Title: Family Ties: Time Travel Episodes
Description: There's two of them...
bttf44 - December 20, 2007 07:56 AM (GMT)
Well, it is admittedly kind of debatable whether or not real time travel takes place in those episodes - but it does, sort of. Both episodes also predate Back to the Future.
The first one is A Keaton Christmas Carol, where The Ghost of Christmas Past appears as Jennifer - and takes Alex ten years into the past. The Ghost of Christmas Future appears as Mallory - and she takes Alex, interestingly enough, thirty years into the future. Alex has aged even worse than Marty did in BTTF2, and is not a very nice person.
The second one is Philadelphia Story, where Alex dreams of going back in time to witness the US Declaration of Independence. Actually, I think Michael J Fox was working at that episode at the same time as Back to the Future. So, yeah, I don't know if it's purely a coincidence that Alex P Keaton witnesses the same event that Doc suggested, or not.
According to Robert Zemeckis, The Christmas Carol is a time travel story - but there are several people who would argue otherwise.
needles1987 - December 20, 2007 04:42 PM (GMT)
I never saw the Philadelphia one.
bttf44 - December 20, 2007 04:48 PM (GMT)
It's on Season Three. I haven't seen that one myself, but I've heard of it. The DVD will be released early next year.
Alternate Strickland - December 21, 2007 07:18 AM (GMT)
I like Family Ties although I haven't seen too many episodes. I haven't seen these episodes yet but they sound interesting. Good point about the Philadelphia Story possibly being influenced by BTTF. I really want to see that episode now.
bttf44 - December 22, 2007 07:32 PM (GMT)
In less than two months, the season will be released. I can hardly wait. :)
bttf44 - February 22, 2008 09:03 AM (GMT)
Well, I finally got to see that episode. I thought it was very fascinating. It was hinted that Steven Keaton may have had the same dream as Alex, but as Thomas Jefferson. It was cool to see the Keaton living room set up to look like that era, and it's too bad we didn't get to see the kitchen.
I'm almost certain this was the first episode that Michael J Fox worked on, while also working on Back to the Future. There's not only the whole time tavel aspect, but also the whole Alex helping his father to gain confidence aspect - even though Steven Keaton is much more confident than TP George McFly.