List of Family Ties episodes
The NBC sitcom Family Ties aired from September 22, 1982 to May 14, 1989 with a total of 176 episodes produced.
Series overview[]
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Rank | Rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||||
| 1 | 22 | September 22, 1982 | April 4, 1983 | 56[1] | N/A | ||
| 2 | 22 | September 28, 1983 | May 10, 1984 | 42 | 16.0 [2] | ||
| 3 | 24 | September 20, 1984 | March 28, 1985 | 5 | 22.1 | ||
| Film | September 10, 1985 | N/A | N/A | ||||
| 4 | 24 | September 26, 1985 | May 1, 1986 | 2 | 30.0 | ||
| 5 | 30 | September 25, 1986 | August 13, 1987 | 2 | 32.7 | ||
| 6 | 28 | September 13, 1987 | May 1, 1988 | 17 | 17.3 | ||
| 7 | 26 | October 30, 1988 | May 14, 1989 | 35 | 14.5 [3] | ||
Episodes[]
Season 1 (1982–83)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Asaad Kelada | Gary David Goldberg | September 22, 1982 | 001 |
| Father and son clash when Steven demands that Alex not accompany his new girlfriend to an elitist, restricted country club. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Not With My Sister You Don't" | Tony Mordente | Lloyd Garver | September 29, 1982 | 004 |
| With Steven and Elyse away for the weekend, Alex hosts a wild party and worries over Mallory going off with one of his womanizing friends. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "I Know Jennifer's Boyfriend" | Michael Zinberg | Gary David Goldberg | October 6, 1982 | 003 |
| Because she is friends with a nerdy boy, Jennifer is teased at school. To stop the teasing, she decides not to be friends with him any more. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Summer of '82" | Tony Mordente | Michael J. Weithorn | October 27, 1982 | 007 |
| At 17 years old, Alex loses his virginity to a college girl (Amy Steel), but is heartbroken when he finds her the next day with another guy named Pete (John Putch). | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "I Never Killed for My Father" | Dick Martin | Kimberly Hill | November 3, 1982 | 008 |
| Steven's father (John Randolph) arrives for a visit, and announces that he is going to die. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Give Your Uncle Arthur a Kiss" | Will Mackenzie | Lloyd Garver & Gary David Goldberg | November 10, 1982 | 012 |
| When a family friend, "Uncle Arthur", visits the Keatons, he comes on to Mallory and tries to kiss her against her will. Shocked, Mallory goes to Alex for advice. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Big Brother is Watching" | Alan Bergmann | Ruth Bennett | November 17, 1982 | 013 |
| As the new editor of the school paper, Alex learns of an algebra test cheating scandal in which Mallory is involved. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "No Nukes Is Good Nukes" | Frank Bonner | Ruth Bennett | November 24, 1982 | 009 |
| Steven and Elyse are arrested on Thanksgiving while protesting nuclear arms, leaving the kids in the hands of Elyse's parents (Dick Sargent and Priscilla Morrill). | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Death of a Grocer" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | December 1, 1982 | 011 |
|
Alex quits his job at a local grocery store to earn more at a bigger store, but he doesn't enjoy the new job. Note: This episode marks the debut of Marc Price in the recurring role of Skippy Handleman. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Have Gun, Will Unravel" | Alan Bergmann | Ruth Bennett | December 8, 1982 | 006 |
| After their house is broken into, Steven and Elyse debate buying a gun to protect their home. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "A Christmas Story" | Will Mackenzie | Joanne Pagliaro | December 15, 1982 | 014 |
| Snowed in for Christmas, Elyse and Steven remember the kids' births in flashbacks: Alex was born in Africa, Mallory was delivered by a crazy doctor and Jennifer was born during the 1972 presidential election. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Oops" | Tony Mordente | Joanne Pagliaro | December 22, 1982 | 005 |
| One of Mallory's friends reveals that she is pregnant and asks Elyse for advice. | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Sherry Baby" | Tony Mordente | Barbara Hall | January 12, 1983 | 015 |
| Mallory convinces Alex to go out with a sorority girl, hoping that the girl will invite Mallory to join, but soon learns the girl was only using her to get to Alex. | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "The Fugitive, Part 1" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 19, 1983 | 016 |
| Elyse's brother Ned (Tom Hanks), a successful Fortune 500 executive, visits. But his long-held secret brings the FBI to the Keatons' doorstep. | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "The Fugitive, Part 2" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 26, 1983 | 017 |
| To save hundreds of jobs, Ned stole millions from his company. Now wanted by the FBI, Ned gets Alex involved in his escape plan. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Margin of Error" | Tony Mordente | Michael Russnow | February 9, 1983 | 018 |
| In a school project, Alex proves he's a stock market wizard. However, things take a dip when the aspiring day trader starts secretly buying and selling with Mom and Dad's money. | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | "French Lessons" | Tony Mordente | Ruth Bennett | February 16, 1983 | 019 |
| Mallory goes out with her French tutor, Jeff, who seeks out romantic advice from Alex. Meanwhile, Steven tries to beat Alex in chess. | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | "I Gotta Be Ming" | Sam Weisman | Douglas Wyman | February 23, 1983 | 020 |
| While Elyse raises money for an immigrant education program, Alex tries to help by mentoring a Vietnamese boy named Ming. | ||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Suzanne Takes You Down" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett | March 16, 1983 | 010 |
| Elyse offers her friend Suzanne a job as her assistant, but Suzanne isn't up to the task. | ||||||
| 20 | 20 | "The Fifth Wheel" | Andrew McCullough | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | March 28, 1983 | 022 |
| Jennifer decides she's tired of being treated as a burden by her family and runs away. | ||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Stage Fright" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | April 4, 1983 | 021 |
| Alex's school quiz team is forced to find a replacement for a sick teammate, and in an act of desperation, Alex trains Mallory to fill the spot. | ||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Elyse D'Arc" | Michael Zinberg | Michael J. Weithorn | April 11, 1983 | 002 |
| Steven and Elyse clash when Elyse's busy schedule keeps them from spending time together. | ||||||
Season 2 (1983–84)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "Tender is the Knight" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett | September 28, 1983 | 023 |
|
Alex must contend with a childhood sweetheart (Talia Balsam) staying at the house, who is unlike any girl he's met—or liked—before. Note: First episode featuring a bearded Steven Keaton which he will keep for the remainder of the series. Michael Gross had grown the beard between seasons 1 and 2 while appearing in a Broadway production. | ||||||
| 24 | 2 | "The Homecoming" | Sam Weisman | Douglas Wyman | October 12, 1983 | 027 |
| Mallory's boyfriend Jeff returns to Columbus and confesses to Alex that he hates Princeton, and is willing to do anything to get out of it—even ask Mallory to go steady with him. | ||||||
| 25 | 3 | "The Harder They Fall" | Sam Weisman | Rich Reinhart | October 19, 1983 | 026 |
| Parent/Teacher Conferences at Alex and Mallory's school become interesting when both Steven and Elyse contend with a rude, insufferable teacher (Edward Edwards), whom Elyse punches for insulting her. Alex is upset when he finds out about it, particularly since a college recommendation hangs in the balance. To make matters worse when Steven tries to apologize to the teacher on Elyse's behalf, his insults cause Steven to punch him out. | ||||||
| 26 | 4 | "This Year's Model" | John Pasquin | Susan Borowitz & Richard Raskind | October 26, 1983 | 032 |
| Mallory enters herself and Elyse in a mother/daughter modeling contest but ends up regretting it when they win and Elyse steals her thunder. | ||||||
| 27 | 5 | "Not An Affair to Remember" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett & Gary David Goldberg | November 2, 1983 | 029 |
| Steven's fidelity is put to the test when he learns that Stacy (Judith Light), an employee at the TV station, has a crush on him. | ||||||
| 28 | 6 | "Speed Trap" | Sam Weisman | Michael J. Weithorn | November 9, 1983 | 025 |
| Obsessed with getting good grades to earn a college scholarship, Alex begins taking amphetamines so he can stay up late studying. | ||||||
| 29 | 7 | "Sweet Lorraine" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 16, 1983 | 031 |
| Working at the school radio station, Alex sets himself up a blind date with a fellow music enthusiast (Carolyn Seymour), who turns out to be twice his age. | ||||||
| 30 | 8 | "Batter Up" | Sam Weisman | Lisa A. Bannick | November 30, 1983 | 028 |
| Alex, the coach of Jennifer's peewee softball team, pushes his own sister too hard. It is up to Steven and Elyse to show Alex that being a coach is about more than winning and "doing what the coach says". | ||||||
| 31 | 9 | "A Keaton Christmas Carol" | Will Mackenzie | Story by : Robert Caplain Teleplay by : Rich Reinhart | December 14, 1983 | 037 |
| Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is adapted to the Keatons as a Scrooge-like Alex is enlightened of the meaning of the Christmas season by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Jennifer) and Future (Mallory). | ||||||
| 32 | 10 | "To Snatch a Keith" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 21, 1983 | 024 |
| When family friends Richard (James Sutorius) and his son Keith (David Faustino) come for a visit, it is known that Richard has gone through a divorce. Upon arrival, Richard reveals that his ex-wife Cynthia (Donna McKechnie), is moving to California and taking Keith with her. Despondent when Cynthia is about to leave with Keith, Richard takes his son. Steven has to meet Richard at a bar to convince him that not only is taking Keith illegal, it's wrong to take "prisoners" in his "war" against Cynthia. | ||||||
| 33 | 11 | "Birthday Boy" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 5, 1984 | 033 |
|
Alex's friends Neil (John Putch) and Doug (Crispin Glover) want to take him to West Virginia, where the drinking age is 18, for his birthday, but Elyse is opposed to this plan. Notes: Michael J. Fox and Crispin Glover would later star in Back to the Future together. John Putch also previously guest starred in the episode "Summer of '82" as the character Pete. | ||||||
| 34 | 12 | "Go Tigers" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 12, 1984 | 036 |
| Alex travels to Princeton University for a critical, yet coveted, admissions interview. At the same time, Mallory—who has accompanied Alex—learns that her old boyfriend, Jeff, has a new girlfriend and neglected to tell her. Mallory becomes so emotional that she interrupts Alex's interview. Alex is left to decide what is more important: family or college. | ||||||
| 35 | 13 | ""M" is for the Many Things" | Will Mackenzie | Lisa A. Bannick | January 19, 1984 | 038 |
| Elyse is shocked by her soon-to-be-divorced mother's quick and free-spirited plunge into the singles world. | ||||||
| 36 | 14 | "Say Uncle" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett | January 26, 1984 | 039 |
| Elyse's brother Ned (Tom Hanks) returns, hoping to put his life back on track by getting a job at the TV station. But after they learn that Ned blew the job interview by going in drunk, Steven, Elyse, and Alex try to convince him he has an alcohol problem. | ||||||
| 37 | 15 | "Ladies' Man" | John Pasquin | Alan Uger | February 2, 1984 | 040 |
| Alex's attraction to a classmate, Deena Marx (Tracy Nelson) leads him to join the ERA movement, much to his parents' surprise. However, Alex soon learns that it's not a good idea to lie about what he believes in just to impress a girl. | ||||||
| 38 | 16 | "Ready or Not" | Lee Shallat | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | February 9, 1984 | 041 |
| Mallory turns to Alex for advice when her new boyfriend tries pressuring her into having sex. | ||||||
| 39 | 17 | "Double Date" | Will Mackenzie | Douglas Wyman | February 16, 1984 | 044 |
| Alex unwittingly makes two dates, Rachel Miller (Daphne Zuniga) and Jocelyn Clark (Jami Gertz) to the senior prom. He then has to figure a way out of this mess by escorting both girls to the big dance ... without telling the other. | ||||||
| 40 | 18 | "Lady Sings the Blues" | Andrew McCullough | Alan Uger & Michael J. Weithorn | February 23, 1984 | 042 |
| Elyse's emotions run the gamut as she prepares to revive her folk singing career at the local nightclub. | ||||||
| 41 | 19 | "Baby Boy Doe" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Alan Uger | March 8, 1984 | 045 |
| Skippy finds out he is adopted and asks for the Keatons' help to find his birth mother. | ||||||
| 42 | 20 | "The Graduate" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Lloyd Garver | March 15, 1984 | 043 |
| Alex's sexist views are put to the test when he learns that he will be his class' salutatorian ... and that his girlfriend Rachel, will be the valedictorian. | ||||||
| 43 | 21 | "Diary of a Young Girl" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett | May 3, 1984 | 034 |
| Jennifer fears the worst when she goes in for a tonsillectomy. In the first of several flashback episodes, Jennifer recalls past encounters with each of her family members and how they were resolved. | ||||||
| 44 | 22 | "Working At It" | Sam Weisman | Lloyd Garver | May 10, 1984 | 030 |
| Elyse struggles to juggle a new job and home life, which leads to further family problems. | ||||||
Season 3 (1984–85)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 1 | "The Gambler" | Will Mackenzie | Alan Uger & Michael J. Weithorn | September 20, 1984 | 046 |
|
During an architects' convention in Atlantic City, Elyse succumbs to the lures of gambling. Note: This episode was produced during Season 2. | ||||||
| 46 | 2 | "Here We Go Again" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Alan Uger | September 27, 1984 | 047 |
| Elyse contacts her doctor when she feels ill, and discovers she is pregnant again. The family all feel strongly against it at first, until they realize how good it could be. | ||||||
| 47 | 3 | "Little Man on Campus" | John Pasquin | Michael J. Weithorn | October 4, 1984 | 050 |
|
Alex enters college as a freshman and finds out there is more to college than being smart when faced with a difficult professor. Note: Michael McGuire as 'Professor Bronski' and Timothy Busfield as 'Doug' appear as guest stars in this episode. | ||||||
| 48 | 4 | "Love Thy Neighbor" | Will Mackenzie | Story by : Rich Reinhart Teleplay by : Alan Uger & Michael J. Weithorn | October 11, 1984 | 054 |
|
Jennifer looks forward to hanging out with Scott again when he returns to Columbus for a visit, but is disappointed to learn that he is more interested in Mallory than her. Note: This is the first episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. | ||||||
| 49 | 5 | "Keaton and Son" | Will Mackenzie | Lissa Levin | October 18, 1984 | 052 |
|
Steven is excited to have Alex working with him and begins planning their future together, but Alex tries to convince his dad that he has other goals. Note: Second episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. | ||||||
| 50 | 6 | "Fabric Smarts" | Will Mackenzie | Lloyd Garver | October 25, 1984 | 048 |
| Mallory is enjoying working at a fashion boutique, but she is so caught up in it her grades begin to slip. | ||||||
| 51 | 7 | "Hotline Fever" | John Pasquin | Marc Lawrence | November 1, 1984 | 055 |
|
Alex and an old school rival, James Jarret (Jeffrey Joseph), are teamed to man Leland's suicide hotline. They have to put their differences aside when a young man calls the hotline, threatening to kill himself. Note: Third episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. | ||||||
| 52 | 8 | "4 Rms Ocn Vu" | Lee Shallat | Alan Uger & Lawrence Uger | November 8, 1984 | 057 |
|
While Steven and Elyse are away for the weekend, Mallory drives the car into a light-pole. In need of quick cash for repairs, Alex rents out the house to guests for a big University Homecoming Game. The plan works only too well; he and his sisters end up double- and triple-booking every room in the house, earning enough money to fix a dozen cars. (Earl Boen appears in this episode as 'Ed Barker', the head of a family searching for a room among many other numerous arriving guests) But when Steven comes home early, hospitality at "Keaton Manor" comes to a (literally) screeching halt. Note: Fourth episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. | ||||||
| 53 | 9 | "Best Man" | John Pasquin | Alan Uger | November 15, 1984 | 051 |
|
Alex worries that he's losing his best friend when Doug announces that he intends to marry his girlfriend, and the resulting friction between them threatens to make Alex's fears come true. Note: Lily Mariye guest stars in this episode as Eleanor, to whom Doug (Timothy Busfield) wants to wed. Also Tate Donovan appears as 'Clancy' one of Alex & Doug's poker friends. | ||||||
| 54 | 10 | "Lost Weekend" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | November 22, 1984 | 049 |
| Steven and Elyse plan a special last weekend before the baby arrives, but their kids have other ideas. | ||||||
| 55 | 11 | "Don't Kiss Me, I'm Only the Messenger" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett | November 29, 1984 | 053 |
|
Skippy falls at first-sight for Mallory's friend 'Jane' but being unable to speak to her, asks Alex for his help instead. Alex agrees to help him out, only to find out that Jane has been attracted to Alex since she first saw him in first grade. Note: Michelle Meyrink guest star in this episode as 'Jane', Mallory's friend, and Skippy's latest infatuation. | ||||||
| 56 | 12 | "Help Wanted" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | December 6, 1984 | 056 |
|
As Elyse's pregnancy enters its final trimester, Alex hires a housekeeper named Karen Nicholson (Geena Davis) to take care of the housework without consulting Steven. Karen soon proves to be ditzy and incompetent, but that doesn't stop Alex and the family, falling for her. (Robert Costanzo and Anne Ramsey are the other guest stars in this episode as the other candidates to be hired as the Keaton's new housekeeper) Note: Fifth episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. | ||||||
| 57 | 13 | "Karen II, Alex 0" | Lee Shallat | Lloyd Garver & Michael J. Weithorn | December 13, 1984 | 058 |
|
Alex, wanting to get into Leland's Alpha Phi Epsilon fraternity, tries to talk Karen (Geena Davis) into accompanying him to a fraternity event after his date cancels. Karen balks at first, but later decides to go. She tries to have a good time, until she runs into an old flame. (Robert Pine and Christopher Rydell are guest stars in this episode) Note: Sixth episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. | ||||||
| 58 | 14 | "Oh Donna" | Will Mackenzie | Alan Uger | January 3, 1985 | 060 |
|
Alex is a stand-in at a Lamaze class for a pregnant, single, college coeds. Alex's natural over-enthusiasm gets the best of him as he envisions nurturing a relationship with a girl named Donna (Isabelle Walker) and her unborn child, and leading it into marriage and a family. It takes Elyse to set him straight ... and even alert him to the possibility that Donna may not want to keep the baby. Note: David Paymer & Julie Fulton appear as couple 'Larry & 'Suzie Harris' as guest stars in this episode. Also Jack Blessing & Karlene Crockett appear as couple 'Leonard & Marge' expecting twins. | ||||||
| 59 | 15 | "Auntie Up" | John Pasquin | Lawrence H. Levy | January 10, 1985 | 059 |
|
Mallory's beloved Aunt Trudy (Edith Atwater) suffers a fatal heart attack. Mallory falls into a deep depression, but matters are compounded when the family brushes her off to tend to what they feel are more important matters. Note: Seventh episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. | ||||||
| 60 | 16 | "Philadelphia Story" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 17, 1985 | 061 |
|
While doing a term paper for history class on colonial times, Alex suffers from some cold and falls asleep. In a dream, Alex becomes a Philadelphia stable boy who, with his friend Skipford (Marc Price in character as Skippy), experience the events leading to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Michael Gross doubles as a Steven Keaton-inspired Thomas Jefferson. Note: James Cromwell as 'John Hancock' and Ben Piazza as both 'John Adams' and 'Ed Nelson' appear as guest stars in this episode. | ||||||
| 61 | 17 | "Birth of a Keaton, Part 1" | Will Mackenzie | Lloyd Garver | January 24, 1985 | 062 |
|
It's Pledge Week again at Steven's TV station but Alex, Mallory and Jennifer are not very enthusiastic about it this year. But after Steven is called home to deal with plumbing problems, Elyse performs on-air...and then goes into labor. Note: John Hancock as 'Gus' and Ron Karabatsos as 'Bud' the plumber, appear both as guest stars in this episode. | ||||||
| 62 | 18 | "Birth of a Keaton, Part 2" | Will Mackenzie | Alan Uger & Marc Lawrence | January 31, 1985 | 063 |
|
With Steven, Skippy, and the plumber stuck in the massive snowstorm, Elyse remains at the TV station in the final stages of labor. Note: In addition to the aforementioned guest actors of the former episode, Shirley Prestia and William Cort as 'Dr.Witt', appear as guest stars in this second part of the episode. | ||||||
| 63 | 19 | "Cry Baby" | Sam Weisman | Bruce David & Bruce Helford | February 7, 1985 | 064 |
| Newborn Andrew's arrival has been hard on the Keatons, with everyone going without sleep. Jennifer has taken the bundle of joy the hardest, eventually screaming that she hates Andrew and wishes he had never been born. Now the family have to decide how they can properly balance their time with Andrew and not alienate Jennifer. Finally realizing that she had done wrong, Jennifer apologises and ends up starting to get used to living with Andrew. | ||||||
| 64 | 20 | "Don't Know Much About History..." | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence & Michael J. Weithorn | February 14, 1985 | 065 |
| Rival tutors Alex & James (Jeffrey Joseph) both fall for an attractive coed (Nancy Everhard) they are tutoring. Their ill will toward one another explodes at a poetry reading, and they continue to verbally spar. | ||||||
| 65 | 21 | "Bringing Up Baby" | Andrew McCullough | Rich Reinhart | February 21, 1985 | 067 |
|
With two careers, three bickering children and one demanding baby, Steven and Elyse can't seem to find any time for each other. But when they do finally take the time for a quiet evening alone, they find out that they actually miss all of the chaos. Note: Steven Peterman and Radha Delamarter appear in this episode as guest stars as the 'couple with a baby' in the restaurant. | ||||||
| 66 | 22 | "Cold Storage" | Lee Shallat | Marc Lawrence | March 7, 1985 | 066 |
|
Skippy accidentally locks himself in the basement with Mallory while the rest of the Keatons are away visiting some of the acquaintances made at their past Lamaze classes. Mallory clashes at first over Skippy's unrequited feelings for her, but soon she realizes that, despite his quirks, he has been a kind and good friend to her. Note: In this episode appear again as guest stars David Paymer & Julie Fulton as couple 'Larry & 'Suzie Harris' and Jack Blessing & Karlene Crockett as the couple with twins 'Leonard & Marge'. | ||||||
| 67 | 23 | "Remembrances of Things Past, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger | March 28, 1985 | 068 |
| The Keatons visit Grandma, who has put her house up for sale now that Grandpa has died. But Steven's unresolved issues with his father continue to haunt him. | ||||||
| 68 | 24 | "Remembrances of Things Past, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger | March 28, 1985 | 069 |
| Steven and his brother disagree about whether to accept the offer on their mother's house. Meanwhile, Steven visits his father's grave in order to make peace. | ||||||
Film (1985)[]
The television film Family Ties Vacation aired two nights before the start of season four. The movie was later split into four individual episodes when the series entered syndication.
| Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Ties Vacation | Will Mackenzie | Gary David Goldberg & Michael J. Weithorn & Alan Uger & Marc Lawrence | September 10, 1985 | |
| The Keatons take a vacation to England where Alex takes classes at Oxford University, having won a summer scholarship. While Alex struggles with fitting in and Mallory falls for his dormitory roommate William Clive-Hopkins (John Moulder-Brown), the family gets mixed up in international intrigue. | ||||
Season 4 (1985–86)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69 | 1 | "The Real Thing, Part 1" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | September 26, 1985 | 074 |
|
College Sophomore Alex dates a cute freshman he spotted in the school catalogue, but ends up falling for her roommate, Ellen (Tracy Pollan), instead. In 2009, TV Guide ranked this episode #76 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.[4] | ||||||
| 70 | 2 | "The Real Thing, Part 2" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | October 3, 1985 | 075 |
| With encouragement from Elyse, Alex travels to Pennsylvania to tell Ellen how he feels, even though she has gone there to elope with her boyfriend. | ||||||
| 71 | 3 | "Mr. Wrong" | Will Mackenzie | Alan Uger | October 17, 1985 | 073 |
| Mallory brings home her new boyfriend, Nick Moore (Scott Valentine), who looks to be exactly the type of guy Steven and Elyse hoped their daughter wouldn't get involved with. | ||||||
| 72 | 4 | "Designated Hitter" | John Pasquin | Stephen J. Curwick | October 24, 1985 | 070 |
|
Jennifer defends her boyfriend (Noah Hathaway) from the attacks of a bully (Danny Nucci) with complications. In the subplot, Alex is devastated when Mallory scores higher than he does on an IQ test. Note: This episode was produced during Season 3. | ||||||
| 73 | 5 | "Don't Go Changin'" | Asaad Kelada | Marc Lawrence | October 31, 1985 | 079 |
| Alex tries to change his personality to impress Ellen's artsy & dancing friends. As a subplot, Steven balks at having to go to Elyse's book club meetings during football games. | ||||||
| 74 | 6 | "The Old College Try" | Barbara Schultz | Ruth Bennett | November 7, 1985 | 076 |
| Mallory upsets Elyse when she announces that she is not going to college. | ||||||
| 75 | 7 | "My Tutor" | Sam Weisman | Jace Richdale | November 14, 1985 | 080 |
| To help him with math, Alex hires a tutor who he later learns is a fourteen-year-old named Eugene (River Phoenix). Eugene then falls for the younger Jennifer. However, he soon realizes it's a mistake when Jennifer acts her age and embarrasses him at a party. The subplot has Steven working tirelessly on the family budget. | ||||||
| 76 | 8 | "Mr. Right" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 21, 1985 | 081 |
| Nick decides that he wants to impress Steven and Elyse and enlists the help of Alex, who turns Nick into a clone of himself. | ||||||
| 77 | 9 | "Just One Look" | Andrew McCullough | Story by : Paul Wolff Teleplay by : Gary David Goldberg & Michael J. Weithorn | December 5, 1985 | 082 |
| Steven's old college buddy Richard Schofield (Robert Desiderio) comes to town. Steven then learns that Elyse and Richard were previously in a relationship, which sends him into a jealous rage. | ||||||
| 78 | 10 | "How Do You Sleep?" | John Pasquin | Marc Lawrence | December 12, 1985 | 083 |
|
Alex has trouble sleeping, and his problems affect the whole family, much to their displeasure. Note: This is the fifth episode of the sitcom where its opening title sequence got moved for after the first scene of the episode and not used as its opening sequence. (Not counting the cold opening sequences as follow up of episodes split in two) | ||||||
| 79 | 11 | "You've Got a Friend" | John Pasquin | Ruth Bennett | December 19, 1985 | 085 |
| Alex and Mallory catch a young girl, Jessie (Martha Plimpton), stealing from the store where Mallory works, Mallory turns her in and then later decides to help the girl and befriend her. However, Jessie may not be ready to accept Mallory's offer. | ||||||
| 80 | 12 | "Nothing But a Man" | Will Mackenzie | Story by : Jurgen M. Wolf Teleplay by : Jean Kraynak Brinck | January 2, 1986 | 086 |
| Steven gets a long awaited promotion at the TV station, but his long work hours cause him to miss dinners (and just about everything else) with the family, even private time with Elyse. Meanwhile, Alex is dismayed when the only toy Andy will play with is a doll Ellen gave him. (Robert Costanzo, George Coe and John Hancock are the guest stars in this episode) | ||||||
| 81 | 13 | "The Disciple" | Will Mackenzie | Rich Reinhart | January 9, 1986 | 089 |
|
Jennifer asks Alex for help with her social studies class oral report, but Alex's intellect takes over the whole assignment, so that Jennifer's school is very impressed with the finished project but Jennifer does not understand a word of it herself. Note: David Wohl as lawyer 'Ralph Boswell' and Belita Moreno as Jennifer's teacher 'Mrs. Pedroza', appear as guest stars in this episode. Also Corey Feldman and Amy O'Neill appear as some of the students at Jennifer's school. | ||||||
| 82 | 14 | "Where's Poppa?" | Will Mackenzie | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | January 16, 1986 | 090 |
| Alex sets up a reunion with Ellen and her father, Franklin Reed (Ronny Cox), who was absent for most of Ellen's childhood. | ||||||
| 83 | 15 | "Fool for Love" | Lee Shallat | Marc Lawrence | January 23, 1986 | 091 |
| Skippy refuses to let go of feelings for Mallory, despite her dating Nick. (Jerry Hardin appears as guest star in this episode as 'Mr.Bidney'.) | ||||||
| 84 | 16 | "Checkmate" | Sam Weisman | Michael J. Weithorn | January 30, 1986 | 092 |
|
Alex competes in the Chess match finals against Russia's top player, Ivan Rozmirovich (Albert Macklin). However, things start to go awry when Alex figures out that his opponent is attempting to throw the match. Note: Alex Henteloff as 'the Russian Coach' and Elsa Raven as 'Mildred Atkins' one of the juries, appear as guest stars in this episode. | ||||||
| 85 | 17 | "Engine Trouble" | John Pasquin | Ruth Bennett | February 6, 1986 | 093 |
| When Alex and Elyse have to walk home after the car breaks down, they decide they should take a class in mechanics, but Alex soon turns it into a battle of the sexes. Meanwhile, Steven continuously denies that he is ill, although it clearly shows. | ||||||
| 86 | 18 | "A Word to the Wise, Part 1" | Will Mackenzie | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | February 13, 1986 | 087 |
| As Alex and Ellen celebrate their six-month anniversary, the Keatons regale Ellen with stories about Alex's past schemes. | ||||||
| 87 | 19 | "A Word to the Wise, Part 2" | Will Mackenzie | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | February 13, 1986 | 088 |
| After Ellen hears many wild stories about Alex, Alex begins to wonder whether she still wants to be his girlfriend. | ||||||
| 88 | 20 | "Art Lover" | Andrew McCullough | Bruce Helford | February 20, 1986 | 094 |
| Mallory becomes suspicious when a wealthy and beautiful older woman (Christine Belford) takes a special interest in Nick's artistic creations. | ||||||
| 89 | 21 | "Teacher's Pet" | John Pasquin | Marc Lawrence | March 2, 1986 | 095 |
| Alex gets a position as an assistant professor at the college and convinces Ellen to enroll in the class that he is teaching. In the subplot, Steven wants to enroll a too-young Andrew into preschool, which Elyse opposes. | ||||||
| 90 | 22 | "My Buddy" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | March 6, 1986 | 096 |
|
Steven has to learn to accept that Jennifer is growing up. The only way he can get any time with her is to take her to her Sunflower Girls meeting, where he sticks out like a sore thumb. Meanwhile, Alex goes out early on a Saturday to fight a traffic ticket he feels he didn't deserve. Note: Miriam Flynn in the role of 'Mrs. Carpenter' and Anne Marie McEvoy as 'Alice', appear as guest stars in this episode. | ||||||
| 91 | 23 | "Once in Love with Elyse" | Sam Weisman | Michael J. Weithorn | May 1, 1986 | 097 |
| Elyse must deal with Paul (Peter Scolari), a young architect associate who has fallen in love with her. | ||||||
| 92 | 24 | "Paper Chase" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz | May 8, 1986 | 098 |
|
Mallory faces the possibility of not graduating high school unless she passes a tough final oral exam taken by 'Mrs. Hillman' (Gracie Harrison) her strict history teacher. Note: This was the last episode featuring Tracy Pollan as Ellen Reed, although she will appear in the season 5 2-part episode "It's My Party", which was originally produced for Season 4. | ||||||
Season 5 (1986–87)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | 1 | "Be True to Your Preschool" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence | September 25, 1986 | 100 |
|
Steven and Elyse enroll 3-year-old Andrew in preschool, but it soon becomes clear that Alex objects to the school's values of sharing and cooperation. First appearance: Brian Bonsall as Andrew Keaton. | ||||||
| 94 | 2 | "Starting Over" | Steven Robman | Alan Vejar | October 2, 1986 | 103 |
| Ellen breaks up with Alex in order to take a scholarship in dancing she won at a prestigious Arts School in Paris, France. Distraught, Alex tries to cope with the breakup by re-entering the dating scene way too soon and meeting with 'Sharon' (Haviland Morris) a girl he never noticed before and who he tries to make look like Ellen as much as possible. | ||||||
| 95 | 3 | "The Freshman and the Senior" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett & Marc Lawrence | October 9, 1986 | 104 |
| Mallory is teamed with 66-year-old Margaret Hollings (Julie Harris) on a college sociology project. Meanwhile, Alex is very interested to know what Steven and Elyse have written in their wills. | ||||||
| 96 | 4 | "My Back Pages" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett | October 16, 1986 | 099 |
| Steven's old college roommate comes for a visit and reveals he wants to re-launch their old magazine. | ||||||
| 97 | 5 | "Beauty and the Bank" | Asaad Kelada | Stephen J. Curwick | October 30, 1986 | 105 |
| Alex gets his dream job at the Harding Trust, only to find out his boss is an attractive woman named Rebecca Ryan (Melinda Culea). (Named on the episode credits as 'Debra Ryan') | ||||||
| 98 | 6 | "Mrs. Wrong, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 6, 1986 | 101 |
| Mallory is overwhelmed with all her obligations at school and at home, so she decides the best way to get out of them is to marry her boyfriend, Nick. | ||||||
| 99 | 7 | "Mrs. Wrong, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 13, 1986 | 102 |
| Nick and Mallory set out to elope, but not without waking everyone up. Now it's up to Alex to track them down at the justice of the peace. | ||||||
| 100 | 8 | "The Big Fix" | John Pasquin | Michael J. Weithorn | November 17, 1986 | 084 |
|
Elyse plays matchmaker when she tries to fix up a lonely colleague with her neighbor's daughter Liz Obeck (Terry Farrell). Note: This episode was produced during Season 4. | ||||||
| 101 | 9 | "My Brother's Keeper" | Asaad Kelada | Susan Borowitz | November 20, 1986 | 107 |
| Alex gets Skippy an interview with the Grant chapter of his fraternity, only to find out they plan to make Skippy the butt of a humiliating practical joke. | ||||||
| 102 | 10 | "High School Confidential" | Mark W. Travis | Ruth Bennett | December 4, 1986 | 112 |
| In order to teach an art class at the local youth center, Nick must get his high school diploma with help from Alex and Mallory. | ||||||
| 103 | 11 | "Paper Lion" | Peter Baldwin | Wendy Aaron | December 11, 1986 | 106 |
| Alex works on an important paper with his Economics professor, only to find out that their hypothesis is wrong. His professor goes ahead with plans to present the paper anyway. | ||||||
| 104 | 12 | "My Mother, My Friend" | Lynn Hamrick | Kate Boutilier | December 18, 1986 | 113 |
| Mallory brings home 'Allison' (Robin Morse) a friend studying an Architecture's major, and who has more in common with Elyse than Mallory herself. Mallory then becomes jealous of the attention her mom lavishes on the girl. Alex plays Scrabble with his game obsess Dad, Steven. | ||||||
| 105 | 13 | "Oh, Brother, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | January 8, 1987 | 108 |
| The Keatons are stunned when Uncle Rob visits and announces he's separated from his wife Maureen - and has already met someone else. | ||||||
| 106 | 14 | "Oh, Brother, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | January 15, 1987 | 109 |
| Rob's estranged wife Maureen shows up to tell the real story behind their separation. Although Rob stays single, he and Steve finally bond as brothers. | ||||||
| 107 | 15 | "Higher Love" | Debbie Allen | Susan Borowitz | January 22, 1987 | 116 |
| Mallory begins to fall for the leader of her poetry group. | ||||||
| 108 | 16 | "Architect's Apprentice" | Steven Robman | David Tyron King | January 29, 1987 | 117 |
| Nick convinces Steven to let him enter a contest to pick the sculpture for the newly remodelled lobby of WKS. | ||||||
| 109 | 17 | "A Tale of Two Cities, Part 1" | Peter Baldwin | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | February 5, 1987 | 114 |
| While the Keaton kitchen gets remodelled, Alex and his boss, Rebecca, travel to Chicago for a conference, where they're forced to share a tiny room. | ||||||
| 110 | 18 | "A Tale of Two Cities, Part 2" | Peter Baldwin | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | February 12, 1987 | 115 |
| Nervous about meeting her boss, Rebecca gets drunk and makes a fool of herself. Back at home, Steven refuses all help and wallpapers the kitchen himself. | ||||||
| 111 | 19 | "Battle of the Sexes, Part 1" | Andrew McCullough & Sam Weisman | Stephen J. Curwick | February 19, 1987 | 110 |
| Elyse, Mallory and Jennifer confront Steven and Alex after a disastrous dinner at a restaurant, and past incidents are recalled where gender played a role in their lives. | ||||||
| 112 | 20 | "Battle of the Sexes, Part 2" | Andrew McCullough & Sam Weisman | Stephen J. Curwick | February 19, 1987 | 111 |
| Alex continues to defend and debate his chauvinistic ways, citing Mallory's and Jennifer's past experiences. But in the end, they decide he's not so bad after all. | ||||||
| 113 | 21 | "Band on the Run" | Andrew McCullough | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | February 26, 1987 | 118 |
| Jennifer and her band, The Permanent Waves, try out for the homecoming dance at Leland College. They do so well Alex sees a chance to make money, and convinces them to let him be their manager. | ||||||
| 114 | 22 | "Keaton vs. Keaton" | Sam Weisman | Stephen J. Curwick | March 5, 1987 | 123 |
| Alex and Mallory compete for a new $2,500 WKS scholarship. | ||||||
| 115 | 23 | "A, My Name is Alex, Part 1" | Will Mackenzie | Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger | March 12, 1987 | 119 |
|
When his friend Greg is killed in a car accident, Alex behaves erratically after the funeral. Eventually grief sets in, and he questions his own existence. Notes: This two-part episode won the 1987 Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series. In 1997, TV Guide ranked this episode number 68 on its '100 Greatest Episodes of All Time' list.[5] [6] | ||||||
| 116 | 24 | "A, My Name is Alex, Part 2" | Will Mackenzie | Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger | March 12, 1987 | 120 |
| Now in therapy to deal with Greg's death, Alex talks about many episodes from his childhood - and his true feelings about his family. | ||||||
| 117 | 25 | ""D" is for Date" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz | March 20, 1987 | 122 |
| Jennifer plays dumb in order to date a good-looking jock named Tim (Wil Wheaton). | ||||||
| 118 | 26 | "Love Me Do" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence | April 30, 1987 | 121 |
| Skippy falls in love with Amy, a friend of Mallory's. Meanwhile, Steven plans a surprise birthday party for Elyse. | ||||||
| 119 | 27 | "The Visit" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | May 7, 1987 | 124 |
|
Elyse's sister Michelle, her obnoxious husband (Stuart Pankin), and their bratty children come for a visit. Note: The obnoxious son is played by Jeff Cohen, who previously played the annoying kid with the clapping hands hat in the episode "4 Rms Ocn Vu". | ||||||
| 120 | 28 | "Matchmaker" | Barbara Schultz | Bruce David & Bruce Helford | July 23, 1987 | 072 |
|
Mallory—having recently broken up with Rick (rather than Nick, this episode was filmed 2 years prior and breaks continuity)—comes home after yet another disastrous date. Alex, determined to get Mallory to forget Rick and find her a boyfriend, uses Jennifer's computer to snare the perfect guy. But how will Alex respond when Mallory doesn't like the guy the computer chooses for her? Note: This episode was produced during Season 3. | ||||||
| 121 | 29 | "It's My Party, Part 1" | Asaad Kelada | Susan Borowitz | August 6, 1987 | 077 |
|
It's Jennifer's birthday, so she decides to invite the trendiest girls in school to her party. However, when the party proves lame, the cool girls leave, and she leaves with them. This two-part episode breaks continuity. Note: This episode was produced during Season 4. | ||||||
| 122 | 30 | "It's My Party, Part 2" | Asaad Kelada | Susan Borowitz | August 13, 1987 | 078 |
|
Now part of the trendiest clique in school, Jennifer talks valleyspeak and spends all her time at the mall. However, when she's caught cutting class, she's grounded and misses out on going to a baseball game with the family. Note: This episode was produced during Season 4. | ||||||
Season 6 (1987–88)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 124 | 1 2 | "The Last of the Red Hot Psychologists" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence | September 13, 1987 | 126 127 |
| Alex meets Lauren Miller (Courteney Cox), a psychology major at Leland College, and the two become friends ... then much more ... when Alex participates in Lauren's study of overachievers. Also, Andy goes to his first day of Kindergarten and Jennifer goes to her first day of high school. | ||||||
| 125 | 3 | "Dear Mallory" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | September 20, 1987 | 125 |
| Mallory is hired as advice columnist for the Columbus Shopper's Guide. | ||||||
| 126 | 4 | "The Other Woman" | Asaad Kelada | Susan Borowitz | September 27, 1987 | 130 |
| Andrew feels ignored when Alex begins spending time with Lauren at the expense of brotherly bonding sessions. | ||||||
| 127 | 5 | "Dream Date" | Andrew McCullough | Katie Ford | October 4, 1987 | 129 |
| Jennifer uses a nerdy boy who has a crush on her as a stepping stone to win the heart of a teen heartthrob. | ||||||
| 128 | 6 | "Super Mom" | Matthew Diamond | Alan Uger | October 18, 1987 | 132 |
| Elyse must choose between working on a prestigious architectural account or spending time with her family. | ||||||
| 129 | 7 | "Walking On Air" | Andrew McCullough | Katie Ford | October 25, 1987 | 131 |
| Steven gets a reluctant Mallory a new job at WKS. Meanwhile, Alex leads the rest of the family on a cereal-sponsored search contest for $5,000. | ||||||
| 130 | 8 | "Invasion of the Psychologist Snatchers" | Matthew Diamond | Marc Lawrence | November 1, 1987 | 133 |
| Alex becomes insecure of Lauren's visiting ex-boyfriend. | ||||||
| 131 | 9 | "The Way We Were" | Will Mackenzie | Gary David Goldberg | November 8, 1987 | 128 |
| The Keatons get a first-hand lesson on Alzheimer's disease when Aunt Rosemary (Barbara Barrie) comes to visit and behaves erractically. | ||||||
| 132 | 10 | "Mister Sister" | Kent Bateman | Susan Borowitz | November 15, 1987 | 134 |
| Nick gets a job as the janitor at Mallory's sorority house, which leads to friction between them. Meanwhile, Steven and Alex try to teach Andy basketball. | ||||||
| 133 | 11 | "Citizen Keaton" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | November 22, 1987 | 135 |
| Mallory runs for student body president of Grant College, and Alex agrees to be her campaign manager. | ||||||
| 134 | 12 | "Father Time, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 29, 1987 | 136 |
| Steven's newly-divorced brother Rob comes to visit with his son and troubled daughter, who is rebelling against her dad. | ||||||
| 135 | 13 | "Father Time, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 6, 1987 | 137 |
| Steven's rebellious niece defies her father, and has the Keatons examining the meanings of marriage, divorce and parenthood. | ||||||
| 136 137 | 14 15 | "The American Family" | Sam Weisman | Katie Ford | December 13, 1987 | 138 139 |
| Lauren does a term paper on the typical American family, culling memories from the Keatons on their past. | ||||||
| 138 | 16 | "Anniversary Waltz" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 16, 1987 | 035 |
|
Steven and Elyse argue for a week about their upcoming 20th anniversary party, leading the kids to remind them of their love for each other. This episode breaks the continuity of the 6th season. Note: This episode was produced during Season 2. | ||||||
| 139 | 17 | "Miracle in Columbus" | Lynn Hamrick | Rob Okun | December 20, 1987 | 141 |
| Alex gets a job as a mall Santa, where he finally gets the spirit of Christmas after he hears a young girl's wish for her father to come home. | ||||||
| 140 | 18 | "The Play's the Thing" | Debbie Allen | Diane Dixon | January 10, 1988 | 140 |
| Steven tries to stage a radical play he wrote in the '60's, but Elyse is reluctant to play the lead role. | ||||||
| 141 | 19 | "The Spirit of Columbus" | Sam Weisman | Charles J. Schlotter | January 17, 1988 | 143 |
| Nick sells one of his sculptures and so Alex starts to believe that Nick's art is worth something. So he makes Nick make 35 more of them to sell. | ||||||
| 142 | 20 | "The Blues Brother" | Matthew Diamond | Burt Pretlusky | January 24, 1988 | 142 |
| Alex encourages former blues musician Eddie Dupree (Brownie McGhee) to come out of retirement. | ||||||
| 143 | 21 | "Read It and Weep, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | February 7, 1988 | 144 |
| Defying her school's policy, Jennifer writes a book report on the banned book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. | ||||||
| 144 | 22 | "Read It and Weep, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | February 14, 1988 | 145 |
| Jennifer's punishment for reading "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" escalates into legal action. | ||||||
| 145 | 23 | "Quitting Time" | Matthew Diamond | Susan Borowitz | February 21, 1988 | 147 |
| When Lauren quits work on her psychology thesis, Alex begins to find her less interesting. | ||||||
| 146 | 24 | "Spring Reminds Me" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | February 28, 1988 | 146 |
| Evelyn Mitchum (Constance McCashin), a former neighbor and mother of Mallory's childhood best friend Rosalie, who had committed suicide, visits the Keatons and reveals that she still has difficulty coping. Meanwhile, Steven unearths his old kit of magic tricks and starts driving the family crazy with them. | ||||||
| 147 | 25 | "The Boys Next Door" | Sam Weisman | Trish Vrandenberg | March 6, 1988 | 148 |
| Elyse's nerdy high school friend visits for a class reunion, hoping to rekindle their relationship. | ||||||
| 148 | 26 | "Sign of the Times" | Asaad Kelada | Matthew Monaher | March 13, 1988 | 150 |
| Andy becomes friends with a new student who is deaf. But when the other kids start teasing him, Andy decides not to talk. | ||||||
| 149 | 27 | "Return of the Native" | John Pasquin | Lloyd Garver | March 20, 1988 | 071 |
|
Cousin June (Danielle von Zerneck) returns to the United States after three years abroad in England. She has lots to tell, but the entire family has stories of their own. This episode breaks the continuity of the 6th season. Note: This episode was produced during Season 3. | ||||||
| 150 | 28 | "Father, Can You Spare a Dime?" | Andrew McCullough | Ben Cardinale & Peter Schreider | May 1, 1988 | 149 |
| Nick is hurting for money after he is rejected for a bank loan, but he doesn't think his estranged father (Dan Hedaya) is the right person to lend him money either. Joseph Gordon Levitt appears as one of the children in Nick's art class. | ||||||
Season 7 (1988–89)[]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) | Rating/share (households) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | 1 | "It Happened One Night" | Matthew Diamond | Marc Lawrence | October 30, 1988 | 154 | 26.1[7] | 16.0/24[7] |
| Steven, Elyse, and Andy go camping and Jennifer, Alex, and Mallory stay home. After realizing they should have gone with them, Jennifer, Alex, Nick, and Mallory head to the campground. But the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and they must camp outside. | ||||||||
| 152 | 2 | "Designing Woman" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | November 6, 1988 | 155 | 21.0[8] | 13.5/19[8] |
| Mallory gets a job at a fashion designing store but finds out her co-worker is stealing her designs. | ||||||||
| 153 | 3 | "Truckers" | Andrew McCullough | Shannon Gaughan | November 13, 1988 | 156 | 25.6[9] | 15.1/21[9] |
| Alex feels neglected when Andy would rather spend time with Nick's nephew than with him. | ||||||||
| 154 | 4 | "Beyond Therapy" | Sam Weisman | Katie Ford | November 27, 1988 | 158 | 22.4[10] | 14.9/21[10] |
| Lauren encourages Alex to join a therapy group to express his feelings more. | ||||||||
| 155 | 5 | "Heartstrings, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 4, 1988 | 151 | 30.1[11] | 17.6/26[11] |
| The family pulls together after Steven has a heart attack and has to undergo heart surgery. | ||||||||
| 156 | 6 | "Heartstrings, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 11, 1988 | 152 | 27.7[12] | 16.2/24[12] |
| While Steven is in heart surgery, the family holds vigil at the hospital. | ||||||||
| 157 | 7 | "Heartstrings, Part 3" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 18, 1988 | 153 | 21.7[13] | 13.0/20[13] |
| Steven returns home from the hospital and tries to adjust to new restrictions in his life. | ||||||||
| 158 | 8 | "Basic Training" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz | January 1, 1989 | 157 | 21.8[14] | 12.8/20[14] |
| Desperately seeking direction in life, Skippy decides to enlist in the Army. But is the Army the best career path for him? Meanwhile, Steven is not allowed to eat fattening foods because of his recent heart attack. | ||||||||
| 159 | 9 | "Deja Vu" | Matthew Diamond | Susan Borowitz | January 8, 1989 | 160 | 26.5[15] | 16.2/23[15] |
| Jennifer starts dating Mallory's ex-boyfriend's younger brother, Josh. But when Mallory finds out that Josh wants to follow in his brother's footsteps, she thinks that he will dump Jennifer just like Jeff dumped her. | ||||||||
| 160 | 10 | "Nick's Best Friend" | Sam Weisman | Katie Ford | January 15, 1989 | 159 | 22.3[16] | 13.4/20[16] |
| Nick is reunited with his old dog Scrapper after his mother moves into an apartment that does not allow pets. But after the dog is struck by a car and critically injured, Nick is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision. | ||||||||
| 161 | 11 | "Get Me to the Living Room on Time" | Sam Weisman | Matthew Monaher | January 29, 1989 | 161 | 25.9[17] | 15.4/23[17] |
| Andy becomes friends with two senior citizens at a retirement home, Joseph and Eva. Steven decides to make them the focus of his new documentary. While the documentary is being recorded, Joseph proposes to Eva, who accepts. But Joseph's son, David, does not approve of their marriage. | ||||||||
| 162 | 12 | "The Job Not Taken" | Andrew McCullough | Marc Lawrence | February 5, 1989 | 162 | 26.4[18] | 15.2/22[18] |
| When Alex's friend, Paul Corman, gets Alex a job, Paul gets fired. Alex starts to feel guilty, so he quits. | ||||||||
| 163 | 13 | "The Wrecker's Ball" | Sam Weisman | Douglas Wyman | February 12, 1989 | 163 | 21.8[19] | 13.3/20[19] |
| When the first building Elyse designed faces the wrecking ball, the entire family rallies behind her attempts to block the demolition. | ||||||||
| 164 | 14 | "My Best Friend's Girl" | Sam Weisman | Bruce Helford | February 19, 1989 | 165 | 21.4[20] | 12.8/19[20] |
| Lauren tries to play matchmaker for Skippy as a favor to Alex, but Skippy ends up falling in love with her. Steven and Elyse both think they can teach Jennifer to drive better, so they compete. Maura Tierney plays Skippy's lab partner. | ||||||||
| 165 | 15 | "'Til Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away" | Matthew Diamond | Susan Borowitz | February 26, 1989 | 166 | 22.0[21] | 13.3/20[21] |
| Mallory's plans to buy a car from Nick's father's used car lot are stalled when Steven refuses to co-sign her loan. | ||||||||
| 166 | 16 | "Simon Says" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | March 5, 1989 | 164 | 27.4[22] | 16.8/25[22] |
| Jennifer and Simon get jobs at a fast food restaurant. A ten-year-old paper girl (Jaclyn Bernstein) has an obsessive romantic crush on Alex. | ||||||||
| 167 | 17 | "All in the Neighborhood, Part 1" | Matthew Diamond | Ruth Bennett | March 12, 1989 | 167 | 23.2[23] | 14.2/21[23] |
| When their African-American friends move into the neighborhood, the Keatons are shocked and saddened to learn racism still exists among some of their neighbors. | ||||||||
| 168 | 18 | "All in the Neighborhood, Part 2" | Matthew Diamond | Ruth Bennett | March 19, 1989 | 170 | 22.3[24] | 14.4/22[24] |
| After their new neighbors' home is vandalized, the Keatons continue to battle racism in their own backyard and rally to support their friends. | ||||||||
| 169 | 19 | "They Can't Take That Away From Me, Part 1" | Matthew Diamond | Marc Lawrence | April 2, 1989 | 171 | 18.0[25] | 11.8/19[25] |
| With Lauren away, Alex begins tutoring a young co-ed (Jane Adams) and starts to develop romantic feelings for her. | ||||||||
| 170 | 20 | "They Can't Take That Away From Me, Part 2" | Matthew Diamond | Marc Lawrence | April 9, 1989 | 172 | 22.6[26] | 13.5/21[26] |
| On the brink of graduation, Alex must choose between Lauren and a pretty music student who has captured his attention. | ||||||||
| 171 | 21 | "Rain Forests Keep Falling on My Head" | Rita Rogers | Bruce Helford | April 16, 1989 | 173 | 17.6[27] | 11.3/19[27] |
| When Jennifer becomes obsessed with saving the environment, she makes everybody use things that are not a hazard. Steven and Elyse suggest she see the school counselor. | ||||||||
| 172 173 | 22 23 | "Wrap Around the Clock" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | April 23, 1989 | 168 169 | 17.6[28] | 11.6/19[28] |
| The Keatons look back on pleasant memories while filling in Andy's time capsule. | ||||||||
| 174 | 24 | "Mr. Keaton Takes a Vacation" | Sam Weisman | Shannon Gaughan | May 7, 1989 | 174 | 16.7[29] | 10.5/17[29] |
| Steven finally expresses his true feelings about Nick when he moves in with the family for a week. | ||||||||
| 175 176 | 25 26 | "Alex Doesn't Live Here Anymore" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz & Katie Ford & Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | May 14, 1989 | 175 176 | 36.3[31] | 20.8/35[31] |
|
When Alex lands his dream job in New York, everyone (except Elyse) is delighted for him. At the end of the show, the cast and the show's creator Gary David Goldberg come out for a final curtain call. Note: In 2011, the series finale was ranked #24 on the TV Guide Network special, TV's Most Unforgettable Finales.[30] | ||||||||
References[]
- ^ "1982-83 Ratings History". Archived from the original on 2018-06-30. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "1983-84 Ratings History". Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "1988-89 Ratings History". Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "TV Guide's Top 100 Episodes". Rev/Views. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
- ^ TV Guide Book of Lists. Running Press. 2007. pp. 186. ISBN 978-0-7624-3007-9.
- ^ "TV Guide's Top 100 Episodes". The Associated Press. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 2, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306129406.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 9, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306136856.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 16, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306140699.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 30, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306106502.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 7, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306146398.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 14, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306143538.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 21, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306159082.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. January 5, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306157966.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. January 11, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306165080.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. January 18, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306171627.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306144802.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306179902.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306163263.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 22, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306175741.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306152931.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306184202.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306172200.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 22, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306198820.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 5, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306171172.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 12, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306166319.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 19, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306176608.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 26, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306174966.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. May 10, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306210811.
- ^ "TV's Most Unforgettable Finales" – Aired May 22, 2011 on TV Guide Network
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. May 17, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306203436.
External links[]
- Family Ties at IMDb
Categories:
- Lists of American sitcom episodes