"I HAVE SINNED!" REVEREND AL BUNDY

Married with Children (1987-1997), created by Michael G. Moye & Ron Leavitt and directed by Gerry Cohen 158 times, is by far my favorite sitcom growing up. It was offensive, simple and showed an American family living in Chicago in an funny and disgusting light.

One of my favorite episodes is called Reverend Al, season 10 epi. four. It aired Sunday October 8, 1995 and when Mariah Carey, TLC and Coolio topped the music charts. In the episode, Al and his men's group NO MA'AM decide to form their own church in order to avoid paying beer tax. When Marcy and her women's group FANG expose Al's plan, NO MA'AM surprisingly receives sympathy and donations from thousands of married men!

Writer Kim Weiskopf makes Al a televangelist and preacher of the NO MA'AM way in a house of sin. Its a great scene.

Trivia from the episode:

-starting with this episode, the couch gag at the opening credits has changed, showing a now older Bud and Kelly as well as Lucky. The previous opening credits had been used since season 4.

-when Al cries and says he has sinned by consorting with his wife, he is alluding to Jimmy Swaggart, a television evangelist who in 1988 emotionally said he had "sinned" for having an inappropriate affair.

-one of Al's alter girls is played by former Playboy playmate Lisa Marie Scott.