Why was Family Ties cancelled in 1989? Do you people think it should of lasted longer than it was supposed to?

The cast wanted to do other things.

Now I get it. The cast wanted to do other things. Michael J. Fox got really famous in to making movies. Courteney Cox got really famous too. Justine Bateman was filming her last popular movie "Fatal Image" (1990). Tina Yothers started her own short-lived talk show two years later. And Marc Price started doing stand-up comedy. After Family Ties was cancelled in 1989, Michael Gross starred on the hit movie "Tremors" which was produced in that same year when Family Ties was cancelled. However, the show was replaced by the short-lived sitcom "Sister Kate" with 90210's Jason Priestley.

I've never seen the final episode of "Family Ties" in a long time.

Spin City started in 1996.

Originally posted by Jen1982
The Executive Producer/Director wanted to end the show. He felt the show had run it's course, and felt like it was a show dealing with the 1980's and so to continue it into the 1990's would have ruined the premise. I think it could have gone longer. I would have liked to see it go longer. It bothers me that there will never be a reunion, but we have known that all along. Ever since the ending of the very last episode, when the voice over said something to the effect that we would never see it again. (I can't remember the exact words).


While regretting the show's end, I understand what creator and exec producer Gary David Goldberg meant about the show changing if it had moved into the 1990s. The sitcom genre was rapidly changing during the 90s. I agree with what Joanna Kerns said about the demise of Growing Pains. She said in so many words in the E! True Hollywood Story that that kind of family sitcom was just dying out in the beginning of the 90s. That is really true. Family Ties-1989, Cosby Show-1992 (I think) and Growing Pains (1992). Family comedies that did exist were non-traditional in nature-i.e. Full House and Family Matters focusing on Steve Urkel.

For a show to be on for 7 years is good. It was already past due. Generally, after 5 seasons sitcoms get a little stale. They probably couldn't have done much more with it.

In addition, the ratings had fallen tremendously. The show came in #17 in its 6th Season. During the 1988-89 season, the ratings dropped in the 50's.