An interesting take on Family Ties in an alternate timeline is Dirty Laundry (http : / / alternatehistory . com / discussion / showthread.php?t=231820). In that timeline, by 1985, Family Ties is struggling because of an alternate timeslot and at this point the FT creators throw the dice with a retool and (via some Very Special Episodes) Elyse's pregnancy miscarries and the Keatons adopt a little girl whom they re-name (much to Alex's disgust) Ariel Moonbeam Keaton (played in that time line by our time line's ill-fated Judith Barsi (http : / / en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Judith_Barsi)