FAMILY TIES: "A," MY NAME IS ALEX (TV)

Summary

One in this comedy series about the Keaton family -- Elyse and Steven, two aging ex-hippies, and their conservative, materialistic children. In this special one-hour episode, Alex is plagued by guilt when his best friend Greg, dies in a car crash. Alex was almost in the car at the time of the crash, but he cancelled plans to help "the Gregger" move a piano, because, by his own admission, he was too lazy. His initial relief about escaping the accident is followed by anxiety and insecurity until, on the verge of an emotional breakdown, he warily visits a psychiatrist. Exposing his psyche, he recalls childhood memories and imagines conversations with loved ones; dramatized scenarios unfold in the blackness surrounding Alex's seat in the psychiatrist's office. Alex contemplates several issues in his life, including the security he associates with his mother in the kitchen; his relationships with his sisters, Mallory and Jennifer; the differences between his father's approach to life and his own; pressures in school as he confronts his elementary school teacher; and Greg's influence on his life, which reminds Alex of the accident and forces him to explore his identity and his belief in God. (Commercials deleted; the final thirty-five-minute portion of this episode was broadcast without commercials.)

Details

• NETWORK: NBC
• DATE: March 12, 1987 Thursday 8:30 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:49:50
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:12481
• GENRE: Comedy
• SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
• SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1982-1989
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Gary David Goldberg … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
• Alan Uger … Supervising Producer, Writer
• Marc Lawrence … Producer
• June Galas … Co-Producer
• Dianne Edwards … Associate Producer
• Carol Himes … Line Producer
• Will Mackenzie … Director
• Jeff Barry … Theme Music by
• Tom Scott … Theme Music by
• Johnny Mathis … Theme Music by
• Deniece Williams … Theme Music by
• Baxter-Birney, Meredith (See also: Baxter, Meredith) … Cast, Elyse Keaton
• Michael Gross … Cast, Steven Keaton
• Michael J. Fox … Cast, Alex P. Keaton
• Justine Bateman … Cast, Mallory Keaton
• Tina Yothers … Cast, Jennifer Keaton
• Brian Bonsall … Cast, Andrew Keaton
• Marc Price … Cast, Irwin "Skippy" Handelman
• Brian McNamara … Cast, Greg
• David Wohl … Cast, Psychiatrist
• Richard McGonagle … Cast, Brother Timothy
• Meg Wyllie … Cast, Mrs. Leahy
• Scott Valentine … Cast, Nick Moore