My 15 favorite episodes of Family Ties!!
This show is my life so here are my favorite episodes! This includes 2 episode pairs.
Number 15: Wrap Around the Clock
Almost ending season 7, this is a very nostalgic two-episode pair. Most seasons they have two episodes together where they look back at old memories, flashbacks included. For the last time, it started with the beginning of the pilot and ended with a recent memory. Elyse was playing her guitar and in that original episode that scene was from, there was a family montage. This time it displayed their family photos lined up. The show’s ending had me sobbing for hours every day and that’s not an exaggeration.
Mallory tries to set up the sorority Pi Nu’s leader, Sherry, with Alex so she can get into the group. Even though Mallory went to the dance with Skippy as a deal, she didn’t get in. This was one of my favorites when I first started Family Ties.
This is a serious episode. Alex takes pills to help him in school, but he ends up addicted. When he sleeps too late from the exhaustion after being so energetic, he misses his big test. This is an important episode. It’s very scary and real.
Number 12: Don’t Go Changing
This is probably the episode that has made me laugh the hardest. Alex feels like he has nothing in common with Ellen, so he tries to fit into her world. He puts on this insane performance at Ellen’s dance audition for a dance scholarship. He auditions to make her happy, but he just makes a fool out of himself.
“They’ll definitely remember you.”
Number 11: Birth of a Keaton
This is where Elyse gives birth to Andrew. She is about to sing a song at Steven’s station while he’s at the house, but she goes into labor on TV. Steven tries to get there, but there’s a heavy snow storm. Elyse gives birth in a room at that building once Steven finally gets there. The whole family is happy, especially Alex who finds out it’s a boy. This episode is nerve-wracking, heart-warming, and funny at the same time.
Mallory is tired of doing chores around the house and wants to move out. She asks Nick to marry her and he agrees. Everyone disapproves of the marriage as Mallory is only 18 and can’t provide for herself. They decide to elope. Once they are about to get married, they realize they’re going too fast. Alex runs in and yells to stop the wedding at the wrong couple. I’m so glad Mallory and Nick stayed together the whole show.
“You’re the first to stop two weddings with one objection!”
I love Skippy episodes, and this one was very funny. Skippy finds out he’s adopted and tries to find his real mom. He realizes at the end that his real family was the one that raised him.
Number 8: A, My Name is Alex
This episode is very deep. Alex’s friend Greg dies from a car crash and he suffers with survivor’s guilt as he was supposed to be in the car too. He goes to a therapy session. He goes through old memories with lit up areas featuring the people he loves. This episode won awards. I admit I cried.
Number 7: Last of the Red Hot Psychologists
We meet Lauren. I don’t know why people don’t like Lauren, she’s really nice and somehow loved Alex. She started off giving Alex a test for being an overachiever, and then of course he kisses her. When does he not kiss every woman he meets. They fall in love but he cheats later on. Not cool. Shoutout to Lauren’s monkey because he stole the show.
We meet Ellen! THEY’RE STILL TOGETHER THEY’RE STILL TOGETHER SHUT UP THEIR ACTORS ARE MARRIED IN REAL LIFE SO THEY’RE STILL TOGETHER SHUT UP SHUT UP AHHHHHHHHHHHH This episode is so sweet. Alex was really in love with her.
While the kids’ parents are out, Mallory crashes the car. She’s not allowed to use it so they have to find a way to make money and quick. They turn their house into a hotel which ends with a kangaroo in the living room as Steven walks in. “I guess you could say I’m a… moneyholic.” Let’s hope the kangaroo got paid.
“I guess you could say I’m a… moneyholic.”
Number 4: It Happened One Night
Wow! A fun camping episode! Everyone gets lost! Steven, Elyse, and Andrew go camping after Alex, Mallory, and Jennifer refuse to go with them. They feel bad and (with Nick) try to go with them. Their car breaks down until the parents and Andrew find them with their car. It’s always so funny and it ends beautifully with In My Life by the Beatles and a family montage.
Number 3: A Keaton Christmas Carol
This episode is a parody of A Christmas Carol (As you can see in the name.) Alex is Scrooge in this case while Jennifer is the ghost of Christmas past and Mallory is the ghost of Christmas future. Alex realizes he used to love Christmas and in the future he will be a balding, mean, rich guy. He was pretty happy about that last trait, but realized he needed to change his unappreciative ways. He was pretty focused on the balding part though. Super funny the whole time and I could watch this episode a million times.
This is just classic Alex. His very conservative self pretended to be a feminist and support equal rights to impress a girl.
The episode where we meet Mallory’s new boyfriend Nick is my favorite episode of all time. Mallory’s already dumb, but somehow she found someone even dumber. I told my friend this and he said “Tweedledee and tweedledumbass” This episode always makes me laugh.
