The Problem with Andrew Keaton - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 12-03-2010, 10:46 PM

http://www.dailyping.com/archive/2003/03/19/

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The consensus is that Andrew Keaton killed Family Ties and caused it to jump the shark, just as many other "new kids" did to their respective shows. So why was Andrew Keaton, in particular, so responsible for the downswing of a classic TV show?

There are two reasons. 1.) Brian Bonsall wasn't a terribly good child actor. Yeah, yeah, he was only 4 years old or whatever when he played Andrew Keaton (I won't even go into the weird time warp the family had to endure to have a speaking Andrew one season after he was born), but his lines were delivered stiffly and you were always aware you were watching a character that had been slapped into the show at the last minute. 2.) Andrew Keaton, as a character, never seemed like he was part of the family. He almost seemed more like a cousin Oliver when he'd appear in a scene for a brief moment, deliver a line, get a laugh, and leave. That reminds me of another Ping topic for another time: why the Keatons were the masters at "leaving the room." In any event, Andrew always felt out-of-place. Even though Nick was a late-series character, he still felt like he belonged in the script. Andrew's presence, though, seemed more like he was thrown into each episode as an afterthought.

Marvo301 · 12-03-2010, 11:18 PM

That's because the Andrew character really was an afterthought. The only reason the character of Andrew was created was because Meredith Baxter got pregnant in real life and the producers decided it would be easier to write the pregnancy into the show than to try to hide it.

Mr. Television · 12-04-2010, 12:52 AM

"Alex is King."

I liked Andrew.

gidgetgrape · 12-04-2010, 03:58 PM

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Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

"Alex is King."

I liked Andrew.

I liked him too. It was great seeing Alex with a younger brother.

Family Ties Forever! · 12-04-2010, 07:37 PM

Andy was cute.
It was Nick I couldn't stand.

TMC · 01-21-2011, 03:41 AM

http://www.agonybooth.com/agonizer/F...n_the_Run.aspx

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Wow, are we up to season 5 already? I guess it helps that I completely skipped over season 4 of Family Ties, a season notable for many things, including Justine Bateman inexplicably being nominated for an Emmy (for acting), a cheesy TV movie featuring the whole Keaton family going to England, and the writers realizing that after Meredith Baxter’s pregnancy was written into the show, they were now stuck with a baby in the cast who couldn’t contribute to any of the storylines and was basically dead weight on every episode.

To solve that problem, they crafted an ingenious solution. They magically aged little Andrew Keaton by about three years between season 4 and season 5, in the process adding child actor Brian Bonsall to the cast. Now, not only would Andrew be able to talk, but he’d bring back that “cute kid” dynamic sorely missing ever since Tina Yothers hit puberty. Brilliant!

Except, from the episodes I’ve seen featuring a rapidly-aged Andrew, the kid really doesn’t do much of anything. It seems he’s mostly there to look cute and toss out precocious one-liners every now and then, surely with a lot of prompting from his off-camera stage mom.

Also, Andrew’s presence is a real distraction, in that the whole time I’m watching him, I’m wondering how the hell two sons can have the same parents and be born 20 years apart. Then again, Alex and Mallory were high school age when this show started, and after seven seasons, they were both still living at home. So a lot of things on Family Ties don’t add up for me.

After Family Ties ended, Brian Bonsall went on to play Worf’s son, at least until that character was also rapidly and inexplicably aged. In the years since, Bonsall has lived up to every cliché you’ve ever heard about former child actors, being arrested on several occasions for DUI, assault, and less than two weeks prior to this writing, violating his parole by using marijuana.

Between this, Michael J. Fox getting Parkinson’s, Justine Bateman playing her brother’s love interest, and Meredith Baxter turning lesbian, I would absolutely kill to see a Family Ties reunion TV movie.

TMC · 02-15-2011, 08:14 PM

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Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

"Alex is King."

I liked Andrew.

The general consensus however is that Family Ties jumped the shark mostly with the birth of Andrew. Anytime sitcoms, particularly family-oriented sitcoms have to bring in a new kid (the "Cousin Oliver" effect), that's the tale-tell sign that the producers are afraid that things are getting stale and/or the youngest child (in this case, Jennifer) is getting too old to be "cute".

Mr. Television · 02-15-2011, 08:30 PM

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Originally Posted by TMC

The general consensus however is that Family Ties jumped the shark mostly with the birth of Andrew. Anytime sitcoms, particularly family-oriented sitcoms have to bring in a new kid (the "Cousin Oliver" effect), that's the tale-tell sign that the producers are afraid that things are getting stale and/or the youngest child (in this case, Jennifer) is getting too old to be "cute".

Well the reason FT added Andrew was because Meredith was pregnant in real life. The birth of the baby didn't cause the show to JTS. The show enjoyed it's peak popularity right after the baby was born. What eventually hurt FT was the move to Sunday night opposite Murder She Wrote. By the last season, the cast was just going through the motions because they knew the show was ending. They still had some pretty good shows even that season though. Growing Pains might have JTS after Chrissy was born but no way did FT JTS after Andrew was born.

Family Ties Forever! · 02-16-2011, 01:31 AM

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Originally Posted by TMC

The general consensus however is that Family Ties jumped the shark mostly with the birth of Andrew.

Why do you even bother posting on the FT board? You don't seem to ever say anything positive about the show. Do you even like it?

TMC · 02-16-2011, 07:35 PM

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Originally Posted by Family Ties Forever!

Why do you even bother posting on the FT board? You don't seem to ever say anything positive about the show. Do you even like it?

Since when was it a crime or unnatural to criticize certain aspects of the show!?

I don't think, just like many people elsewhere that they should've added a fourth child, so why should that come as a huge shock. I guess nobody is allowed to have a dissenting opinion that clashes with your personal interests! If I didn't "like" the show than obviously, I wouldn't be watching it in reruns or posting her in the first place!

Family Ties Forever! · 02-17-2011, 12:33 AM

I never said that you or anyone else couldn't have a different opinion from me. You're putting words in my mouth.

It's hard to tell that you even like the show considering the posts and threads you have made. When was the last time you said something postivie about the show?

Yes, people can say negative things about the show, I just don't see the point of saything negative things about it 100% of the time.

12-03-2010, 11:18 PM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,460	That's because the Andrew character really was an afterthought. The only reason the character of Andrew was created was because Meredith Baxter got pregnant in real life and the producers decided it would be easier to write the pregnancy into the show than to try to hide it.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

12-04-2010, 12:52 AM	#3
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	"Alex is King." I liked Andrew.
	__________________ Sonny

12-04-2010, 07:37 PM	#5
Family Ties Forever! Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 16, 2002 Location: Keaton residence Posts: 10,214	Andy was cute. It was Nick I couldn't stand.
	__________________ Jenny

02-17-2011, 12:33 AM	#11
Family Ties Forever! Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 16, 2002 Location: Keaton residence Posts: 10,214	I never said that you or anyone else couldn't have a different opinion from me. You're putting words in my mouth. It's hard to tell that you even like the show considering the posts and threads you have made. When was the last time you said something postivie about the show? Yes, people can say negative things about the show, I just don't see the point of saything negative things about it 100% of the time.