Ep 5. Have You Driven a Ford Lately

Al Bundy, the central character of Married…with Children, is dealing with the usual problems of being a middle-aged, working-class guy with a family. In season 1 episode 5, titled "Have You Driven a Ford Lately," he faces a new challenge: the temptation of a little white lie.

The episode begins with Al at work, selling shoes at the fictional Gary's Shoes and Accessories for Today's Woman. He's not particularly interested in his job, but he's a devoted husband and father who's trying to provide for his family. However, he's also feeling frustrated and unappreciated. His wife, Peggy, hasn't been intimate with him in several weeks, and his teenage daughter, Kelly, is obsessed with boys and fashion. Meanwhile, his son, Bud, is a typical middle-schooler, obsessed with snacks and video games.

After a long day at work, Al is looking forward to some relaxation at home. But his plans are interrupted when a woman named Mrs. Wanker comes into the store. She's looking for shoes, but she's also promoting a new contest being run by a local Ford dealership. The dealership is offering a prize of a brand new Ford Tempo to anyone who can guess the weight of a car that's been suspended in a warehouse.

Mrs. Wanker has tickets for the contest and encourages Al to enter. But Al is skeptical. He doesn't have much luck with contests, and he's sure that guessing the weight of a car is impossible. However, Mrs. Wanker convinces him to try, telling him that the dealership is desperate for entries and will likely be giving away the car soon.

Once he gets home, Al is still unsure about entering the contest. But Peggy convinces him to give it a shot, telling him that they need a new car badly. Al reluctantly agrees and heads off to the dealership.

At the dealership, Al is approached by a slick salesman named Bob Rooney. Bob convinces him to take a test drive in a brand new Ford Tempo, promising him a free t-shirt if he does. Al hesitates, but Bob is persistent, telling him that his kids will love the car and he'll be able to impress all his friends. Al finally gives in and takes the car for a spin.

He loves the car and ends up spending most of the day at the dealership, trying out different models and chatting with the salespeople. He even convinces Bud to come down to the dealership and take a test drive himself.

But all of Al's enthusiasm for the car disappears when he learns something about the weight-guessing contest. He overhears Bob Rooney talking to another salesman about how the dealership is rigging the contest. They've already picked a winner, and they're just waiting for someone to guess the right weight so they can hand over the car.

Al is outraged and decides to confront Bob. But Bob tells him that it's just business, and there's nothing he can do about it. Al storms out of the dealership, feeling like a fool for being taken in by the slick salesman's pitch.

Back at home, Al's disappointment turns into anger. He decides that he's going to get revenge on the dealership by leaving a negative review on their website. But Peggy tells him that lying isn't the answer. She encourages him to tell the truth about the contest and let people know what's really going on at the dealership.

Al reluctantly agrees and writes a scathing review of the dealership on their website. He tells the truth about the weight-guessing contest and urges people not to do business with the dealership. He even takes the extra step of calling up a local news station to share his story.

The episode ends on a hopeful note, with Al feeling like he's made a difference. He may not have won the car, but he feels like he's stood up for what's right and taken a stand against dishonest business practices. Peggy is proud of him, and the family comes together to watch their local news station's coverage of the story.