Family Ties (1982–1989) User Reviews

Hilarious family sitcom with unusual generation gap

[roghache · 8/10 · 24 April 2006]

I love this hilarious sitcom and catch it on re runs whenever I chance upon it. I think it is one of the funniest family comedy series ever, with some entertaining and unusual character portrayals.

The series revolves around the Keaton family, with liberal parents Steven (a TV station manager) and Elyse (an architect). The couple have three children...a financially savvy, politically conservative son Alex, his shopaholic teenage sister Mallory, and a younger tomboy sister, Jennifer. Later Elyse gives birth to a fourth child, baby Andrew. Along the way, Alex develops love interests, first in the form of Ellen (played by the actor's future wife, Tracy Pollan) and later, Lauren, a psychology major. Mallory acquires a boyfriend herself, the motorcycle riding high school drop out, Nick, who incurs the disapproval of her parents and of course especially brother Alex.

The acting is stellar with Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross portraying the parents and Tina Yothers the kid sister, Jennifer. However, it is really Michael J. Fox's show with his hilarious depiction of Alex P. Keaton, who has a tendency to wear shirt & tie everyday around the house and introduces little brother Andrew to the Wall Street Journal while he's still in diapers! My personal favourite is Mallory (charmingly played by Justine Bateman); she is so amusing and endearing as his dim witted, academically slack, clothes obsessed sister who cannot get enough of the mall and talking about cute boys. Of course her contrast with the smart, serious, & focused Alex could hardly be greater.

It's a reverse generational tale to the expected. Normally the parents are the conservative ones, with the teenage offspring liberal rebels and rabble rousers. However, the Keaton parents are the left wing family members, former political activists back in their college heyday. Son Alex, on the other hand, is a die-hard and very vocal card carrying Republican who eventually finds his niche on Wall Street. The sparring between Alex and his parents (as well as with Mallory) makes for some wonderful comedy in this warm hearted family sitcom.

strong seven year run

[mcfly-31 · 7/10 · 15 July 1999]

"Family Ties" creator Gary Goldberg didn't like Michael J. Fox on his first audition, thought he played Alex a little too smart-assish. But on his second try, Fox approached it a different way and won the part that shot him to stardom. He quickly became the focal point of the show as the money obsessed teenager Alex P. Keaton. You could understand Meredith Baxter-Birney's disappointment, as the show was to be geared toward her character as the mother. But she and the rest of the cast pretty much faded into the background behind Fox. Not that he wasn't supported by a great group of performers. Michael Gross as the easy going father, Justine Bateman as the typical phone hogging, boy troubled teenage daughter, and Tina Yothers as the tomboyish younger sister. In later years some nice additions were Scott Valentine as Bateman's weirdo boyfriend, and making numerous appearances over the years was Marc Price as the nerdy next door neighbor, Skippy. High point episodes over the years were the Alex turns 18 one, the Alex rents out the rooms of the house one, and also the 4(!) part heartattack episode with the focus being on Michael Gross' father character, Steven. Shows major misstep occured during their final year when they tried to become too socially concious. Episodes dealing with book banning, oil spills, toxic fumes from household products, and racism seemed a bit out of place and more importantly, took away from the comedy. The last hurrah was a decent episode that saw Alex move to New York to be an investment banker. But most recommended from the series would be the shows middle years, where the writing was at its best. Show also must of set some sort of record with at least 6 or 7(!) of those flashback type episodes featuring clips of the past stories. But no harm done.

Excellent FAMILY series

[jkfabrizio · 8/10 · 28 November 2022]

I never really watched this series on its first run in the 80s so I decided to give it a look. It became apparent that Fox was the breakout actor. He just had that charisma that translated to movies. Michael Gross was the surprise for me. He is absolutely and completely a comedic genius. Baxter's comedic timing and dramatic skills were deftly used. Bateman and Yother both held their own up against a couple of seasoned actors.

The series explored several social issues without creating division and animosity. It showed that families can have differing philosophies without breaking them apart. From suicide to teen angst to moral dilemmas to financial theory to freedom of speech etc., the writers kept the topics current and timely, issues we still have today. That's why it translates so well into the 21st century.

It's sad that current family sitcoms have descended into one-sided lectures on political and social issues. I can't watch them today because they no longer promote dialogue. It's all "in your face and accept it!" these days.

I will watch this series again. It's funny, sweet, balanced and classic tv.

One technical issue I have is the episodes are played out of order in some instances. For example, an episode when Andy is an infant is played in season 6. I have to ask why. Just curious.

Tying Loose Ends.

[tfrizzell · 19 December 2003]

Two former 1960s left-wing hippies (Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter) try to rear their children (Michael J. Fox, Justine Bateman and Tina Yothers) in the 1980s and naturally have problem after problem in "Family Ties", one of the more memorable television successes of that impressive boob-tube decade. The show ran from 1982 to 1989 and even added another child (youngster Brian Bonsall) by the middle of its run. When the show premiered in 1982 it just could not generate any substantial interest ("Cheers" had the same problem during its initial year). After that though it was all peaches and cream as the series dominated on Sunday evenings and was consistently a top 5 or 10 show each week until they exited quietly (of its own free will after eight years). Fox and Bateman were definitely the two who dominated the show. Fox was a Republican-styled teen who seemed to only care about money and social status while Bateman was a polar opposite. She was a ditsy teen who seemed to care more about makeup, clothes, boys and being popular (in other words she was a normal youngster). Every cast member had their moments, but the series was not all fun and games. It consistently had "special" episodes where life crept into the family's crazed television world. Another of those NBC products from the 1980s that survives due to its performers and its intelligence. 4 stars out of 5.

Viewed almost 40 years later it seems very tied to its era

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 12 October 2020]

I really loved this show when it was originally aired, starting in 1982. When I came across it in syndication a few years ago, I was surprised at how my memories did not match my experience. Most episodes had some good laughs, but to be honest, the entire show seemed very dated and tied to the issues of the eighties. The best part about the show is watching Michael J. Fox in action. As the young Reagan Republican with hippy middle-class parents, he steals the show from the very beginning. "Family Ties" would have probably have been as forgettable as the mid-80's sitcom "Growing Pains" if it had not been for the incredibly talented Fox.

As for dated plots in the first season, they include "No Nukes is Good Nukes" when the Keaton parents wind up in jail after attending an anti-nuke rally, and "Death of a Grocer" in which Alex leaves the employ of a small grocery he enjoys working at to work at a modern supermarket. This latter episode seems dated because the "modern supermarket" Alex decides to work for still looks small scale by today's standards, and would still probably wind up getting swallowed by WalMart. Also, in the discussions of premarital sex in the first season, unexpected pregnancy and hurt feelings are the main issues raised since this is before AIDS became a paramount issue.

Always funny and memorable to watch

[Sylviastel · 9/10 · 26 June 2002]

I get nostalgic about television shows like Family Ties. It was based around two parents who graduated University of California at Berkeley in the sixties. It was wise to have their eldest son, Alex P., to be on the opposite fence of politics. ALex with his tie and pictures of Ronald Reagan and Nixon. His younger sister, Mallory, played well by Justine Bateman cares more about fashion than grades or Alex's politics. It's great watching these two in action. The younger sister, Jennifer, develops from a young girl to an independent adolescent. There were always two story lines going on in every episode. Marc Price's SKippy is priceless for a thankless job. Scott valentine plays Mallory's boyfriend, Nick, a painter who never finished high school. Some of the best moments in this series happens after Nick enters the Keatons lives and his relationship with them. The mixture of great characters with witty dialogue. You can't stop laughing when Mr. Keaton tries to apologize to Nick in a ladies' shoe store. He comes across as a former gay lover than the father of Mallory but it's full of laughs. Despite the witty dialogues, this was a believable family who introduced Andrew, the youngest and fourth child. What do the children think when they find out. "I was talking about closet space" Mallory says to Alex. Oh, this is truly a family show for everybody. I can't say how I miss a family centered show on such a wonderful family like the Keatons.

Tied to the Reagan Era

[coreycitn63 · 7/10 · 25 March 2022]

Family Ties was a good sitcom but it was tied to the Reagan Era. Although Alex P. Keaton played by Michael J. Fox was an uptight conservative but he was always there for his family. It dealt with issues that was important during that time with alcoholism and drugs and death. During the later seasons they fall into the same trap by introducing a baby who rapidly grew up to a toddler.

Life saving

[okromesburg · 10/10 · 27 July 2020]

I am currently a teenager who has dealt with depression in the past and this show really helped me. There is one episode that discusses Teen suicide. And Mallory(Justine Bateman) says one thing that has really stuck with me. "I don't understand how she could do it. I don't understand how she could take her own life. I mean no matter how bad it gets there is always tomorrow. There is always the chance that things can get better."

This show has characters with amazing character development. There are very few shows today that teach life lessons like this. It taught me how to be who I am. It taught me that it's okay to be me. The fact that there are so many personalities within one family allows you to know that it's okay to be different. I hope this helped.

Keaton Family Values

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 22 June 2018]

Family Ties was one of the most successful TV comedies during the 80s. It's gimmick was the flower power children of the 60s who met at Woodstock got married and raised a family. And their first born was a born again Reagan Republican. Michael J. Fox reached stardom playing Alex P. Keaton teenage Republican, but he certainly had teenage hormones.

Parents Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter were indulgent if sometimes exasperated by this conservative that they've raised. There were two other kids. Justine Bateman who had not a political thought in her head, just simply concentrated on boys and keeping up with the latest fashion and Tina Yothers who before puberty was a tomboy of sorts, but had really grown out of that when the show ended its run.

Fox was the main reason this show had the run it did. It was just acting in terms of Alex Keaton and Michael J. Fox being one and the same. His views in real life were not Reaganesque, but in terms of keeping out of scandal sheets Fox led a conservative lifestyle.

Sadly enough we also know of the premature Parkinson's Disease diagnosis which cut his career short. I remember my grandmother having that and well remember her tremors. Only rarely does it affect the young and Michael J. Fox was that rare and tragic exception.

Family Ties is set firmly in the Reagan years. I wonder how a middle aged Alex Keaton feels about the current administration.

Good, Quality TV

[katie-cj · 9/10 · 12 April 2012]

I often watch old sitcoms that I use to love as a kid. A lot of times, I'm disappointed because they are not near as good as I remembered, and in some cases they are just plain bad, when seen through my now-adult eyes. Family Ties is NOT one of those sitcoms! It's more impressive now than it was then. And of course, there are things that I pick up on now that I didn't when I was 10 years old. (politics/ hippies)

I also never realized how FUNNY Michael Gross was until I started watching it again recently. I have no idea how that slipped by me! He is hilarious. Micheal J Fox is very funny too, of course. He had a lot of funny lines, but I've only recently noticed how much physical comedy he did as well. It's really sad to watch how quick and nimble he use to be; the way he could jump up onto the kitchen counter in one quick motion and slide all the way across it.

There was always a moral lesson, too. I think all '80s sitcoms had those, but Family Ties pulled it off w/o being too cheesy about it. It's such a great show for both kids & adults. Every time I watch it, I find myself thinking "what ever happened to good, quality TV!?"

Back to Family Ties

[safenoe · 7/10 · 29 January 2022]

Family Ties pretty became Michael J Fox's sitcom once his career exploded with Back to the Future. The first few seasons were watcheable but somehow the shark jumped mid-way through and it became way too maudlin at times.

I'd love a reboot please.

Not a review - a point of view

[MCMCMLXX · 10/10 · 18 September 2021]

This is MY show - not that I had anything to do with it except for the reason that I watched it religiously, followed it and adored it. I was a huge MJF fan ever since I saw this show for the first time.

It ain't particularly clever, or comedic in a classic way-but it is definitely nostalgic for me. Not that MJF was anywhere near my age at the time (either as the character Alex or MJF's actual age) as being a thirteen year old when this came out was just a big transitional moment for me in my development. I started to dress like him: yes, even wearing ties and a sweater vest.

This show was pure joy, embellished with antidotes of a dying breed of family life (divorce rates were high and just going upwards), so it was a little stale in its topic but delightfully homely and beautifully loved.

What was supplied was good humour, good storytelling in 30 minute chunks, and a great, altogether loving cast.

The end was nigh though when they added a fourth child. No one wanted that. I don't know why they did. But I was still there til the end.

Fox and family were my family. I would record the show on cassette tape (we had no vhs machines in our family) and listened to the tapes endlessly. Watching them again in recent years, some of those shows are really vivid because of that.

And of course it goes without saying being a fan of the show you got to see more of MJF growing up in the movies.

It isn't for anyone really now trying to get into. It's for those wanting to see MJF before and during his most famous time.

It was also the time of crushes and Justine Bateman of course shined.

She was adorable, likeable, charming and despite the purposes of of her character, highly intelligent - even making sure Mallory was not typecast and applied more sensibilities and development throughout the years ensuring she was growing too.

It's old. Old as me and just for me.

All About Alex

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 19 March 2024]

"Family Ties" was all about Michael J. Fox to me. As Alex Keaton he was such an atypical youth that he naturally created laughs. I mean he was a suit-wearing Republican who was genuinely concerned about conservative issues as a teen. My goodness that is funny. Even if he wasn't juxtaposed to his parents Steven and Elyse Keaton (Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter) he would still be funny.

He got an assist here and there from Justine Bateman and Tina Yothers playing his sisters, Mallory and Jennifer Keaton. Later the show added Andy Keaton, but that was more or less an effort to infuse life into it as many programs do.

Demented

[Der_Schnibbler · 1/10 · 23 December 2012]

What exactly must be wrong with someone to not see through the incredible weirdness and lazy writing in this show? It's probably the same people go to church every Sunday and say "fudge" instead of...well, you know.

With every few exceptions, every single episode takes the easy way out. No matter what happens, it will always be solved by a heartfelt apology by the ever self-aware and good-hearted characters. The situations they get into are equally impossible to swallow and, even for a FICTIONAL TELEVISION SHOW, entirely unrealistic and vomit-inducing in their utter lack of respect for viewers whose brain development surpasses that of a two-year-old.

Characters fall in love with people they've barely met, they go out of their way to take in complete strangers and get involved in crap no sane person would ever get into. The mother actually mediates between a friend of her daughter's and the girl's mother when the girl gets knocked up--who the hell would ever get involved????? And what sane mother would let a complete stranger even so much as attempt to advise her on her stupid daughter getting fertilized at sixteen?

The older sister befriends a juvenile delinquent and thinks she can "fix" her. Do the parents open up their mouth to voice concern that Malory is letting a young girl with behavioural problems into their home? Or that the girl has severe psychological issues which Malory's "good heart" CANNOT FIX? The father is the most spineless, useless excuse of a man you'll ever see. When his daughter brings home a piece of street trash who speaks in grunts, he's afraid to tell her not to see him. As if she weren't his daughter, but some buddy of his. What a sad sack. Even the uneducated high-school drop-out that Malory brings home is portrayed as stupid but--you guessed it--a harmless boy with a heart of gold. 'Cause every one in this show is a god damned saint. In reality, illiterate guys from the wrong side of the tracks who dress in rags and speak in grunts are also on drugs or sell them or are involved any number of other illicit activities. That's what happens when you're poor. Just not in 'Family Ties,' which exists in the twilight zone.

The show was somewhat tolerable in the first and second seasons. Third and fourth were equally mixed with duds and the occasional halfway enjoyable episode, such as when Alex turns eighteen and challenges his mother's authority. The two actors had some great chemistry and experienced an actual clash, not some wishy-washy cutesy problem. The fifth season has truly begun to go downhill, and cast members have become increasingly uglier, such as the big-boned troll that plays the younger sister. Also, previously cute Bateman's face has begun to show the lizard-like mold into which it would grow in later years.

Overall, you'd have to be below the age of eight to not be annoyed by the lazy writing and the way all tension gets resolved without having ever even explored the issue in any halfway plausible manner. If you do take this show seriously and enjoy it without gritting your teeth at its stupidity, you probably believe unicorns exist too.

For 7 seasons,this was the best!

[raysond · 8 October 2002]

This was the ultimate show of the 1980's when it ran for several seasons on NBC-TV(from 1982-1989). What more could you expect for one of the best hippiest/political families of that era which was mixed in which started in the middle of the Reagan era,and with the series ending at the beginning of the Bush administration. Besides,it was part "All In The Family" without the bigotry or the downside of it. In all,one great series.The series when it aired sprunged two made for TV movies,and also one of the most intense final episodes ever aired(the death of Steven Keaton where Mike Gross' character has a massive heart attack during an argument with Alex over some issue,but it was a thriller of way to end the series)when the show ended its run in the spring of 1989. Here you have Michael Gross(as Steven Keaton),Meredith Baxter-Birney(as Elsie Keaton),and there three adorable children;the design shopping boy hungry Mallory(Justine Bateman),the baby girl of the family who wanted to go her own way but wanted to grow up and be a kid Tina(played by Tina Yothers),and the political and conservative son Alex(played by Michael J. Fox) who was a Republican and was a fan of both Presidents Reagan and Nixon.

This sitcom became the launching pod for Micheal J. Fox,who during this series had several hit feature films that were box-office giants(the "Back To The Future" series,and the films "Teen Wolf",and "The Secret Of My Success"),as well as for his co-star on the show Justine Bateman who also had a hit film out too during her status on the series.

The show's theme song,"What About Us",was done by legendary musical artists Johnny Mathis and Deniece Willams which was a top 10 hit on Billboard's charts during the 80's.

I'm surprised that these episodes are not out on video but if they are the ones that were very good were the one where Tom Hanks plays an alcoholic(in a brillant performance),and the one where the Keaton's go to Paris and Alex ends up in great danger involving a beautiful model.

I would love to see a TV reunion movie with the entire cast. Catch the reruns on Superstation TBS!

Begrudgingly admitting this show is OK

[eefan2001 · 7/10 · 2 March 2011]

I remember watching this show occasionally when it originally aired. Definitely not must see TV. A few years ago, TVLand aired the reruns, and I hated it! I dubbed it the sitcom that's all sit and no com. OK, now it's back on the Hub, and since I'm into masochism I thought I'd give it another try. I admit, it's not as bad as I thought. There are actually a few laughs to be had here and there. Most of them come from Mallory. At the time the show originally aired, I remember most people treating Justine Bateman as a joke. Michael is the real star, blah, blah, blah. Maybe it's because I'm a liberal, but I don't find the APK character or MJK to be all that funny. But Mallory...she has that subtle comic timing down, something missed by the other cast members. Justine, you were the true star of this show. By the way, who said Steven Keaton died in the last episode? He did have a heart attack somewhere in or near the last season, but he did NOT die. I never saw the actual final episode until the recent HUB reruns. I was expecting this big emotional episode, with Alex deciding to give up his Wall Street job and stay home to be the man of the family, but NO, Steven did NOT have a heart attack or DIE in the last episode. I was so disappointed. Aside from the funny comment about Mallory knowing the meaning of life, the finale was a letdown. I think the producers saw it as a big showcase for their acting "powerhouses" MJK and MBB. Yeah, right. Yawn!

Strong Ties

[hellraiser7 · 10/10 · 13 February 2020]

This show is one of my favorite comedy shows and one of my favorite family sitcoms of all time. The show is also another childhood gem of mine as I was a kid from the 80's decade and this show was one of the first family sitcom I've ever seen when I was about six years old. This show also came out on my birth year 1982 which you could say makes the show extra special for me.

I really loved watching this when I was a kid and as an adult I still do to this day. I'll admit every time I would watch some of the promos of the episodes, the episodes themselves, along with that famous theme song, it always gives me the warm fuzzies, just makes me feel like I'm back in the 80's tuning into this show and any other sitcom of yesteryear.

There is so much to this show which is part of what makes this timeless to me and hold up after so many years. Like that theme song from Johnny Mathis and Denise Williams which is one of my favorite theme songs of all time, it is just beautiful and perfectly encapsulates the entire show.

One of the things I like about the show is the humor, which is mainly verbal and clever writing, it's much like with British humor which mainly relies on the same things. This made it stand apart from most sitcoms at the time, the fundamental problem with most of the sitcoms we had were there were times they relied too much on gimmicks, twists, outlandish plots, or worst of all dumb things down as a despite attempt for a laugh.

This show along with some British comedy shows don't do that, they never insult the audiences intelligence because like most verbal humor it always constantly builds up where things are funny but then as it builds up more it gets funnier and funnier, up until the payoffs.

What best of all makes the show work are the characters themselves whom are all well rounded and smart people. Why most of them are funny is that they tend to make a mistake or inadvertently get themselves into a dilemma. This doesn't make them stupid; this makes them human because some of the dilemmas in the show they get into are ones that we might have got into ourselves or had to deal with which helps in the relatability factor.

At times watching an episode of the show can be like looking at a journal entry and saying, yeah, I've been there too. I really like how they solve the dilemmas and even learn from them; not by some deus ex Machina where in a sitcom sometimes there is the patient or mentor that just happens to have the solution to the problem of the week. These characters do intelligently identify the problems and do their best to rectify and resolve them with and without help.

I also really like the dynamic with the Keaton's which was a bit unique for it's time. As usual with the sitcoms it does have that typical old and young conflict and bonding. But this show has a bit of a spin on an old somewhat clichéd dynamic in most sitcoms.

We hear that the parents are open minded Liberals and use to be protesters during the 60's and part of the 70's; this you can say makes the parents somewhat the rebels of the family sort of. As for the kids, each of them is clearly products of their time period, from one obsessed with money and politics, another fashion, another wise beyond years, this makes the kids on the conservative end of things.

This made the show unique and somewhat fresh at the time because usually it's the other way around where the kids are on the rebellious end of things and the parents are acting as products of their time. I also feel this dynamic is true with most families because both parents and kids really do hold onto certain values they've learned and collected from the times they lived in.

This dynamic is interesting as we see those diverse values are both in conflict with each other but at the same time are bonding together because the values of the present can't exist without the ones from the past, and past values can't live on unless they can transition into the present and beyond.

All the characters are great even some of the side characters. There is also development in both kinds of characters, which is another thing that made this show unique at the time. Each of the characters as the seasons go on you see signs of growth in each of them, this really gave the show a sense of time that years really have passed by for the Keaton's and each have been affected by them.

But most importantly each of the characters as they grew got more interesting, their still not perfect they still have new problems and dilemmas to deal with, but we see them deal with them differently and maybe a little better than they would before. Even certain feelings about things change, like with Alex on how he viewed certain things before but doesn't feel that way episodes or a season latter. This also increased the reliability factor because that's true with all of us as time goes on, we all start to acquire different views and feelings on certain things in life.

Finally, another interesting thing about the show are the amount of guest characters, most of the guest stars are familiar faces way before they became highly popular. Which makes watching the show even more interesting sort of like spotting Waldo in the "Where's Waldo" books, most A listers and other famous faces had their start in TV. And it was one hell of a start having it in a show that is now a classic; some of the famous faces consist of Tom Hanks, Gina Davis, Cortney Cox, and many more.

Here's a few of my favorite characters

Nick played well by Scott Valentine, he's my favorite side character and significant other for Mallory. This guy is just awesome, he's not the brightest bulb but his heart is in the right place and driving the right direction. I like that he's a guy that beats to a different drummer and an artist which cool cause I'm those myself.

He's a gear head as he's into motorbikes, really like the way he dresses from the leather coat and T shirts, one I like is that "Monty Python Flying Circus" T Shirt which is cool I love that show. I also like the way he talks as he's clearly a Stallone fan which is cool so am I and, though it also reminds me a little of the Fonz from "Happy Days" from certain tone and inflections.

But most importantly really love the back and forth between both Malory and him, I really bought into the chemistry and can easily see why both click together well.

Mallory Keaton played well by Justine Bateman. Justine was another one of my celeb crushes when I was a kid, I thought she was hot at the time. But anyway, I really like the character Mallory who is a person that is passionate and obsessed with fashion and has big dreams with working in the fashion world. Which is something I can emphasize with here as I have big dreams to and am passionate about certain things like movies and video games.

She's a highly intelligent girl but a bit of a slacker, but I just really love her really dry and deadpan humor and remarks mainly toward Alex.

Alex Keaton played by one of my favorite actors Michael J Fox. This show was the actor's debut in leading role and to me this is one of my favorite roles from him. Alex really is an interesting role because he's a guy that wouldn't seem likeable and yet he is.

He's a guy that is clearly wise beyond his years, he's highly intelligent, a heavy rational thinker, he's obsessed with money, success, politics, suits as he's most of the time is dressed in on, and has big dreams which is constantly working 24.7 to achieve. He's also a bit of a perfectionist as he wants things to go a certain way almost as much a Peril from "Steven Universe". Though it's true Alex isn't perfect as he's sort of guilty of being selfish, egocentric and self-absorbed almost as much as Ben Tennyson from "Ben 10 Alien Force/Ultimate Alien".

However, we can easily forgive the guy as he easily gets humbled and even stops being those things all together. The other reason we can easily forgive him is his humanity. Alex is actually a highly insecure person, the egotism he expresses is most of the time really a cover as he's really worried about almost just about everything. But all that dissolves when he realizes what really matters and what he needs to do and that makes him come through in the end for others and himself.

Things with him are even funnier whenever both him and Mallory are together. It's always funny and even touching seeing both clash with one another but also at the same time help each other out. You could say it's almost a buddy cop dynamic between the two which makes sense as the 80's had plenty of them like "Lethal Weapon" and the under the radar gem "The Hard Way" which Michael was in. Both really do balance each other out well as Alex acts as reason and stability for Mallory, while Mallory acts as aggression and sensibility for him.

The strong ties of a family are the ties that bind.

Rating: 4 stars

Good

[manitobaman81 · 7/10 · 30 August 2014]

It was based on Ohio and starred Michael J. Fox, before we knew him as Marty McFly and Doc Hollywood. Sorry, but almost every joke in this series is absolutely pointless. The only thing that keeps it afloat is the sensitivity of the bilaterally desperately needy relationship between the main characters. I suggest you enjoy the first nine or so episodes for what they are and let your mind play around with the opportunities there can be to make something interesting. The real centerpiece of the series is its acting; Yothers' performance in particular sticks out. And why did they base it in Ohio, the least funny place I can think of?

It's nostalgic and so much fun

[andrewjyoung-1 · 9/10 · 3 August 2020]

Love watching it now and loved watching it back in the 80's.

All teens should be made to watch it along with The Breakfast Club.

A family that has a mom and a dad? Canadian science fiction!

[AsifZamir · 10/10 · 15 November 2013]

Family Ties (1982 – 1989) was an all time 80s favourite. The show is about a political couple, the Keatons, that are very left wing activists and their children take on a conservative standpoint, especially Alex Keaton played by Michael J. Fox (who happens to be one of my favourite actors of all time, not just because he's Canadian, and not just because he's the same height as me). Family Ties provides good family humour while displaying respect and love for others differences in the family setting. Elyse and Steve Keaton are acted by Meredith Baker and Micheal Gross. Justine Bateman plays Mallory Keaton, Tina Yothers – Jennifer Keaton and Brian Bonsall - Andy Keaton.

Family Ties was produced by Paramount Television, Paramount Home Entertainment, NBC, Veronica Omroep Organisatie and Dutch Filmworks (DFW). Michael J. Fox is a highlight of this series with his acting style. He is always dressed in a suit and tie (something that I tried myself for a while, but couldn't pull off), and fun loving Mallory (Justine Bateman) is into the groove with designer jeans and is boy crazy. 9 year old Jennifer (Tina Yothers) is simply a kid, where did the concept of letting kids be kids go? Now you see a lot of 9 year old's portrayed as being grown up with added make-up and designer clothes buying condoms.

Family Ties is a good wholesome family television series and is great to boost family values while dealing with concrete issues of life such as crime, grief, love affairs outside of marriage and teen pregnancy.

Doesn't get any better

[Thorsten-Krings · 10/10 · 27 March 2007]

Re-watching it on DVD I was amazed that Family Ties really stood the test of time. What makes it stand out is the constant high quality of the writing. On the one hand Family Ties always tackles serious issues on a personal level (death, trust, love, sexual harassment) but also on a social/ political level. I find it absolutely amazing that the writers always manage to avoid the trap of becoming sentimental or moralizing but always keep a healthy distance. Politically Family Ties is the great liberal voice of 80s television and from that point of view plays in a different league from its arch rival at the time, The Cosby show. What I also find amazing is that they manage to pack a satisfying story in the fairly short format of less then 30 minutes. The cast of course is perfect. Michael Gross stands out for me because he has the best one-liners in the show and his delivery as naive Steve Keaton is incredibly funny. Michael Fox is Michael Fox (as always) but Meredith Baxter is a great and underrated comedienne (and actually hellishly attractive...). Pity Tina Yothers stopped acting as it is amazing what a quantity and quality of dialogue she delivered at a very young age (though the jury is still out on her real age). And let's not forget Justine Bateman as airhead Mallory but who can act a fine line between comedy and drama (see Give uncle Arthur a kiss.)

You could be doing laundry instead.

[Stvdel2 · 1/10 · 29 January 2018]

Would this show have lasted a season without teeny bopper heart throb, midget Michael J Fox? NBC had the pits of situation comedies for years. Yeah, Cheers was OK, and liberals loved The Cosby Show for obvious reasons. This lemon, The Facts of Life, Silver Spoons, Punky Brewster, and the worst of the worst, Diff'rent Strokes. They brought a new meaning to the word suck. Watch this once, and I dare you not to get annoyed with Alex the P within 5 minutes.

"Family" TV shows don't get much better

[KUAlum26 · 28 October 2007]

If there's something that popular culture from the decades of the 1950s and 1980s share,it's the "family" sitcom(i.e. unitary parents and kids,all attractive and relatively free of deep problems). And while there was some variance of family types,from the more safe,traditional families of "The Cosby Show","Growing Pains" ,"Mr.Belvedere",to the not-so-conventional domestic groupings as "Full House", "The Hogan Family"(originally "VAlerie",which originally aimed to BE a conventional family sitcom) and "Who's the Boss"(or,for that matter,surface-traditional-looking shows "Roseanne" and "Married...With Children"),it seemed to me that as these shows went,none of them matched the wit,warmth and viability as "Family Ties".

The Keatons are about as polarized a unit as they come: parents Steven and Elyse(MIchael Gross and Meredith BAxter-Birney,both excellent!)are '60s Lefty IDealists,and as such,carried their idealism into their work as adults--Steven works for Public TElevision and Elyse carries her form of modified feminism into a successful job as an architect--but cannot seem to carry it into their children. Alex(Michael J.Fox,birthing much of his career out of one very iconic role,which is no mean feat!),a buttoned-down Conservative practically from birth,MAllory(Justine BAteman,who is STILL a babe IMHO),the dim,materialistic mall-girl younger daughter and Jennifer(Tina Yothers,who became as famous for disappearing from showbiz as appearing),the bright but resigned youngest,who is neither idealist or materialist. As the show ran along,you added such extra characters to the pastiche as Skippy(MArc Price,doing stand-up somewhere now),the dippy,well-meaning neighbor kid with a painful crush on MAllory,Nick(Scott VAlentine),MAllory's equally dim but cool boyfriend,Ellen(Tracy POllan,future Mrs.Michael J.Fox),Alex's unlikely liberal girlfriend and LAuren(Coutreney Cox,yes,THAT Coutrney Cox),another lock-horns girlfriend of Alex's and baby brother Andy(Brian "Mikey" Bonsall),Alex's potential protégé.

After a bit of a sluggish start,NBC wisely gambled to keep this on and it managed to hook on to Thursday and Sunday night schedules and ride steadily improving ratings over the remainder of the show's run. While it's been some years since I've seen any of the shows,I was a loyal viewer of the show and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm not sure if or where this show is re-running,but I may have to check these shows out again soon,if for nothing else to re-visit one of the more well-crafted TV programs to grace the airwaves over that rascally decade of greed,spandex and hair.

Wonderfully warm and funny

[grantss · 9/10 · 28 May 2018]

It is the Reagan-era 1980s. Steven and Elyse Keaton are happily married with three children - Alex, Mallory and Jennifer. While Stephen and Elyse were hippies in the 60s, their children have turned out quite differently: Alex is a die-hard Reagan supporter, Mallory cares more about fashion than politics and Jennifer is very studious. Despite their differences they're one big happy family, sharing life's ups and downs, heartaches and laughs.

Wonderfully warm and funny. Great comedy that takes a swipe at all sides of the political spectrum, and does so very warmly. The warmth transfers to the characters as you feel a genuine engagement with the family. It's not all laughs - there's some great human drama, filled with many emotional moments.

Superb series.

Sitcom family, you'll be tied to, forever

[videorama-759-859391 · 9/10 · 1 September 2015]

Family Ties, is one comedy sitcom that'll stay with me forever. No matter how many years pass or viewings, whatever, it will never lose it's credit. No other sitcom, has really effected me in that sort of way. Although a comedy, the Keatons did have their fair share of dramas, a lot in quite heavy and powerful doses. They're a family you can't shake off. Of course it was Michael J Fox, in one of his best ever roles as cocky, smart beyond his years, Alex P Keaton. The character were exceptionally well created, and I'm taking more so the kids. FT really touched on a lot of powerful, serious issues, teen angst and other, very realistic stuff, while still managing to pull in it's quota of laughs, the two opposites of laughs in even tune. I don't really know any other sitcom, that can pull that off in such magnitude, as this. The performances should be well praised. The real powerfully and hardly humorous episode was that of Alex's guilt trip, in quite a freaky, confronting story line, when he passed on a car trip, where his friend died.