"Family Ties" - Season 2 (1983-84), Episode 14, "Say Uncle"
By Jason C. Klose I'v e b een watching the CNN special "History of the Sitcom," and it reminded me of how much I miss the classic TV shows I grew up watching in the 1980s. One of my favorite shows was the NBC series "Family Ties," featuring the Keaton family and starring Michael J. Fox (Alex), Michael Gross (Steven), Meredith Baxter (Elyse), Justine Bateman (Mallory), and Tina Yothers (Jennifer). One of the things I loved about this show was that even though it was a sitcom, there were dramatic scenes as well as comedy, and serious issues were tackled in several episodes. "Family Ties" had outstanding writing, directing, and production, as well as superb acting. One of my favorite episodes was from Season 2, "Say Uncle," which featured a young Tom Hanks, who would go on to Hollywood stardom as one of the greatest and most popular actors in the film industry. In this episode, which originally aired January 26, 1984, Elyse's alcoholic...