Family Ties

Approval Rate: 81%

81%Approval ratio

Reviews 50

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  • by

    salojuka

    Fri Dec 24 2010

    I just love it. there isn't any thing ese i can say. I love it. I'm 15 it is my favorite show.

  • by

    coggy13

    Fri Jul 30 2010

    As with many other subjects here, I wish I could give it 4 1/2 stars. But I'll go with 5. I liked the first few seasons the best. The show wasn't a runaway hit until Cosby arrived (like everything on Thursdays) but the time before it became a huge hit are my favorites. I'm not looking up any timelines online so perhaps my memory is a bit hazy. I think it was on Wednesdays or some other day in the beginning. Anyway, I loved the first few seasons because Alex was more human. The episode of him losing his virginity and falling in love with that French radio host (there must be a sexier way to describe her) stand out in my mind. The stories weren't as cookie cutter as they became later, particularly between Alex and Mallory. So great in the beginning and not as great later on. But some great episodes snuck in later on as well.

  • by

    misspackrat4je_sus

    Mon Sep 29 2008

    The message here is that members of a close family unit can have differences of opinion and still care deeply for one another. This message is timeless, and not just limited to the '80s.

  • by

    spike65

    Wed Jul 02 2008

    An O.K. show. Actually a pretty good show for the era. Michael J. Fox was the key to the shows' success. Probably ran a year or two past it's prime.

  • by

    angryinla

    Wed Jun 25 2008

    Michael J. Fox became my favorite actor once this show aired. I even named my pet cat Alex P. Keaton

  • by

    maygej

    Fri May 30 2008

    Kristy Rocks!

  • by

    teresag

    Thu Apr 10 2008

    WOW ~ lots of bad reviews!  I really liked this show ~ esp. the Alex Keaton role!

  • by

    twansalem

    Sun May 06 2007

    I liked it when I was a kid, but I've seen some reruns lately, and man are the parents cheesy.

  • by

    oscargamblesfr_o

    Sat Mar 03 2007

    A horrible show- hated it then and if anything I hate it more now. Baxter Birney now gets her mail at the Lifetime Channel. Michael Gross sucked and really got on my nerves.  The theme song was aggravating and stupid and , speaking of Gross, Tina Yothers is so gross that she  made me swear a solemn oath to avoid blonde white chicks for eternity...umm I'm joking ... but,go ahead, click the unhelpful -who really cares?

  • by

    virilevagabond

    Sat Nov 11 2006

    For what it was (namely a clean, family oriented show), "Family Ties" was a relatively strong television series. As many of the prior comments have noted, the show was made by Michael J. Fox (Alex) and to a lesser degree Michael Gross (Steven), and this show is what broke Fox as a star. Fox's character was so well developed, he became the primary focus of the storylines, and this change certainly extended the life of the series. As for the rest of the primary cast, Meredith Baxter (Elyse) seemed a bit too meek to be an aging hippie and Tina Yothers (Jennifer) couldn't act. Justine Bateman (Mallory) was passable, but she was high on the cute scale. Besides Fox, the greatest asset of the show was its effective premise (i.e. 60's era parents, Reagan era children) and how well it captured Big 80's suburbia; however, the biggest problem with the show from my perspective was how it incorporated so many tired tricks to extend the show's run (e.g. add a kid, a very special "Family Ties"). Neve... Read more

  • by

    jeremy00081

    Mon Sep 18 2006

    Eh. It's okay.

  • by

    limpin_trenchfoot

    Mon Jul 24 2006

    I enjoyed this show with the hippie parents, young republican son twist. IMO, Michael J Fox was better here than in most of his films.

  • by

    trebon1038

    Mon Jul 24 2006

    Good show with a great cast. What a concept to have such a conservative son of two completely left wing democrats! Pretty funny to watch.

  • by

    badbearduke

    Tue May 16 2006

    I like Michael J. Fox as an actor, hes done alot of good work, but this wasn't one of them. This show was as boring as it can get.

  • by

    gobthehotcop

    Wed Oct 26 2005

    I loved this show as a kid. MJ Fox was great on it.

  • by

    cjmyers41

    Mon Oct 03 2005

    It was a great show at the time. I was glad to see Michael J Fox move on to movies as he is star quality and imagine "Back to the Future" without him.

  • by

    rjy22751

    Fri Aug 12 2005

    This show sucked!

  • by

    irishgit

    Fri Mar 25 2005

    Junk, with some of the most irritating characters ever to grace television.

  • by

    mamas_family_sucks

    Thu Dec 30 2004

    Great family show!!! As a bonus, Meridith Baxter-Birney provided some nice eye candy.

  • by

    willie_a

    Sun Nov 28 2004

    I love the theme song and the show.

  • by

    chalky

    Fri Oct 08 2004

    fantastic show w/great family values.....the show really got good when mr.keaton grew a beard.

  • by

    eric04

    Wed Aug 04 2004

    For all the acknowledgment The Cosby Show, The Simpsons and Roseanne get for portraying the typical realistic family, no show came closer to that distinction than Family Ties. One of the last of the true FAMILY shows.

  • by

    rufieo30us

    Tue Feb 17 2004

    This is one of my top 10 favorite tv shows of all time. I really enjoy Michael J. Fox charecter ALEX P. KEATON. His charecter is my all-time favorite tv charecter. Michael J. Fox is my all-time favorite actor. He is the man! Way to go MJF!

  • by

    maccadarren

    Wed Feb 11 2004

    Someone said it. Michael J. Fox was comic genius. ... As for the preachy rap, Family Ties dealt with it's time and I think they tried to be fair. There is an 80's-ness to this show which makes it at once inaccesible around the edge and even sweeter in the middle. ... The actors were really great in this one. Outside of Alex, I think the funniest character was Nick, and the best was Steven. ... One of the best.

  • by

    kolby1973

    Wed Nov 05 2003

    I liked the show only because of Michael J. Fox, but other than that, I must agree that the show leaves a wierd feeling with you after you leave it. It is almost like a brainwashing epitome for the Reaganites...ewwww. There were so many times I left the show feeling bad, I just can't give it more than 3 stars. And there is no question that Michael J Fox is the reason why it lasted so long.

  • by

    president_x_d

    Fri Oct 17 2003

    I used to like this show when I was a kid, but even then there were many scenes that turned my stomach. There is just something about the overall flavor of this show that doesn't sit well with me at all now. I tried to watch it on Nick but I just couldn't... the comedy comes too slow and the "serious family issues" they attempt don't sit right with me; everything seems a little "off" in a way I can't explain. As a side note, Michael J. Fox carried this show and was consistently impressive here, even considering that much of the materal he had to work with was weak.

  • by

    marjorieb

    Fri Oct 17 2003

    Had a crush on Alex. And for whatever reason, I loved their kitchen...

  • by

    jenny_drury

    Tue Aug 12 2003

    Family Ties was a greas show! Mallory was my favorite character. I also really liked Skippy. I liked how the family got along. They cared about each other. I hated Nick. Skippy should have been with Mallory instead!

  • by

    kahfess

    Sun Jul 13 2003

    Doesn't all families have a little of these people in them? I know mine certainly does and because of that I really enjoyed watching this sometimes crazy show. However, my enjoyment seemed to lessen as the show aged which is why I'm only giving it a three star.

  • by

    help_me

    Sat Jun 21 2003

    i've seen one episode of it before and it was pretty funny

  • by

    lotr417

    Wed May 28 2003

    I LIVE FOR NICK AT NITE so I can watch shows like this one. Why can't they make TV shows like this one anymore? Michael J Fox/Alex P Keaton was too hot!

  • by

    resisobilus

    Sat May 24 2003

    Vastly overrated.

  • by

    jjburns84

    Tue May 20 2003

    Family Ties is still funny; it is truly timeless. My favorite episode is when the Keatons were helping Jennifer practice driving in their kitchen; that was so funny. Although it's hilarious, I'm only giving Family Ties four stars because it tries to force its idea of morality onto its viewers. Except for that, it's as close to perfect as a television show can be.

  • by

    amblin

    Tue May 20 2003

    One of my all time favorites!

  • by

    getback

    Thu May 08 2003

    to preachy

  • by

    mouse86

    Tue Mar 04 2003

    This show is awesome. It's so hilarious!

  • by

    sharon3802

    Wed Feb 26 2003

    Without Michael J. Fox, this show would not have made it.

  • by

    crimson_and_cl_over

    Thu Feb 20 2003

    only thing i didnt like is the republican crap

  • by

    heidleehope

    Sun Feb 09 2003

    I loved Family Ties, loved Michael J fox, and they always had entertaining story lines.

  • by

    sami555

    Sat Feb 08 2003

    EWWWWW !

  • by

    red630

    Mon Dec 09 2002

    It was amazing how the writers made the parents so stupid by the end of this series.

  • by

    newsradio_fan

    Tue Dec 03 2002

    Family Ties was pretty funny. Alex is my favorite. I prefer ensemble sitcoms to family-oriented ones, but Family Ties is still watchable for me.

  • by

    classicmusiclo_ver

    Sun Nov 17 2002

    Reganism v liberalism, 1980s capitalists v 1960s revolutionaries, old male establishment v women's liberation! This show defined the 1980s! Michael J. Fox boardered on comic genius. And I will always remember the episode where Greg dies. The 30 minute psychiatrist scene will go down in history, totally deserved the emmy.

  • by

    kruesit

    Wed Nov 06 2002

    still strong, after all these years

  • by

    melike80s

    Tue Sep 17 2002

    Oh...My...God. Did you rate this show high, did you really LIKE it? I mean, sure, we watched it back then, at least a few times. But can we really admit we LIKED it? It was sappy, it was sweet, it was too careful and cautious, it was pure 80's fluff. Thank God "Married with Children" came along to save the 80's. Whew!

  • by

    wildmrjoe

    Fri Sep 13 2002

    as a child i completely idolized alex! Mr. Fox u r amazing thank you for so many good memories from ur career!

  • by

    bigwalt_85

    Thu Aug 15 2002

    Family Ties was pretty funny. Phoebe from the show Friends reminds me of Malarie from Family Ties a little. The situations in the show were pretty good also. Sorry to say, though. It did not stand a chance against The Cosby Show. It did come in second place in the t.v. ratings with The Cosby Show coming in first. It could not beat the best sitcom ever (The Cosby Show), but it did beat all the others.

  • by

    joey1963

    Mon Aug 05 2002

    I liked this show...especially Michael Fox as Alex Keaton...the Mallory and Nick pairing was funny. However, you know when babies and young kids are brought in during the shows later years (ala Oliver from the Brady Bunch) its days are numbered. Could have done fine without the little brother that was added later in the shows run.

  • by

    classictvfan47

    Mon Jul 22 2002

    A great classic sitcom that just recently joined Nick at Nite's 80s-themed lineup (Family Ties, Cosby Show, Cheers, Three's Company and coming soon, Charles in Charge) this one is great. Rated TV-G, it has a cast of comic greats, lots of slapstick and crackling dialogue mixed with the occasional good message. Highly recommended this one is! :)

  • by

    djbuddha

    Wed Jul 10 2002

    Its a good show. I love the premise of the 60s liberals whose kids grow up to basically be republicans in the 1980s. Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton absolutely made the show, though.