This early episode is different from the norm of the series: it's really rather sweet and non-cynical! It's the 16th marriage anniversary for Al and Peggy, and although they agree not to give each other any presents, Al has other plans: he's secretly going to buy her a beautiful watch. Things don't go as planned for him, but his good intentions are never in doubt (to us), and the final scene between him and Peggy in their garage is quite affectionate. If you're a long-time fan of "Married With Children" and have never seen (or do not remember) "Sixteen Years And What Do You Get", you're in for a surprise - and a treat. *** out of 4.
Married... with Children (TV Series)
Sixteen Years and What Do You Get (1987)
User Reviews
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16 years of wedded bliss!
Sylviastel22 April 2009
Al and Peggy Bundy celebrate their 16 year wedding anniversary. While trying to keep it low key, Peggy is encouraged by Marcy to have a celebration. She hires a caterer, a violinist, and invites friends to the event like Steve and Marcy and Luke Ventura, Al's co-worker. All is fine because Al is planning to buy a watch for his wife. The only problem is that his credit limit is maxed out and he doesn't know why until he comes home to a surprise anniversary party. There are some key moments in this episode especially the scene at the jewelry store and how the violinist used to work as a clown at children's parties. When Al comes home empty-handed, Peggy is rightfully upset because he doesn't have a present for her.
A very funny and nice episode.
David_del_Real_Reviews_in_IMDb3 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
A VERY FUNNY AND NICE EPISODE.
------- ------- ------- ------- Very differently to other episodes, in this one, Al seems to be doing nothing wrong (well, mostly). He is planning to buy a very fancy watch for Peg because of their sixteen years anniversary. That doesn't mean he doesn't complain: When Peggy asks what are 16 years if ten is tin, 15 is crystal,etc... he says ""BRIMSTONE!!!"". Nevertheless he tells nothing to Peggy, he relies in the fact that they had in theory agreed about a "no gifts policy" to keep his secret kept. He, nonetheless reveals his secret to his kids, who commit the mistake of revealing it to Peg and then Peggy and Kelly use all the credit card's capacity to buy the anniversary's dinner.
I have the strong impression of this episode having been written before the five stories that aired first, among other details because we see a more innocent and less twisted version of Kelly. Also we see Bud being very smart, in contraposition to the last episode when Peg and Al both laugh at the possibility of their sons every making it to college. Another part of an episode that seems to me as being one of the first ones in having been written is the first part of episode seven from season two "For whom the bell tolls" where Bud outsmarts pretty much anything the other characters can say.
Anyway, when Al went to a jewelry to buy the fancy watch for Peg, he finds out his credit card is rejected because of Peggy and Kelly having taken the poor card to its limit...and the dialogues made me laugh so much.
A very funny and nice episode...and my favorite since the pilot.
Thanks for reading.
IMDb Review written by David del Real.
November 3rd, 2017.
Mexico City, Mexico.
------- ------- ------- ------- Very differently to other episodes, in this one, Al seems to be doing nothing wrong (well, mostly). He is planning to buy a very fancy watch for Peg because of their sixteen years anniversary. That doesn't mean he doesn't complain: When Peggy asks what are 16 years if ten is tin, 15 is crystal,etc... he says ""BRIMSTONE!!!"". Nevertheless he tells nothing to Peggy, he relies in the fact that they had in theory agreed about a "no gifts policy" to keep his secret kept. He, nonetheless reveals his secret to his kids, who commit the mistake of revealing it to Peg and then Peggy and Kelly use all the credit card's capacity to buy the anniversary's dinner.
I have the strong impression of this episode having been written before the five stories that aired first, among other details because we see a more innocent and less twisted version of Kelly. Also we see Bud being very smart, in contraposition to the last episode when Peg and Al both laugh at the possibility of their sons every making it to college. Another part of an episode that seems to me as being one of the first ones in having been written is the first part of episode seven from season two "For whom the bell tolls" where Bud outsmarts pretty much anything the other characters can say.
Anyway, when Al went to a jewelry to buy the fancy watch for Peg, he finds out his credit card is rejected because of Peggy and Kelly having taken the poor card to its limit...and the dialogues made me laugh so much.
A very funny and nice episode...and my favorite since the pilot.
Thanks for reading.
IMDb Review written by David del Real.
November 3rd, 2017.
Mexico City, Mexico.
Nothing says 'I love you' like a can of motor oil and a road flare.
BA_Harrison12 November 2020
Season One didn't get off to a great start, but this episode is actually pretty good, with some wonderful funnies from Al as he goes to a jewellery store to buy Peggy an anniversary gift. His cutting remarks to a fellow customer are the episode's highlights, but Al gets his just desserts when his credit card is refused and he goes home empty handed, only to find that Peggy has organised a surprise party (Steve and Marcy are there, much to Al's dismay).
Al feels bad about not getting a present for his wife, until he discovers that her gift of power tools were one of the reasons his credit card wasn't accepted: not only did Peggy charge the tools to the card, but the plastic was also used to pay for the party (complete with violinist and chef). It didn't help that Kelly and Bud bought presents with his cash too.
Rightly upset, Al goes to the garage to cool down. Al and Peggy eventually make up and dance to 'their song' - War, by Edwin Starr - a rather sweet and touching end to the episode.
Still a long way off the funniest that the series had to offer in its long, long run, but definitely an improvement over previous episodes.
Al feels bad about not getting a present for his wife, until he discovers that her gift of power tools were one of the reasons his credit card wasn't accepted: not only did Peggy charge the tools to the card, but the plastic was also used to pay for the party (complete with violinist and chef). It didn't help that Kelly and Bud bought presents with his cash too.
Rightly upset, Al goes to the garage to cool down. Al and Peggy eventually make up and dance to 'their song' - War, by Edwin Starr - a rather sweet and touching end to the episode.
Still a long way off the funniest that the series had to offer in its long, long run, but definitely an improvement over previous episodes.
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