Family Ties: The Seventh and Final Season

Recently, the Writer's Guild ranked Family Ties 95th among the 101 best-written TV series'. The 1988-89 seventh and final season of this era-defining sitcom brings the series to a satisfying close, but there are no episodes here that would rank among the show's best. Still, this set does feature two- and even three-part Very Special Episodes that tackle suburban racism, a love triangle for Alex, and (most wrenching), a heart attack for patriarch Steven (Michael Gross). And the two-part finale moves budding Master of the Universe Alex Keaton (Michael J. Fox in his star-making Emmy-winning role) out of the house, which—of course—breaks his mother's (Meredith Baxter) heart. And, naturally, this set features another clip show, a Family Ties staple. Some future stars can be glimpsed throughout the season, including Courteney Cox, Hank Azaria, and Maura Tierney, while the series' two most annoying characters, Scott Valentine's artist Nick and Marc Price's irritating family friend Skippy, thankfully receive their last hurrahs here. Like the Huxtables, the Keatons were a rarity for primetime sitcoms: a close-knit, loving family. Alex Keaton, ranked No. 29 on Bravo's 2004 list of TV's 100 greatest characters, was also a TV rarity: a compassionate conservative defined by more than his lust for money in the "greed is good" decade. While the 24 episodes compiled here are hardly best in show, this should still be considered a strong optional purchase. (D. Liebenson)