"Hotline Fever" is the seventh episode in the third season of the NBC family sitcom Family Ties. It originally aired on November 1, 1984, and is the fifty-first episode of the series overall.
Synopsis[]
Alex must take a humanities course at college even though he doesn't want to, so he signs up for the student helpline. There he runs into James, an old enemy. When the duo get stuck at the station with their teacher, they are told they can lock up. Alex soon realizes that he's bitten off a little more than he can chew when a troubled teen calls in with thoughts of suicide.
Plot[]
Alex is upset that all freshmen are required to take a humanities course. He decides to volunteer taking calls at a counseling hotline. He meets an old acquaintance, James Jarrett (played by Jeffrey Joseph), who seems to be a good foil for Alex. The two are put together as a team. Alex gets a call from a suicidal caller, who he accidentally hangs up on. Back on the line, Alex and James spend hours positively counseling the caller.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Meredith Baxter as Elyse Keaton (credit only)
- Michael Gross as Steven Keaton
- Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton
- Justine Bateman as Mallory Keaton
- Tina Yothers as Jennifer Keaton
Guest Starring[]
- Jeff Joseph as James Jarrett
- Jane Alden as Janice Worthy
- Sam Whipple as Bill
Co-Starring[]
Quotes[]
- Alex says to Mallory, "You know - college. You might drive past one some day."
Trivia[]
- Jennifer pulls out a Barbra Steisand lyric: "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world." ("People", from the musical Funny Girl), to which Alex replies, "Jennifer, people who have money don't need people."
- Alex mentions that the Psychology class is more like The Phil Donahue Show (very popular in the 1980s).
- James uses the code name "Gidget", while Alex uses "Gandhi".
- Alex goes through many course possibilities:
- "Man, Society, Civilization, The Universe" - Alex doesn't think he can relate.
- Steven suggests "Introduction to Abnormal Behavior", to which Jennifer replies, "You can skip the introduction."
- Mallory suggests Alex take "Psychology 3 - I'm OK, You're OK", to which Alex replies, "First of all, you're not OK".
- Other choices: "Sociology of the Family", "The Hotline", or "Marriage and the Family"
- James apparently beat Alex in the regional spelling bee in third grade (and Alex has never gotten over it). Alex claims he only lost because he refused to spell "Democrat".
- Third episode that Meredith Baxter does not appear in due to her pregnancy.
- Jeffrey Joseph reprises his role as James Jarrett in "Don't Know Much About History".
- Sam Whipple, the voice of Bill, appears in the next aired episode "4 Rms Ocn Vu" as Jack Driscoll.
Gallery[]
