Nancy Lawrence Maitland or Elyse Keaton - Which role did you like Meredith in???

[mstewart]

As many knew that Meredith Baxter Birney co-starred on Family from 76-80 and afterwards did Family Ties for 7 years. Which role did you like her in???

I liked her as Nancy Lawrence Maitland. Meredith is a natural dramatic actress but as a sitcom actress there was a struggle for her there. She was not natural at it and I think that's what hurt her in Family Ties when she was originally the lead but Michael J. Fox comedy overshadowed her and Michael Gross to a point the show became The Michael J. Fox Show midway through the fourth season. She definitely was overshadowed on Family Ties.

I did enjoyed the relatonship between Elyse and Steven. Her and Michael Gross looked as though they could had been married in real life. Meredith stated she did not know any other actor she could played that role with other than her real life husband, David Birney at the time.

[Scoobiedoo30]

Elysa Keaton

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by mstewart

As many knew that Meredith Baxter Birney co-starred on Family from 76-80 and afterwards did Family Ties for 7 years. Which role did you like her in???

I liked her as Nancy Lawrence Maitland. Meredith is a natural dramatic actress but as a sitcom actress there was a struggle for her there. She was not natural at it and I think that's what hurt her in Family Ties when she was originally the lead but Michael J. Fox comedy overshadowed her and Michael Gross to a point the show became The Michael J. Fox Show midway through the fourth season. She definitely was overshadowed on Family Ties.

I did enjoyed the relatonship between Elyse and Steven. Her and Michael Gross looked as though they could had been married in real life. Meredith stated she did not know any other actor she could played that role with other than her real life husband, David Birney at the time.

I totally agree... I remember watching "Family"" in the mid/late 70s, I liked that show...

I've never thought that Meredith was even a decent comic actress... to me, she always seemed like she was still rehearsing, trying to figure out the best way to deliver her lines... she wasn't very good at it.

She's been an outstanding dramatic actress, but I don't think she ever quite got the hang of doing comedy on Family Ties. In fact, some of her best scenes in Family Ties involved her making dramatic speeches.

But for comedy, her timing and delivery were never very good...she tried though!

[A.D.A. Casey Novak]

I think that in both roles, she was overshadowed by much, much better actors. She was no match for Sada Thompson or Kristy McNichol on Family. And she was no match for MJF (or even Justine Bateman). Think about it. Whenever Meredith was in a scene with any of the above, who were you looking at? Meredith or her acting partner? She's ok, but just no match for such a talented group of actors.

[mstewart]

Originally Posted by Tweety

I totally agree... I remember watching "Family"" in the mid/late 70s, I liked that show...

I've never thought that Meredith was even a decent comic actress... to me, she always seemed like she was still rehearsing, trying to figure out the best way to deliver her lines... she wasn't very good at it.

She's been an outstanding dramatic actress, but I don't think she ever quite got the hang of doing comedy on Family Ties. In fact, some of her best scenes in Family Ties involved her making dramatic speeches.

But for comedy, her timing and delivery were never very good...she tried though!

That's how I felt when watching Family Ties that she was fishing around a way to deliver her lines in a sitcom setting. There were some moments where she was funny but for the most part she was not a sitcom actress. Another thing about Meredith in her delivery on Family Ties that she would shout out her lines whereas on Family she spoke her lines and it was more natrual.

Two of my favorite moments with her on Family Ties was Episode 35 in the second season, "M" is for the Many Things. The confrontation with Elyse and her mom when Elyse realized that her mom needed her support moved me to tears. It was a dramatic moment and it was natural. Another episode where she was powerful was Episode 135, The Way We Were, with Barbara Barrie guest starring as Elyse's aunt when they learned that she have Alzheimer’s disease. Elyse's speech of the family's history was powerful and moving. It was natural.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by mstewart

As many knew that Meredith Baxter Birney co-starred on Family from 76-80 and afterwards did Family Ties for 7 years. Which role did you like her in???

I liked her as Nancy Lawrence Maitland. Meredith is a natural dramatic actress but as a sitcom actress there was a struggle for her there. She was not natural at it and I think that's what hurt her in Family Ties when she was originally the lead but Michael J. Fox comedy overshadowed her and Michael Gross to a point the show became The Michael J. Fox Show midway through the fourth season. She definitely was overshadowed on Family Ties.

I did enjoyed the relatonship between Elyse and Steven. Her and Michael Gross looked as though they could had been married in real life. Meredith stated she did not know any other actor she could played that role with other than her real life husband, David Birney at the time.

Ditto.