Married With Children never shied away from a controversial topic. The Bundy family was on the brink of bold, unrepentant, and frequently scandalous humor from the show’s very first season in 1987. However, a certain episode in particular gained so much controversy that it almost caused the entire series to fail, and it even resulted in a temporary suspension from the television.
“I’ll See You in Court,” a Season 3 episode, was the subject in question. There was adultery, hidden cameras, and a lot of risqué humor that was considerably more than what viewers were accustomed to seeing on network television when Al and Peg Bundy unintentionally stumble into a controversy at a nearby motel. The episode was canceled by FOX officials before it even aired because of the sexual innuendo and provocative settings, which were deemed too sexy for prime time in the late 1980s.
The consequences were severe. Watchdog organizations complained to the network, critics said the show was “trashing family values,” and the episode was kept in the vault for years. It soon became known as the “lost episode” of Married With Children as fans conjectured endlessly about what it may include.
Not until 2002, a long time after the show’s conclusion, did the episode eventually appear on television, allowing viewers to see what had been banned for so long. Today, “I’ll See You in Court” serves as evidence of how innovative the program was, pushing boundaries in ways that simultaneously astounded, outraged, and delighted viewers.
