One thing I've noticed while watching this show, is it certainly is not a comedy. There are more drama scenes, scripts written for the show. I think obviously it is a well-brought up family in Ohio and it certainly needed some comic relief and that is where Michael J. Fox comes in but for the most part its about learning lessons and love family.

That may have been the reason why as a kid I never warmed up to it, the jokes weren't laugh out loud hilarious and there was no physical comedy that the only reason I probably watched was because I would leave it on NBC after The Cosby Show was finished.

Case in point the episode where Tom Hanks guest stars as the drunk uncle, here the episode is already touching on a serious subject but at about every minute there's a lame wisecrack being said which doesn't help with the annoying audience laughing.

Let's not forget characters like Skippy as comic relief, and Mallory's shallowness provided some comedy as well. Justine and her character's suitors were hardly in the Shakespearian drama category...!

There have been lots of other sitcoms that don't really fall heavily into the comedy category; The Courtship of Eddie's Father is a good example from the early '70s. This show too touched on social issues, including race and acceptance of alternate lifestyles.

Even among definite comedies, there can be degrees of drama -- by that I mean that for example Petticoat Junction tended to have much more drama than Green Acres, even though the latter is a spin-off of sorts.

That it was a comedy that could do drama well is one of the reasons it was so popular. It appealed to different age groups.

A lot of sitcoms do a serious "special episode". Which usually seem phony and out of character. But because on Family Ties the characters were more fully developed and never felt forced at. So it was not off putting to people. Parents did not feel like it was just a kids show.

the jokes weren't laugh out loud hilarious and there was no physical comedy

There were so many jokes that were funny. There was physical comedy. Just look at 4 Rooms and An Ocean View. They have a kangaroo in the living room. :lol:

In another episode they hire a housekeeper and everything she does gets ruined. Toast goes flying out of the toaster. Steven tells Alex: If this had been a poptart, we'd be dead now." :lol:

In the episode My Best Friend's Girl Steven teaches Jennifer to drive in the kitchen. The physical comedy in that scene is laugh out loud funny.

In another episode Mallroy works with a woman named Jamie Carter. Alex thinks she says Jimmy Carter and freaks out. He jumps and Steven catches him.

In an episode Alex spontaneously creates a dance to impress Ellen. The dance is so funny. He calls it the Stock Market Crash Of 1929.

Those are just a few of many funny moments over the seven years the show was on.

There was plenty of physical comedy and character comedy on "Family Ties". All of the above are great examples.
In my opinion, there were plenty of laugh-out-loud funny moments on the show. It is definitely a comedy, although it certainly has some dramatic and serious moments too. In fact, "Family Ties" is one of the few shows I do laugh out loud at many times- and I don't always laugh at just anything.
If folks don't like it, that's okay. Not everyone has to like the same thing.
But I think it's a great, fun and funny show with a lot of heart and love and I love it.:) :cool:

How about the episode "Mr. Wrong" when Steven and Elyse meet Nick for the first time when they have him over for dinner. That has to be my favorite episode, too funny!

I was just watching the episode where everyone learns Elyse is pregnant. There was so much comedy written into the family's reactions. It's testamony to the skills of the actors: They can play "over-the-top" scenes and still stay perfectly in character...!

It was a cute show but it was never a Physical comedy like "Three's Company or I love Lucy." It may had some physical comedy but not like the above two shows. I think this show is similar to "Petticoat Junction" as for the physical comedy goes, but I don't think it's an heart-warming show like "Petticoat Junction.

It was a cute show but it was never a Physical comedy like "Three's Company or I love Lucy." It may had some physical comedy but not like the above two shows. I think this show is similar to "Petticoat Junction" as for the physical comedy goes, but I don't think it's an heart-warming show like "Petticoat Junction.

I've never seen Petticoat Junction.

I have to disagree. Family Ties is a very heart-warming show. There were so mnay nice and touching monents through the seven years.

I don't have the same fondness of FamilybTies that I once did. Meredith Baxter Birney was underutikized in the shw. She was not a sitcom actress she was more of a dramatic actress. Meredith was powerful on Family plus she was a hottie on that show

It was a cute show but it was never a Physical comedy like "Three's Company or I love Lucy." It may had some physical comedy but not like the above two shows. I think this show is similar to "Petticoat Junction" as for the physical comedy goes, but I don't think it's an heart-warming show like "Petticoat Junction.
I like both shows but I don't see how this show is anything like Petticoat Junction. If anything it's more like TCS without all the lecturing.

I've never seen Petticoat Junction.

I have to disagree. Family Ties is a very heart-warming show. There were so mnay nice and touching monents through the seven years.

Really? On "Petticoat Junction" Kate helped out a runaway boy she made her guests feel right at home. Kate and her family always helped out the town Hooterville. She took in Steve Elliot a pilot who was a stranger then and let him stay at the hotel with out charging him because he was hurt. There was one scene I never forgot. She was talking to a guest at breakfast and the guest said" I enjoyed your singing last night". Kate asked "Why didn't you join us?" The guest said "I thought it was for family only." Kate said "tonight you will join us." I never saw anybody on Family Ties be that nice.