Ep 18. Get Outta Dodge

Married...with Children season 8 episode 18, titled "Get Outta Dodge," follows the Bundy family as they plan a vacation to California. The episode begins with Al and Peg deciding to take the kids on a family trip to Los Angeles for two weeks. However, before they leave, Al receives a call from Dodge City, Kansas, informing him that his high school football record has been broken by a new player. Al is devastated by the news and decides to skip the family vacation to drive to Dodge City and win back his record.

Meanwhile, Peggy, Bud, and Kelly make their way to California without Al. As they begin their vacation, they quickly learn that things are not going to be as easy as they thought. Their hotel room is a dingy dump, and all of the attractions they want to visit have long lines and are overpriced.

Back in Dodge City, Al arrives hoping to reclaim his football record. He visits his old coach and discovers that the new player who broke his record is his old rival, Bubba "Shoeless" Skelton. Al arranges for a rematch against Bubba, but when they're standing on the field, Al realizes that he's not as young as he used to be. He gets knocked down, trampled on, and eventually dragged across the field while Bubba runs in for a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Peggy, Bud, and Kelly's vacation continues to go wrong. They get lost in the city, visit a wax museum where the figures are melting, and get scammed out of their money by a street performer. After getting fed up with the terrible vacation, Peggy decides to call Al and ask him to come back to California. However, Al has lost his voice due to the brutal game, and his assistant, Norman, answers the phone instead.

Norman doesn't want Al to leave Dodge City, as he has some shady business to attend to. He tricks Peggy into thinking that Al is still playing football, and she decides to stay in California with the kids for the remainder of their vacation.

As the episode ends, Al is left alone in Dodge City, miserable and defeated. He realizes that he may never get his football record back, and he begins to regret missing out on the family vacation. However, in a heartwarming moment, he receives a call from Peggy, who tells him that they're still in California and that they miss him. The episode closes with a shot of Al smiling to himself, happy to know that his family is thinking of him.

Overall, "Get Outta Dodge" is a classic Married...with Children episode that highlights the show's humor and heart. The episode deals with themes of family, aging, and disappointment, all while delivering belly laughs and ridiculous situations. Fans of the show will love this episode, and newcomers will find it to be a great introduction to the Bundy family.