Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young Republican Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) and his former-hippie parents, Elyse and Steven Keaton (Meredith Baxter-Birney and Michael Gross). The show won multiple awards, including three consecutive Emmy Awards for Michael J. Fox as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
The show had been sold to the network using the pitch "hip parents, square kids". Originally, Elyse and Steven were intended to be the main characters. However, the audience reacted so positively to Alex during the taping of the fourth episode that he became the focus on the show. Fox had received the role after Matthew Broderick turned it down. Coincidentally, Meredith Baxter had previously starred alongside Matthew Broderick's father James (as his daughter) on the TV series Family.
Supporting cast and characters included neighbor Irwin "Skippy" Handelman (Marc Price), Mallory's Sylvester Stallone-esque boyfriend artist Nick Moore (Scott Valentine) and Alex's feminist artist girlfriend Ellen Reed (Tracy Pollan, whom Michael J. Fox later married). In season 3, episode 17 Elyse gave birth to her fourth child, Andrew (who was played by Brian Bonsall from season 5 onward). Garrett Merriman played baby Andrew. Bewitched actor Dick Sargent guest starred as Elyse's father Charlie in Season 1.
FamilyNet aired the program as part of its "Families on FamilyNet" programming block, also featuring My Three Sons and Happy Days between January 2009 and February 2010.
In the summer of 2008, WGN America aired reruns as part of their Outta Sight Retro Night programming block. Reruns previously aired on TBS, YTV, Nick at Nite, TV Land, and Hallmark Channel during the early to mid 2000's. Currently, it airs on The Hub.
In Canada, reruns of Family Ties began airing on CTS, a Christian-based network, on September 6, 2010. On May 15, 2011 Netflix began to stream season 1-7 on it's "watch instantly" streaming service.
In Australia, reruns air every afternoon on Eleven.
Paramount has also released the first three seasons on DVD in Region 4. Seasons 6 and 7 have yet to be released.
DVD Name !! rowspan="2" | |||
! Region 1 !! Region 4 | |||
The Complete First Season | February 20, 2007 | April 9, 2008 | |
The Second Season | October 9, 2007 | September 4, 2008 | |
The Third Season | February 12, 2008 | April 2, 2009 | |
The Fourth Season | August 5, 2008 | TBA | |
The Fifth Season | March 10, 2009 | TBA |
Family Ties has also been referenced on Family Guy, as it is a favorite show of Seth MacFarlane. In the opening scene of the episode "Fifteen Minutes of Shame", Peter Griffin is coloring the painting of the Keaton family, just like in the title sequence (with the theme song in the background). In the episode "Movin' Out (Brian's Song)", Stewie Griffin compared Brian's breakup with Jillian to Alex's: "Remember when Alex P. Keaton lost his girlfriend? And then he got another one and everything was all right? And then he got Parkinson's. Yikes." In the episode "Jerome is the New Black", Family Ties is playing on the television and Jerome buys Peter Griffin a sculpture made by the character Nick. In the episode "Brothers & Sisters", the Griffins are watching a "later-season" episode of Family Ties, in which puberty has changed Jennifer into a buffalo. Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter reprised their roles for the scene. Coincidentally, this episode of Family Guy aired at the same time as the 9th Annual TV Land Awards when the cast of Family Ties accepted the Fan Favorite Award for the show.
The cast of Family Ties publicly reunited for the first time on February 7, 2008 for an interview on The Today Show.
Category:1980s American television series Category:1982 television series debuts Category:1989 television series endings Category:American television sitcoms Category:Baby boomers in fiction Category:Culture of Columbus, Ohio Category:English-language television series Category:NBC network shows Category:Television series by CBS Paramount Television Category:Television shows set in Ohio
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