1114  -  “T.R.A.S.H.”


Synopsis:     Jefferson convinces Al and Griff that the National Guard is the place to be with the 
promise of a paid weekend away from the family, and spending most of the time screwing around with 
other guys.  While it starts out that way, Al and Griff are put through the rigors of boot camp and 
later called upon to break up a garbage man’s strike.  Meanwhile, Kelly and Bud plague Marcy with 
their excess trash.

Thoughts:   Admittedly when I first saw this one, I hated it for some reason.  Watching it again 
it is a good episode, especially the start.  The episode is filled with some great one liners.  
The episode unfortunately shows some of the low production values MWC has at times.  The obstacle 
course scene for example is CLEARLY indoors.  Married with children is a show that goes outdoors at 
times, why not here?  The garbage strike scene with Al, Griff and Jefferson is where it goes downhill.  
The striker’s weapons consist solely of empty plastic bottles, nothing more.  No pizza boxes, balled 
up tin foil or 2x4’s or anything, just plastic bottles, and to believe that this is enough of a 
deterrent to stop them is laughable (in the bad way).  It only sets up the traditional war movie 
cliché’s (Griff's "dying" scene is funny).  I however really like the way at the beginning Al and 
Griff are seen hanging out together at Al’s home.  It’s so good to see Al have a friend outside of 
Jefferson that he can hang around at home with (OTHER then the rest of the NO MA’AM guys).  One last 
scene to comment on is the barracks scene.  Al playing football with the guys, and when he yells 
"touchdown"!  The audience goes nuts.  We all can feel a little something to see Al having fun and 
being back in his habitat.
	
	Bud and Kelly typically (again) make up the B story with their attack on Marcy’s house with 
the Bundy’s excess garbage.  Not only are these scenes superfluous, they feature more obvious jokes 
about Kelly’s ever dwindling brain power concerning their garbage catapult. At least they don’t allow 
Bud to do one of those "face the camera" takes.  If you watch "The Worst Noel" or "Kiss of the Coffee 
Woman" you will find more examples of what I’m talking about.  Anytime ANY cast member (short of maybe 
Al) addresses the camera, it’s bad news.

	Marcy gets an eye-popping two scenes in this episode.  Jefferson gets about three.  You’d 
almost want to see him more in the opening boot camp scenes giving Al a hard time, after he told 
him the reserves were great.  Al and Griff are the main characters here.  Bud and Kelly have their 
own agenda with Marcy and garbage as I said above.  Peg just sort of happens along when the kids 
are around.

	For plot, it’s does admittedly smack of the traditional "new locales for characters" plot 
lines that ageing sitcoms sometimes use, (remember "The Juggs Have Left the Building?"), and this 
one is no exception.  At least the writing is good and it works out better for Al wanting to be away 
from the family, and the National Guard was as good a way as any to do it.

Rating:  7 shoes out of 10.  It peters out towards the end.  Add to that another lame B story with 
Bud and Kelly as the stars and your left with an above average Bundyfest.  Worth a couple of watches.


Quotable Quotes:

Griff:  "What’s the scam?"
Jefferson:  "No scam, I just have to say goodbye to Marcy"
Al and Griff together: "That’s the scam!"

Jefferson:  "The National Guard’s motto is, 'If it happens on a weekend, we’ll be there!'"

Griff:  "This pillow is lumpy!"
Al:  "At least it doesn’t have red hair and beg for sex!"

Al:  "No one's called me sir in a long looong time!"
Drill Instructor:  "How ‘bout MORON!?  They’ve called you that haven’t they?!!"

Drill Instructor:  "So high-heel, are you gonna finish this course or not?!"
Al:  (lying on the ground)  "Can’t sir, tired sir."
Drill Instructor:  "Then let me help you rest!!"  (Begins stepping on Al’s head.)

Bud:  "I hear women are attracted to men in uniform."
Al:  "It’s not the uniform son.  It’s the fact that he’s been trained to obey orders and eat crap!"