Family Ties: Four Season Pack [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

The 1980s were a very different time for both TV and the real world. No internet, no cell phones, no reality TV. No threat of mass terror. Despite the 1970s trend of taking on social issues--see Maude and All In The Family for starters--TV still centered around family life: back when communications were slow and limited and the world was what you saw around you, as far as you could drive. Even cable TV was a luxury.

This is the world that the Keaton Family lived in: when the 1960s counterculture had long since joined the establishment. Many kept their liberal values, but traded the sit in and the be in for the local food drive or advocating a nuclear freeze.

Then there was Alex. Alex P. Keaton. Alex was, like a lot of teenagers, young, conservative, ambitious and ready to make a killing in the corporate world. I never met Alex, but went to high school with 300 of em'. Reagen youth, completely rejecting the 1960s ties of their parents.

Actually, Alex had a heart of gold--just don't tell him. All the Keaton's did. Airhead Malory, the wisecracking Jennifer, and Steven and Elese and even little Andy.

What makes Family Ties so amazing is to see this family, of so many colors and of such opposites, come together. Alex tries speed, has a friend die in a car accident. Malory divebombs Alex's college interview, Jennifer has issues with not being the baby, anymore. Watch the classic "A My Name Is Alex." to get to know what this family is made of.

THey really, really, love one another, forgive one another, are there anytime for any problem. Under Alex's wisecracks and Malory's powder puff image, these individuals are SOLID. This is not shown with triteness, but with the real connective tissue that binds them.

All with amazing, laugh out-loud humor. Not many shows can make me cackle. But Family Ties does: with irony, not meanness. Wit, not barbs. It is amazing how well this hold up. While trash like "Full House" and "Saved By The Bell" was on, Family Ties was the real family show-not in a exclusionary, conservative, "family values" way, but showing the need we all have to be connected to those who love and understand us, warts and all. This show has universal appeal. If a secular, rock-jazz cigarette chewing guy like me can love Family Ties, anyone can.

Michael J. Fox, we all know, is sick now. The images have cracked. The world is too big and fast for a show like Family Ties. We're in a swamp of Google and texts and twitter and facebook and Al Queta threats and airport patdowns. We're circling fast even beyond a Spin City. Sometimes I am glad the 1980s are over--I couldn't be publishing this in sixty seconds in 1986. But we have also lost the beauty of a local, slower, safer world.

It is always comforting to go back in such a realistic and funny way. It will never be like this again, and that might be good. Still, I'll bet you you'll get warm inside watching, remembering. If not, you'll at least laugh.

And in 1986 or 2010, what more can we ask for than laughter.

Sit, Ubu. Sit. Good show.

Anyone who appreciates this show is probably as excited as I am that it can now be purchased in one convenient boxset. However, I have noticed a pattern developing with Paramount television series being released on DVD. It seems they produce 60% of a particular T.V. season in a decent amount of time, next they release a boxset of all previously released DVDs together... then production stops altogether.

For example the first three seasons of "Taxi" came to us fairly quickly then a boxset of all three seasons together graced the department store shelves only to have Paramount cut us off completely after that. The last two seasons are still not out and any sort of release date or even a mention of production of such seasons is nonexistent.

Has anyone else noticed this? Does this boxset signify the extinction of Family Ties on DVD? Feel free to comment, rant, and rave...

This series was good at the time they filmed it and is good today. They tackle a lot of difficult subjects and handle them well. It is a series you can let your children or grand children watch learning some of life's lessons. The actors and actresses were great, and the writing was great. Order and enjoy the series.