Family Ties Season 3

By Jane Louise Boursaw

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MPAA Rating: Not Rated

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DVD Release: Feb. 12, 2008
Genre: Comedy, Family
Runtime: 573 minutes

Synopsis: Michael J. Fox stars as Alex P. Keaton, the conservative, yuppie son of liberal parents Elyse, an architect, and Steven, the manager of a public TV station. Rounding out the family are sisters Mallory and Jennifer. From their home in suburban Columbus, Ohio, this family is funny and quirky, thanks to great writing by series creator Gary David Goldberg.

Sex/ Nudity: None.
Violence/Gore: None.
Profanity: None.

Which Kids Will Like It?
Ages 10 and older who love family comedies and smart humor. There’s nothing objectionable in this series, although some episodes are more introspective than others, such as when Mallory mourns the loss of a relative and Steven reflects on his father’s life.

Will Parents Like It?
Yes, this is a good show to watch with your kids. Although family squabbles are prevalent, they’re usually verbal sparring that creates friendly, thought-provoking debate. And in the end, you know this family truly cares about each other.

Special Features:

Gag Reel: Six minutes of funny bloopers and outtakes, including one involving Michael Gross and Pop Tarts, and another with Michael J. Fox and a turtle.

Episode Promos: Short, 30-second promos that aired after episodes in syndication (“Next on Family Ties…”). You can play them together on each disc or before the respective episode.

Kaboose Review: Family Ties ran for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989, and won a slew of awards, including several Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a Kids’ Choice Award. Michael J. Fox had done a smattering of TV work prior to this, but Family Ties is where we really see him hone the lightning timing and delivery he perfected in the Back to the Future movies and Spin City TV series.

Though we had to wait one more season for Mallory’s beau, Nick, as well as Alex’s girlfriend (and real-life wife) Tracey Pollan, season 3 is one of the best, in my opinion. Nineteen-year-old Alex (Michael J. Fox) starts college and finds it more challenging than he thought. One of the best episodes is “Hotline Fever,” in which the normally confident Alex admits to fears of failure. Timothy Busfield, who went on to do thirtysomething, begins a recurring role as classmate Doug, and Billy Campbell and Tate Donovan also show up.

Seventeen-year-old Mallory gets a job, and in season three, we see Justine Bateman starting to expand her range a bit. In “Auntie Up,” she grieves over the loss of a beloved relative, and in “Cold Storage,” she and Skippy (Marc Price) get locked in the basement.

Assorted big-time stars make appearances, including Geena Davis as a bumbling nanny and James Cromwell as John Hancock in Alex’s vision of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Also in season 3, Elyse (Meredith Baxter-Birney) and Steven (Michael Gross) prepare for the birth of a new arrival. Little Andy makes his debut in a two-part episode, “Birth of a Keaton,” in which Elyse goes into labor during a public TV telethon.

Family Ties is funny, poignant, and features the perfect blend of actors, writers and directors to make it one of the great family sitcoms in TV history. Best of all, it’s a series the whole family can watch together.

Directed by: Andrew McCullough, Will Mackenzie, and Sam Weisman
Cast: Michael J. Fox, Justine Bateman, Meredith Baxter-Birney, Michael Gross, Tina Yothers.

Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries. Visit her online at www.ReelLifeWithJane.com.