Televesion Series: Family Ties (US, 1982-89)


Figure 1.--

This was an rather amusing American sitcom. It was the show that made Michael J. Fox a star personality. In a nutshell, teenage Alex (Fox) likes money and is a active member of the Young Republicans while his parents are former anti-War flower children and his father works for PBS. Near the end of the show, Alex gets a new baby brother who grew up very quickly in 1986. I guess there is only so much you can do with a baby. Andy (Brian Bonsall) wore rather plain clothes. He sometimes wore bib-front overalls. I think some were corduroy. Alex and Andy always wore long pants. Andy's hair in contrast to his clothes was always much more fashionable. He had a notable mop of hair cur in bangs. River Phoenix appeared once. Andy loved to watch "Wall Street Week" with Alex. This brings up the issue of Hollywood and the values it promotes. The parents were portrayed as caring, altruistic liberals. Alex because of his interest in buiness was portrayed as crass an uncaring, only interested in money. But with the guidance of his highly moral, liberal parents he always does the right thing. Totally absent from the premice of the show was the idea that business, which is seen as somehow ethically tainted, is what creates the jobs that allow the average America to have a good life and raise a family in comfortable circumstances. One has to consider what is moral moral, to support liberal wealth redistribution policies or to create jobs that provide opportunuities for people. Also not addressed is the fact that the employees of businesses pay the taxes that support PBS where his father works.

TV-ology

This was an rather amusing American sitcom. It had an extended run of 6 years. It was the show that made Michael J. Fox a star personality.

Plot

In a nutshell, teenage Alex (Fox) likes money and is a active member of the Young Republicans while his parents are former anti-War flower children and his father works for PBS. Near the end of the show, Alex gets a new baby brother who grew up very quickly in 1986. I guess there is only so much you can do with a baby. Andy idealizes Alex in contrast to the rest of the family who are rather dismissive of his love of business and the Republicans. Andy loved to watch "Wall Street Week" with Alex.

Cast

Alex Keaton played by Michael J. Fox became the star of the show. He was an older teen ager. The only boy ammong the regular cast was Andy, Alex's little brother. He was played by Brian Bonsall. He filled the role of Andrew "Andy" Keaton, at the age of 4 and a few months in 1985. Little Andrew and Alex were known on the sitcom to enjoy "Wall Street Week" on TV, and also talked about Republicans and kindred topics. River Phoenix appeared once.

Costuming

Part of the running joke was that Alex while a teenager, commonly dressed like a businessman. He also often carried an attache case. Andy wore mostly casual, play clothes. He sometimes wore bib-front overalls. I think some were corduroy. Alex and Andy always wore long pants. Most of the times I saw Brian playing the role of "Andy Keaton", he was wearing overalls, or even something rather close to longalls. Sometimes he wore a shirt and pants, but I saw numerous episodes where he was wearing bib-front overalls. Andrew is wearing just shirt and pants in one episode, but later in the same clip he is wearing blue bib-front overalls and a red shirt with some prints on it. In anotherr episode he is wearing overalls as well. He ans Alex are peeling labels from cans, sending mom Elyse (Meredith Birney Baxter) into a daze about what is what. Both of them are laughing hysterically when Alex and Andy are telling her about they are "criminal can peelers" and that they're wanted in every state, etc.

Hair Styling

Andy's hair in contrast to his clothes was always much more fashionable. He had a notable mop of hair cut in bangs. Lots of boys' hair was cut long at the time.

Business and Morality

This brings up the issue of Hollywood and the values it promotes. The parents were portrayed as caring, altruistic liberals. Alex because of his interest in buiness was portrayed as crass an uncaring, only interested in money. But with the guidance of his highly moral, liberal parents he always does the right thing. Totally absent from the premice of the show was the idea that business, which is seen as somehow ethically tainted, is what creates the jobs that allow the average America to have a good life and raise a family in comfortable circumstances. One has to consider what is moral moral, to support liberal wealth redistribution policies or to create jobs that provide opportunuities for people. Also not addressed is the fact that the employees of businesses pay the taxes that support PBS where his father works.







HBC






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Created: 12:40 AM 12/1/2010
Last updated: 12:40 AM 12/1/2010