Shark Bytes

The serious side got to be overbearing at times, but when they stuck to the simple things this show could be extremely funny. All shows age over time in regards to wardrobes & styles. Best to look at it for the time it was in production. FT, at it's best, had it's fair share of timeless humor to go w/ the topical jokes of the day as well.

Mostly, I agree with "fred" below almost word for word. To those being insulting to Tina - I ask you to think of most of the Cosby show kids (a group of really baaaad actors, except the one who played Sondra), and think of Darlene on Roseanne - good actress? hardly, she was the sister of Melissa Gilbert, but not a good actress, nor did she get "cuter" as she aged.

On family ties, I liked Justine Bateman better than MJF & I guess that's just personal taste, but I thought she was funnier.

That dreadful "What...did...you...think..." every freakin time Ellen (or a memory of Ellen) tormented Alex. It's one of the sappiest, most dragged-out songs of all time. I work in a supermarket and that song comes on practically every morning, so, no, it's not like channel-changing is an option here. And c'mon, Alex; Ellen wasn't that exciting. Even though the break-up didn't monopolize too many episodes of this good family program, it was enough
to make Family Ties soar over that shark.

Also, I just wanted to add who were the good actors and who were the bad.

Michael Gross - always good
Micheal J. Fox - always fantastic
Justine Bateman - from okay to good
Tima Yothers - from horrible to okay
MBB - always horrible

Did anyone else think MMB had the squeakiest voice on television? Like a mouse or something.

The first season of Family Ties is not good. Remember, this was before the producers discovered that Michael J. Fox was a big talent and fantastic at comedic timing.

The show took off during the second season. That's when the producers switched their focus from the parents to the kids (well, not Jennifer, but Mallory and Alex).

My favorite seasons are 3-5, when the show hit its peak from 1984-1986. My favorite is the classic "Keaton Manor" episode when the parents are away.

Also, this was one of the few sit-coms that didn't cave in to pressure to change the show like Happy Days did, or Laverne and Shirley. Thank God. Although I did think it was very weird that Alex was still living at home at the age of 30.

I watched the first season DVD and some of the second and I was not all that impressed. The show is very dated, particularly the clothes. Also the timeline was off. The Keatons wouldn't have been hippies until at least 1967, and Alex was supposed to be born 2 years before that. The kids should have been younger, but it was just a comedy. Although not anywhere near the level of Facts of Life, they're still seemed to be far too many serious moments in these shows. The one with Tom Hanks as Elyse's alcoholic brother was particularly bad. That was totally out of place for a comedy.
I think Michael J. Fox and Justine Bateman were good as Alex and Mallory and they're dialogue with each other was generally very good. The way Mallory ruined Alex's chance at Princeton was hilarious. Also props to the Keaton Manor episode in season 3. Very funny and no moral at the end. I wish they had gone more in that direction than toward the series stuff. Tina Yothers was fine I don't know what issue some people have with her. I would guess there wasn't much good after baby Andrew showed up though. New kid added to family show=shark jump IMHO (with the exception of I Love Lucy).

Alex P. Keaton was one of the best 80's characters on television. With his picture of Reagan and his two goldfish named Spiro and Agnew, he made me laugh quite often.
It was an intersting twist back then...a teenager who rebels against his hippie parents by becoming a young republican....priceless.

I taought it did the job...mjfox can really carry a show and the lefty parents were hilarious...

the episode where michael's friend dies, and he pretty much carries the whole show on his own talent to carry it, only goes to show the acting ability of this actor. I tuned in just to see if, and how, he would/could do it.
I'm 52 yrs old, and he kept me glued to the t.v. for the whole show. Not just to see how he did it, but by his portrayal of his character....an amazing feat for an actor of his limited experience (at that time). I think him (michael) carrying that episode was what opened the doors that made him the star that he has become..........& a good decent human being.

Whenever I ocassionally catch a Family Ties rerun (the show that followed Cosby on Thurs. nights.) I'm reminded of just how much better and fresher TV is now. As a child the show seemed so stale and aimed at an even younger development than mine humour wise. I mean the nerdy neighbour in love with the daughter who practically lives at their house-how many times has that been done?
As for Mallory dressing old. This was the eighties, no one looked good.
To the person commenting about the creepy house: I loved for once seeing an old house with character on TV, not the standard entry way, cardboard cut out perfect upper class anti-septic soulless suburban tract houses you always see on TV. Even in Married with Children, despite Peg not cleaning, everything looked pretty dust free and orderly.
And yes Tina Yothers: I can't resist being cruel here. How did she ever get to be a child star? She was never cute. And even my normally kind parents were astonished at how ugly she became. And not in the ugly screwed up but interesting Mckenzie Philips way, but boring and ugly. seriously, who was she related to?

Definitely agree that this is one show that didn't age well. I actually liked the way Alex, Mallory and Jennifer matured into their characters. They became less stereotypical sitcom teens, and they're acting improved dramatically. I think Justine Bateman really did a hilarious job of playing ditzy fashionista Mallory. If you think about it, the show was generally bad, but once in a while would have a moment or two of comedic brilliance. It was one of those shows you desperately wanted to like but had to work hard to find the good parts.

I also noticed that the writers often ran out of ideas. Family Ties had more episodes of the family sitting around reminiscing about previous seasons than any sitcom in history.

I love you michael!!! you are such a sweetie. (even though i don't really know you, you just seem that way in everything you're in)

michael j fox is my favorite actor, so full of life and funny. everything i've seen him in (i have almost every one of his movies), he does a fantastic job. his character as alex was a great start 4 him, he really made a name 4 himself. Michael, i love u, and i love how u are so energetic and happy. Spin city and Family Ties are excellent shows!

This show actually reverse-jumped when Tina Yothers started growing up. During the first few seasons she was an irritating, bratty, ANNOYING kid whom made me want to throw something at the screen every time she appeared on the show -in fact I have to fast-forward all the scenes with her in it when watching reruns of the earlier episodes. At least Rudy Huxtable was funny

But then Tina Yothers started growing up and she became a much more likable person. And the new kid (despite his rapid aging) was much less annoying and much more endearing that Tina Yothers could ever be as a child actress

I loved this show when it aired in the 1980s. I loved the political satire and the real sense of family that they conveyed (similar to the Cosby show).

Unlike the Cosby show, Family Ties has not aged well. The writing is awful, there often stilted moments that seem awkward between the actors, the acting is sub-par (especially the latter seasons) and the addition of yet another so called cute child added nothing to the show.

In short, don't rewatch this show if you had good memories of it. Sometimes it's best not to revisit the past.