Family Ties

- Season 6

(1987)

Back to school; Jennifer in high school and Andy in kindergarten. Alex and Mallory return to college. Alex is asked to participate in a psychology study by a co-student, Lauren. They get off to a bad start, but slowly find the attraction.

Alex and Lauren continue with the psychology test, and their attraction to each other continues. Alex impulsively kisses her during a session. Worried about crossing the line, they are hesitant but work things out.

Mallory gets a job as an advice columnist. With the first issue, she includes her home address and phone number. She gets constant calls and visits from readers, exhausting her family - and finds out her advice has not always been helpful.

Andy is disappointed when Alex keeps missing their together time because he is with Lauren. Alex apologizes by taking Andy to a carnival, but also takes Lauren. The day does not go as planned. Alex and Andy talk, and things are worked out.

Jennifer has an admirer, Simon, who carries her books and buys her gifts. He likes Jennifer, but she likes Roger - who does not notice her - rather than nerdy Simon. She agrees to go with Simon to a school dance, just to be near Roger.

Elyse gets caught up in work projects, to the point of working a lot of overtime. This leaves little time for her family, where everyone is confused as to who does what duties and keeping the house moving. Elyse realizes something has to give.

An internship opens at the station where Steven works. He thinks Mallory should take the job, but she is not thrilled about the idea. She avoids her father so he will not keep asking, but eventually takes the position, with less than ideal results. The Keatons try to solve a cereal contest to win a $5,000 prize.

Lauren's old boyfriend visits from New York, and Alex is insecure about his relationship with her. He can't figure out what Lauren sees in him, when Eric seems better on every level.

The Keatons are delighted by a surprise visit from Elyse's Aunt Rosemary. The family starts to notice a difference in her actions, and Rosemary finally admits she is becoming forgetful. A doctor diagnoses the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Nick applies for the janitor position at Mallory's sorority, and becomes an honorary sorority member.

Mallory runs for class president and Alex becomes her campaign manager.

Steven's brother Rob visits with his children Marilyn and Jonathan after his divorce is finalized. He now works in outdoor telephone repair. Marilyn is having a hard time with her parents' divorce, and takes it out on the whole family.

While visiting the Keatons, Rob's daughter Marilyn stays out all night with a guy she just met. Rob realizes he has lost parental control. He talks with Steven about marriage, happiness and children, then takes another chance to talk to Marilyn.

Lauren is writing a paper on the typical American family, and uses the Keatons as an example. With her questions, the family reminisces about the events that help demonstrate the answers.

For their 20th anniversary, Steven wants a small gathering, but Elyse wants a big party. Everything goes wrong, from the venue and guest list to leaks in the roof, leading to constant arguing - with the kids worrying how things might end.

Money-hungry Alex gets a job as a mall Santa. While Alex sees the holiday as a financial event, he gets caught up in the reason for the season when a little girl only wants her father home for a Christmas gift.

The local theater is producing a radical, largely autobiographical play that Steven wrote in the 1960s. He wants Elyse to play the lead, as she did originally, but becomes consumed by jealousy of her leading man.

Nick is ecstatic when one of his artworks sells for $200. Alex sees a moneymaking venture, and convinces Nick to mass produce his "one of a kind" artwork. As Nick works, he loses his interest in art because it is no longer fun.

While working as a DJ for his college's radio station, Alex plays a blues track and announces that the performer is dead. The blues singer calls in and says that news of his death is premature. He agrees to visit the station for a talk.

Jennifer writes a report on "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" for her English class, even though it's now on a list of banned books. She becomes the focus of a battle over rights of free speech.

Jennifer's actions instigate a meeting of the school board to discuss if "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" or other books should be banned from being read by students.

Mallory finds a box of Steven and Elyse's love letters, which Andy copies to send to a girl at school. Stressed over her thesis, Lauren decides to abandon it and focus on Alex. Flattered at first, he soon finds both of them unhappy.

A former neighbor, Evelyn, visits the Keatons. Her daughter was Mallory's friend, but recently committed suicide. Evelyn begins to behave as if Mallory is her own daughter. Steven finds a box of magic items and tries all the tricks with the family.

Elyse's childhood neighbor Roger visits for their high school reunion. He was considered a nerd as a teen, but is now a multimillionaire. He hopes to recreate some of their best times, but Elyse isn't sure their past can be relived.

Andy becomes the official school buddy for a new boy in his kindergarten class. Josh is deaf, and he and Andy become good friends. When some other kids pick on Josh, Andy stops talking to become closer with Josh.

Cousin June visits the Keatons, on holiday from her university studies in London. Memories bubble up when she starts talking about dating boys and a trip to Florence, mostly embarrassing moments for Keatons (from previous episodes), such as weird dates and teachers or the 'home hotel' Alex ran with Skippy and the girls...

Nick's art class at the community center has ended, and he wants to open his own art school to continue working with children. Not able to get a bank loan, he is forced to ask his estranged father to lend him money. His father is hesitant.