Character's Quality Discussion - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

MJFfan · 03-07-2002, 08:07 PM

I thought it would be interesting to discuss each character's good/bad qualities, and to compare them to each other.

Many people have complained about Alex's money obsession. I don't think it was that bad.. he never stole any, and always seemed sensitove except when he was getting carried way. (which happens to everyone)
Mallory I think is interesting. She was one of the most moral characters. She was only mean to Skippy.. and then sometimes she felt sorry for him.
I don't have a whole lot to say about Jennifer. She never seemed to express much feeling.
Steven.. hmm.... he was very encouraging, I guess. I don't know that I have much to say about him.
Elise was a bit harsh sometimes, but seemed to try her best, I guess.
Andy wasn't really old enough for me to have anything to say about him.

FamilyTiesFan · 03-07-2002, 11:40 PM

Alex even though he always seemed money obsessed and uncaring always came through for his sisters and Andy like in the episode when he gives up the WKS scholarship for Mallory.

Mallory seemed like a caricature in that after a while her intelligence or lack of it wasn't funny anymore. However, she was always a very kind, caring person.

Jennifer seemed to have the best qualities of both Mallory and Alex and none of their faults. She was really smart like Alex, but she was also a very nice person like Mallory. Toward the end, she turned into a sort of activist with the environmental stuff and stand she took on censorship.

Michael Cross · 03-08-2002, 03:51 PM

Steven was good at verbal comebacks, but he could never get his family interested in his "old-fashioned", hairbrained whims.

Elyse was a hard working mom who always gave advice when needed, but she was also kind of clueless.

Alex loved his family and was always there to help them out, whether they wanted it or not; but he despised his family at the same time. (Or at least ridiculed them for not being the brightest people on the planet.)

Mallory's dense personality never lost its comic effect. You could always count on her for a laugh, but she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. (Mentally speaking, that is.)

Jennifer was kind of a pawn in the family. She didn't seem to have much of a role in Family Ties (no offense, Tina fans) except for filling in the age gap and occasional comic relief. She was also a bit on the extreme side.

Andy idolized his big brother. (Which is the way it should be; I have a younger brother who looks up to me for everything.) He was just a little guy, but as big headed as Alex.

MJFfan · 03-08-2002, 07:25 PM

Jennifer, I think, had no bad qualities... but no good either. She wa never on the extreme mean side like her older siblings occasionally were, but she never showed to be very sensitive.

FamilyTiesFan · 03-08-2002, 11:49 PM

I thought Jennifer's good qualities were that she was like Alex in that she was smart, but she was liberal instead of conservative. She could also be sarcastic.

MJFfan · 03-09-2002, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FamilyTiesFan
I thought Jennifer's good qualities were that she was like Alex in that she was smart, but she was liberal instead of conservative. She could also be sarcastic.

How is being Liberal good?

FamilyTiesFan · 03-09-2002, 02:04 PM

Well personally I think being liberal is good but that is not what I meant. I liked the fact that she was liberal because then at least one of the children agreed with the political beliefs of Elyse and Steven. I don't think it would have been as interesting if all the kids had been as conservative as Alex. Actually, I have no idea what Mallory's political beliefs were since she didn't really seem to care about that stuff, but she was probably more of an independent.

MJFfan · 03-09-2002, 02:37 PM

Andy was half and half, Mal just disagreed w/ Alex, who wuz conservative?

FamilyTiesFan · 03-09-2002, 03:00 PM

Well, only Alex, but they only really dealt with the political beliefs of Jennifer and Alex. Besides, he was basically the focus of the show.

MJFfan · 03-09-2002, 03:08 PM

It's interesting that they did make Alex the only true conservative. However, if I were discussing the issue of morality, I would say they should all be conservative.

FamilyTiesFan · 03-09-2002, 03:43 PM

Why do you think it is more moral for a person to be conservative than liberal? Personally I would think that it would be the other way around.

MJFfan · 03-09-2002, 04:18 PM

Would you really like to debate politically?

FamilyTiesFan · 03-09-2002, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MJFfan
Would you really like to debate politically?

Okay, I love debating with Republicans.

GoldenFamilyTies · 03-09-2002, 10:20 PM

Another debate on the Family Ties board?

The morality of someone depends on the person, it doesn't go by what "party" they belong to.

FamilyTiesFan · 03-09-2002, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GoldenFamilyTies
Another debate on the Family Ties board?

The morality of someone depends on the person, it doesn't go by what "party" they belong to.

Yes and no. The morality of a person does depend on their beliefs on certain issues, which are probably similar for the people belonging to a certain party. For example, MJFfan thinks that abortion is wrong and many more Democrats support it than Republicans.

03-07-2002, 08:07 PM	#1
MJFfan I love Family Ties! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 01, 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 324	Character's Quality Discussion I thought it would be interesting to discuss each character's good/bad qualities, and to compare them to each other. Many people have complained about Alex's money obsession. I don't think it was that bad.. he never stole any, and always seemed sensitove except when he was getting carried way. (which happens to everyone) Mallory I think is interesting. She was one of the most moral characters. She was only mean to Skippy.. and then sometimes she felt sorry for him. I don't have a whole lot to say about Jennifer. She never seemed to express much feeling. Steven.. hmm.... he was very encouraging, I guess. I don't know that I have much to say about him. Elise was a bit harsh sometimes, but seemed to try her best, I guess. Andy wasn't really old enough for me to have anything to say about him.
	__________________ ~Charlotte A big fan of family ties

03-07-2002, 11:40 PM	#2
FamilyTiesFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 142	Alex even though he always seemed money obsessed and uncaring always came through for his sisters and Andy like in the episode when he gives up the WKS scholarship for Mallory. Mallory seemed like a caricature in that after a while her intelligence or lack of it wasn't funny anymore. However, she was always a very kind, caring person. Jennifer seemed to have the best qualities of both Mallory and Alex and none of their faults. She was really smart like Alex, but she was also a very nice person like Mallory. Toward the end, she turned into a sort of activist with the environmental stuff and stand she took on censorship.

03-08-2002, 03:51 PM	#3
Michael Cross Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 05, 2002 Location: California Posts: 28	Steven was good at verbal comebacks, but he could never get his family interested in his "old-fashioned", hairbrained whims. Elyse was a hard working mom who always gave advice when needed, but she was also kind of clueless. Alex loved his family and was always there to help them out, whether they wanted it or not; but he despised his family at the same time. (Or at least ridiculed them for not being the brightest people on the planet.) Mallory's dense personality never lost its comic effect. You could always count on her for a laugh, but she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. (Mentally speaking, that is.) Jennifer was kind of a pawn in the family. She didn't seem to have much of a role in Family Ties (no offense, Tina fans) except for filling in the age gap and occasional comic relief. She was also a bit on the extreme side. Andy idolized his big brother. (Which is the way it should be; I have a younger brother who looks up to me for everything.) He was just a little guy, but as big headed as Alex.

03-08-2002, 07:25 PM	#4
MJFfan I love Family Ties! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 01, 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 324	Jennifer, I think, had no bad qualities... but no good either. She wa never on the extreme mean side like her older siblings occasionally were, but she never showed to be very sensitive.

03-08-2002, 11:49 PM	#5
FamilyTiesFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 142	I thought Jennifer's good qualities were that she was like Alex in that she was smart, but she was liberal instead of conservative. She could also be sarcastic.

03-09-2002, 02:04 PM	#7
FamilyTiesFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 142	Well personally I think being liberal is good but that is not what I meant. I liked the fact that she was liberal because then at least one of the children agreed with the political beliefs of Elyse and Steven. I don't think it would have been as interesting if all the kids had been as conservative as Alex. Actually, I have no idea what Mallory's political beliefs were since she didn't really seem to care about that stuff, but she was probably more of an independent.

03-09-2002, 02:37 PM	#8
MJFfan I love Family Ties! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 01, 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 324	Andy was half and half, Mal just disagreed w/ Alex, who wuz conservative?

03-09-2002, 03:00 PM	#9
FamilyTiesFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 142	Well, only Alex, but they only really dealt with the political beliefs of Jennifer and Alex. Besides, he was basically the focus of the show.

03-09-2002, 03:08 PM	#10
MJFfan I love Family Ties! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 01, 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 324	It's interesting that they did make Alex the only true conservative. However, if I were discussing the issue of morality, I would say they should all be conservative.

03-09-2002, 03:43 PM	#11
FamilyTiesFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 142	Why do you think it is more moral for a person to be conservative than liberal? Personally I would think that it would be the other way around.

03-09-2002, 04:18 PM	#12
MJFfan I love Family Ties! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 01, 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 324	Would you really like to debate politically?

03-09-2002, 10:20 PM	#14
GoldenFamilyTies Por siempre tú Senior Member Join Date: Jan 15, 2002 Location: United States Posts: 1,329	Another debate on the Family Ties board? The morality of someone depends on the person, it doesn't go by what "party" they belong to.