I have been a big fan of Family Ties since it was teamed with the Cosby Show back in 1984 during its initial run. I loved the concept of two former hippies raising a family in the 80's. Merideth Baxter Birney has been a favorite of mine since I saw her skinny dipping in an episode of "The Partridge Family" back in 1970! (Well they didn't actually show her skinny dipping - but ya gotta have a little imagination!). Michael Gross is just plain hysterical. The whole show was well cast and Michael J. Fox is such a great actor.

Its hard to imagine the 80's as "the good old days" but they were better than what we are living with today.

Ed
P.S. at 40 I feel like I'm the oldest person on this board! Aaaaackk!

I remember watching during the first season (at one point it was on Monday nights), and thinking it was a little too earnest and not all that funny. But it really came into its own during the second season, when the father became much funnier. Michael J. Fox was obviously excellent, but I think Michael Gross was really underrated on this series -- his reactions are just priceless.

I thought the absolute best year was the season Tracy Pollan was on as Ellen. The baby hadn't started talking yet, Alex and Ellen were a good couple, Nick was introduced, and Mallory hadn't yet become a cariacature of herself. Things headed downhill when Andrew became a regular cast member, Alex started dating Lauren (really stiff Courteney Cox), and Mallory devolved into a complete idiot.