The BEST episodes of Family Ties
Every episode of Family Ties ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Family Ties!
Steven and Elyse Keaton, once 1960s radicals, now find themselves in Reagan-era American trying to raise a traditional suburban family. Son Alex P. Keaton is an ambitious young Republican, and his sister Mallory is a shallow victim of the corporate culture, obsessed with music, clothes and boys. Their only normal kid is young Jennifer, a bit of a tomboy. In later seasons, the Keatons add a fourth child, Andrew. Most of the comedy arose from the conflict between the liberal parents and the conservative children. Content expanded.
#1 - Designing Woman
Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/6/1988
Mallory's enthusiasm for her job at a prestigious fashion firm quickly fades when she discovers that her design ideas are being stolen by another employee. Mallory is thrilled when she earns an apprenticeship at David Campbell Fashions, a top-notch fashion design house in Ohio. Before starting her new job, Mallory discusses what her duties will be with the firm's star designer, Jamie Carter. When Mallory timidly asks whether the designs she's done for school will ever be made into David Campbell fashions, Jamie reacts somewhat coolly. Although Jamie seems pleased by Mallory's designs, she explains that the apprentice still has a lot to learn. Eager to succeed, Mallory throws herself into her work. Before long, however, Mallory is stunned when she discovers that Jamie has stolen her design ideas and pitched them to David Campbell as her own. What's more, Campbell likes "Jamie's" designs so much, he plans to feature them in his upcoming fashion show.
#2 - The Real Thing (2)
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/3/1985
Alex realizes he must make Ellen aware of his feelings, but she is on a train on her way to marry another man, so he takes drastic measures to stop the wedding. The usually cool Alex decides he must let down his defenses or lose the girl he loves.
#3 - It Happened One Night
Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/30/1988
A family camping trip turns into a comedy of errors. While the Keaton kids and Lauren argue about politics, Steven and Elyse decide it's time to get away from such serious concerns. They eagerly suggest that the whole family go on a camping trip, like they used to do. The kids don't share their parents' enthusiasm, however, and quickly come up with reasons why they can't go. As a result, little Andy is the only Keaton willing to go along with Steven and Elyse. When their parents leave for the campground with Andy, the older kids try not to feel guilty for disappointing them. At first, they all agree that they don't feel the urge for the great outdoors that they did in the old days, but soon remember that camping with the family was always a lot of fun. Before long, they decide to drive up and surprise Steven, Elyse and Andy at the campsite. With Nick in tow, Mallory, Alex and Jennifer pack up their sleeping bags and take off. Unfortunately, their good intentions are dashed when the car
#4 - Band on the Run
Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/26/1987
As chairman of the entertainment committee for the Leland College 10th reunion, Alex has big plans, which include hiring some great bands to impress attending alumni in the music business. Jennifer finally talks a very skeptical Alex into letting her new all-girl band, The Permanent Waves, audition for the affair. At the audition, Alex is thrilled with the unexciting Polka Boys, but his fellow committee members are left cold until they hear The Permanent Waves. They are so good, in fact, that even Alex is impressed and not only books the group but convinces them to sign with him as manager. Once in charge, Alex decides to completely revamp the look and style of the band. For the reunion performance, he has the girls dress in evening gowns and changes the group's name to The Swinging Corporate Raiders, persuading them to sing such golden oldies as "Mr. Sandman". After being completely ignored, the girls finally break into one of their own tunes and immediately win the crowd over.
#5 - Keaton vs. Keaton
Season 5 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/5/1987
Brother and sister go head-to-head when Steven announces a scholarship competition sponsored by his station, WKS. A confident Alex scoffs as the family encourages a reluctant Mallory to enter the competition. In spite of Alex's arrogant comments, Mallory prepares her fashion presentation for the competition and realizes that no matter what he says, she really wants to try. Alex discovers that he may have grossly misjudged his sister's business acumen as well as her sense of fashion. When the winner is announced, Alex and Mallory react to the news in a way that surprises even themselves. Andy loses his favorite toy, Mr. Pig, causing Nick and Skippy to begin a topsy-turvy search of the household to comfort the devastated three-year-old. After their attempt to pass off a newly-bought imposter, Mr. Pig re-surfaces in a most unusual spot.
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#6 - Say Uncle
Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/26/1984
Alex discovers that his idol, young Uncle Ned, has a serious drinking problem when the bright, but ill-fated corporate whiz kid returns for a visit after losing another job.
#7 - Alex Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1)
Season 7 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/14/1989
When Alex lands his dream job in New York, everyone's delighted for him, except Elyse. As Steven helps Andy rehearse for his school play on dental hygiene, Alex bursts into the Keaton kitchen with a rousing chorus of "New York, New York", and the news that he's been hired by one of Wall Street's biggest investment firms. The family is thrilled, but Elyse is somewhat taken aback when she learns that Alex is expected to move immediately. While everyone pitches in to help Alex get ready, Elyse becomes miffed over a family photo that he packed without her permission and a palpable tension begins to develop between them. In the course of packing, Alex battles wits with Jennifer, accepts fashion tips from Mallory, receives fatherly advice from Steven and shares some final moments with Nick, Skippy and Lauren. All the while, Elyse continues to withdraw from him.
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#8 - Heartstrings (1)
Season 7 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/4/1988
The Keaton family unites in crisis when Steven suffers a serious heart attack. While Alex and Andy discuss the upcoming Presidential race, Mallory and Jennifer prepare for another legendary shopping expedition. Moments later, Elyse returns home from jogging, but Steven lags behind, explaining that his run was slowed by a burning pain in his side. Steven dismisses the pain, assuming it was due to something he ate, while Alex kids him that the pain was caused by the guilt of being a Democrat. Feeling much better the next day, Steven goes on a long bicycle ride. But when he returns home, he has difficulty breathing and collapses on the floor. After rushing Steven to the hospital, the family is stunned when Dr. Harrison tells them that Steven has suffered a heart attack and needs bypass surgery immediately. In the waiting room, the Keatons befriend Ruth Hobart, the kind and encouraging wife of another heart patient, and the jocular Mr. Meyers. Before Steven is wheeled into surgery, he and
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#9 - The Play's the Thing
Season 6 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/10/1988
The Keaton kids are dismayed when the local playhouse agree to stage Steven's radical 60's college play, "A Draft Card for the Burning". Embarrassed by the script's laughably dated hippie lingo, they are not surprised when Elyse refuses to reprise her leading role as Sequola Free, the play's sexy activist/anthropology student. Crushed by her decision, Steven goes off in a huff to cast another actress. But after numerous fruitless auditions, Elyse finally succumbs to Steven's wishes. Just as she predicts, Steven becomes insanely jealous of her leading man and finds it impossible to separate his dual roles as husband and director. Elyse and her co-star, local dentist Jeff Cooper, grow frustrated with Steven, who keeps changing the script to avoid any intimacy between them.
#10 - Mister Sister
Season 6 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/15/1987
Fearing the long-term effects of Andy's liberal upbringing with Its lack of strong gender identification, Alex tries to push his little brother into learning to play basketball, only to end up in some heated games of one-on-one with Steven. Meanwhile, In an effort to supplement his income from teaching at the "Y", Nick naively applies for the job of Dean of Admissions of Grant College. When he's rejected, he lets Mallory persuade him to take the job as janitor of her sorority house. Enthusiastic at first, Mallory proudly introduces Nick to her "sisters", who warm up to him immediately. When he offers housemates Cindy and Karen creative suggestions on decorations for the sorority's Winter Dance, he finds himself becoming the unofficial sorority mascot. When Nick is made an honorary sorority member, he really becomes "gung ho," quoting Mallory the sorority handbook chapter and verse, and criticizing her lack of sorority pride.
#11 - Dream Date
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/4/1987
Jennifer is appalled when nerdy sophomore Simon Wickerson falls head over heels in love with her. Although Jennifer rejects his advances, Simon is undaunted. He follows her home and tries to shower her with expensive gifts, but Jennifer only has eyes for Roger, a sophomore "hunk" who doesn't even know she's alive. Simon pleads with Jennifer to attend the sophomore dance with him and at first, she refuses. She finally relents, however, when she realizes that Simon is her only chance to attend the dance, thereby giving her the opportunity to run into Roger. Although she is reluctant to use Simon no less be seen with him Alex reassures her that manipulation is the way of the world. Despite Elyse's warnings that she's doing the wrong thing, Jennifer has made up her mind. At the dance, she scans the room for Roger and Ignores Simon, who is deliriously happy to be with her. When she finally approaches her idol, he is rude and insensitive and obviously has no desire to get to know her.
#13 - Auntie Up
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/10/1985
Mallory is crushed when her favorite aunt dies suddenly, but her feelings of sadness turns to anger when family and friends at the funeral seem to be taking Aunt Trudy's death too lightly. Mallory feels that she has lost her best friend, and is shocked that no one else seems to share her grief.
#14 - The Fugitive (1)
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/19/1983
Elyse's younger brother, Ned, a go-getting corporate executive who is Alex's idol, pays a surprise visit and puzzles everyone with his cloak-and-dagger behavior. Ned claims to be on vacation and insists that no one be told of his whereabouts. Several mysterious phone calls, replete with code words, arouse the family's suspicions. Finally, an FBI agent turns up at the Keaton's doorstep with astounding news after Ned's quick exit.
#15 - Mr. Keaton Takes a Vacation
Season 7 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/7/1989
Steven must confront his true feelings about Mallory's boyfriend when Nick moves in with the family for a week. While Elyse struggles to do the family taxes and Steven buries himself in his Tolstoy documentary, Mallory asks her parents if Nick can stay with the Keatons for a week while his house is being painted. Although Elyse gives in to Mallory's pleas, she warns her that Nick must be made to understand that Steven is very busy and should stay out of his way. During the first night of Nick's stay, protective papa Steven parks himself in a chair on the stair landing to prevent any hanky-panky between the couple. When Mallory wakes Nick up early the next morning to cook breakfast for the whole family, Steven arises with a start and runs into the kitchen, demanding an explanation for their whispers and giggling. When they explain about breakfast, Steven becomes embarrassed and pretends to be sleepwalking! Later that morning, when the rest of the family departs for school and work, Stev
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#16 - Engine Trouble
Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/6/1986
Elyse enrolls in an auto mechanics class to prove Alex and Steven that women can be just as competent with cars as men, but to protect his own masculinity, Alex joins the class to prove her wrong.
#17 - The Real Thing (1)
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/26/1985
Alex implements a fail-proof, and extremely unromantic, method of meeting the girl of his dreams: He picks her from pictures in the freshman directory. His selection, Tricia, seems to fit his requirements perfectly, but his plan goes off-track when he is strongly attracted to her roommate, Ellen. Ellen and Alex dislike each other instantly, and though he can't figure out why, he finds himself thinking about her constantly.
#18 - My Mother, My Friend
Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/18/1986
When Mallory brings her new friend, Allison King, home with her to study, little does she expect that Allison will find a kindred spirit in Elyse. Bound together by their love of architecture, Allison and Elyse soon become fast friends, with Elyse even becoming the subject of Allison's architecture research project. They study together, shop together, go to exhibits together, always inviting Mallory to join them, but unconsciously making her feel like a fifth wheel. Matters come to a head when Allison is invited to dinner at the Keatons " after getting an "A" on her college architecture project. Mall unexpectedly vents her resentment and jealousy, and storms out, leaving her mother upset and confused. When Mallory finally does return home, she and Elyse have to deal wtih the conflict that Allison's friendship has stirred. And together, they reaffirm that blood is, indeed, thicker than common interests.
#19 - Just One Look
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/5/1985
Steven's old college buddy Richard Schofield is in town for and Steven looks forward to reminiscing about old times until he learns that Richard and Elyse share some memories he wasn't aware of. Steven loses his normally cool composure and becomes insanely jealous, imagining that Elyse and Richard are secretly attracted to one another.
#20 - 4 Rms Ocn Vu
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/8/1984
While Steven and Elyse are away on vacation, the Keaton house becomes a hotel for the weekend after Mallory accidentally crashes her parents' car into a telephone pole and the kids need to raise money for auto repairs. A lot of people are in town for the Leland homecoming game, so Alex decides to take advantage of the situation and rent out rooms but suddenly he's swamped with renters and the house looks like a three-ring circus.
#21 - Mr. Right
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/21/1985
Mallory's boyfriend, environmental artist Nick Moore, swaps his T-shirt, camouflage pants, combat boots and earrings for a three-piece suit and a haircut to impress Mallory's parents, but while Steven and Elyse love the new Nick, Mallory is ready to leave him.
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#22 - Invasion of the Psychologist Snatcher
Season 6 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/1/1987
Alex and Lauren face the first real test of their budding romance when one of Lauren's former loves comes for a visit and Alex finds himself feeling uncharacteristically insecure. While turning a "foolproof" meal of frozen TV dinners into a complete disaster, Lauren gets a call from her handsome and brilliant ex-boyfriend, Eric Matthews, who announces that he's flying in from New York and wants to take her to dinner. Careful to avoid any possible misunderstanding, Lauren consults with Alex before accepting Eric's invitation, and is reassured that Alex doesn't mind at all. When the big evening arrives and Alex meets Eric at Lauren's apartment, he is overwhelmed by Eric's credentials. He discovers that Eric, a former Economics major himself, excelled at school and received all the same awards and scholarships as Alex. Worse yet, Eric has already established himself in one of the most exclusive investment firms on Wall Street and is the proud owner of a black Porsche.
#23 - How Do You Sleep?
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/12/1985
Alex, who prides himself on being in control of his life, is embarrassed to admit that he is having a problem with insomnia, which is creating stress in his personal life as well as in school. Although Alex refuses to discuss his sleeping problems with anyone, his restlessness is disrupting the whole family.
#24 - Mrs. Wrong (2)
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/13/1986
Alex sees Mallory and Nick leaving the Keaton residence in the predawn hours to elope, and unable to stop them, follows them to New Jersey where he finds the young couple taking a hard look at their decision. After Nick bumbles around the outside of the house with a 16-foot ladder, Alex makes a desperate attempt to keep his younger sister Mallory from marrying Nick. But they are too much in love to listen. It takes Erin and Mike, another couple, to give them perspective on their maturity.
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#25 - The Fugitive (2)
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/26/1983
With the FBI hot on Ned's heels for embezzling $4-1/2 million in corporate funds, Elyse's ethical brother and Alex's idol tells the family why and where he hid the money and flees with Alex, leaving Elyse and Steven in a quandry. Ned explains that to stop a merger that would result in firing of 1800 people, he hid a portfolio of corporate records and assets in a company computer. The top-level junior mogul confides that he couldn't deal with a company structure that puts profits above the public good. Alex is shattered by his idol's rejection of the exciting business world but agrees to drive Ned to the airport, where they're spotted by FBI agent Carlyle. After a wild and crazy charade, Ned flees again and winds up back at the Keatons' where Carlyle and Ned's boss awaits him.