Family Ties - The Complete First Season
by Alan Bergmann, Andrew McCullough, Asaad Kelada, Dick Martin, Frank Bonner
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Actor: Justine Bateman, Meredith Baxter, Michael Gross, Michael J. Fox, Tina YothersDirector: Alan Bergmann, Andrew McCullough, Asaad Kelada, Dick Martin, Frank Bonner
Brand: Paramount
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Box set, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 530 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-02-20
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
DVD Reviews of Family Ties - The Complete First Season
DVD Review: Alex P. Keaton: Greatest sitcom character ever
Summary: 4 Stars
The premise of Family Ties is relatively simple. A pair of activists from the 60s with decidedly liberal views find themselves raising a family in the 80s with kids who are very 1980s-minded.
Yet from this simple premise was born a great television show, one that dealt with many very serious issues, but one that found comedy in all sorts of situations. Watching this much-anticipated first season release, one will find themselves laughing at the situations that the characters find themselves in, even 25 years later.
Steven and Elyse Keaton (Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter Birney) were anti-war demonstrators in the 60s, but in the 1980s things are a little different. The couple is raising three children, 17-year-old Alex (Michael J. Fox in his career-defining role), 15-year-old Mallory (Justine Bateman) and 10-year-old Jennifer (Tina Yothers). As parents they want to be sure they are raising the kids right, but they are also hoping to avoid the traps that they believe their parents fell into when raising them.
The relationship between the parents and kids, as well as the relationship between the kids, is the hallmark of this show and none of those relationships are as entertaining as the one between Alex and his parents. Alex is a hard-core Republican conservative, worshiping at the altar of Nixon and Reagan, all the while keeping track of investments and any way he can make money. His views are obviously completely opposite of his parents and this leads to a number of hilarious encounters. Fox really brought a lot to this role and when he was cast, he was basically an unknown. This part put his career on the fast track, leading to his eventual role as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy. I remember watching this show as a kid and really enjoying the character, but watching it now with a better understanding of the political views and such, it is even funnier.
Mallory is the typical teenage girl, completely infatuated with boys, but not so much with school. While her brother shines in the academic world, she struggles in his shadow, instead electing to focus on fashion and such. But she is also a good friend and a good sister, as she helps one of her friends through a teenage pregnancy in one of her stronger storylines of the first season. She also deals with the flirtations of an old family friend. Thankfully, though the subjects were serious, the show was always able to find comedy in serious matters.
Jennifer is the perfect example of a tomboy, into sports and hanging out with boys, which gets her in trouble with some of her classmates, as they are at the age where boys and girls begin to separate. As the youngest member of the Keaton clan, Jennifer often feels overlooked, but she is always quick to put in a good punch line and play the role of precocious kid when it is needed. Often times she even comes out looking more mature than her older siblings.
In this first season, Tom Hanks makes a guest appearance as Elyse's brother, who is on the run from the authorities after stealing a large amount of money from his company. It was interesting to see Hanks at such a young age, as many in my generation know him mainly for his most recent movies.
The only disappointing thing about this set was the lack of extras, but that was expected. I am hopeful for more seasons of this fantastic show to be released, though it would be nice if they were able to put together a few extras along the way.
All in all, though, this show transferred well to DVD. It was obvious that the show was shot in the early 80s, but there were no visual side effects and everything appeared pretty clear. This is a great family comedy, one that can be enjoyed by all ages, but will surely be enjoyed by someone who grew up in the 1980s and knows the time period.
Description of Family Ties - The Complete First Season
FAMILY TIES:FIRST SEASON - DVD MovieThough it emerged during the Reagan era, Family Ties remains as relevant as ever. Most children find their parents a little embarrassing, but what sets this sitcom apart is that former hippies Steven (Michael Gross) and Elyse (Meredith Baxter-Birney) Keaton have three children, Alex (three-time Emmy winner Michael J. Fox), Mallory (Justine Bateman), and Jennifer (Tina Yothers), yet they haven't lost their youthful idealism. The ambitious Alex and materialistic Mallory, however, don't share it. Poster children for the go-go 1980s, they'd rather rake in the cash than change the world. As Alex quips in the pilot, "The '60s are over, Dad." If the writing were more cynical, it's unlikely the ABC show would've become a seven-season hit. It works because the Keatons obviously love each other--foibles and all.
In their first year, the family faces a variety of challenges. Steven finds out his father has a fatal illness ("I Never Killed for My Father"), 15-year-old Mallory deals with unwelcome male attention ("Give Your Uncle a Kiss"), and 17-year-old Alex learns a lesson about responsibility when he loses nine-year-old Jennifer while babysitting ("The Fifth Wheel"). Guest stars include Bewitched's Dick Sargent as Elyse's father, Charlie ("No Nukes Is Good Nukes"), and a lanky Tom Hanks as her brother, Ned (two-part episode "The Fugitive"). Though Fox (Back to the Future, Spin City) was the breakout star of Family Ties, he was part of a strong ensemble. Some storylines are also surprisingly hard-hitting, particularly the script dealing with sexual harassment. On the downside, there are no extras and, like many Paramount boxed sets, most of the original music has been changed or eliminated. The theme song "Without Us," for instance, is sung by session players on several episodes rather than by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Beyond Family Ties
 More DVDs with Michael J. Fox |  More ?80s TV Series |  More TV Series on DVD for the First Time |
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