Family Ties Season 3 Finale (1 Viewer)

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

Does anybody know if the original 1-hour cut of Family Ties' season three (1984-85) finale, "Remembrance of Things Past," even exists?

When this episode first aired on NBC, it was split in two parts, but oddly both parts aired on the same night of March 28, 1985. According to the Paramount Global (formerly CBS) Syndication Bible:

A number of episodes of Family Ties were run out of order during the original network run for the series. The network run for the 1983-84 season was 24 half-hour programs, and 24 programs were produced. However, the network refused to air "Anniversary Waltz" (60582-035), making a total of 23 programs aired. "Remembrance of Things Past (Part 2)" (60583-069), produced for 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)" (60583-068). "Remembrance of Things Past" (both parts) was originally produced as a one-hour program, but was treated as two half-hour programs by the network insofar as the license fee was concerned.

~Ben

 

[VahanIsBack]

It might, if you check for trading circles for people who might have taped it back then.

 

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

It might, if you check for trading circles for people who might have taped it back then.

According to my local newspaper (The Oregonian) listing, it appears only once (8:30 PM) so it looks like the original rare one-hour version was used by my affiliate (KGW 8) back then. The plot, as explained thus, went:

Steven (Michael Gross) returns to his hometown after the death of his father (Norman Parker) and tries to help his mother (Anne Seymour) prepare for a new life.

I find it strange that NBC would somehow air this in some areas as two separate episodes instead of a single one-hour broadcast, just as with The Brady Brides' pilot episode (The Brady Girls Get Married), which was chosen to be four half-hours over four weeks (only three aired consecutively which covered up to the girls' big day, with the first actual Brady Brides episode serving as the conclusion, with the two newlyweds moving in to the Brady house with their respective spouses) instead of a single two-hour broadcast. The respective DVD sets treat both cases the same way.

~Ben