"Married... with Children" broke new ground when it premiered on Fox in 1987 as one of the network's first original series. Unlike the wholesome family sitcoms that dominated television at the time, the show deliberately portrayed a dysfunctional working-class family with a cynical outlook on life.

The series ran for an impressive 11 seasons, making it one of Fox's longest-running sitcoms. Ed O'Neill (Al), Katey Sagal (Peggy), Christina Applegate (Kelly), and David Faustino (Bud) portrayed the Bundy family, who constantly schemed and bickered but ultimately stuck together.

The show was controversial for its time, facing boycotts from advertisers due to its adult humor and themes. Despite this (or perhaps because of it), it developed a devoted fan following. The series finale aired in 1997 without a proper conclusion because the cast and crew weren't informed of the cancellation until after production had wrapped on what became the final episode.