# List of Family Ties episodes

This is a list of episodes of the American television sitcom Family Ties, that aired on NBC from September 22, 1982 to May 14, 1989, with a total of 176 episodes produced, spanning 7 seasons.

## Series overview

| Season | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released | Rank | Rating |
| Season | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released | Rank | Rating |
| 1 | 22 | 22 | September 22, 1982 (1982-9-22) | April 4, 1983 (1983-4-4) | 56 | — |
| 2 | 22 | 22 | September 28, 1983 (1983-9-28) | May 10, 1984 (1984-5-10) | 42 | 16.0 |
| 3 | 24 | 24 | September 20, 1984 (1984-9-20) | March 28, 1985 (1985-3-28) | 5 | 22.1 |
| Film | Film | Film | September 23, 1985 (1985-9-23) | September 23, 1985 (1985-9-23) | — | 22.1 |
| 4 | 24 | 24 | September 26, 1985 (1985-9-26) | May 1, 1986 (1986-5-1) | 2 | 30.0 |
| 5 | 30 | 30 | September 25, 1986 (1986-9-25) | August 13, 1987 (1987-8-13) | 2 | 32.7 |
| 6 | 28 | 28 | September 13, 1987 (1987-9-13) | May 1, 1988 (1988-5-1) | 17 | 17.3 |
| 7 | 26 | 26 | October 30, 1988 (1988-10-30) | May 14, 1989 (1989-5-14) | 35 | 14.5 |

## Episodes
### Season 1 (1982–1983)

* This is the only season where Michael Gross was clean shaven.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | Rating/share (households) |
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Asaad Kelada | Gary David Goldberg | September 22, 1982 (1982-09-22) | 001 | 15.4/23 |
| Alex escorts a pretty socialite to a dance at her country club. ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Not With My Sister You Don't" | Tony Mordente | Lloyd Garver | September 29, 1982 (1982-09-29) | 004 | 17.2/26 |
| Alex heads the household when Elyse and Steven go away for the weekend. ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "I Know Jennifer's Boyfriend" | Michael Zinberg | Gary David Goldberg | October 6, 1982 (1982-10-06) | 003 | 18.1/28 |
| Jennifer gets picked on when she befriends a boy at school. ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Summer of '82" | Tony Mordente | Michael J. Weithorn | October 27, 1982 (1982-10-27) | 007 | 12.3/19 |
| Seduced by an "older woman" of twenty-one (Amy Steel), the hitherto inexperienced Alex is devastated to learn that she thinks of their relationship as casual. ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "I Never Killed for My Father" | Dick Martin | Kimberly Hill | November 3, 1982 (1982-11-03) | 008 | 16.7/26 |
| A visit from Steven's father (John Randolph) evokes confrontation between the two. ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Give Your Uncle Arthur a Kiss" | Will Mackenzie | Lloyd Garver & Gary David Goldberg | November 10, 1982 (1982-11-10) | 012 | 15.1/23 |
| Mallory is horrified and confused when a close family friend and older business associate of her father's makes a pass at her. ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Big Brother is Watching" | Alan Bergmann | Ruth Bennett | November 17, 1982 (1982-11-17) | 013 | 13.9/21 |
| As the new editor of his school paper, Alex uncovers a cheating scandal and to everyone's chagrin, prints a list of students who were caught including Mallory. ||||||||
| 8 | 8 | "No Nukes Is Good Nukes" | Frank Bonner | Ruth Bennett | November 24, 1982 (1982-11-24) | 009 | 14.0/22 |
| To the dismay of the Keaton children and their equally conservative grandparents (Dick Sargent and Priscilla Morrill), Steven and Elyse take time out Thanksgiving Day to attend an anti-nuke rally-and end up spending the holiday in jail. ||||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Death of a Grocer" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | December 1, 1982 (1982-12-01) | 011 | 16.0/24 |
| Though Alex loves working at Mr. Adler's "Mom and Pop" grocery store, to the old man's dismay, he quits to "climb the corporate ladder" at an ultramodern supermarket. Note: This episode marks the debut of Marc Price in the recurring role of Skippy Handleman. ||||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Have Gun, Will Unravel" | Alan Bergmann | Ruth Bennett | December 8, 1982 (1982-12-08) | 006 | 13.5/20 |
| The Keatons consider buying a gun for protection after getting burglarized. ||||||||
| 11 | 11 | "A Christmas Story" | Will Mackenzie | Joanne Pagliaro | December 15, 1982 (1982-12-15) | 014 | 17.0/26 |
| When a blizzard forces the Keatons to spend Christmas at home, Elyse's gift to Steven of an album filled with fascinating old photos sparks flashbacks to the births of their three children. ||||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Oops" | Tony Mordente | Joanne Pagliaro | December 22, 1982 (1982-12-22) | 005 | 15.8/26 |
| Mallory resents Elyse for the advice she gives her pregnant friend. ||||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Sherry Baby" | Tony Mordente | Barbara Hall | January 12, 1983 (1983-01-12) | 015 | 14.5/21 |
| When popular sorority girl Sherry Marshall befriends Mallory to get close to Alex, Mallory brings them together in hopes of joining Pi Nu but her plan backfires. ||||||||
| 14 | 14 | "The Fugitive, Part 1" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 19, 1983 (1983-01-19) | 016 | 14.6/22 |
| Elyse's younger brother and Alex's idol, Ned (Tom Hanks), makes a surprise visit. However, everyone is puzzled by the go-getter corporate executive's suspicious behavior. ||||||||
| 15 | 15 | "The Fugitive, Part 2" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 26, 1983 (1983-01-26) | 017 | 16.6/24 |
| With the FBI hot on Ned's heels for embezzling 4.5 million dollars in corporate funds, Elyse's ethical brother and Alex's idol tells the family why and where he hid the money. ||||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Margin of Error" | Tony Mordente | Michael Russnow | February 9, 1983 (1983-02-09) | 018 | 12.8/18 |
| Alex amasses a bundle by playing the stock market on paper for his economics class, and courts disaster by secretly investing his father's money. ||||||||
| 17 | 17 | "French Lessons" | Tony Mordente | Ruth Bennett | February 16, 1983 (1983-02-16) | 019 | 13.7/20 |
| Mallory's handsome but shy French tutor, Jeff, finally musters up the nerve to ask her out and then courts disaster by enlisting Alex's advice on how to behave on the date. ||||||||
| 18 | 18 | "I Gotta Be Ming" | Sam Weisman | Douglas Wyman | February 23, 1983 (1983-02-23) | 020 | 12.6/18 |
| As Big Brother to a 10-year-old Vietnamese boy, Alex tries to mold Ming into his own image, and he learns an unforgettable lesson when he breaks a promise to the adoring child. ||||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Suzanne Takes You Down" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett | March 16, 1983 (1983-03-16) | 010 | 17.0/25 |
| Soon after freelance architect Elyse Keaton hires her friend Suzanne Davis to handle clerical chores, she wants to fire the under-qualified, overly aggressive secretary. Note: This episode marks the first time that Justine Bateman wears white pants. ||||||||
| 20 | 20 | "The Fifth Wheel" | Andrew McCullough | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | March 28, 1983 (1983-03-28) | 022 | 14.3/20 |
| Alex gets stuck babysitting for his little sister Jennifer, who is fed up with feeling in the way at his poker game and decides to disappear. ||||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Stage Fright" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | April 4, 1983 (1983-04-04) | 021 | 13.9/20 |
| While gearing up to face the television cameras as captain of his high school's team on "Quiz-Em", Alex panics at first when a teammate drops out and then launches a tutoring program a la Eliza Doolittle for his sister Mallory. ||||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Elyse D'Arc" | Michael Zinberg | Michael J. Weithorn | April 11, 1983 (1983-04-11) | 002 | 13.2/19 |
| Elyse gets so wrapped up in work that she neglects her family. ||||||||

### Season 2 (1983–1984)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | Rating/share (households) |
| 23 | 1 | "Tender is the Knight" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett | September 28, 1983 (1983-09-28) | 023 | 15.7/24 |
| When pretty Carrie Newman and her mother Julia come to visit the Keatons, Carrie's forward behavior sends Alex into a panic. Note: First episode featuring a bearded Steven Keaton which he will keep for the remainder of the series. Michael Gross had grown the beard between seasons 1 and 2 while appearing in a Broadway production. ||||||||
| 24 | 2 | "The Homecoming" | Sam Weisman | Douglas Wyman | October 12, 1983 (1983-10-12) | 027 | 16.1/23 |
| When Mallory's boyfriend Jeff arrives home from college and wants to go steady, she's elated, but it's soon apparent that he's a little awed by school and merely grasping at the familiar. ||||||||
| 25 | 3 | "The Harder They Fall" | Sam Weisman | Rich Reinhart | October 19, 1983 (1983-10-19) | 026 | 16.2/26 |
| Alex anxiously awaits a crucial college recommendation from his English teacher (Edward Edwards). ||||||||
| 26 | 4 | "This Year's Model" | John Pasquin | Susan Borowitz & Richard Raskind | October 26, 1983 (1983-10-26) | 032 | 17.7/28 |
| Mallory secretly submits a picture of Elyse and herself to an ad agency for a mother-daughter-modeling contest. ||||||||
| 27 | 5 | "Not An Affair to Remember" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett & Gary David Goldberg | November 2, 1983 (1983-11-02) | 029 | 17.5/26 |
| Steven's assistant (Judith Light) at the station is bright, talented, funny, and witty...and in love with him. ||||||||
| 28 | 6 | "Speed Trap" | Sam Weisman | Michael J. Weithorn | November 9, 1983 (1983-11-09) | 025 | 16.1/24 |
| When Alex takes diet pills for a lift during midterms, his dependency level increases daily. ||||||||
| 29 | 7 | "Sweet Lorraine" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 16, 1983 (1983-11-16) | 031 | 13.9/21 |
| While working as a DJ at the school radio station, Alex strikes up a telephone friendship with caller Lorraine Ferrar (Carolyn Seymour). ||||||||
| 30 | 8 | "Batter Up" | Sam Weisman | Lisa A. Bannick | November 30, 1983 (1983-11-30) | 028 | 16.1/24 |
| Steven and Elyse worry that Jennifer's softball team coach is pushing the girls too hard. ||||||||
| 31 | 9 | "A Keaton Christmas Carol" | Will Mackenzie | Story by : Robert Caplain Teleplay by : Rich Reinhart | December 14, 1983 (1983-12-14) | 037 | 18.0/27 |
| A cynical Alex finds the spirit of Christmas in a dream. ||||||||
| 32 | 10 | "To Snatch a Keith" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 21, 1983 (1983-12-21) | 024 | 16.9/26 |
| Steven and Elyse realize how lucky they are when their friends come over for a visit, but are unaware that it will be for the last time. ||||||||
| 33 | 11 | "Birthday Boy" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 5, 1984 (1984-01-05) | 033 | 16.4/24 |
| On his 18th birthday, Alex defies his mother and goes off with some of his buddies to celebrate at an out-of-town nightclub. Notes: Michael J. Fox and Crispin Glover would later star in Back to the Future together. John Putch also previously guest starred in the episode "Summer of '82" as the character Pete. ||||||||
| 34 | 12 | "Go Tigers" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 12, 1984 (1984-01-12) | 036 | 16.2/24 |
| Alex is both amazed and furious when a critical admissions interview at Princeton University is shattered by his hysterical sister Mallory. ||||||||
| 35 | 13 | ""M" is for the Many Things" | Will Mackenzie | Lisa A. Bannick | January 19, 1984 (1984-01-19) | 038 | 16.0/23 |
| Elyse is shocked by her soon-to-be-divorced mother's quick and free-spirited plunge into the singles world. ||||||||
| 36 | 14 | "Say Uncle" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett | January 26, 1984 (1984-01-26) | 039 | 17.5/26 |
| Alex discovers that his idol, young Uncle Ned , has a serious drinking problem. ||||||||
| 37 | 15 | "Ladies' Man" | John Pasquin | Alan Uger | February 2, 1984 (1984-02-02) | 040 | 11.6/17 |
| Alex pretends to support the Equal Rights Amendment to impress a pretty feminist. ||||||||
| 38 | 16 | "Ready or Not" | Lee Shallat | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | February 9, 1984 (1984-02-09) | 041 | 17.9/26 |
| Mallory turns to Alex for some advice when she begins to fear she'll lose her new boyfriend unless she agrees to his pleas for a more "adult" romance. ||||||||
| 39 | 17 | "Double Date" | Will Mackenzie | Douglas Wyman | February 16, 1984 (1984-02-16) | 044 | 16.3/23 |
| Alex courts disaster when he invites two dates to the senior prom. He devises an elaborate scheme for escorting each of the unknowing girls on a night to remember. ||||||||
| 40 | 18 | "Lady Sings the Blues" | Andrew McCullough | Alan Uger & Michael J. Weithorn | February 23, 1984 (1984-02-23) | 042 | 14.6/22 |
| Elyse is excited at the prospect of reviving her folk-singing career at a local nightclub. ||||||||
| 41 | 19 | "Baby Boy Doe" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Alan Uger | March 8, 1984 (1984-03-08) | 045 | 14.9/22 |
| When Alex's pal Skippy discovers he's adopted, Alex helps him cope with the shocking news. ||||||||
| 42 | 20 | "The Graduate" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Lloyd Garver | March 15, 1984 (1984-03-15) | 043 | 16.9/26 |
| Alex is so sure that he will be named valedictorian of his class that he can't cope with the thought of being defeated by a girl-especially his girl. ||||||||
| 43 | 21 | "Diary of a Young Girl" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett | May 3, 1984 (1984-05-03) | 034 | 11.3/18 |
| In the hospital awaiting a tonsillectomy, Jennifer fears she may never see her family again. ||||||||
| 44 | 22 | "Working At It" | Sam Weisman | Lloyd Garver | May 10, 1984 (1984-05-10) | 030 | 11.8/21 |
| Elyse feels the need to expand her horizons. ||||||||

### Season 3 (1984–1985)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | Rating/share (households) |
| 45 | 1 | "The Gambler" | Will Mackenzie | Alan Uger & Michael J. Weithorn | September 20, 1984 (1984-09-20) | 046 | 17.5/30 |
| Elyse is stricken with gambling fever on a business trip to Atlantic City. While on a roll with Alex's "foolproof" blackjack system, she's oblivious to her family and job. Note: This episode was produced during Season 2. ||||||||
| 46 | 2 | "Here We Go Again" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Alan Uger | September 27, 1984 (1984-09-27) | 047 | 20.1/32 |
| The news that their mother is pregnant sends the three Keaton kids into an angry outburst resulting in a family battle. ||||||||
| 47 | 3 | "Little Man on Campus" | John Pasquin | Michael J. Weithorn | October 4, 1984 (1984-10-04) | 050 | 21.0/32 |
| Alex is thrilled to be taking a college course taught by one of his personal heroes, Professor Ephraim Bronski. In his eagerness to impress the teacher he gets off to a bad start and is humiliated by his idol when he fails the first class assignment. Note: Michael McGuire as 'Professor Bronski' and Timothy Busfield as 'Doug' appear as guest stars in this episode. ||||||||
| 48 | 4 | "Love Thy Neighbor" | Will Mackenzie | Story by : Rich Reinhart Teleplay by : Alan Uger & Michael J. Weithorn | October 11, 1984 (1984-10-11) | 054 | 19.1/30 |
| Little Jennifer is thrilled about getting a visit from her former neighborhood pal, Scott, whom she hasn't seen in five years. Note: This is the first episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. ||||||||
| 49 | 5 | "Keaton and Son" | Will Mackenzie | Lissa Levin | October 18, 1984 (1984-10-18) | 052 | 19.3/29 |
| Alex reluctantly accepts a part-time job with his father at the non-profit station, and his dad is bursting with pride to have him following in his footsteps. Note: Second episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. ||||||||
| 50 | 6 | "Fabric Smarts" | Will Mackenzie | Lloyd Garver | October 25, 1984 (1984-10-25) | 048 | 20.2/31 |
| Mallory's enthusiasm for her part-time job at a boutique causes her grades to slip even lower than usual. ||||||||
| 51 | 7 | "Hotline Fever" | John Pasquin | Marc Lawrence | November 1, 1984 (1984-11-01) | 055 | 17.2/26 |
| As an economics student, Alex finds it demeaning to be forced into a public service position, but his experiences at the crisis center gives him a new outlook on life. Note: Third episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. ||||||||
| 52 | 8 | "4 Rms Ocn Vu" | Lee Shallat | Alan Uger & Marc Lawrence | November 8, 1984 (1984-11-08) | 057 | 18.6/28 |
| While Steven and Elyse are away on vacation, Mallory accidentally crashes her parents' car into a telephone pole. The kids need to raise money for auto repairs and decides to turn the Keaton house into a hotel. Note: Fourth episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. ||||||||
| 53 | 9 | "Best Man" | John Pasquin | Alan Uger | November 15, 1984 (1984-11-15) | 051 | 22.3/34 |
| Alex cannot accept the fact that he and everyone around him are growing up, and desperately clings to his old ways. Note: Lily Mariye guest stars in this episode as Eleanor, to whom Doug (Timothy Busfield) wants to wed. Also Tate Donovan appears as 'Clancy' one of Alex & Doug's poker friends. ||||||||
| 54 | 10 | "Lost Weekend" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | November 22, 1984 (1984-11-22) | 049 | 15.3/28 |
| Steven and Elyse plan a nostalgic weekend with the kids before the baby arrives, and are crushed to discover that the children are not at all interested in reminiscing about old times-they'd rather be with their friends. ||||||||
| 55 | 11 | "Don't Kiss Me, I'm Only the Messenger" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett | November 29, 1984 (1984-11-29) | 053 | 21.5/32 |
| Alex plays Cupid to help his shy pal Skippy get together with Jane, the girl of his dreams, but his good intentions go awry when the girl falls for him instead. Note: Michelle Meyrink guest stars in this episode as 'Jane', Mallory's friend, and Skippy's latest infatuation. ||||||||
| 56 | 12 | "Help Wanted" | Will Mackenzie | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | December 6, 1984 (1984-12-06) | 056 | 21.7/32 |
| Alex hires an attractive housekeeper Karen Nicholson (Geena Davis) with no experience who meets his special criteria. Note: Fifth episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. ||||||||
| 57 | 13 | "Karen II, Alex 0" | Lee Shallat | Lloyd Garver & Michael J. Weithorn | December 13, 1984 (1984-12-13) | 058 | 19.9/31 |
| Alex's chances for acceptance into a smug college fraternity are dependent upon him having a knockout date for the pledge dance. Notes: Robert Pine and Christopher Rydell are guest stars in this episode. Sixth episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. ||||||||
| 58 | 14 | "Oh Donna" | Will Mackenzie | Alan Uger | January 3, 1985 (1985-01-03) | 060 | 21.2/30 |
| Alex is a stand-in at a Lamaze class for pregnant, single, college students. Alex's natural over-enthusiasm gets the best of him as he envisions nurturing a relationship with a girl named Donna (Isabelle Walker) and her unborn child, and leading it into marriage and a family. It takes Elyse to set him straight ... and even alert him to the possibility that Donna may not want to keep the baby. Note: David Paymer & Julie Fulton appear as couple 'Larry & 'Suzie Harris' as guest stars in this episode. Also Jack Blessing & Karlene Crockett appear as couple 'Leonard & Marge' expecting twins. ||||||||
| 59 | 15 | "Auntie Up" | John Pasquin | Lawrence H. Levy | January 10, 1985 (1985-01-10) | 059 | 22.3/30 |
| Mallory's beloved Aunt Trudy (Edith Atwater) suffers a fatal heart attack. Mallory falls into a deep depression, but matters are compounded when the family brushes her off to tend to what they feel are more important matters. Note: Seventh episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy. ||||||||
| 60 | 16 | "Philadelphia Story" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | January 17, 1985 (1985-01-17) | 061 | 23.9/34 |
| While doing a term paper for history class on colonial times, Alex suffers from a cold and falls asleep. In a dream, Alex becomes a Philadelphia stable boy who, with his friend Skipford (Marc Price in character as Skippy), experience the events leading to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Michael Gross doubles as a Steven Keaton-inspired Thomas Jefferson. Note: James Cromwell as 'John Hancock' and Ben Piazza as both 'John Adams' and 'Ed Nelson' appear as guest stars in this episode. ||||||||
| 61 | 17 | "Birth of a Keaton, Part 1" | Will Mackenzie | Lloyd Garver | January 24, 1985 (1985-01-24) | 062 | 22.2/32 |
| It's Pledge Week again at Steven's TV station but Alex, Mallory and Jennifer are not very enthusiastic about it this year. But after Steven is called home to deal with plumbing problems, Elyse performs on-air...and then goes into labor. Note: John Hancock as 'Gus' and Ron Karabatsos as 'Bud' the plumber, appear both as guest stars in this episode. ||||||||
| 62 | 18 | "Birth of a Keaton, Part 2" | Will Mackenzie | Alan Uger & Marc Lawrence | January 31, 1985 (1985-01-31) | 063 | 25.9/36 |
| With Steven, Skippy, and the plumber stuck in the massive snowstorm, Elyse remains at the TV station in the final stages of labor. Note: In addition to the aforementioned guest actors of the former episode, Shirley Prestia and William Cort as 'Dr.Witt', appear as guest stars in this second part of the episode. ||||||||
| 63 | 19 | "Cry Baby" | Sam Weisman | Bruce David & Bruce Helford | February 7, 1985 (1985-02-07) | 064 | 22.5/32 |
| Newborn Andrew's arrival has been hard on the Keatons, with everyone going without sleep. Jennifer has taken the bundle of joy the hardest, eventually screaming that she hates Andrew and wishes he had never been born. Now the family have to decide how they can properly balance their time with Andrew and not alienate Jennifer. Finally realizing that she had done wrong, Jennifer apologises and ends up starting to get used to living with Andrew. ||||||||
| 64 | 20 | "Don't Know Much About History..." | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence & Michael J. Weithorn | February 14, 1985 (1985-02-14) | 065 | 24.5/36 |
| Rival tutors Alex & James (Jeffrey Joseph) both fall for an attractive student (Nancy Everhard) they are tutoring. Their ill will toward one another explodes at a poetry reading, and they continue to verbally spar. ||||||||
| 65 | 21 | "Bringing Up Baby" | Andrew McCullough | Rich Reinhart | February 21, 1985 (1985-02-21) | 067 | 24.3/35 |
| With two careers, three bickering children and one demanding baby, Steven and Elyse can't seem to find any time for each other. But when they do finally take the time for a quiet evening alone, they find out that they actually miss all of the chaos. Note: Steven Peterman and Radha Delamarter appear in this episode as guest stars as the 'couple with a baby' in the restaurant. ||||||||
| 66 | 22 | "Cold Storage" | Lee Shallat | Marc Lawrence | March 7, 1985 (1985-03-07) | 066 | 25.4/38 |
| Skippy accidentally locks himself in the basement with Mallory while the rest of the Keatons are away visiting some of the acquaintances made at their past Lamaze classes. Mallory clashes at first over Skippy's unrequited feelings for her, but soon she realizes that, despite his quirks, he has been a kind and good friend to her. Note: In this episode appear again as guest stars David Paymer & Julie Fulton as couple 'Larry & 'Suzie Harris' and Jack Blessing & Karlene Crockett as the couple with twins 'Leonard & Marge'. ||||||||
| 67 | 23 | "Remembrances of Things Past" | Sam Weisman | Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger | March 28, 1985 (1985-03-28) | 068 | 24.7/37 |
| 68 | 24 | "Remembrances of Things Past" | Sam Weisman | Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger | March 28, 1985 (1985-03-28) | 069 | 24.7/37 |
| Part 1: The Keatons visit Grandma, who has put her house up for sale now that Grandpa has died. But Steven's unresolved issues with his father continue to haunt him.Part 2: Steven and his brother disagree about whether to accept the offer on their mother's house. Meanwhile, Steven visits his father's grave in order to make peace. ||||||||

### Film (1985)

* The television film Family Ties Vacation aired three days before the start of season four. The film was later split into four individual episodes when the series entered syndication.
| Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Rating/share (households) |
| Family Ties Vacation | Will Mackenzie | Gary David Goldberg & Michael J. Weithorn & Alan Uger & Marc Lawrence | September 23, 1985 (1985-09-23) | 22.1/33 |
| The Keatons take a vacation to the United Kingdom where Alex takes classes at the University of Oxford, having won a summer scholarship. While Alex struggles with fitting in and Mallory falls for his dormitory roommate William Clive-Hopkins (John Moulder-Brown), the family gets mixed up in international intrigue. |||||

### Season 4 (1985–1986)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | Rating/share (households) |
| 69 | 1 | "The Real Thing, Part 1" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | September 26, 1985 (1985-09-26) | 074 | 29.6/45 |
| College Sophomore Alex dates a cute freshman he spotted in the school catalogue, but ends up falling for her roommate, Ellen Reed (Tracy Pollan), instead. In 2009, TV Guide ranked this episode #76 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes. ||||||||
| 70 | 2 | "The Real Thing, Part 2" | Will Mackenzie | Michael J. Weithorn | October 3, 1985 (1985-10-03) | 075 | 28.9/44 |
| With encouragement from Elyse, Alex travels to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to tell Ellen how he feels, even though she has gone there to elope with her boyfriend. ||||||||
| 71 | 3 | "Mr. Wrong" | Will Mackenzie | Alan Uger | October 17, 1985 (1985-10-17) | 073 | 28.1/43 |
| Mallory brings home her new boyfriend, Nick Moore (Scott Valentine), who looks to be exactly the type of guy Steven and Elyse hoped their daughter wouldn't get involved with. ||||||||
| 72 | 4 | "Designated Hitter" | John Pasquin | Stephen J. Curwick | October 24, 1985 (1985-10-24) | 070 | 26.7/39 |
| Jennifer defends her boyfriend (Noah Hathaway) from the attacks of a bully (Danny Nucci) with complications. In the subplot, Alex is devastated when Mallory scores higher than he does on an IQ test. Note: This episode was produced during Season 3. ||||||||
| 73 | 5 | "Don't Go Changin'" | Asaad Kelada | Marc Lawrence | October 31, 1985 (1985-10-31) | 079 | 26.3/39 |
| Alex tries to change his personality to impress Ellen's artsy & dancing friends. As a subplot, Steven balks at having to go to Elyse's book club meetings during football games. ||||||||
| 74 | 6 | "The Old College Try" | Barbara Schultz | Ruth Bennett | November 7, 1985 (1985-11-07) | 076 | 28.9/41 |
| Mallory upsets Elyse when she announces that she is not going to college. ||||||||
| 75 | 7 | "My Tutor" | Sam Weisman | Jace Richdale | November 14, 1985 (1985-11-14) | 080 | 29.5/43 |
| To help him with math, Alex hires a tutor who he later learns is a fourteen-year-old named Eugene (River Phoenix). Eugene then falls for the younger Jennifer. However, he soon realizes it's a mistake when Jennifer acts her age and embarrasses him at a party. The subplot has Steven working tirelessly on the family budget. ||||||||
| 76 | 8 | "Mr. Right" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 21, 1985 (1985-11-21) | 081 | 32.4/46 |
| Nick decides that he wants to impress Steven and Elyse and enlists the help of Alex, who turns Nick into a clone of himself. ||||||||
| 77 | 9 | "Just One Look" | Andrew McCullough | Story by : Paul Wolff Teleplay by : Gary David Goldberg & Michael J. Weithorn | December 5, 1985 (1985-12-05) | 082 | 31.2/46 |
| Steven's old college buddy Richard Schofield (Robert Desiderio) comes to town. Steven then learns that Elyse and Richard were previously in a relationship, which sends him into a jealous rage. ||||||||
| 78 | 10 | "How Do You Sleep?" | John Pasquin | Marc Lawrence | December 12, 1985 (1985-12-12) | 083 | 32.6/48 |
| Alex has trouble sleeping, and his problems affect the whole family, much to their displeasure. Note: This is the fifth episode of the sitcom where its opening title sequence got moved for after the first scene of the episode and not used as its opening sequence. (Not counting the cold opening sequences as follow up of episodes split in two) ||||||||
| 79 | 11 | "You've Got a Friend" | John Pasquin | Ruth Bennett | December 19, 1985 (1985-12-19) | 085 | 29.8/46 |
| Alex and Mallory catch a young girl, Jessie (Martha Plimpton), stealing from the store where Mallory works, Mallory turns her in and then later decides to help the girl and befriend her. However, Jessie may not be ready to accept Mallory's offer. ||||||||
| 80 | 12 | "Nothing But a Man" | Will Mackenzie | Story by : Jurgen M. Wolf Teleplay by : Jean Kraynak Brinck | January 2, 1986 (1986-01-02) | 086 | 31.2/44 |
| Steven gets a long awaited promotion at the TV station, but his long work hours cause him to miss dinners (and just about everything else) with the family, even private time with Elyse. Meanwhile, Alex is dismayed when the only toy Andy will play with is a doll Ellen gave him. (Robert Costanzo, George Coe and John Hancock are the guest stars in this episode) ||||||||
| 81 | 13 | "The Disciple" | Will Mackenzie | Rich Reinhart | January 9, 1986 (1986-01-09) | 089 | 32.4/48 |
| Jennifer asks Alex for help with her social studies class oral report, but Alex's intellect takes over the whole assignment, so that Jennifer's school is very impressed with the finished project but Jennifer does not understand a word of it herself. Note: David Wohl as lawyer Ralph Boswell and Belita Moreno as Jennifer's teacher Mrs. Pedroza, appear as guest stars in this episode. Also Corey Feldman and Amy O'Neill appear as some of the students at Jennifer's school. ||||||||
| 82 | 14 | "Where's Poppa?" | Will Mackenzie | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | January 16, 1986 (1986-01-16) | 090 | 34.8/49 |
| Alex sets up a reunion with Ellen and her father, Franklin Reed (Ronny Cox), who was absent for most of Ellen's childhood. ||||||||
| 83 | 15 | "Fool for Love" | Lee Shallat | Marc Lawrence | January 23, 1986 (1986-01-23) | 091 | 30.3/44 |
| Skippy refuses to let go of feelings for Mallory, despite her dating Nick. (Jerry Hardin appears as guest star in this episode as Mr. Bidney.) ||||||||
| 84 | 16 | "Checkmate" | Sam Weisman | Michael J. Weithorn | January 30, 1986 (1986-01-30) | 092 | 32.9/47 |
| Alex competes in the Chess match finals against Russia's top player, Ivan Rozmirovich (Albert Macklin). However, things start to go awry when Alex figures out that his opponent is attempting to throw the match. Note: Alex Henteloff as the Russian Coach and Elsa Raven as Mildred Atkins one of the juries, appear as guest stars in this episode. ||||||||
| 85 | 17 | "Engine Trouble" | John Pasquin | Ruth Bennett | February 6, 1986 (1986-02-06) | 093 | 32.4/46 |
| When Alex and Elyse have to walk home after the car breaks down, they decide they should take a class in mechanics, but Alex soon turns it into a battle of the sexes. Meanwhile, Steven continuously denies that he is ill, although it clearly shows. ||||||||
| 86 | 18 | "A Word to the Wise" | Will Mackenzie | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | February 13, 1986 (1986-02-13) | 087 | 30.0/42 |
| 87 | 19 | "A Word to the Wise" | Will Mackenzie | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | February 13, 1986 (1986-02-13) | 088 | 30.0/42 |
| Part 1: As Alex and Ellen celebrate their six-month anniversary, the Keatons regale Ellen with stories about Alex's past schemes.Part 2: After Ellen hears many wild stories about Alex, Alex begins to wonder whether she still wants to be his girlfriend. ||||||||
| 88 | 20 | "Art Lover" | Andrew McCullough | Bruce Helford | February 20, 1986 (1986-02-20) | 094 | 31.3/46 |
| Mallory becomes suspicious when a wealthy and beautiful older woman (Christine Belford) takes a special interest in Nick's artistic creations. ||||||||
| 89 | 21 | "Teacher's Pet" | John Pasquin | Marc Lawrence | March 2, 1986 (1986-03-02) | 095 | 15.6/23 |
| Alex gets a position as an assistant professor at the college and convinces Ellen to enroll in the class that he is teaching. In the subplot, Steven wants to enroll a too-young Andrew into preschool, which Elyse opposes. ||||||||
| 90 | 22 | "My Buddy" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | March 6, 1986 (1986-03-06) | 096 | 33.0/48 |
| Steven has to learn to accept that Jennifer is growing up. The only way he can get any time with her is to take her to her Sunflower Girls meeting, where he sticks out like a sore thumb. Meanwhile, Alex goes out early on a Saturday to fight a traffic ticket he feels he didn't deserve. Note: Miriam Flynn in the role of Mrs. Carpenter and Anne Marie McEvoy as Alice, appear as guest stars in this episode. ||||||||
| 91 | 23 | "Once in Love with Elyse" | Sam Weisman | Michael J. Weithorn | May 1, 1986 (1986-05-01) | 097 | 28.5/45 |
| Elyse must deal with Paul (Peter Scolari), a young architect associate who has fallen in love with her. ||||||||
| 92 | 24 | "Paper Chase" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz | May 8, 1986 (1986-05-08) | 098 | 27.5/46 |
| Mallory faces the possibility of not graduating high school unless she passes a tough final oral exam taken by 'Mrs. Hillman' (Gracie Harrison) her strict history teacher. Note: This was the last episode featuring Tracy Pollan as Ellen Reed, although she will appear in the season 5 2-part episode "It's My Party", which was originally produced for Season 4. ||||||||

### Season 5 (1986–1987)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | Rating/share (households) |
| 93 | 1 | "Be True to Your Preschool" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence | September 25, 1986 (1986-09-25) | 100 | 32.1/50 |
| Steven and Elyse enroll 3-year-old Andrew in preschool, but it soon becomes clear that Alex objects to the school's values of sharing and cooperation. Note: This is Brian Bonsall's first appearance as Andrew Keaton. ||||||||
| 94 | 2 | "Starting Over" | Steven Robman | Alan Vejar | October 2, 1986 (1986-10-02) | 103 | 33.4/51 |
| Ellen breaks up with Alex in order to take a scholarship in dancing she won at a prestigious Arts School in Paris, France. Distraught, Alex tries to cope with the breakup by re-entering the dating scene way too soon and meeting with Sharon (Haviland Morris) a girl he never noticed before and who he tries to make look like Ellen as much as possible. ||||||||
| 95 | 3 | "The Freshman and the Senior" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett & Marc Lawrence | October 9, 1986 (1986-10-09) | 104 | 31.0/46 |
| Mallory is teamed with 66-year-old Margaret Hollings (Julie Harris) on a college sociology project. Meanwhile, Alex is very interested to know what Steven and Elyse have written in their wills. ||||||||
| 96 | 4 | "My Back Pages" | Sam Weisman | Ruth Bennett | October 16, 1986 (1986-10-16) | 099 | 34.9/52 |
| Steven's old college roommate comes for a visit and reveals he wants to re-launch their old magazine. ||||||||
| 97 | 5 | "Beauty and the Bank" | Asaad Kelada | Stephen J. Curwick | October 30, 1986 (1986-10-30) | 105 | 33.2/49 |
| Alex gets his dream job at the Harding Trust, only to find out his boss is an attractive woman named Rebecca Ryan (Melinda Culea). (Named on the episode credits as Debra Ryan) ||||||||
| 98 | 6 | "Mrs. Wrong, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 6, 1986 (1986-11-06) | 101 | 35.2/50 |
| Mallory is overwhelmed with all her obligations at school and at home, so she decides the best way to get out of them is to marry her boyfriend, Nick. ||||||||
| 99 | 7 | "Mrs. Wrong, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 13, 1986 (1986-11-13) | 102 | 34.6/49 |
| Nick and Mallory set out to elope, but not without waking everyone up. Now it's up to Alex to track them down at the justice of the peace. ||||||||
| 100 | 8 | "The Big Fix" | John Pasquin | Michael J. Weithorn | November 17, 1986 (1986-11-17) | 084 | 24.5/35 |
| Elyse plays matchmaker when she tries to fix up a lonely colleague with her neighbor's daughter Liz Obeck (Terry Farrell). Note: The 100th episode of the series. This episode was produced during Season 4. ||||||||
| 101 | 9 | "My Brother's Keeper" | Asaad Kelada | Susan Borowitz | November 20, 1986 (1986-11-20) | 107 | 32.0/46 |
| Alex gets Skippy an interview with the Grant chapter of his fraternity, only to find out they plan to make Skippy the butt of a humiliating practical joke. ||||||||
| 102 | 10 | "High School Confidential" | Mark W. Travis | Ruth Bennett | December 4, 1986 (1986-12-04) | 112 | 36.4/54 |
| In order to teach an art class at the local youth center, Nick must get his high school diploma with help from Alex and Mallory. ||||||||
| 103 | 11 | "Paper Lion" | Peter Baldwin | Wendy Aaron | December 11, 1986 (1986-12-11) | 106 | 33.7/51 |
| Alex works on an important paper with his Economics professor, only to find out that their hypothesis is wrong. His professor goes ahead with plans to present the paper anyway. ||||||||
| 104 | 12 | "My Mother, My Friend" | Lynn Hamrick | Kate Boutilier | December 18, 1986 (1986-12-18) | 113 | 33.1/50 |
| Mallory brings home Allison (Robin Morse) a friend studying an Architecture's major, and who has more in common with Elyse than Mallory herself. Mallory then becomes jealous of the attention her mom lavishes on the girl. Alex plays Scrabble with his game-obsessed Dad, Steven. ||||||||
| 105 | 13 | "Oh, Brother, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | January 8, 1987 (1987-01-08) | 108 | 36.4/52 |
| The Keatons are stunned when Uncle Rob visits and announces he's separated from his wife Maureen - and has already met someone else. ||||||||
| 106 | 14 | "Oh, Brother, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | January 15, 1987 (1987-01-15) | 109 | 36.6/52 |
| Rob's estranged wife Maureen shows up to tell the real story behind their separation. Although Rob stays single, he and Steve finally bond as brothers. ||||||||
| 107 | 15 | "Higher Love" | Debbie Allen | Susan Borowitz | January 22, 1987 (1987-01-22) | 116 | 39.2/53 |
| Mallory begins to fall for the leader of her poetry group. ||||||||
| 108 | 16 | "Architect's Apprentice" | Steven Robman | David Tyron King | January 29, 1987 (1987-01-29) | 117 | 36.0/51 |
| Nick convinces Steven to let him enter a contest to pick the sculpture for the newly remodelled lobby of WKS. ||||||||
| 109 | 17 | "A Tale of Two Cities, Part 1" | Peter Baldwin | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | February 5, 1987 (1987-02-05) | 114 | 36.4/52 |
| While the Keaton kitchen gets remodelled, Alex and his boss, Rebecca, travel to Chicago for a conference, where they're forced to share a tiny room. ||||||||
| 110 | 18 | "A Tale of Two Cities, Part 2" | Peter Baldwin | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | February 12, 1987 (1987-02-12) | 115 | 36.2/54 |
| Nervous about meeting her boss, Rebecca gets drunk and makes a fool of herself. Back at home, Steven refuses all help and wallpapers the kitchen himself. ||||||||
| 111 | 19 | "Battle of the Sexes" | Andrew McCullough & Sam Weisman | Stephen J. Curwick | February 19, 1987 (1987-02-19) | 110 | 32.4/46 |
| 112 | 20 | "Battle of the Sexes" | Andrew McCullough & Sam Weisman | Stephen J. Curwick | February 19, 1987 (1987-02-19) | 111 | 32.4/46 |
| Part 1: Elyse, Mallory and Jennifer confront Steven and Alex after a disastrous dinner at a restaurant, and past incidents are recalled where gender played a role in their lives.Part 2: Alex continues to defend and debate his chauvinistic ways, citing Mallory's and Jennifer's past experiences. But in the end, they decide he's not so bad after all. ||||||||
| 113 | 21 | "Band on the Run" | Andrew McCullough | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | February 26, 1987 (1987-02-26) | 118 | 35.4/51 |
| Jennifer and her band, The Permanent Waves, try out for the homecoming dance at Leland College. They do so well Alex sees a chance to make money, and convinces them to let him be their manager. ||||||||
| 114 | 22 | "Keaton vs. Keaton" | Sam Weisman | Stephen J. Curwick | March 5, 1987 (1987-03-05) | 123 | 34.8/51 |
| Alex and Mallory compete for a new $2,500 WKS scholarship. ||||||||
| 115 | 23 | "A, My Name is Alex" | Will Mackenzie | Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger | March 12, 1987 (1987-03-12) | 119 | 36.0/52 |
| 116 | 24 | "A, My Name is Alex" | Will Mackenzie | Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger | March 12, 1987 (1987-03-12) | 120 | 36.0/52 |
| Part 1: When his friend Greg is killed in a car accident, Alex behaves erratically after the funeral. Eventually grief sets in, and he questions his own existence.Part 2: Now in therapy to deal with Greg's death, Alex talks about many episodes from his childhood - and his true feelings about his family. Notes: This episode won the 1987 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. In 1997, TV Guide ranked this it number 68 on its '100 Greatest Episodes of All Time' list. ||||||||
| 117 | 25 | ""D" is for Date" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz | March 20, 1987 (1987-03-20) | 122 | 19.3/32 |
| Jennifer plays dumb in order to date a good-looking jock named Tim (Wil Wheaton). ||||||||
| 118 | 26 | "Love Me Do" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence | April 30, 1987 (1987-04-30) | 121 | 30.8/50 |
| Skippy falls in love with Amy, a friend of Mallory's. Meanwhile, Steven plans a surprise birthday party for Elyse. ||||||||
| 119 | 27 | "The Visit" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | May 7, 1987 (1987-05-07) | 124 | 27.8/46 |
| Elyse's sister Michelle, her obnoxious husband (Stuart Pankin), and their bratty children come for a visit, and despite Steven's attempts to tolerate their presence, it eventually becomes too much. Note: The obnoxious son is played by Jeff Cohen, who previously played the annoying kid with the clapping hands hat in the episode "4 Rms Ocn Vu". ||||||||
| 120 | 28 | "Matchmaker" | Barbara Schultz | Bruce David & Bruce Helford | July 23, 1987 (1987-07-23) | 072 | 22.4/43 |
| Mallory—having recently broken up with Rick (rather than Nick, this episode was filmed 2 years prior and breaks continuity)—comes home after yet another disastrous date. Alex, determined to get Mallory to forget Rick and find her a boyfriend, uses Jennifer's computer to snare the perfect guy. But how will Alex respond when Mallory doesn't like the guy the computer chooses for her? Note: This episode was produced during Season 3. ||||||||
| 121 | 29 | "It's My Party, Part 1" | Asaad Kelada | Susan Borowitz | August 6, 1987 (1987-08-06) | 077 | 19.5/37 |
| It's Jennifer's birthday, so she decides to invite the trendiest girls in school to her party. However, when the party proves lame, the cool girls leave, and she leaves with them. Note: This episode was produced during Season 4 and therefore breaks continuity. ||||||||
| 122 | 30 | "It's My Party, Part 2" | Asaad Kelada | Susan Borowitz | August 13, 1987 (1987-08-13) | 078 | 20.3/37 |
| Now part of the trendiest clique in school, Jennifer talks valleyspeak and spends all her time at the mall. However, when she's caught cutting class, she's grounded and misses out on going to a football game with the family. Note: This episode was produced during Season 4. ||||||||

### Season 6 (1987–1988)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | Rating/share (households) |
| 123 | 1 | "The Last of the Red Hot Psychologists" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence | September 13, 1987 (1987-09-13) | 126 | 27.9/43 |
| 124 | 2 | "The Last of the Red Hot Psychologists" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence | September 13, 1987 (1987-09-13) | 127 | 27.9/43 |
| Alex meets Lauren Miller (Courteney Cox), a psychology major at Leland College, and the two become friends ... then much more ... when Alex participates in Lauren's study of overachievers. Also, Andy goes to his first day of Kindergarten and Jennifer goes to her first day of high school. ||||||||
| 125 | 3 | "Dear Mallory" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | September 20, 1987 (1987-09-20) | 125 | 20.5/33 |
| Mallory is hired as advice columnist for the Columbus Shopper's Guide. Note: This is the second episode where Justine Bateman wears white pants. ||||||||
| 126 | 4 | "The Other Woman" | Asaad Kelada | Susan Borowitz | September 27, 1987 (1987-09-27) | 130 | 21.0/34 |
| Andrew feels ignored when Alex begins spending time with Lauren at the expense of brotherly bonding sessions. ||||||||
| 127 | 5 | "Dream Date" | Andrew McCullough | Katie Ford | October 4, 1987 (1987-10-04) | 129 | 20.9/32 |
| Jennifer uses a nerdy boy who has a crush on her as a stepping stone to win the heart of a teen heartthrob. ||||||||
| 128 | 6 | "Super Mom" | Matthew Diamond | Alan Uger | October 18, 1987 (1987-10-18) | 132 | 19.0/28 |
| Elyse must choose between working on a prestigious architectural account or spending time with her family. ||||||||
| 129 | 7 | "Walking On Air" | Andrew McCullough | Katie Ford | October 25, 1987 (1987-10-25) | 131 | 17.4/25 |
| Steven gets a reluctant Mallory a new job at WKS. Meanwhile, Alex leads the rest of the family on a cereal-sponsored search contest for $5,000. ||||||||
| 130 | 8 | "Invasion of the Psychologist Snatchers" | Matthew Diamond | Marc Lawrence | November 1, 1987 (1987-11-01) | 133 | 21.0/31 |
| Alex becomes insecure of Lauren's visiting ex-boyfriend. ||||||||
| 131 | 9 | "The Way We Were" | Will Mackenzie | Gary David Goldberg | November 8, 1987 (1987-11-08) | 128 | 17.7/27 |
| The Keatons get a first-hand lesson on Alzheimer's disease when Aunt Rosemary (Barbara Barrie) comes to visit and behaves erratically. ||||||||
| 132 | 10 | "Mister Sister" | Kent Bateman | Susan Borowitz | November 15, 1987 (1987-11-15) | 134 | 18.1/27 |
| Nick gets a job as the janitor at Mallory's sorority house, which leads to friction between them. Meanwhile, Steven and Alex try to teach Andy basketball. ||||||||
| 133 | 11 | "Citizen Keaton" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz & Marc Lawrence | November 22, 1987 (1987-11-22) | 135 | 18.9/27 |
| Mallory runs for student body president of Grant College, and Alex agrees to be her campaign manager. ||||||||
| 134 | 12 | "Father Time, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | November 29, 1987 (1987-11-29) | 136 | 20.2/38 |
| Steven's newly-divorced brother Rob comes to visit with his son and troubled daughter, who is rebelling against her dad. ||||||||
| 135 | 13 | "Father Time, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 6, 1987 (1987-12-06) | 137 | 19.3/28 |
| Steven's rebellious niece defies her father, and has the Keatons examining the meanings of marriage, divorce and parenthood. ||||||||
| 136 | 14 | "The American Family" | Sam Weisman | Katie Ford | December 13, 1987 (1987-12-13) | 138 | 17.3/26 |
| 137 | 15 | "The American Family" | Sam Weisman | Katie Ford | December 13, 1987 (1987-12-13) | 139 | 17.3/26 |
| Lauren does a term paper on the typical American family, culling memories from the Keatons on their past. ||||||||
| 138 | 16 | "Anniversary Waltz" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 16, 1987 (1987-12-16) | 035 | 15.7/25 |
| Steven and Elyse argue for a week about their upcoming 20th anniversary party, leading the kids to remind them of their love for each other. Note: This episode was produced during Season 2 and therefore breaks the continuity of the 6th season. ||||||||
| 139 | 17 | "Miracle in Columbus" | Lynn Hamrick | Rob Okun | December 20, 1987 (1987-12-20) | 141 | 17.0/27 |
| Alex gets a job as a mall Santa, where he finally gets the spirit of Christmas after he hears a young girl's wish for her father to come home. ||||||||
| 140 | 18 | "The Play's the Thing" | Debbie Allen | Diane Dixon | January 10, 1988 (1988-01-10) | 140 | 22.1/32 |
| Steven tries to stage a radical play he wrote in the '60's, but Elyse is reluctant to play the lead role. ||||||||
| 141 | 19 | "The Spirit of Columbus" | Sam Weisman | Charles J. Schlotter | January 17, 1988 (1988-01-17) | 143 | 20.5/30 |
| Nick sells one of his sculptures and so Alex starts to believe that Nick's art is worth something. So he makes Nick make 35 more of them to sell. ||||||||
| 142 | 20 | "The Blues Brother" | Matthew Diamond | Burt Pretlusky | January 24, 1988 (1988-01-24) | 142 | 17.5/25 |
| Alex encourages former blues musician Eddie Dupree (Brownie McGhee) to come out of retirement. ||||||||
| 143 | 21 | "Read It and Weep, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | February 7, 1988 (1988-02-07) | 144 | 16.6/24 |
| Defying her school's policy, Jennifer writes a book report on the banned book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. ||||||||
| 144 | 22 | "Read It and Weep, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | February 14, 1988 (1988-02-14) | 145 | 15.3/23 |
| Jennifer's punishment for reading "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" escalates into legal action. ||||||||
| 145 | 23 | "Quitting Time" | Matthew Diamond | Susan Borowitz | February 21, 1988 (1988-02-21) | 147 | 18.6/27 |
| When Lauren quits work on her psychology thesis, Alex begins to find her less interesting. ||||||||
| 146 | 24 | "Spring Reminds Me" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | February 28, 1988 (1988-02-28) | 146 | 16.7/25 |
| Evelyn Mitchum (Constance McCashin), a former neighbor and mother of Mallory's childhood best friend Rosalie, who had committed suicide, visits the Keatons and reveals that she still has difficulty coping. Meanwhile, Steven unearths his old kit of magic tricks and starts driving the family crazy with them. ||||||||
| 147 | 25 | "The Boys Next Door" | Sam Weisman | Trish Vrandenberg | March 6, 1988 (1988-03-06) | 148 | 18.0/28 |
| Elyse's nerdy high school friend (Robert Klein) visits for a class reunion, hoping to rekindle their relationship. ||||||||
| 148 | 26 | "Sign of the Times" | Asaad Kelada | Matthew Monaher | March 13, 1988 (1988-03-13) | 150 | 15.9/24 |
| Andy becomes friends with a new student who is deaf. But when the other kids start teasing him, Andy decides not to talk. ||||||||
| 149 | 27 | "Return of the Native" | John Pasquin | Lloyd Garver | March 20, 1988 (1988-03-20) | 071 | 16.4/25 |
| Cousin June (Danielle von Zerneck) returns to the United States after three years abroad in England. She has lots to tell, but the entire family has stories of their own. Note: This episode was produced during Season 3 and therefore breaks the continuity of the 6th season. ||||||||
| 150 | 28 | "Father, Can You Spare a Dime?" | Andrew McCullough | Ben Cardinale & Peter Schreider | May 1, 1988 (1988-05-01) | 149 | 12.9/21 |
| Nick is hurting for money after he is rejected for a bank loan, but he doesn't think his estranged father Joe (Dan Hedaya) is the right person to lend him money either. Joseph Gordon-Levitt appears as one of the children in Nick's art class. ||||||||

### Season 7 (1988–1989)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) | Rating/share (households) |
| 151 | 1 | "It Happened One Night" | Matthew Diamond | Marc Lawrence | October 30, 1988 (1988-10-30) | 154 | 26.1 | 16.0/24 |
| Steven, Elyse, and Andy go camping and Jennifer, Alex, and Mallory stay home. After realizing they should have gone with them, Jennifer, Alex, Nick, and Mallory head to the campground. However, the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and they must camp outside. |||||||||
| 152 | 2 | "Designing Woman" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | November 6, 1988 (1988-11-06) | 155 | 21.0 | 13.5/19 |
| Mallory gets a job at a fashion designing store but finds out her co-worker is stealing her designs. |||||||||
| 153 | 3 | "Truckers" | Andrew McCullough | Shannon Gaughan | November 13, 1988 (1988-11-13) | 156 | 25.6 | 15.1/21 |
| Alex feels neglected when Andy would rather spend time with Nick's nephew than with him. Meanwhile, Steven reduces the household uses due to so many bills Note: This is the sixth episode of the sitcom where its opening title sequence got moved for after the first scene of the episode and not used as its opening sequence. (Not counting the cold opening sequences as follow up of episodes split in two.) This is only the second episode that doesn't start with music. It starts with the big news the Bush won the presidential election. |||||||||
| 154 | 4 | "Beyond Therapy" | Sam Weisman | Katie Ford | November 27, 1988 (1988-11-27) | 158 | 22.4 | 14.9/21 |
| Lauren encourages Alex to join a therapy group to express his feelings more. |||||||||
| 155 | 5 | "Heartstrings, Part 1" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 4, 1988 (1988-12-04) | 151 | 30.1 | 17.6/26 |
| The family pulls together after Steven has a heart attack and has to undergo heart surgery. |||||||||
| 156 | 6 | "Heartstrings, Part 2" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 11, 1988 (1988-12-11) | 152 | 27.7 | 16.2/24 |
| While Steven is in heart surgery, the family holds vigil at the hospital. And just when the family doesn't need any more stress, the nurse says that Steven has to undergo a quadruple bypass. |||||||||
| 157 | 7 | "Heartstrings, Part 3" | Sam Weisman | Alan Uger | December 18, 1988 (1988-12-18) | 153 | 21.7 | 13.0/20 |
| Steven returns home from the hospital and tries to adjust to new restrictions in his life. |||||||||
| 158 | 8 | "Basic Training" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz | January 1, 1989 (1989-01-01) | 157 | 21.8 | 12.8/20 |
| Desperately seeking direction in life, Skippy decides to enlist in the Army. But is the Army the best career path for him? Meanwhile, Steven is not allowed to eat fattening foods because of his recent heart attack. |||||||||
| 159 | 9 | "Deja Vu" | Matthew Diamond | Susan Borowitz | January 8, 1989 (1989-01-08) | 160 | 26.5 | 16.2/23 |
| Jennifer starts dating Mallory's ex-boyfriend's younger brother, Josh. But when Mallory finds out that Josh wants to follow in his brother's footsteps, she thinks that he will dump Jennifer just like Jeff dumped her. |||||||||
| 160 | 10 | "Nick's Best Friend" | Sam Weisman | Katie Ford | January 15, 1989 (1989-01-15) | 159 | 22.3 | 13.4/20 |
| Nick is reunited with his old dog Scrapper after his mother moves into an apartment that does not allow pets. But after the dog is struck by a car and critically injured, Nick is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision. |||||||||
| 161 | 11 | "Get Me to the Living Room on Time" | Sam Weisman | Matthew Monaher | January 29, 1989 (1989-01-29) | 161 | 25.9 | 15.4/23 |
| Andy becomes friends with two senior citizens at a retirement home, Joseph and Eva. Steven decides to make them the focus of his new documentary. While the documentary is being recorded, Joseph proposes to Eva, who accepts. But Joseph's son, David, does not approve of their marriage. |||||||||
| 162 | 12 | "The Job Not Taken" | Andrew McCullough | Marc Lawrence | February 5, 1989 (1989-02-05) | 162 | 26.4 | 15.2/22 |
| When Alex's friend, Paul Corman, gets Alex a job, Paul gets fired. Alex starts to feel guilty, so he quits. |||||||||
| 163 | 13 | "The Wrecker's Ball" | Sam Weisman | Douglas Wyman | February 12, 1989 (1989-02-12) | 163 | 21.8 | 13.3/20 |
| When the first building Elyse designed faces the wrecking ball, the entire family rallies behind her attempts to block the demolition. |||||||||
| 164 | 14 | "My Best Friend's Girl" | Sam Weisman | Bruce Helford | February 19, 1989 (1989-02-19) | 165 | 21.4 | 12.8/19 |
| Lauren tries to play matchmaker for Skippy as a favor to Alex, but Skippy ends up falling in love with her. Steven and Elyse both think they can teach Jennifer to drive better, so they compete. Maura Tierney plays Skippy's lab partner. |||||||||
| 165 | 15 | "'Til Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away" | Matthew Diamond | Susan Borowitz | February 26, 1989 (1989-02-26) | 166 | 22.0 | 13.3/20 |
| Mallory's plans to buy a car from Nick's father's used car lot are stalled when Steven refuses to co-sign her loan. |||||||||
| 166 | 16 | "Simon Says" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | March 5, 1989 (1989-03-05) | 164 | 27.4 | 16.8/25 |
| Jennifer and Simon get jobs at a fast food restaurant. A ten-year-old paper girl (Jaclyn Bernstein) has an obsessive romantic crush on Alex. |||||||||
| 167 | 17 | "All in the Neighborhood, Part 1" | Matthew Diamond | Ruth Bennett | March 12, 1989 (1989-03-12) | 167 | 23.2 | 14.2/21 |
| When their African-American friends move into the neighborhood, the Keatons are shocked and saddened to learn racism still exists among some of their neighbors. |||||||||
| 168 | 18 | "All in the Neighborhood, Part 2" | Matthew Diamond | Ruth Bennett | March 19, 1989 (1989-03-19) | 170 | 22.3 | 14.4/22 |
| After their new neighbors' home is vandalized, the Keatons continue to battle racism in their own backyard and rally to support their friends. |||||||||
| 169 | 19 | "They Can't Take That Away From Me, Part 1" | Matthew Diamond | Marc Lawrence | April 2, 1989 (1989-04-02) | 171 | 18.0 | 11.8/19 |
| With Lauren away, Alex begins tutoring a young co-ed (Jane Adams) and starts to develop romantic feelings for her. |||||||||
| 170 | 20 | "They Can't Take That Away From Me, Part 2" | Matthew Diamond | Marc Lawrence | April 9, 1989 (1989-04-09) | 172 | 22.6 | 13.5/21 |
| On the brink of graduation, Alex must choose between Lauren and a pretty music student who has captured his attention. |||||||||
| 171 | 21 | "Rain Forests Keep Falling on My Head" | Rita Rogers | Bruce Helford | April 16, 1989 (1989-04-16) | 173 | 17.6 | 11.3/19 |
| When Jennifer becomes obsessed with saving the environment, she makes everybody use things that are not a hazard. Steven and Elyse suggest she see the school counselor. |||||||||
| 172 | 22 | "Wrap Around the Clock" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | April 23, 1989 (1989-04-23) | 168 | 17.6 | 11.6/19 |
| 173 | 23 | "Wrap Around the Clock" | Matthew Diamond | Katie Ford | April 23, 1989 (1989-04-23) | 169 | 17.6 | 11.6/19 |
| In this hour-long clip show, The Keatons look back on pleasant -- although sometimes embarrassing -- memories while filling in Andy's time capsule. |||||||||
| 174 | 24 | "Mr. Keaton Takes a Vacation" | Sam Weisman | Shannon Gaughan | May 7, 1989 (1989-05-07) | 174 | 16.7 | 10.5/17 |
| Steven finally expresses his true feelings about Nick when he moves in with the family for a week. |||||||||
| 175 | 25 | "Alex Doesn't Live Here Anymore" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz & Katie Ford & Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | May 14, 1989 (1989-05-14) | 175 | 36.3 | 20.8/35 |
| 176 | 26 | "Alex Doesn't Live Here Anymore" | Sam Weisman | Susan Borowitz & Katie Ford & Marc Lawrence & Alan Uger | May 14, 1989 (1989-05-14) | 176 | 36.3 | 20.8/35 |
| When Alex lands his dream job in New York, everyone (except Elyse) is delighted for him. At the end of the show, the cast and the show's creator Gary David Goldberg come out for a final curtain call. Note: In 2011, the series finale was ranked #24 on the TV Guide Network special, TV's Most Unforgettable Finales. |||||||||