"Little Man on Campus" is the third episode in the third season of the NBC family sitcom Family Ties. It originally aired on October 4, 1984, and is the forty-seventh episode of the series overall.
Synopsis[]
Alex is getting ready to begin at Leland University (with the McKinley Scholarship). Alex takes an American government class with the difficult Professor Ephraim Bronski (played by Michael McGuire). Alex tries to put more effort into the class, but with little success (especially on the first essay). A one-on-one conversation with the professor convinces Alex that he should stay in the class.
Plot[]
It's a new academic year for the three Keaton kids. The girls are flippant about it, as every year. High school star Alex makes his entry at prestigious Leland University, overconfident so he puts his foot in his mouth answering professor Ephraim Bronski's rhetorical question whether free speech is an absolute constitutional right. Alex trusts his elaborate paper will more then make up, only to find his plain mate Doug gets the A he expected, he his first-ever, ineffable F: traumatic enough to consider dropping out of college, or at least out of constitutional law. However Bronski had a more inspiring view on Alex's failure.
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[]
- Michael McGuire as Ephraim Bronski
- Timothy Busfield as Doug
Co-Starring[]
Quotes[]
- Mallory: "Do you mind if I make a few phone calls?"
- Alex: "The only B I ever got was in Health because I boycotted the sex-education films."
Mallory: "You missed some great stuff."
Trivia[]
- The title is a play on the phrase "Big Man on Campus" (Alex jokingly referred at as a "little man" often)
- Michael McGuire as 'Professor Bronski' and Timothy Busfield as 'Doug' appear as guest stars in this episode.
- At various times throughout the series, Leland is referred to as both "Leland University" and "Leland College" (in fact, both in this episode).
- Alex says the Debs speech happened in 1917, when in fact it happened in 1918 in Canton, OH
- Alex faces the common dilemma of having been a great student in high school but only average in college. He compares himself to Orlando del Rio (a baseball player who was great in the minor leagues, but went 0/167 with the Cincinnati Reds). Steven cites Willie Mays, who started out slowly and became a superstar. (Note: Alex’s example appears to be a fictitious player.)
- Alex's friend Doug also appears in "Best Man".
Gallery[]
