Married… With Children vs. the World: The Inside Story of the Shock-Com that Launched FOX and Changed TV Comedy Forever

by Richard Gurman

A rollicking account of the groundbreaking show from one of the show’s producers, featuring the voices of the stars, creators, and executives involved with bringing it to life.Married… With Children burst onto the airwaves with a full-frontal attack on the myth of domestic tranquility depicted in family comedies since the dawn of TV. The outlier series, created by two rebellious writers given carte blanche from a fledgling FOX, became one of the longest running live-action sitcoms in television history and forever changed the way married life was portrayed on the very networks it so scathingly satirized. But it was far from smooth sailing as the creators bucked up against Barry Diller—then CEO of FOX—on everything from casting to content and then butted heads with network standards as they sought to shatter traditional broadcast norms. Married… With Children writer-producer Richard Gurman takes us behind the scenes of this boundary-breaking show to reveal how its inner workings were at times as disruptive and contentious—yet at other times, as hysterical and raunchy—as the Bundy family themselves. Featuring exclusive interviews with the cast, including Ed O’Neill and Katey Sagal, media moguls, network executives, writers, directors, critics, and even the woman who was so offended by one episode she launched a sponsor boycott that almost got the series canceled, Married… With Children vs the World celebrates the rebellious, satirical vision of the show and the battle to keep it alive that paved the way for the tremendous diversity in family comedy style we see today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History

256 pages, Hardcover

Published April 23, 2024

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I skimmed most of this book. Contained less "inside story" and more recapped episodes, character profiles and script excerpts. I've seen the show so I was reading a lot of what I've already watched. A celebration of the series in book form. Plus the whole how-it-started and how FOX dealt with the citizen letter-writer who found the show offensive. Great show. Ok book. Whoa Bundy!

[Paul Sutter]

If you were a fan of Married With Children, you will certainly find this book to be a most enjoyable read. Writer and produced for the show Richard Gurman, takes an in-depth look at the phenomenon that as the title notes “changed TV comedy forever.”
The FOX television network was just getting launched, and the big question was, what would bring attention and viewers to the new network? The idea for Married With Children was bandied about, and originally the two actors first thought to play the roles of Al and Peggy were Roseanne Barr and Sam Kinison. They thankfully were not hired for the parts, rather two relative unknowns at the time, Katey Sagal and Ed O’Neill. The chemistry was there, and it also was the case with Christina Applegate and David Faustino who played their children.
Nothing was too sacred, and it was not long before there was a public outcry spearheaded by a housewife in Michigan, who had a letter writing campaign to many sponsors of the show including Coca-Cola. Boycotts were threatened and there was even the notion of the outcry may cause the cancellation of the show.
But the controversy made the show a definite hit, helping launch Fox as a serious network. The book looks at many of the classic episodes and the lines that definitely were off-the-wall and laugh out loud funny. Al the shoe salesman, was often clashing with customers trying to cram big feet into small shoes, with Peggy the housewife who wanted to do very little around the house. Neighbors Steve (David Garrison) and Marcy (Amanda Bearse) presented additional ammunition for irreverence. David did leave the show after four seasons, with Ted McGinley joining season five and marrying Marcy, then remained until the end of the series.
Amanda Bearse directed quite a few of the episodes over the run of the series, but as the book notes, there was tension between Ed and Amanda toward the latter part of the series. The show was not afraid to be risqué and raunchy, with some of its topics and comedic lines, which is what made it stand out from the crowd, keeping the audience entertained for the eleven seasons (1987-1997) it was on the air.
The one regret that Gurman definitely had, was the show was cancelled after all the episodes has been created, meaning there was no finale episode to wrap it all up. Readers were left with their imagination as to how it might have played out in the finale. One thing is certain, those who watched the show will definitely not forget the defining moments, making Married With Children, one of the most beloved (and sometimes hated) television shows of all time.

[Michael Migliaccio · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of Married with Children, I was excited to pore through this book. The author gives a wonderful overview of the details of the show, from its conception to its impact on the world after its run ended. I had to deduct a star, however, because of the slipshod way that facts are stated incorrectly in many cases. For instance, in the Labor Day episode that launched season five, "We'll Follow the Sun," Gurman incorrectly states that Al and the family are riding in the Dodge, when they were in a brand new convertible. I was hoping that he would tell us why this car appeared and then disappeared without explanation, but no such luck. Several times, he gets the years of a particular season wrong. There were plenty more, but my intention is not to list all the mistakes. Unfortunately, though, accuracy is important and when simple things get misstated, we have to wonder what else he got wrong that we didn't know about.

Overall, it's very entertaining, but no fact checking or editorial work seems to have been applied. it's as if Gurman wrote a first draft and it was published as is. Even more disconcerting is that the author has a degree in journalism. I could give him a bit more slack if he had no writing experience.

[Bustagroovy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just started re-watching MWC from the start a few months ago so it was great timing for this book to be released. However, it really wasn't much of an inside story at all. The season-by-season recaps were a good format, but it was padded out way too much with quotes, script excerpts and character summaries. I did enjoy reading about the beginning of the FOX network. I never knew it was a UHF channel that not everyone could easily pick up - very similar to SBS in Australia back in the day. Also, the in-depth story and interview with Terry Rakolta who famously tried to get MWC cancelled was very good too. On the downside, it looks like no one proofread anything before printing as it's loaded with grammatical, punctuation, factual errors and typos - Pat Morito anyone? Not a single mention of the 2003 reunion special either, blahhh.

[Mhorg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book about a great show.

I still remember the first episode I ever watched of MWC. Al and Peggy, pretending to be Steve and Marcie, go on this horrible game show called "How Do I Love Thee?" Ten minutes in, I was hooked. This show represented, although exaggerated, real American family life. Keep Family Ties, The Cosby's and all those saccharin sweet family shows where everything ends in sweet, neatly tied bow. Give me the Bundy's and their crass, sarcastic, often mean humor. Al may be the greatest father in American TV history. No matter how many times he gets knocked down, he gets back up. Not only that, he'll defend his family. Peggy, Kelly, Bud. Marcie, Steve. All great characters. This is a fun book that every fan should read. As for Terry Rakolta. Thanks for helping make this irreverent, bombastic, brutal and brilliant show a huge hit. WHOA BUNDY'S!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny book! As a fan of Ed O'Neill and of this show, I can remember watching this when it first came out and thinking "how do they get away with this'! The interactions between Marcy and Al were always a hoot as were the barbs between Kelly and Bud. As some of these storylines were retold in the pages of this book, there were many nights I found myself laughing hysterically. This show as well as the Simpsons, put FOX on the map and turned the fledgling media company into a top player in today's entertainment industry. If you didn't care for the show, you will not enjoy the book. Many fond memories of the comedic genius of Ed O'Neill!

[A Cesspool · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty exhausting monograph, I would've like a bit more Behind-the-scenes at the executive level, on both opening/closing bookends, e.g. more specs regarding luring new talent to their New network (only to backslide once in production); And, later, Fox abruptly pulling the plug (on the series) and making a lifelong enemy of Ed O'Neil. Otherwise, everything you could ever want about the making-of each season of MWC.

principle takeawway: Not as accomplished as the In Living Color series-memoir

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in one day! A great book for any fan of the Bundy family 👏🏼

[tyRonE hArDing · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you were a fan of Married with Children like I was in the 90s then you'll find this book entertaining, as I did.

[Michael Fantauzzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nostalgic, who wouldn’t want to be a Bundy