the torch does go out, as it has several times before, it is simply re-lit with a back-up torch or various back up cauldrons across various locations, which wouldn't require the the torch to be sent back to Greece or the games to be cancelled indefinitely.
- Calvin offers Griff a 12 piece meal from El Pollo Loco if he choose to quit during the challenge. Although El Pollo Loco is a real chain of Mexican-style chicken restaurants, they are primarily based in California and the southwestern US and did not have any locations in Illinois at the time this episode was filmed.
- Also, when Calvin is shown with the plate of chicken, it appears to be fried chicken and mashed potatoes. El Pollo Loco serves only grilled chicken and does not offer mashed potatoes.
- The chain did not actually open any restaurants in the Chicago area until 2004, several years after this episode aired, but all of those locations had closed by 2012.
- After Griff's failed attempt at flirting, the female customer exits the store and leaves the door wide open while Griff joins Al at the seating area. Then, after the camera shows Calvin and cuts back to the shoe store, the door is already shut.