"It's My Party" - Out of Sequence Episode

[ARL123]

I have been watching "Family Ties" both on gmc when I am up that late and on video stream for a few months now. Last night I watched the episode "It's My Party" which revolves around Jennifer's 13th birthday, where she becomes a valley girl.

While watching it I noticed it was presented out of sequence as Andy is a just born again, Ellen (Alex's girlfriend) appears in the episode even though she has already left the show and Mallory's hair style is the one she had in the previous season. The episode was presented at the very end of season 5.

Does anybody know why the episode was shown out of place? It's one of my favorite episodes. If the producers were unhappy with it for some reason why didn't they just scrap it or why didn't they just cut out the out of place scenes and reshoot the episodes to update it?

The whole presentation was odd to me.

[Marvo301]

I noticed the same thing while re-watching my Family Ties DVD's earlier this year. After seeing Andy walking and talking for the whole season it was strange to see him as a baby again. And it was even wierder for Ellen to suddenly reappear. I have no idea why they aired this ep out of sequence.

[ARL123]

The one other thing I found strange was Mallory coaching Jennifer on how to be a "cool" kid. I don't remember Mallory as being some one who tried to act "cool" ever.

[Skywalker]

Originally Posted by ARL123

I have been watching "Family Ties" both on gmc when I am up that late and on video stream for a few months now. Last night I watched the episode "It's My Party" which revolves around Jennifer's 13th birthday, where she becomes a valley girl.

While watching it I noticed it was presented out of sequence as Andy is a just born again, Ellen (Alex's girlfriend) appears in the episode even though she has already left the show and Mallory's hair style is the one she had in the previous season. The episode was presented at the very end of season 5.

Does anybody know why the episode was shown out of place? It's one of my favorite episodes. If the producers were unhappy with it for some reason why didn't they just scrap it or why didn't they just cut out the out of place scenes and reshoot the episodes to update it?

The whole presentation was odd to me.

I used to wonder about this too. I went to the Family Ties page at the syndication bible website and they had some interesting info.

A number of episodes of Family Ties were run out of order during the original network run of the series. The network order for the 1983-84 season was 24 half-hour programs, and 24 programs were produced. However, the network refused to accept ANNIVERSARY WALTZ (035), making a total of 23 programs aired. REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST, PART 2 (069), produced during the 1984-85 season, was later substituted for ANNIVERSARY WALTZ to complete the order; however, REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST, PART 2 did not air until 3/28/85 (1984-85 season), and was broadcast initially as a one-hour program with REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST, PART 1 (068). REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST, PART 1 and 2 were originally produced as a one-hour program, but were treated as a half-hour program by the network insofar as the license fee was concerned.



Six episodes were originally produced over and above the network order in the seasons indicated, and not originally aired (subsequently referred to as "the unaired episodes"), namely:



070 - DESIGNATED HITTER (1984-85)

071 - RETURN OF THE NATIVE (1984-85)

072 - MATCHMAKER (1984-85)

077 - IT'S MY PARTY, PART 1 (1985-86)

078 - IT'S MY PARTY, PART 2 (1985-86)

084 - THE BIG FIX (1985-86)



By letter dated 8/11/86, NBC agreed to run each of the unaired episodes during the 1985-86 and/or 1986-87 broadcast season. DESIGNATED HITTER (070), produced during the 1984-85 season, was subsequently aired by the network on 10/24/85 (1985-86 season) and, in its place, ANNIVERSARY WALTZ (035), produced during the 1983-84 season, was substituted as an unaired episode. THE BIG FIX (084), produced during the 1985-86 season, was aired 11/17/86 (1986-87 season). By subsequent agreement dated 5/5/87, it was agreed that the remaining five unaired episodes (i.e., 035, 071, 072, 077 and 078) would be aired one or more times in the 1986-87 season or the 1987-88 season, but no episode could be aired in both seasons.



The initial network airdates for each of the unaired episodes are:



035 - ANNIVERSARY WALTZ (12/16/87)

071 - RETURN OF THE NATIVE (03/20/88)

072 - MATCHMAKER (07/23/87)

077 - IT'S MY PARTY, PART 1 (08/06/87)

078 - IT'S MY PARTY, PART 2 (08/13/87)

084 - THE BIG FIX (11/17/86)

http://="http://syndicationbible.cbs..._episodes.htm"

[ARL123]

Originally Posted by Skywalker

I used to wonder about this too. I went to the Family Ties page at the syndication bible website and they had some interesting info.

http://="http://syndicationbible.cbs..._episodes.htm"

Very interesting to see a number of episodes were aired out of order, which I never reaized untl now. It's just that this one really stood out.