Has anyone else here seen the Family Ties episode, Philadelphia Story? I bet Gary David Goldberg was inspired by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It's probably not the other way around, since I'm pretty sure the Bobs had that in the script - long before they started considering Michael J Fox for the role of Marty. On the other hand, though - it could be just be an amazing coincidence.

At any rate, I think it's the first episode Michael J Fox worked on - while also working on Back to the Future. Heck, it might've even been while working on the episode - that Michael was frantically searching for Marty's camcorder.

Anyway, the reason why I'm posting it here - is because it gives me an idea for a short fanfic I might work on, as we get closer to July. I'm not sure how this could work, but maybe Marty is a cousin to Alex the stable boy. Somewhere along the way, Marty shows up for the signing. Maybe, while Alex is assisting Thomas Jefferson - Marty is assisting Benjamin Franklin. He's the one who discovered electricity, so... Then, maybe after the signing, the two of them meet. Maybe Doc could even be in the role of Benjamin Franklin.

Anyway, what are your thoughts on the idea?

This sounds interesting.

Thanks! Did you watch the episode, yet?

I was thinking Marty and Jennifer could be the servents of Benjamin Franklin, and the two are in love. Do you have idea of how to fit Biff in there, or any other BTTF characters?

Benjamin Franklin kind of does look like Christopher Lloyd, so Doc would be perfect in that role. Not only is there the whole scientist/inventer part, but there's also the whole "lightning" aspect of it.

Do you have any ideas on how Marty and Alex should interact after the signing, with maybe Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson?

I guess Mallory and Jennifer (Tina Yothers, that is) would be Martha Jefferson's kids from a previous marriage.

Haven't seen it. They don't play Family Ties on TV anymore. :(

It's on the DVD set, for the third season.

The Bobs did have Gary David Goldberg read the script, so that might be how he got the idea for the episode. It was maybe sort of a way to celebrate Michael J Fox being on the Back to the Future set, by doing a time travel like episode.

Here's what I'm looking at, so far:

Benjamin Franklin = Doc Brown
Benjamin "Benny" Bache = Jules Brown
William "Billy" Bache = Verne Brown

What do you think? The Baches are the children of Sarah Franklin Bache, Benjamin Franklin's daughter.

Marty and Jennifer (possibly named Juniper) are the servents of Benjamin Franklin.

Should Marty and Alex of 1776 be cousins?

That sounds like a good idea.

Thanks! :) Now I have to think of who the Biff-like character should be, and what he hassles Benjamin Franklin about.

This is a lot less controversial than doing the "birth of Christ" one, which I'm not even going to touch.