>>213115566
Married with Children is like a transitional fossil in the evolution of the hapless male father/lead trope. As such, Al is kind of a mix of both actual protagonist and loathsome failure. It happened right around when the big transition was going on. I think it mostly started with the Simpsons in the late 80s.

Before then you can actually see the father/male as a figure of wisdom and helpful authority that shows like Simpsons were deliberately rebelling against. The Andy Griffith show is the platonic form of this. But even shows like the Cosby Show (lol) are late contemporary (with Simpsons, Married) examples of the old way. Usually the way the old shows did it is focus on a young/unstable figure that contrasts with the patriarch and allows conflict and growth: Opie, Will Smith, Lucy (from I love). That's why Simpsons started out focusing on Bart so much, they were following the formula but subverting it. Married made the son a complete waste so it just made al an antihero where everyone else sucked just as much or more.