Season 2 of the sitcom Family Ties aired from September 28, 1983 to May 10, 1984 on NBC.
Plot[]
As the season begins, Mallory, is still seeing her boyfriend, Jeff, while Alex continues to play the field. And then Steven faces temptation when his new assistant falls for him. Classic 1980s sitcom's messages still ring true today.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Meredith Baxter - Elyse Keaton
- Michael Gross - Steven Keaton
- Michael J. Fox - Alex P. Keaton
- Justine Bateman - Mallory Keaton
- Tina Yothers - Jennifer Keaton
Co-Starring[]
- Marc Price - Skippy Handelman
- Judith Light - Stacey Hughes
- Tom Hanks - Ned Donnelly
- Crispin Glover - Doug
Episodes[]
| # | # | Image | Title | Code | Writer | Director | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | 
|
"Tender is the Knight" | 023 | Ruth Bennett | Sam Weisman | September 28, 1983 |
| Alex must contend with a childhood playmate staying at the house who is unlike any girl he's known - or been attracted to - before, and has to decide whether to try and change her personality to his liking. | |||||||
| 24 | 2 | 
|
"The Homecoming" | 027 | Douglas Wyman | Sam Weisman | October 12, 1983 |
| Mallory's boyfriend Jeff returns to Columbus and confesses to Alex he hates Princeton and is willing to do anything to get out of it--even ask Mallory to go steady with him. | |||||||
| 25 | 3 | 
|
"The Harder They Fall" | 026 | Rich Reinhart | Sam Weisman | October 19, 1983 |
| Teacher/parent interviews at Alex and Mallory's school become interesting when both Steven and Elyse contend with a rude, insufferable teacher. | |||||||
| 26 | 4 | 
|
"This Year's Model" | 032 | Susan Borowitz & Richard Raskind | John Pasquin | October 26, 1983 |
| Mallory enters herself and Elyse in a Mother/Daughter Modeling contest but ends up regretting it when they win and Elyse steals her thunder. | |||||||
| 27 | 5 | 
|
"Not an Affair to Remember" | 029 | Ruth Bennett & Gary David Golberg | Sam Weisman | November 2, 1983 |
| Steven faces temptation at work when his new production assistant takes a liking to him. | |||||||
| 28 | 6 | 
|
"Speed Trap" | 025 | Michael J. Weithorn | Sam Weisman | November 9, 1983 |
| Alex turns to amphetamines to get through a particularly stressful period of exams and scholarship applications. | |||||||
| 29 | 7 | 
|
"Sweet Lorraine" | 031 | Alan Uger | Sam Weisman | November 16, 1983 |
| Working at the school radio station Alex sets himself up a blind date with a fellow music enthusiast. This date ends up being the 39-year-old Lorraine. The two enjoy themselves as their relationship blossoms, but Alex's parents have problems with the age difference between the two. | |||||||
| 30 | 8 | 
|
"Batter Up" | 028 | Lisa A. Bannick | Sam Weisman | November 30, 1983 |
| Working at the school radio station Alex sets himself up a blind date with a fellow music enthusiast. This date ends up being the 39-year-old Lorraine. The two enjoy themselves as their relationship blossoms, but Alex's parents have problems with the age difference between the two. | |||||||
| 31 | 9 | 
|
"A Keaton Christmas Carol" | 037 | Robert Caplain & Rich Reinhart | Will Mackenzie | December 14, 1983 |
| With Christmas just around the corner. Alex finds himself lacking holiday spirit as the rest of the Keaton clan prepares for the celebration. On Christmas Eve Alex is visited in a dream by ghostly messengers who give him a view of his past and future Christmases along with a different perception of the holiday. | |||||||
| 32 | 10 | 
|
"To Snatch a Keith" | 024 | Alan Uger | Sam Weisman | December 21, 1983 |
| Steven and Elyse play mediator between a friend and his ex-wife. Steven & Elys argue each others sides and begin their own arguments. The mediation does not work, but Steven & Elyse realize they need to always keep their marriage fresh. | |||||||
| 33 | 11 | 
|
"Birthday Boy" | 033 | Michael J. Weithorn | Will Mackenzie | January 5, 1984 |
| Steven & Elyse play mediator between a friend and his ex-wife. Steven & Elyse argue each others sides and begin their own arguments. The mediation does not work, but Steven & Elyse realize they need to always keep their marriage fresh. | |||||||
| 34 | 12 | 
|
"Go Tigers" | 036 | Michael J. Weithorn | Will Mackenzie | January 12, 1984 |
| Alex decides to apply at the college where Mallory's ex Jeff is. So when he goes for his interview she decides to go with him so that she could see Jeff. When she sees him she finds him with another girl. After seeing him she goes looking for Alex so that they could leave but Alex is having his interview with the Dean which she can't help but disrupt. | |||||||
| 35 | 13 | 
|
"M is for the Many Things" | 038 | Lisa A. Bannick | Will Mackenzie | January 19, 1984 |
| Alex is placed in charge of his high school's class souvenirs for graduation. He wants to turn it into a millionaire making project. Elyse is upset when her not-yet-divorced mother starts enjoying the prospect of being single. | |||||||
| 36 | 14 | 
|
"Say Uncle" | 039 | Ruth Bennett | Will Mackenzie | January 26, 1984 |
| Uncle Ned pays the Keatons a visit. However, it becomes quickly evident to Alex that Ned has developed a drinking problem. Alex tries to convince his reluctant family of Ned's addiction before it's too late. | |||||||
| 37 | 15 | 
|
"Ladies' Man" | 040 | Alan Uger | Lee Shallat-Chemel | February 2, 1984 |
| Alex pretends to be a feminist to impress a girl he likes. | |||||||
| 38 | 16 | 
|
"Ready or Not" | 041 | Ruth Bennett & Michael J. Weithorn | Lee Shallat-Chemel | February 9, 1984 |
| Mallory considers taking a big step in her relationship with her boyfriend, Rick. | |||||||
| 39 | 17 | 
|
"Double Date" | 044 | Douglas Wyman | Will Mackenzie | February 16, 1984 |
| Alex is turned down when he asks his dream girl Jocelyn to the senior prom, and then invites the more unassuming Rachel. But when Jocelyn becomes available again, Alex finds himself with two dates, and devises a plan to take them both. | |||||||
| 40 | 18 | 
|
"Lady Sings the Blues" | 042 | Alan Uger & Michael J. Weithorn | Andrew McCullough | February 23, 1984 |
| Elyse tries to revive her collegiate days as a folk singer, but her initial outing leaves her humiliated and filled with self-doubt. Alex and Steven are traumatized by Mallory's driving lessons. | |||||||
| 41 | 19 | 
|
"Baby Boy Doe" | 045 | Ruth Bennett & Alan Uger | Will Mackenzie | March 8, 1984 |
| Skippy finds out he is adopted, and decides to meet his birth mother. | |||||||
| 42 | 20 | 
|
"The Graduate" | 043 | Ruth Bennett & Lloyd Graver | Will Mackenzie | March 15, 1984 |
| Alex is stunned when his girlfriend is named valedictorian instead of him. He thinks the man should be superior in the relationship, and his attitude threatens to break them up. His father teaches him that love is not about competition. | |||||||
| 43 | 21 | 
|
"Diary of a Young Girl" | 034 | Ruth Bennett | Sam Weisman | May 3, 1984 |
| Jennifer is in the hospital to have her tonsils taken out and is worried she will not survive. Awaiting the surgery, she writes down her thoughts and memories of her family. | |||||||
| 44 | 22 | 
|
"Working At It" | 030 | Lloyd Garver | Sam Weisman | May 10, 1984 |
| Elyse gets a new job at an architectural firm and experiences challenges at work and at home. | |||||||
Trivia[]
- The opening credits for this season began with the Family Ties logo appearing over a sketch drawing of the Keaton family, as a hand with a paintbrush begins to paint. Then, we see clips from various episodes, and then, the cast's names appear onscreen over faces of the Keaton family, and ends with a full painting shot of the Keaton family.
- Starting with this season, a rerecorded version of "Without Us" is used. This stayed until the show's ending in 1989.