TMC
01-29-2016, 02:30 AM
http://mentalfloss.com/article/74541/14-memorable-facts-about-family-ties
In 1982, thanks to Ronald Reagan, America was becoming more conservative. Back then NBC was struggling a bit in the ratings—its famed Thursday night comedy block hadn’t started yet—and sitcoms about nuclear families were scarce. To capitalize on the dearth of family-oriented sitcoms, Gary David Goldberg created a show for NBC about Columbus, Ohio-based couple—and former liberal hippies—Elyse and Steven Keaton who are now raising three kids (later four kids), one of whom was a Reagan-loving young Republican named Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox); it was loosely based on Goldberg’s life. Though it was grounded in comedy, it also tackled intense issues such as alcoholism, incest, and death. “The show was more focused on getting Humanitas Awards than Emmys,” co-star Justine Bateman told Entertainment Weekly. “I don’t know if there was anything the [writers] wanted to do that the network said no to.”
Family Ties lasted for seven seasons and became a ratings juggernaut: a third of all American households watched the show. Despite its success, Goldberg decided to call it quits after seven seasons, so the show went off the air in 1989, with Alex moving to New York City to take a job—though not before giving his family a heartfelt goodbye. Decades later the show is remembered for the Keatons’ wit, and the warm, fuzzy family values it enacted. Here are 14 “sha-la-la-la” facts about the show.
In 1982, thanks to Ronald Reagan, America was becoming more conservative. Back then NBC was struggling a bit in the ratings—its famed Thursday night comedy block hadn’t started yet—and sitcoms about nuclear families were scarce. To capitalize on the dearth of family-oriented sitcoms, Gary David Goldberg created a show for NBC about Columbus, Ohio-based couple—and former liberal hippies—Elyse and Steven Keaton who are now raising three kids (later four kids), one of whom was a Reagan-loving young Republican named Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox); it was loosely based on Goldberg’s life. Though it was grounded in comedy, it also tackled intense issues such as alcoholism, incest, and death. “The show was more focused on getting Humanitas Awards than Emmys,” co-star Justine Bateman told Entertainment Weekly. “I don’t know if there was anything the [writers] wanted to do that the network said no to.”
Family Ties lasted for seven seasons and became a ratings juggernaut: a third of all American households watched the show. Despite its success, Goldberg decided to call it quits after seven seasons, so the show went off the air in 1989, with Alex moving to New York City to take a job—though not before giving his family a heartfelt goodbye. Decades later the show is remembered for the Keatons’ wit, and the warm, fuzzy family values it enacted. Here are 14 “sha-la-la-la” facts about the show.