Al Bundy gets his hopes up, and you already know how that ends. In this clip from Married With Children Season 1 Episode 12, "Where's the Boss," Al hears that his boss was reportedly killed in a plane crash. His response? He goes out and buys an extravagant gift for the grieving family.

Of course, the boss refuses to stay dead, and Al's big gesture goes hilariously south. It is the kind of setup the show did better than anyone: Al thinks fate is finally dealing him a winning hand, he spends money he does not have, and the universe pulls the rug out from under him at the last second.

This is a classic early Bundy moment because it shows Al's whole worldview in a few minutes. Every small glimmer of hope turns into a bigger disaster, and somehow we root for him every single time. Season 1 was still finding its groove, but bits like this proved the formula worked from the very beginning.

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