Family - Such A Fine Line (March 1980, with Michael J. Fox)

[@bradjames891]

Michael J. Fox makes the world better with his talents. God bless him.

[@UKImmigrationLawGeek]

I agree. I loved watching him as "Alex."

[@alondralabute2310]

Agreed. I always liked him.

[@janiesippel225]

OMG with the original commercials! Now that’s a blast from the past! I was 17 in 1980. I loved watching Family with my family. 😊

[@ArtmonkeyProductions]

Those aren't the original commercials. They're from the '90s.

[@joeroberts2481]

@@ArtmonkeyProductions I was going to say, these are low-budget cable ads from the 90s, not the primetime commercials of ABC in 1980 with brand-name products.

[@craigsmith157]

I'm not sure if you are aware how grateful we are of you posting these gems. I was 6 when this debuted and 10 when it aired it's final episode. I never watched it back then but now watching it at 50 years old I'm glad I did. FAMILY and LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE are the two best television shows from the 1970s in my opinion.

[@rebeccagreen9240]

I'm pushing 50yrs old myself come Jan n I understand what you mean

[@tanyastebbing9763]

Bring back these normal days!!

[@ravenpoe7093]

Me too. I’m a couple years behind u but for some reason I never watched this show when it was on I don’t even remember what days or time it was on. Its hard to remember what shows i watched first run and what i saw in reruns/syndication. Between this and Little House .....Little House was my show and still is I can rewatch it a million times which I probably have. Ive been bingeing on this for a couple of weeks and almost done. I may rewatch some episodes or if it ever does air on tv or app again i might watch it but like the Waltons it took me 40 years to watch it but once was enough for Waltons This was a good show IDK why i avoided it but thankful its here now to watch. Thank you Xanthas

[@cathybrown8334]

Try out Touched by an Angel. A great show in the 90’s.

[@ringer4883]

Ya real grateful for an episode that stops with 2 minutes left

[@buddy-yn9bd]

This is funny, Michael J Fox and Meredith Baxter Birney worked together just 2 years later on Family Ties.

[@sonjamomberger556]

So cool.

[@jaydahome-teillarddeyry6200]

She played his mom even though she was only 14 years older than him.

[@kelleymariejones6388]

Thought it funny that Meredith would give him a ride to the Family Ties studio had she not known him previously.

[@janeporter818]

Yup they sure did!

[@ravenpoe7093]

He sure was creepy in here and chasing after the tv mom of who became his tv mom a couple years later 😆

[@rosehughes1752]

Great show- I’m loving watching these again. So many good messages- show was definitely ahead of it’s time.

[@kittylozon2106]

I remember these old commercials in the late 70's to 80"s like Time Life Books, NitWit and Doodle Loom kits....etc. It definitely takes me back in time.

[@maryellenguisinger9016]

‘In every friendship, there are limits’….golden…what writing!!

[@joanieaddesa5434]

I love this ....finding these o l d shows and reminds me of what I now call the good ole days lol

[@italobambino43]

The parents of this family were so much like my Parents, especially the mother. Sada Thompson was so at ease, she played this roll with perfection.

[@nonrepublicrat]

whatever

[@ApartmentKing66]

*role*

[@ApartmentKing66]

@@nonrepublicrat Whatsa matter? Didn't get any last night?

[@AlreadyShort]

at ease? more like a bitter old hag. always jumping to conclusions then apologizing in the last 5 minutes and expecting everyone to just let it go, and the amount of alcohol these two parents drank was unbelievable. she always Needed a drink, as if picking flowers from the yard and shopping stressed her out. and she never related to buddy at all. this tv couple sucked booze at every chance they could just to endure each other. she also puts down her husband in every episode and tries to deball him. buddy should of blown them away. now there's an episode.

[@AlreadyShort]

@@XxowendanxX willie is the only normal one in that train wreck

[@tinatison6527]

This brings back so many memories for me ! Thanks for putting these out here.. 😁

[@susanhill149]

This show had so many great guest stars! Love it. ❤

[@tyrone42ful]

I would have love to be seducesed by a a young mjf

[@booth2710]

"You ready for the world of rock and roll?" ... goes into room - Disco music playing ,,,

[@DanielGarrett0123]

@@ohdiggy8038 That was a sub-genre known as Disco-Jazz. True scoop.

[@penggot69]

I like that the commercials are included.

[@ArtmonkeyProductions]

I would have preferred the original commercials from 1980 instead of the '90s infomercials.

[@holleyjomartinez4009]

Michael ❤J❤Fox❤ - what an amazing actor! Bless his heart. ♥️ ❤

[@gmh471]

Well, if he was going for sociopathic creep who does not understand boundaries, he succeeded.

[@Tatiana_Palii]

​​@@gmh471that's kinda the role... it's not like the actor was 'going' for it

[@micjakes1]

Miss this show alot. Thanks for leaving those old old commercials in.

[@cidb.212]

"Old" commercials?!! Then who did I just order a Knit-wit from? :)

[@MattxietyA]

@@cidb.212 lol

[@patriciajones4761]

I want a craft matic

[@lambjack1]

The commercials were from 1991, so at that point this was an 11 year old rerun.

[@XxowendanxX]

@@patriciajones4761 want an adjustable bed but don't think you can afford one?

[@michaelschwab9806]

Kate: I may look "young" but I wasn't born yesterday😂😂😂

[@isabeldonahue4157]

I guess Willie was too scared to ask his father for the money.

[@ApartmentKing66]

I'm coming to the "Family" party rather late. Very late. Almost 45 years late, in fact. I remember when this show was on, but I was never interested in it when it was on ABC. I never saw my first "Family" until literally a few days ago. As the old cliche goes, I gotta say I never knew what I was missing. I now see what all of you who DID watch it on ABC saw in it.

[@windwhisprz]

I'm new as well and just living this show!

[@yosemite735]

I wasn't allowed to see it because it was on too late. I assume it was because of the adult themes.

[@smar1968]

same, was about 10 when this was on and had no interest, now intrigued..

[@janeporter818]

I’m new too. Just discovered this show yesterday. I wasn’t even born when it came out

[@racheallange2056]

I was 7 years old when this episode was on ...lol.. so now I am watching the show...

[@inahgreen4363]

I loved all the actors/actresses young and just starting,some older but hadn't gotten their breakout rolls yet.So far I've saw Helen Hunt,Tom Berenger,Michael j.Fox,Jeff Gootenberg,Ted Danson,Willie Ames,Leif Garrett,Linda Lavin,Lisa Welcher etc.Just too many to name♥️

[@cynthiahope8015]

I would like to know how many takes the scene between Sada and MJF had. I'm sure there were many bloopers (laughter). I've been reminding and laughing throughout this entire library scene. I just love Miss Sada Thompson 💜🙏🏾

[@SusanBrooklyn]

The commercials are fantastic!!

[@larkatmic]

I don’t know why. But this show was the most depressing family show for me in my teens. Everyone seemed so dull, unhappy and self absorbed. ‘Conditional love’ seemed to perpetuate it. Now that I’m in my 60s, after watching a few episodes I could be proven wrong. We shall see. Thanks for uploading them.

[@chrystal.clairtv7532]

😣 I loathe that this episode ended so abruptly... Why doesn't it play all the way to the end?

[@larkatmic]

@@chrystal.clairtv7532 Very disappointing

[@shellylbarrett]

I wish there was a boxed set of this show.

[@gabrielle1529]

There is Amazon and several other places offer at least the first two seasons

[@gabrielle1529]

Also decades channel has been running entire series.

[@goodmorningsundaymorning4533]

It's on Tubi.

[@1221mcs]

@@goodmorningsundaymorning4533Nope!

[@chefevilee9566]

Yeah that’s what two grown men friends do when they get together. They bust out to ukuleles and start singing a barrel of money! 😂😂😂 But for real I like this television show.

[@happy777abc]

Some did. In real life. Yes

[@fabigrossi2976]

I know a lot of people who do.

[@Mister_Listener]

Dont forget Kate was a music teacher! That was such a warm and sweet storyline when she was in the classroom. Kate also led them in singing Praise God from whom all blessings flow before their meal in the thanksgiving episode. Lol.

[@MariaWelsh-lu6fg]

Watching these episodes is like filling something I didn't even know was not there. I too was very young about 5 or 6 when this debuted and I guess it wasn't a show that was put on in my household at the time. Thank you so much for all the episodes you have been uploading. It means alot❤🙏

[@cindyoconnell2471]

I remember watching and liking the show, but the show broached some pretty big topics, especially in the 1970s. I felt I was getting away with something when watching it alone. My Mom didn’t seem to know that it was pretty mature. I think the writers and producers were very liberal and the 70s were the start of trying to educate the public of what they thought were important topics.

[@foldelops]

B E S T Sitcom E V E R produced ! Wish 📺 was like this now ! I hate most reality shows ! Hardly anythin worth while on 📺 nowadays ! Thank God it's on Utube ! Thx for the load so very much appreciated ! ! !

[@echt114]

@foldelops: I don't think you know what "sitcom" means.

[@victoryluck]

This was really sweet. The scene where Kate tells Richard that she is ready to leave her husband was one of the sweetest things that I have ever seen.

[@Mister_Listener]

Theres another episode where Buddies friend enjoys Kate’s company more and he becomes a real nuisance…it is also a very sweet story. Sada Thompson was a lowkey sex goddess in this role, she played an unusual mother figure and she was just brilliant.

[@flwrfan1752]

Any Ryan’s Hopes fans watching this?That’s ilene Kristin who played Delia on that show in this episode as a member of the band.

[@debbiepochy6751]

That was driving me crazy! I could not figure out how I knew her so well. I watched Ryan's hope way back then!

[@pawprintz7166]

That was awesome seeing Michael J Fox in a sitcom having the crush on a woman his mum's age. What a great actor at 19 years of age. Lots of love for MJF🥰

[@critter7052]

What a terrific show this was. They don't make quality tv with great writing and acting like this anymore.(And Kristy is so cut) I miss the 1970s.

[@michaelmyers8501]

Man, i LOVED the 70's SO MUCH! i was around 9 or 10 back then (im 55 now), and i totally LOVED EVERYTHING about the 70's! Television was THE BEST. i had my TV shows, (like "FAMILY"), that i FAITHFULLY watched EVERY SINGLE night of the week 😁, AND i was SO BLESSED to have a TV in my Room too! 🤠🩷🩷🩷

[@ursulasmith6402]

Kristy was a boy, so was Laura Ingalls.

[@electronbluepearl8591]

Love the commercials. Wonder if i can still purchase “the Electronic Fish Caller”?

[@contentedspirit9022]

They actually have some on eBay. Lol

[@zyante1]

I want the time life thing

[@susanb2015]

I was reminded of Pet Rocks.

[@karenedmiston5964]

A different vibe in the 1980s. Jeff never could get his life together. I like the Micheal J Fox character.

[@maureenogorman8740]

Willie is not doing too great.

[@Mister_Listener]

You mean the 70’s! Family ran from 1976-1980.

[@karenjoslyn4051]

Love the old commercials!!

[@goodmorningsundaymorning4533]

And the fact that back then they'd show 1 or 2 commercials instead of 42 of em like they do today.

[@dinerdashing]

The moment I saw Meredith Baxter Birney in the opening credits, I realized the connection: both she and Michael J. Fox would go on to play mother and son on another show with the word, 'family', "Family Ties". I'm surprised I didn't make that connection before I started playing the episode, being I was such a fan of "Family Ties" back in the 80s. Elyse to Alex saying one of the funniest lines on one of the funniest episodes, Birthday Boy: "You're invading Canada in the morning!" Be well, stay safe, and God bless you all.

[@grammgale58]

Don't ya just love these old, old commercials that are included with the videos of FAMILY?

[@Theaddora]

No.

[@grammgale58]

@@Theaddora it's a joke! Some times I have to laugh at them!

[@Theaddora]

@@grammgale58 thank goodness he only left the commercials in this episode.

[@Mister_Listener]

I loved this show as a kid because my own mother was so awful!! Kate seemed so loving and wonderful. One of these days i am going to drive around South Pasadena to look for the house and listen for that dog who is always barking at night!!

[@occdoc8423]

The "house" is nothing but a facade that sat in the studio lot (and has more than likely been destroyed), and the dog died a long time ago .

[@Mister_Listener]

@@occdoc8423 i think that you could be mistaken. That looked like it was an actual house in South Pasadena that they used.

[@occdoc8423]

@@Mister_Listener My bad. According to Wikipedia: "Exterior shots of the Lawrence family home were filmed at 1230 Mulildn Avenue in South Pasadena, California.". This is a surprise to me, as the exterior shots of homes featured in many U S. TV series are taken from the actual studio lot.

[@Mister_Listener]

@@occdoc8423 oh cool thanks for verifying it! yeah it is very common in LA. And a mixed blessing if you are the homeowner…they pay you well to shoot but they basically take over and it disrupts a peaceful home for sure. They used tons of exterior shots of the house and driveway and sidewalks on Family. Not to mention tourists like me who are going to drive by years later to gawk, or perhaps call out, “Buddy, Annie, can you come out to play.”

[@shellylbarrett]

Wow thanks for these shows!

[@Leesaloves]

45:26. Michael J Fox's character: Then you forgive me? Sada Thompson: (softly and kindly)for everything except going through my garbage.🤣

[@DanielGarrett0123]

Genius line...her deadpan delivery made it hilarious.

[@ravenpoe7093]

TOO funny. I wonder if it was hard to get thru that with a straight face

[@XxowendanxX]

I like how Buddy thinks the whole thing is funny

[@Mister_Listener]

I rewind and watch over and over Sada’s lines quite a bit. She was terrific and the character was priceless.

[@janetclaireSays]

The way Kate handled Michael J. Fox would not go over well these days!

[@bluedragon4]

I was thinking the same thing. Shows how much times have changed!

[@echt114]

The decline of a culture combined with increasing authoritarianism.

[@fabigrossi2976]

...and increasimg paranoia in Americans' side.

[@traceycancio1795]

Father has every right. It's HIS property. I'd be livid.

[@LadyTeePrinceLover]

Willie gets away with EVERYTHING!

[@echt114]

Poor babies. Didn't get your bitchy authoritarian complex satisfied.

[@miggans21012]

Typical ungrateful Willie.

[@Mister_Listener]

I think thats what made the show so smart and realistic.

[@spiritmatter1553]

My brother and I watched this back in the day! We were a little too into it, in fact. We actually made up lyrics for the theme song. 🎶 Who does that? Couple of dorky kids, us.

[@BJMallory]

So are you going to let us see the lyrics, or what. 🍿🍿

[@spiritmatter1553]

@@BJMallory Are you really that curious? 😳 All righty then... 🎼 No matter what they go through, they are a family, 🎼 All through good and bad times, they’ve got 🎼 Family unity.... That’s all I can remember. Now you have to sing it whenever you watch an episode.

[@BJMallory]

@@spiritmatter1553 I will 😄

[@spiritmatter1553]

@@BJMallory That’s so awesome. Teach it to your friends. Keep it going! Thanks. 🎵

[@user-mj8nf2vp7q]

...Wow, I thought my brother and I were into it but you and yours had us beat. 🤭🤗

[@ab3606]

I love these old commercials. MJF looks like Jodie Foster.

[@keithwarner6997]

Buddy. What a great actress. So good. All ov them...xo

[@michaelschwab9806]

What would "Willie" do if his parents didn't have that upstairs apartment for him to "leech" off of..and I got news for you "Willie" it IS your father's business when there's cocaine on his property..how dare you speak to your father/landlord like that!

[@ringer4883]

Sometimes Willie’s self righteousness and stupidity is too much to bear

[@Mister_Listener]

Yes! Gary Frank was perfect in that role.

[@gmh471]

If Doug had any sense of how to handle his son's arrogance, he would have responded "none of my business? This is my freaking house you goddamn leech."

[@Mister_Listener]

@@gmh471 wrong…why do old people in America scream at each other and vent all their money frustrations on their spouses and kids with anger like mortal enemies? And you think that is good sense? Pulling rank about who pays the bills? I wish old people could see how cruel and abusive these attitudes were/are. Family was interesting because the parents respected their children as people instead of screaming at them…and that bothers you? Why?

[@dianneramsey948]

I am a big Michael J Fox fan and I watched Family as. a child but I don't remember this episode.

[@justsayin3390]

Xanthas-you're the best !

[@priscillasalzberg5349]

I too am glad you posted these. I did not appreciate them for what they were back then. I certainly am enjoying them now. There is so much implied in the not spoken. You have to read in between the lines. "I have friends in LA." You are supposed to understand that others will come back looking for the money. It is so accurate these days that youngsters chase older women. Single people cause problems for married people. Buddy had to point it out to her mother that the library kid had a crush on her.

[@gabyr7439]

This is so unbelievable, how in the world could a 14 yr old have a crush on someone who could be his grandmother is weird even for 1980, it would have been more believable if it would have been Nancy, although that also would have been creepy since she later played his mother on FT.

[@Mister_Listener]

Lol. Watch the episode where Nancy is being stalked by someone in her college class.

[@trainer1158]

@@Mister_Listener What’s the name of that episode?

[@Mister_Listener]

@@trainer1158 i cant remember episode titles, but it was season 2. Look up all the episodes with Anne Schedeen as Nancy’s friend…i remember she was in it. It had lots of squeaky slidey violin music and menacing pre-1980’s kidnapper vibes and shakey camera shots. Like that creepy Albert/Sylvia episode of Little House. Haha.

[@gabyr7439]

@@Mister_Listener It's " Such a fine line" 1980.

[@MelDally-wc9rm]

These parents in Family are good they love and care for their children. I wish I had happy childhood and I come from broken family.

[@girlgeniusnyc272]

Kate gives off a strong Mom vibe. I can see how a confused teenager would fall for her - if his own mom wasn't around much, for example.

[@XxowendanxX]

Or if that confused teenager had very poor eyesight

[@m.e.d.7997]

If only all mothers had been like her but they simply weren’t

[@gmh471]

@@XxowendanxX The very rare LOL.

[@sandykelting9548]

So good! She let him down without doing so!!! Thank You for this program. It's a wonderful way to maintain sanity in a world that's not so at the present time🤷!😍💝💯♾️

[@sueyardley7489]

Well it looked that way until he showed up at the end telling her he'd sold his bike. The writers wanted that to be a joke. But it's not funny, its very creepy and Kate had played into this kid's fantasy and now it would be an even bigger problem because it looks like she was trying to string him along.

[@tyrone42ful]

I luv it when they include the info commercials ... its so nastalgic .. tv was sooo white then though

[@supertrouper2550]

OK, when the HECK did Willie and Jeff become besties like that? LOL

[@apollozero]

They always have been. It’s in the past seasons, he was friends before he married Nancy.

[@supertrouper2550]

@@apollozero thanks! I need to watch my DVDS of the first two seasons again..

[@BlinkFM]

Yeah friends with Jeff while married to Nancy and after the divorce, but never in love with him like he is in this episode.

[@kevincarpenter2525]

Willy is contrary he likes anything and anyone the others don't.

[@XxowendanxX]

They had to frame them as besties to make it seem plausible that Willie would borrow all of that money from his mom for Jeff.

[@yesgirl7659]

gosh, these old commercials as well 🥰

[@wertz987]

I love the old comercial. I still have them.Time life books

[@reneebraxton1032]

Can i borrow $3,000 mom? I will pay you back in the year never, never . 😂🤣😂

[@leonotarianni7733]

$3000 was a lot of money in 1980

[@Mr12tom1234]

I agree, $3,000 back then would be over $9,000 in today's money.

[@stevez.6805]

The Michael J Fox character was strange in this episode. The whole premise of him crushing on her was odd. Today, the cops would've been involved for him stalking the teacher.

[@gmh471]

This is definitely a jump the shark episode. The idea that a teenage boy would crush on a frump like Kate is absurd.

[@Mister_Listener]

@@gmh471 theres another episode of a nerdy friend of buddy’s who becomes a nuisance because of a friendship he pursues with Kate. Everybody loved her!!

[@gmh471]

@@Mister_Listener That one also had a ridiculous, socially inept boy that came from no place in reality. Also, that kid, IIRC, simply craved family and that's why he gravitated toward Kate. The writers for this show came up with a lot of weird stuff and often repeated themselves. Seems like the only friends Nancy had were women with low self-esteem and had love affairs with married men.

[@Mister_Listener]

@@gmh471 haha. That episode proved to viewers how much everyone loved Kate. Ok. How about the one where Willie was having casual sex in the house with Shelley Long and how Kate was all flustered?! Or when she had jury duty(2part season finale) or when Tovah Feldshuh thought Kate was her mother? Or when Kate was having precognitive dreams…

[@michaelmitchell5098]

@@Mister_Listenerweird weird and weird. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@traceycancio1795]

Jeff's 'friends' could get rid of Kate's crush in no time. 😂😂

[@jessicabraden5441]

"I'll get over it with time. " "when you do can I still stamp your books!?"!!!!!!! Lmao

[@irishgal3882]

I thought I was the only one laughing at this scene. Kate is trying not laugh too. “For everything…except going through my garbage” 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@cathyl.......]

Darn episode stops I won't know if he paid the money back lol

[@donnap.2572]

How does it end??????? Noooooooo!!!!!

[@MsTexas73]

Hey! It’s Delia Reed Ryan (did she actually marry Roger Coleridge?) from Ryan’s Hope. 🤗 I am LOVING these episodes of FAMILY. It was one of my favorite shows as a kid. My mom actually would let me stay up to watch it. 🤗

[@shannonb082905]

My mom let my sister and I also stay up and watch Family

[@kittygrrlhk]

She also played Roxie on One Life To Live.

[@lb1262dt]

Yeah right!! Miss Delia Reed, Ryan, Ryan Colerage herself, in thee flesh!!✌😄✌💛

[@buddy-yn9bd]

I remember sitting on the couch next to my mom staying up watching this show. It wasn't her favorite or anything but she let me and my sister watch it.

[@elizabethbass2641]

I remember one summer when Delia on Ryan's Hope was out on a ledge threatening to jump for what seemed like weeks.

[@lb1262dt]

Alex P. Keaton. Oh, Geez!! He is still funny as hell, dude!! Lol!! A comedian from jumpstreet!!✌😂😂😂✌!!!

[@kelleymariejones6388]

Cough drops? So glad mike stepped up his game, don’t think Tracy Pollan would accept cough drops as a gift !😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@fwdthinker]

The line is "I was born at night...not last night" - LOL! Willie sure did have a lot of mouth for someone who lives off his parents and has to beg them for money to help a so-called friend.

[@yosemite735]

It would be one thing if he was saving up to buy a house, but he was not. Just a leach.

[@BlinkFM]

Is this before Willie sold Haddie's farm? If it's after Willie has money in the bank about 65k for the sale of Haddie's farm.

[@XxowendanxX]

I can't believe he mouthed off to Doug that way, for any reason, much less to protect a drug addict who did his sister dirty, cheated on her when they had a small child and another baby on the way. It's Doug's property he should have called the cops with hard drugs in his home with underage girls around.

[@leanderrowe2800]

Willie dropped out of high school without a real job, lived at home and fell in love with every girl he met. To me, the last straw was his loyalty to someone who wronged his sister.

[@rosecolwill5383]

@@BlinkFM they never sold Hattie’s farm! They decided to keep it ! Willie had $2000.00 saved himself .. he wasn’t even 20 years old! He was naive! He really believed Jeff needed ir for equipment . Though the parents saw right through Jeff … hence when Kate was writing out the Check …” who should I make it out to ? Jeff maitland?”

[@edwardmunster7269]

It’s Michael j Fox wow

[@PaperImagesArtStudio]

Oh, this wouldn’t fly in today’s society the parents would be making a scandal suing the school suing the teacher.

[@johnrossfischer8132]

Does anyone know how this ends? The episode just stops.

[@wednesdayschild3627]

Back when writers were hired on talent. They are on strike now. I doubt anyone misses them. 2023.

[@jesusislordsoontoreturn2178]

Yes, I like these old commercials also

[@user-mj8nf2vp7q]

...They're quaint now but they were very repetitive and annoying at the time. 👍🏽💯😂

[@echt114]

@@user-mj8nf2vp7q Better than now with the constant drug ads with people wandering around meadows and holding kids and smiling.

[@user-mj8nf2vp7q]

@@echt114 The more things change... 🙄👍🏽💯

[@sueyardley7489]

I love the actress who played Lotus. I was wondering if the writers had modelled her on Stevie Nicks. She was in Ryan's Hope, which was my favourite soap when I was a young teenager. I used to record it on an audio cassette recorder because there weren't vcr's yet.

[@keithwarner6997]

Just an amazing time xo

[@reneebraxton1032]

Yes we older women know a lot! That is, if we don't forget anything. 🤣

[@waitforollie]

knit wit and doodle looms LOLOL i want them

[@jessicabraden5441]

Lmao, I've been laughing my butt off at these commercials!

[@arroyobaby38]

Lololol

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

IMO, more than Happy Days, more than the Mary Tyler Moore Show, more than Columbo, more than any other series of the decade, this series best represents the 70s. When I see anything that has to do with that decade, I am automatically reminded of this series.

[@m.e.d.7997]

All those shows rated much higher than this one did.

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

@@m.e.d.7997 Yes you're right. Family never had high ratings throughout its five-year run. In fact, it was scheduled to be cancelled after its fourth season but ABC decided to renew it for the second-half of the '79-'80 season. But ratings don't necessarily measure a show's quality. The Odd Couple and WKRP never had high ratings when they were on the air either and yet they became enormously popular in syndication. Cheers and Hill Street Blues had very low ratings in their first season also. IMO, Family's less-than-stellar ratings mean that many people missed a great TV show.

[@m.e.d.7997]

@@georgfriedrichhandel4390 Thanks for the info. So did Family only do around a half season of shows in the last season? Those higher rated shows did not wear well like this one. I cannot really watch Happy Days or Threes Company. Even the great MTM show has some dated shows. But Family really did capture the essence and times of the seventies with added live outdoor shots filming the show.

[@m.e.d.7997]

MTM was pretty 70s

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

@@m.e.d.7997 You're most welcome. Yes, in its last season, Family only had 13 episodes and started in January, 1980. For the last season, the show was moved to Monday evenings as one of the replacements for Monday Night Football. But because it had to compete in that time slot with That's Incredible (which was a top-5 show in the Nielsens that year), hardly anyone watched it. ABC just needed a show to fill that timeslot until the end of the season. I wasn't a big Happy Days fan but I did like the MTM Show. Very groundbreaking for its era.

[@StukInBuf]

I take it this was from the days when WWOR had that infernal "EMI Service," which meant that anyone outside of 75 or 100 miles from NYC and environs had to watch different programming than what was offered for the NY audience. I remember when *Family* aired on Channel 9(even here in the Buffalo area for those of us with cable). Back then, before the EMI Service days, whatever aired in NYC for that audience, also aired everywhere else.

[@user-mj8nf2vp7q]

I used to watch it in syndication on WWOR too, once we got Cable late 80's...also early 90's. Lifetime also carried in syndication. Before getting Cable, watched on local Fox affiliate WCCB 18 here in Charlotte.

[@mikeoneil5770]

I notice that virtually every advertisement tells you to send your check or money order to The same P.O. Box

[@kevincarpenter2525]

Willy is a brat in this and many other episodes. He always claims to be an adult but is clearly a dependent living at home, bumming money from his parents, sporadically working and making poor choices often.

[@philmangini1728]

With no laugh track or studio audience this has a nice wide open space to just inhabit the scene. Seems like a great show to have on when you're feeling god awful with a fever and are slipping in and out of restless sleep. I may be able to appreciate the show on some intellectual level but my smartphone singed synapsis recoil from the mundanity. Still, a cool experience to have. 50 too btw, just never heard of this show. Used to crush on Kristy McNichol big time.

[@Mister_Listener]

Lol. Hope your fever comes down. Keep watching, its a great show and you will not believe the odd places these storylines and episodes will take you.

[@marybethchambers9784]

😅

[@johnfd0210]

I think Willie and Jeff made a better couple than Nancy and Jeff.

[@DaniDiva182]

Except for the lying and cheating. Oh wait...

[@XxowendanxX]

Couple of WHAT??

[@johnfd0210]

@@XxowendanxX You seem to be so adroit, why don't you fill that in?

[@XxowendanxX]

@@johnfd0210 it was a bromance, no shady stuff going on like some people implied

[@J.A.706]

The horrors of adult children still living at home. Doug is an attorney who could be disbarred for illegal activity, and owns the guest house. Willy is hiding illegal drugs in the guest house and when his father finds out, Willy tells his dad "It's none of your business." Actually, yes, it is his business. Privileged kids who won't grow up and fail to launch.

[@teijaflink2226]

Willie sure seem to think he can do whatever he wants, live home while stop out of school and not work, his parents should put their foot down.

[@sueyardley7489]

I thought Kate had handled the boy's advances very skillfully, making him change his mind about pursing her by pointing out all the things he would have to give up. But when he showed up at the end saying he had sold his bike and was ready to move forward she would have had an even bigger problem on her hands. At that point she and Doug would have to have had a serious conversation with him about his behaviour and likely would have had to involve his parents. And then how would it look when the kid explained that Kate had initially agreed to leave Doug for him? As much as I love this series and these characters at this point it really needed needed new writers.

[@teijaflink2226]

Yeah that was a really dumb thing to say unless maybe Kate was scared of him and what he might do.

[@sueyardley7489]

The conversation should have been, "I'm very flattered that you feel that way but you have to understand that I'm married. I have a family. And as much as I think you are a terrific young man anything other than a teacher student relationship is impossible." And then she should have documented the conversation somewhere in case he persisted at which point she'd have to involve the school principal. But I get where the show was coming from, it was the 70's and people didn't think then about romantic relationships the way that they do now.

[@staciebonner4669]

I enjoy watching Micheal J. Fox,, he plays younger roles even tho he older. I wonder how old he really was in this role. And yes, I like the commercials, I enjoy seeing the one's from the 80's , better than today's. One question, why does it say it has closed caption and when I press it I can't get it to come on? I'm hard of hearing and even tho I can hear the dialoge, it helps when the actors talk low.

[@elmocotton3078]

"Jeff got a couple grand of some turkey.." LOL

[@debbievaldez168]

I hate the way Willy talks to his dad in the guest house! Telling him he has no business going in there! Yeah he does! Its his house! Willy is just the guest

[@pcno2832]

42:46 This is really weird; she is no Mrs. Robinson, if you know what I mean, maybe more like Mrs. Robinson's mother. Anyway, I love the way they always play the "sad flute" in the background during awkward scenes on shows of this era. PS: Michael J. Fox was still working off a little baby fat at this point. I barely recognized him, except by his voice.

[@sustainfem]

"Mrs. Robinsons' mother"! Lol. Really, she is no Anne Bancroft!

[@darloscudder1960]

The relationship between them was unbelievable

[@MM-xz5ig]

Thank you so much for posting! I’m loving all the Family videos! Can someone please tell me how this episode ends? The video stalls near the end, right where Jeff is holding the baby by the window. Also, not to sound greedy, but does anyone have the episode, From Russia With Love? It’s the only one I haven’t seen! Thank you so much!

[@MM-xz5ig]

Oh no! The video suddenly freezes at the end! Can anyone please tell me how the episode ends?! Does Willie ever get his money back? Thanks to anyone who can help!

[@janeporter818]

I love Michael J. Fox ❤

[@rhyacoub2822]

Michael J. Fox, Meredith Baxter and those commercials are the best part of this tired ass show.

[@Theaddora]

Don't you people get enough commercials on TV and on regular KZbin?

[@jkt4748]

Oh yeah those commercials are the ones I’d actually like to have watched.

[@user-mj8nf2vp7q]

...I remember them well from watching in syndication during the early 90's on Lifetime and A&E. 👍🏽💯😊

[@jkt4748]

@@user-mj8nf2vp7q Good time’s man!

[@user-mj8nf2vp7q]

@@jkt4748 They certainly were.

[@lynn1464]

22:36 Willie had no right to talk to Dad like that. They should have had his dad say I have the right this is my guest house 33:13 Kate writes out a check I would have told him no since he would not tell her what it was for. 41:25 they really had Jeff turn for the worse. A user and a loser

[@danielappel1368]

Willie had a habit of talking to his parents like that. They should've dropped kicked his butt right out of Pasadena.

[@jesusislordsoontoreturn2178]

I agree. He always talked to his dad awful. I know it's just a show but still makes me mad.

[@ShawnBen]

Doug is too indulgent with the children. Willie would have been knocked out! His mother was too free with her money! Collect your money Kate!

[@blainedavis1603]

Willie was stupid in trusting him.

[@jesusislordsoontoreturn2178]

@@blainedavis1603 exactly

[@DaCoach68]

Thanks so much for posting all these great videos. I enjoyed Family when it was on, one of those truly GOOD shows in a sea of mediocrity. I could never understand , tho, why Meridith Baxter got a "special" mention in the credits. And I'm still puzzled by John Rubinstein's special SPECIAL credit. While I'm at it, I have to mention that, while I loved Family, I agree with Doug Lawrence...I never could stand Jeff.

[@Nancie680]

Omg the Jane Fonda workouts lol I did those haha

[@lgempet2869]

The guest house sits on Willie’s parent’s property so yes, “it IS HIS DAD’S business” what’s going on in HIS guest house & who’s staying in it. Can’t believe how spoiled & entitled Willie’s character is. His parents allowed him to have a very easy lifestyle....those were the days!😏

[@LB-gz3ke]

IRL, Willie seems like the type that would have been hooked on drugs.

[@katiek1856]

Yes, Willie seems to be given a lot of freedoms in this family. But he is the family “chauffeur” so they can’t make him too upset that he’ll move out.

[@ravenpoe7093]

Right? I know he wasn’t really aware of what Jeff was really into but geesh once the coke was found u still tell your dad it’s none of his business. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Plus the dealer woke up his parents first OF COURSE ITS THIER BUSINESS

[@BlinkFM]

Doug was very hard on WIllie like Kate was hard on Nancy. Nancy has the worst entitlement than any of them which Merideth has stated she wanted to play Nancy like that.

[@Nancie680]

Lol knit wit fun 😅 the commercials crack me up

[@urbanwarior3134]

In a digital world that's an A.I. wet dream this smudgy over saturated smudge could be classed as art

[@lorireece1970]

I never knew he did an episode of Family!

[@Xanthas71]

Yep, with his future TV mom, Meredith Baxter!

[@beckygarcia4416]

I worked for Craftmatic Beds in the 80’s.

[@nonrepublicrat]

I was wondering about that.

[@user-mj8nf2vp7q]

@@nonrepublicrat 🤭😆😢🤣😂 👍🏽💯

[@jessicabraden5441]

Kate is cracking me up with Michael j. Fox!!!!

[@eidancandela]

Jessica braden 😂😂😂😂😂💀

[@XxowendanxX]

I think it's cool how buddy thinks it's funny

[@LadyTeePrinceLover]

Her poker face alone is HYSTERICAL 😄 & Michael's lines were funny as hell!! Can't help but wonder if they had 2 do many takes due 2 cracking up!😄

[@flirtwd]

In a few years he’d be the biggest star in history and BTTF would make history. Wow!

[@vanealmorrow6024]

Like Willie didn't know what the $5,000 was going to be used for.

[@LadyTeePrinceLover]

😄 Amps & Equipment 😄!