Married... with Children
Season 3
DVD cover
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkFox (episodes 1-9; 11-22)
FX (episode 10)
Original releaseNovember 6, 1988 (1988-11-06) –
May 21, 1989 (1989-05-21)
Season chronology
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Season 2
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Season 4
List of episodes

This is a list of episodes for the third season (1988–89) of the television series Married... with Children.

The third season marked an increase in the show's popularity, based on Terry Rakolta's moral campaign against the show, which began after the episode "Her Cups Runneth Over", in which Al and Steve go to a lingerie store in search of Peggy's favorite bra, which had been discontinued. Michael Faustino makes his second guest appearance. During the season, the show became the first on Fox to achieve a quarter share of viewership.

The episode "I'll See You in Court" was withdrawn from airing at the time. In the episode, Al and Peggy Bundy unintentionally have a sex tape filmed of themselves at a motel and attempt to sue the motel owner. FOX chose not to air the episode surrounding other controversies related to the show, and "I'll See You in Court" did not air until 2002 when FX acquired the rights to reruns of Married... with Children. It was aired for the first time as a "lost episode" in June 2002.[1]

Episodes

See also: List of Married... with Children episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)		Rating/share
(households)
361"He Thought He Could"Gerry CohenRon Leavitt & Michael G. MoyeNovember 6, 1988 (1988-11-06)302N/A9.4/13[2]
While moving old boxes from the attic, Al comes across a copy of The Little Engine That Could, which hasn't been returned to the local library (headed by an evil, redheaded woman named Miss DeGroot) since 1957.
372"I'm Going to Sweatland"Gerry CohenStory by : Carl Studebaker
Teleplay by : Pamela Wick & Susan Cridland		November 20, 1988 (1988-11-20)303N/A10.0/14[3]
Peggy becomes obsessed with Elvis Presley when she sees a man who looks like the King at the mall and sees his image in a sweat stain on one of Al's shirts.
Note: Ed O'Neill's hometown of Youngstown, Ohio is referenced twice in the episode, first by Marcy when she says she would leave Steve for either Elvis or Youngstown native "Boom Boom" Mancini, then again at the end of the episode when Peggy learns that Elvis was spotted at a hardware store in Youngstown, which leads to her, Al, & Steve to follow "Elvis" to Youngstown to sell 700 pairs of blue suede shoes.
383"Poke High"Gerry CohenRalph R. FarquharNovember 27, 1988 (1988-11-27)304N/A10.5/15[4]
Al tries to keep Matt, a local high-school boy from breaking his football record. Meanwhile, Kelly, who is in love with Matt, joins the cheeleader squad and tries to get a date with him during a game.
394"The Camping Show"
"A Period Piece"		Gerry CohenSandy Sprung & Marcy VosburghDecember 11, 1988 (1988-12-11)30112.7[5]8.2/12[5]
A guys-only fishing trip with Al, Bud and Steve turns sour when Steve invites Marcy, who then invites Peg and Kelly on the trip — and things get worse when all three of the women have their periods simultaneously.
405"A Dump of My Own"Gerry CohenMichael G. Moye & Ron LeavittJanuary 8, 1989 (1989-01-08)30517.6[6]10.3/14[6]
Al realizes his dream to build his own bathroom in the garage.
416"Her Cups Runneth Over"Gerry CohenMarcy Vosburgh & Sandy SprungJanuary 15, 1989 (1989-01-15)30618.7[7]10.3/15[7]
Peg becomes depressed on her birthday when her favorite bra is discontinued. Al and Steve discover that Peggy's favorite bra is still being sold at a lingerie store called Francine's of Wisconsin.
Note: This episode started Terry Rakolta's moral boycott campaign against Married... with Children.
427"The Bald and the Beautiful"John SguegliaJules Dennis & Richard MuellerJanuary 29, 1989 (1989-01-29)30717.8[8]10.4/15[8]
Steve thinks he's going bald after finding a newspaper clipping for an antibaldness cure given to him by Marcy.
438"The Gypsy Cried"Gerry CohenRichard GurmanFebruary 5, 1989 (1989-02-05)30918.5[9]10.9/15[9]
Steve and Marcy hire a psychic, who predicts good fortune for Al, Peg, and Steve — and doom for Marcy.
449"Requiem for a Dead Barber"James E. HornbeckRon Leavitt & Michael G. MoyeFebruary 12, 1989 (1989-02-12)31021.6[10]12.0/18[10]
Al's favorite barber dies, prompting him to go to a salon and risk losing his masculinity.
4510"I'll See You in Court"Gerry CohenJeanne Baruch & Jeanne RomanoUnaired (Unaired)
June 18, 2002 (2002-06-18) (on FX)		308N/AN/A
To spark up their waning marriage, Al and Peg go to a seedy motel, where one of the porn movies they watch is surveillance footage of Steve and Marcy having sex.
4611"Eatin' Out"Gerry CohenSandy Sprung & Marcy VosburghFebruary 19, 1989 (1989-02-19)31119.9[11]11.5/17[11]
After receiving a moderately large windfall, the Bundys go out to eat at a fancy restaurant — and trouble starts when they forget to bring the money with them.
4712"My Mom, the Mom"Gerry CohenStory by : Jan Rosenbloom
Teleplay by : Lesa Kite & Cindy Begel		February 26, 1989 (1989-02-26)31221.1[12]12.5/18[12]
Peg resorts to acting like a true mom when Kelly picks her to appear at Polk High's Parents Day. Meanwhile, Al teaches Bud the value of a dollar by putting him to work at the shoe store.
4813"Can't Dance, Don't Ask Me"Gerry CohenStory by : Gabrielle Topping
Teleplay by : Robert Ulin		March 5, 1989 (1989-03-05)31319.7[13]11.4/17[13]
After getting Polk High's dance club in trouble during a field trip, Kelly is forced to join and perform tap at the school talent show. Meanwhile, Al thinks a conspiracy exists among the women when his socks end up missing.
4914"A Three Job, No Income Family"Gerry CohenRichard GurmanMarch 19, 1989 (1989-03-19)31417.4[14]10.9/16[14]
When money becomes tighter than usual at the Bundy house, Peg signs Al up for a job as a make-up salesman, but when Peg hears the job's perks, she signs up for the job, instead, and (seemingly) proves to be a better seller than Al. Pauly Shore guests as Al's manager.
5015"The Harder They Fall"Gerry CohenEllen L. FogleMarch 26, 1989 (1989-03-26)31516.2[15]10.4/17[15]
While driving with Steve to the video store, Peg flips off a driver and gets Steve in trouble, prompting the Bundys to stay at the Rhoades' house to protect him — and take advantage of their neighbors' hospitality.
5116"The House That Peg Lost"Gerry CohenSteve Granat & Mel ShererApril 9, 1989 (1989-04-09)31619.3[16]12.0/18[16]
While the Rhoades’ are away on vacation, the Bundys are called to house-sit for them, leading to the Rhoades' house being taken away by a man looking for a roadhouse. Meanwhile, Kelly has a slumber party with her best friends, which leads to chaos when Bud reveals that Kelly slept with her best friends' boyfriends.
5217"Married... with Prom Queen (Part I)"Gerry CohenEllen L. FogleApril 23, 1989 (1989-04-23)31717.5[17]10.6/17[17]
Part one of two: Peggy's chances at being prom queen at her high school reunion are doomed when her old rival, Connie Bender ("Bring a friend, it won't offend her"), arrives. Meanwhile, Al meets his old rival in high school and continues the fight they last had following graduation.
5318"Married... with Prom Queen: The Sequel (Part II)"Gerry CohenEllen L. FogleApril 30, 1989 (1989-04-30)31817.7[18]11.2/18[18]
Conclusion: Peggy recruits Bud and Kelly's help in rigging the prom queen election so Peg can win. Meanwhile, Al squares off with high-school rival Jack in a parking-lot fight.
5419"The Dateless Amigo"Gerry CohenSara V. Finney & Vida SpearsMay 7, 1989 (1989-05-07)32017.8[19]10.2/16[19]
Al comes up with a new invention called Shoe Lights and uses Kelly as his guinea pig. Meanwhile, Bud, trying to prove to his friends that he can get a girl, uses a department-store mannequin as his date.
5520"The Computer Show"Gerry CohenRalph R. FarquharMay 14, 1989 (1989-05-14)31914.1[20]8.5/14[20]
Against Al's wishes, Peg and Marcy buy a home computer for the Bundy house.
5621"Life's a Beach"Gerry CohenRalph R. FarquharMay 21, 1989 (1989-05-21)32117.5[21]10.6/17[21]
The Bundys spend a day at the beach. Michael Faustino guests.
5722"Here's Lookin' at You, Kid"Gerry CohenStory by : Len O'Neill
Teleplay by : Jeanne Baruch & Jeanne Romano		May 21, 1989 (1989-05-21)32217.5[21]10.6/17[21]
The neighborhood women become the targets of a peeping Tom — except for Peg, who takes it as a sign that she is not attractive anymore. Meanwhile, Al convinces Bud to help Kelly with her studies.

References

  1. ^ "'Married... with Children' lost episode airing tonight". The Paducah Sun. June 18, 2002. pp. 11A. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Week seven goes to NBC; CBS wins news". Broadcasting. Vol. 115, no. 20. November 14, 1988. p. 53. ProQuest 1016932080.
  3. ^ "'War' closes ABC-NBC gap; ABC wins news". Broadcasting. Vol. 115, no. 22. November 28, 1988. p. 153. ProQuest 1016921684.
  4. ^ "Week 10 delivers 36.2 million households". Broadcasting. Vol. 115, no. 23. December 5, 1988. p. 50. ProQuest 1016923222.
  5. ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 14, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306143538.
  6. ^ a b "NBC, laughing all the way". Life. USA Today. January 11, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306165080.
  7. ^ a b "NBC clinches season's ratings title". Life. USA Today. January 18, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306171627.
  8. ^ a b "Midseason entries boost NBC". Life. USA Today. February 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306144802.
  9. ^ a b "Comedies sweep up for NBC". Life. USA Today. February 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306179902.
  10. ^ a b "CBS gallops to a tie with NBC". Life. USA Today. February 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306163263.
  11. ^ a b "NBC's back alone on top". Life. USA Today. February 22, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306175741.
  12. ^ a b "CBS up despite Grammy drop". Life. USA Today. March 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306152931.
  13. ^ a b "Hit-and-miss program changes". Life. USA Today. March 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306184202.
  14. ^ a b "Glad tidings for all networks". Life. USA Today. March 22, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306198820.
  15. ^ a b "A 'Brewster' boost for ABC". Life. USA Today. March 29, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306173300.
  16. ^ a b "ABC's hit-and-miss week". Life. USA Today. April 12, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306166319.
  17. ^ a b "Sitcom rewards ABC's faith". Life. USA Today. April 26, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306174966.
  18. ^ a b "We loved CBS' 'Lucy' tribute". Life. USA Today. May 3, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306197470.
  19. ^ a b "Bright spots for No. 3 ABC". Life. USA Today. May 10, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306210811.
  20. ^ a b "NBC sweeps top 11 spots". Life. USA Today. May 17, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306203436.
  21. ^ a b c d "Everybody loved ABC's 'Baby'". Life. USA Today. May 24, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306198690.

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