HTF Review: Family Ties Season 1

JustinCleveland · 01-31-2007, 08:39 AM

Studio: Paramount Home Video
Year: 1982
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Discs: 4, 22 episodes
Audio: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
Subtitles: None
MSRP: $38.99
Street Date: 20 February 2007

The sitcom is a standard on American television, though every generation features a different iteration. “Family Ties” eschews the dysfunctional theme found in its predecessors like “I Love Lucy” or “All in the Family” in favor of a family that, for the most part, gets along and works as a unit. Sure there may be disagreements, but for the most part the Keaton children defer to their parents, and the parents respectfully guide their kids through a moral life.

The premise of the show is novel, asking what would happen to those crazy hippy activists when they grew older and built a family within the Reagan-controlled United States. Further, the show ponders how the child of liberal parents would rebel, introducing Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox), a young Republican. Fox is an excellent actor who has, to my mind, never done anything wrong on screen and this show is absolutely no different. While the family is broadly the topic of the show, Fox takes center stage. That’s not to say Tina Youthers, who plays the precocious Jennifer Keaton, and Justine Bateman--sister Mallory--and parents Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter aren’t good at their respective roles: they are. It’s just that the eye naturally gravitates toward Fox.

The first season of “Family Ties” feels very after-school-special. Each episode is self-contained, wrapping up with a moral message. Whether that be the dangers of “restricted clubs,” losing ones virginity, and the difference between boys and girls, “Family Ties” is very heavy-handed, driving home its point with a hug and a cookie.

I never watched “Family Ties” during its initial run; I was just eight when it went off the air, and in syndication it always looked antiquated, despite the fact that it was less than five years old. Unfortunately the show has not aged well, with the color scheme screaming early 80s with the muted colors and dress. To me, editorializing, it doesn’t make me nostalgic or seem like a slice of life, instead reminding me more of an unfortunate time in American fashion history.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy pieces of the show, I did. Though the season started slow, the characters are easy to read and the writing is snappy enough to inspire more than the occasional guffaw.

Video:
The 4:3 transfer shows its age and source material. The pilot is rife with lens flares and grain, and the entire season seems muted and lacks pop. The quality is otherwise good, with no problems with grain or compression.

Audio:
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track is perfectly serviceable. The music cues are clear and the dialogue is crisp.

Extras:
The set commences with a set of promos for existing or soon-coming TV-on-DVD sets from Paramount. And that is it.

Overall:
Fans will be most pleased with the quality of this DVD set, and the show might fine a few new fans who are aware of Fox’s work on the widely-syndicated “Spin City.” "Family Ties" set the tone for the modern sit-com, and while it isn't particularly good in itself, it isn't without its charms.

Mark Silver · 01-31-2007, 10:35 AM

With all due respect to the reviewer, I'm not sure that you exactly understand this show's place in television history. To say "it isn't particularly good in itself" is mindboggling to me.

I am a bit older than you and I can tell you that "Family Ties" was a primary component of 1980's. Sandwiched between "The Cosby Show" and "Cheers" it helped form the foundation of what would become NBC's cornerstone franchise of the next two decades now known as "Must See TV". Cosby and Family Ties finished 1-2 in the ratings for 2 years running (1985-1987) with ratings numbers averaging 30.0. "A ..... My Name is Alex" (a 5th Season 2-part episode) ranks up with some of the greatest television of all time.

I could go on and on....but I think you give the show short shrift by not understanding the context.

Aryn Leroux · 01-31-2007, 10:57 AM

It is probably because he did not watch it during it's initial run. But no doubt about it Family Ties is right in the top 5 of best sitcoms of alltime. It is my personal favorite though. I have seen some shows here n there and it holds up very well! The only problem i have with the review is knocking 80's fashion for a reason, hey get over it that was the fashion and to me the 80's still rule!

Thanks for the Review!

JustinCleveland · 01-31-2007, 11:52 AM

Actually, one of the only reasons Family Ties survived was because it caught extra ratings by following Cosby. The first season suffered from dismal ratings and the show was in danger of cancellation. The quality of the first season reflects this. It is not particularly good. Later seasons, such as the second when it began following Cosby, may have improved but this season suffers--not trying to be funny--growing pains.

Aryn Leroux · 01-31-2007, 12:01 PM

Low ratings do not always mean the first season was dismal. If it was not for me seeing the first season which i thought was terrific, i never woulda watched subsequent seasons. At the same time sure cosby helped ratings and brought in more people, but that only lasts for so long. By the time we reached S4 this show woulda drawn the same ratings no matter where it was put and coulda standed on it's own just fine. To each their own i guess

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Tory · 01-31-2007, 12:12 PM

Change fine to find.

Family Ties was a great show from the start but improved as it went along. Season two is better than season one. As for syndicated reruns, this is one show that I felt did not work well there even though I enjoyed my handful of primetime recordings. It is quite possible that syndication cuts might have been the reasons for me not liking the syndicated airings. To the reviewer, please do not judge future seasons by the syndicated airings or this season which I find more enjoyable after knowing the series a bit better. Family Ties is a lot like Star Trek: The Next Generation with the coming of the beard.

MatthewA · 01-31-2007, 12:26 PM

Compared to the 1970s, fashion in the 80s was the renaissance.

How long are the episodes, BTW?

Jeff*H · 01-31-2007, 12:29 PM

My memories of the show are such that it seemed to get funnier when Michael J. Fox became the main focus of the show. The first season or two made the parents the focal characters.

Jay_B! · 01-31-2007, 03:00 PM

I don't think it's fair to give Cosby all the credit for why Family Ties was so big in the mid-1980's. I also think a little movie Michael J. Fox did in 1985 that you may have heard of called "Back To The Future" helped attract new fans to the show, you might've heard of that movie. It was paired with Cosby in 84-85 as well but while it was top 10 then, it wasn't #2 with numbers #1 series haven't seen in the past 15 years until Back To The Future came out.