A Very Successful Pilot
Success happened to Married With Children on the first night it was aired, just like that! The network had to play the first episode repeatedly the night it was first aired because its viewership was so positive. The show was about a not-so-normal Bundy family and this resonated with people. The sitcom is the first prime-time TV series to be broadcasted by Fox, and was absolutely a hit.
If we had the internet back in 1987, imagine how the show would have been a viral sensation overnight. Truly, success can happen overnight! The very first episode was aired on April 15, 1987 and instantly had so many viewers. The dysfunctionality of the Bundy family was so unique and extraordinary it brought in far more success than anyone could have anticipated.
Friends Or Enemies?
The writers of the show originally planned that Al and Peggy really loved Marcy and Steve, their annoying neighbors. But, the real-life issues and true feelings of the actors interfered. There was no way of hiding the real relationship of Ed O’Neill and Amanda Bearse on screen.
Ed O’Neill and Amanda Bearse played neighbors on the show, but talk around the set was that they were not on good terms in real life. Amanda is a lesbian and Ed is not very understanding about this, as the rumor goes. In a beautifully sardonic twist, Ed’s role in Modern Family was that of a gay man’s dad who was very supportive of the LGBTQ community.
Katey Sagal Was Pregnant 3 Times During The Show
Peggy Bundy was played by Katey Sagal, who was actually pregnant in real life not just once, but three times during the 10-year filming of the show. With Katey’s pregnancy popping up during the earlier seasons of the sitcom, the writers included it into the show. In Al’s nightmare in one episode, Peggy and Marcy were pregnant at the same time, and it was the reason for the story to be stretched out.
Sadly, Peggy’s first child was stillborn, arriving six weeks earlier than planned. Katey had to wear a fake pregnancy belly while shooting. A tough sacrifice for the show. Fortunately, Katey’s last two pregnancies were successful. They somehow kept it hidden from the audience. Kudos to the producers and wardrobe consultants as it wasn’t so obvious in the show.
The Audience Loved Kelly From The Very First Moment
No arguing that Christina Applegate was the one who stole the show. She was just irresistible, and from her first appearance in the show everyone loved her. Her outfits may have helped, but ultimately, it was her high-spirited and humorous personality that made her so adorable. She was always enthusiastic and prepared to do her best for the show to be a success.
Applegate’s talent and charm caught the eyes of the producers and writers, which is why she got ample screen time, exhibiting her abilities. This made a very positive impact on the show, increasing its fandom and viewership on the earlier episodes. People just love the flirty, bratty character of Kelly!
The Ongoing Al Bundy Joke
With a sitcom packed with a talented and funny cast, you could expect for there to be constant joking and laughing on the set. Within the ten years of doing the show, one of the greatest jokes around was misspelling the name of Al Bundy. They sometimes spelled it as Al Birdy, Al Bumby or Al Boondy, and so on.
All the characters in the show had their own nicknames then. Everyone on the set just joked about it. The strangest nicknames were definitely that of Peggy and Al. Kelly had a pet name for her brother as well, which Applegate never mentioned behind the scenes.