In TV Land, a new baby or new love interest traditionally signals a ratings ploy to prop up a sagging series. But this was not the case with Family Ties, which in its 1985-86 fourth season ranked second only to The Cosby Show in the ratings and was Emmy-nominated for Best Comedy Series. In fact, breakout star Michael J. Fox would win his first Emmy as Alex, primetime's first compassionate conservative, while costar Justine Bateman was nominated for her deft work as underachiever Mallory. The season gets off to a jolly good start with the feature-length “A Family Ties Vacation,” which sends the Keatons off to England, where they wind up becoming embroiled in espionage (hey, it could happen). Once the season proper begins, we see the key additions of Tracy Pollan and Scott Valentine in recurring roles. Pollan, the future Mrs. Michael J. Fox, is introduced in the Emmy-nominated two-parter, “The Real Thing,” in which Alex falls in love with the beautiful and brainy Ellen Reed (to the indelible tune of “At This Moment” by Billy Vera & the Beaters). Valentine, meanwhile, etches a fine and funny portrait of every parent's first-impression nightmare as Mallory's new boyfriend, an “environmental artist” who seems to be channeling Sylvester Stallone, although he reveals his more soulful side in the episode “The Old College Try,” in which he changes Mallory's mind about not wanting to go to college. Family Ties' ensemble cast members are thoroughly at home in their beloved characters, handling the prolific jokes like seasoned Friars Club roasters, as well as a variety of emotional moments with feeling. As with most sitcoms, there is no problem in the 24 episodes compiled here that cannot be resolved within the allotted 30 minutes, whether it's Ellen's estrangement from her father (Ronny Cox) in “Where's Poppa,” or Mallory being forced by a teacher to “grow up” and apply herself in order to graduate high school in “Paper Chase.” The Keatons were one of television's most functional families—watching them again is a nostalgic reminder that these are the Ties that bind. DVD extras include a gag reel. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)
Family Ties: The Fourth Season
Paramount, 4 discs, 673 min., not rated, DVD: $39.99 Volume 23, Issue 6
Family Ties: The Fourth Season
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