Family Ties or Growing Pains

[lakesgirl]

Family Ties has the edge for me.

[Schmoopie]

This is a hard question because I love both shows for different reasons. I guess I've watched more episodes of Growing Pains so if I were forced to chose I'd choose that, but honestly I love both shows.

[Edward216]

I like Growing Pains. Although yeah the last couple seasons weren't so great with the actress who played an older Chrissy (I just didn't care for her) and adding Leonardo DiCaprio as that runaway Luke did absolutely nothing for the show either.

Now DiCaprio's a huge movie star and I still don't understand his popularity.

Ed.

[Dianne3]

The one major difference is that in real life the FT mom was expecting (she had twins), but not the GP mom.

[TMC]

Growing Pains depending on whom you ask, was ABC's attempt to remake Family Ties, but dumbed down and even more formulaic facsimile. The thing about Family Ties, is that it may have officially been a sitcom, but it often had the tone of a dramedy.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by SawyerSoze

Having recently ran through a viewing of the entire Growing Pains series and currently going through Family Ties...

Family Ties is a much better all-around show, better written, and acted.

I just like the style of FT better, when they mix drama and comedy like they do...and as a whole, FT never really got bad like GP did in the final season...

I think that Growing Pains is what we may have gotten if you took Family Ties and made it less socially relevant.

[Fallon97]

I like both equally.

[RetroGuy2000]

When you think about it, they were really the same show: blonde mom and brunette dad have three kids. The oldest child, the son, is the break-out star. The second child is the girl, who is made fun of by the older son. Most of the plots revolve around the parents and the two oldest children; sometimes, the plot includes the two older children's friends. The third child, a blond kid, is rarely integral to the show. In the fourth season, a fourth child is born, and a major storyline that season is the mom's pregnancy. Eventually, the fourth child is aged up, going from age two to age five overnight.

Eventually, the oldest son begins college and finds a serious girlfriend. The original girlfriend, with lighter-colored hair, is abruptly replaced with a new girlfriend with darker hair. The second oldest child, the girl, eventually finds romance, too, but her boyfriend is just comic relief. The third child, the blond character, never finds a steady significant other.

In the final season, the oldest son leaves the nest, as he plans to move.

[Dude111]

Originally posted by dlemond
Family Ties.

Michael J. Fox.

Need I say more?

No ya dont buddy..... I say Family Ties also!!

[David Martin]

To Whom It Concerns,
I'm 42 years old and I like Growing Pains better! I relate with the fear some of the kids showed towards the father! I remember the episode where the father was bill paying and it was unbelievable for him when he found out how much the one month phone bill was!

I believe there won't ever be a show exactly like Growing Pains again!

Sincerely,

David Martin

[TMC]

Two similar sit-coms from the '80s. Both lasted 7 seasons and were top 5 programs at their peak. Let's examine these two iconic TV shows! And yes, I grabbed the wrong logo, it was supposed to be ABC not CBS, my bad.

[TJ]

I merged 5-6 threads into one mega thread.

Family Ties is the better and funnier sitcom. The cast had great chemistry. There was no major behind the scenes drama. They never had a E! True Hollywood Story. Family Ties had more star power with Michael J. Fox.

Family Ties was still going pretty strong the final season. The final season of Growing Pains really fell off and finished in 75th place.

[Dude111]

Thank you Todd....... Yes FT is much better! (Just for Marty alone)

[Dude111]

Originally posted by Spin C.T.
What show do you prefer and why?

Def Family Ties!!


I love Marty Mcfly!!