"Tender is the Knight" is the first episode in the second season of the NBC family sitcom Family Ties. It originally aired on September 28, 1983, and is the twenty-third episode of the series overall.
Synopsis[]
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.
Plot[]
A childhood sweetheart of Alex's, Carrie Newman (played by Talia Balsam) is staying at the house, and she is unlike any girl he's met—or liked—before. She asks Alex out (and he is resistant), so she goes on a date with a guy named Victor (who bears some resemblance to Mallory's later boyfriend Nick). Victor (played by Chris Nash) has a parole officer, and Alex wants to "save" Carrie from the "societal dregs", so he determines to ask her out. Alex plans a very safe date, that Carrie wants to make it very different.
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[]
- Talia Balsam as Carrie Newman
- Susan Bay Nimoy as Julia Newman
- Chris Nash as Victor
- Kelly Ann Conn as Sherry
Co-Starring[]
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
- The title is a play on the title of the book, "Tender is the Night" (as Alex attempts to be knight-like and chivalrous).
- Jennifer mentions the movie 'My Dinner with Andre" in reference to the situation with Carrie and her mom visiting.
- Alex is heavily monogrammed in this episode: On his sweater vest, his bathrobe, and even the towel he's wearing when chased out of the bathroom.
- First episode featuring a bearded Steven Keaton which he will keep for the remainder of the series. Michael Gross had grown the beard between seasons 1 and 2 while appearing in a Broadway production.
- A new opening sequence was used. It shows a hand painting a picture of the Keaton family, as well as interacting with clips from various episodes. The cast's names appear onscreen over faces of the Keaton family, and ends with a full painting shot of the Keaton family.
- This is the first episode to have a rerecorded version of "Without Us", which stayed until the show's ending in 1989.
Gallery[]
