"Don't Know Much About History" is the twentieth episode in the third season of the NBC family sitcom Family Ties. It originally aired on February 14, 1985, and is the sixty-fourth episode of the series overall.
Synopsis[]
Alex and fellow Leland student James Jarrett start up a joint tutoring business. Judging by the IQ of prospective tutees like William, who even needs to be told to go home, a fabulous market, but when both have an 'unprofessional' eye on Robin Green, the rivalry wrecks their cooperation as feared, apparently irreparably... Meanwhile Mallory wines dad has chosen a practical new car with more room for the baby but ugly 'like a fridge on wheels' and he bores everyone to tears with his reading the manual aloud.
Plot[]
Steven and Elyse are going to buy a new car that will be better for their new bigger family. Alex and James (played by Jeffrey Joseph) are starting a tutorial service (but can't decide whose name goes first). While interviewing prospective clients, both fall for Robin Green (played by Nancy Everhard), and their natural competition flares up. When James asks her out first, Alex becomes jealous and attempts to interfere in their date at a poetry reading. She can't stand their immaturity and competitiveness and leaves them both.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Meredith Baxter as Elyse Keaton
- Michael Gross as Steven Keaton
- Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton
- Justine Bateman as Mallory Keaton
- Tina Yothers as Jennifer Keaton
Guest Starring[]
- Nancy Everhard as Robin Green
- David Wohl as Zane Axelrod
- Wyatt Knight as William
- Robert Schanche as Student
- Jeff Joseph as James Jarrett
Co-Starring[]
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
- The title is a play on the song lyrics of "(What A) Wonderful World" by Sam Cooke.
- Production assistant Robert Schanche appears in this episode.
- Jeffrey Joseph first played the role of James Jarrett in "Hotline Fever".
- Jennifer also wrote a poem about nuclear war in "Double Date".
- James and Alex used to play on a little league team sponsored by Wilson's House of Fine Lingerie.
- David Wohl appears in four different episodes.
- The poet, Zane Axelrod (played by David Wohl), is described as "...one of the best and most incomprehensible poets of his generation." He reads a poem entitled: "The Nuclear Holocaust and You - A Christmas Poem".