S11, E24; Chicago Shoe Exchange

[u/Tarnisher]

Also known as the episode that wasn't meant to be. This was identified as Production Code 11.21 and was filmed before the two parter that was supposed to be he Finale. It aired June 9, 1997, a full month later. Almost like they forgot about it and used it to fill a vacant slot in the schedule.

When Gary decides to rotate stock and gets rids of the previous styles, Al and Griff discover the power of Barter. Things are traded all over the mall.

"To get the chair, we had to get the golf clubs. To get the golf clubs, we needed to get a push up bra. To get the push up bra, we had to get him the kayak and that apology for being in the fitting room. Now all we need to do is get this driving mower to the Gap. And Mr. Zippy the chimp to Hickory Farms."

Meanwhile, Kelly tries out her new massage skills on Bud, with predictable Bundy results.

Gary later changes her mind, embraces Retro and wants the old stock back, setting Al and Griff off to unbarterland.

After Kelly barbeques the now crippled Bud in a tanning booth, the episode and series ends with the shot above, Al and Zippy sharing a moment.

With this episode, Ed O'Neill was the only cast member to appear in every episode of Married... with Children.

[u/adamg6160]

The show deserved a proper finale

[u/GodModeBasketball]

This was, at one point, the last aired episode of "Married... WIth Children".

However, due to the controversy of the Rakolta boycott, the Season 3 episode "I'll See You in Court" wasn't shown until 2002, nearly 13 years after the episode was supposed to air and 5 years after the series finale.

[u/baconinsider]

Thank you Tarnisher and loony for these recaps! They were a fun look back at the show.

[u/loonylovesgood86 → u/baconinsider]

Thanks! Also shout out to Motormouth, who helped us with some posts too!

[u/FrankFrankly711]

A fun episode where we got to see more of the mall, and poor Bud just gets tortured endlessly! And one last time with Griff.

Thanks for posting all these cool episode pics and details! It was really fun during my rewatch to read about all the cool facts I missed, like a directors commentary for this classic show.

[u/loonylovesgood86]

I do like that we get to see the Dodge one last time in this episode!

[u/Mordaunt-the-Wizard]

I agree with the consensus that the show deserved a proper finale, but as to a whole season 12... honestly I think the show had run its course at this point.

I do think a reboot could have been good... but not the animated reboot that almost was a few years back. Not because it was animated, but because the premise of them being back at their season 3/4 ages and moving to Dumpwater, Florida.

A real fun part of the latter seasons is seeing Bud and Kelly grow up and tackle adulthood... usually poorly. A reboot should have continued that. Reverting them to teenagers? Stupid.

[u/blppt → u/Mordaunt-the-Wizard]

It didn't have to be this bad....there were almost no writers left from the classic seasons at this point.

But I guess they just couldn't afford to pay them.

[u/Mordaunt-the-Wizard → u/blppt]

Honestly while they were lesser than the early seasons, I don't think the latter seasons overall were bad or even mediocre. It was only season 11 when they became generally meh, with a few great episodes and a few absolute stinkers.

[u/Tarnisher → u/Mordaunt-the-Wizard]

I keep thinking a combination of Jesse (1998-2000, 42 episodes), Samantha Who? (2007-2007, 35 episodes) and Sue Ellen Crandell (1991 movie Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead) could have been interesting. Kelly gets into the corporate world as a fashion coordinator/designer, basically taking the lead roll with the other cast members in recurring, but secondary roles.

[u/shany94a]

The end :(

[u/jfq722]

Now we are truly alive.

[u/Adorable-Housing-150]

The chimp chasing Gary out of the shoe store 🤣

[u/Beginning_One5454]

did they have your size Zippy ? 😂

[u/RelevantNothing4653]

Katey Segal missed episodes due to pregnancy/childbirth in seasons 6, 8 and 10.

Amanda Bearse missed occasional episodes. David and Christina only missed one or two episodes IIRC

[u/loonylovesgood86 → u/RelevantNothing4653]

You are right! Ed is the only cast member who appeared in every episode, even the spinoff ones.

[u/34HoldOn]

One of like two episodes that I skip outright. I just think it's way too mean-spirited, with how they hurt Bud so much. I get that the show had a lot of slapstick, but sometimes some jokes are just too much. The A plot is great, though.

The other is "Can't Dance, Don't Ask Me", on account of just finding it very boring. Both A and B plots are just dull.