"My Back Pages" is the fourth episode in the fifth season of the NBC family sitcom Family Ties. It originally aired on October 16, 1986, and is the ninety-sixth episode of the series overall.
Synopsis[]
Steven discovers that he's left his radical past behind when he helps an old college friend re-establish a left-wing political magazine.
Plot[]
As the episode opens, Steven is hanging a banner in the living room: "Ban the Bomb". Alex takes offense with the message (and the lifestyle his parents used to espouse). Steven's friend Matt (played by Sanford Jensen), from the Berkeley days, comes for a visit. He suggests starting up the publication of Scavenger, their old political magazine. While he considers this, he flashes back to the Berkeley days. Steven decides to have a go at the magazine, but the team doesn't synch like they once did.
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
- Brian Bonsall as Andrew Keaton
Guest Starring[]
- Sanford Jensen as Matt
- Raymond Singer as Cameron Wallace
- Janice Lynde as Monica
- Michael David Wright as Young Steven
- Timothy Busfield as Young Matt
- Margaret Marx as Young Elyse
Co-Starring[]
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
- Parts of this episode are used as a flashback in "The American Family".
- Michael David Wright (Young Steven) also appears in "Diary of a Young Girl" and "Heartstrings".
- A young Timothy Busfield (who earlier had played Alex's friend Doug -"Little Man on Campus" and "Best Man") plays Young Matt.
- Walter Olkewicz also appears in "Working At It" and "Architect's Apprentice".
- Alex's ears perk up when he finds out Matt wrote books about economics, that is, until Elyse tells him the titles are Capitalism - Don't Make Me Laugh and Capitalism - Don't Make Me Laugh - Part Two.
- Despite his mother telling him he could not watch Wall $treet Week, Andrew calls Alex to the TV because gold closed up at $415. Alex does an awesome double-take about the whole thing.
- Once working on the magazine, Steven starts taking some strong stances: 1) all aluminum will be recycled; 2) no English muffins while the British are occupying Northern Ireland (to which Jennifer has a great response).
- Steven originally wanted to name his firstborn Freedom P. Keaton.
Gallery[]
