Along with dealing with heavier issues like mortality and ethics, Family Ties packed in a lot of lighter but relatable topics. In another episode, teenager Jennifer (Tina Yothers) grapples with her identity. In "D Is For Date" Jennifer plays dumb in an effort to impress the high school star baseball player (Wil Wheaton). And in the two-part "It's My Party" Jennifer abandons her true self completely in order to fit in with the "cool crowd." Mallory also deals with her share of problems including trying to figure out when is the right time to get married and her life as a college student.
It should be noted that season five of Family Ties features one peculiarity. The show jumps back and forth between times. For most of the season the youngest Keaton, Andy, is a four-year-old pre-schooler, Jennifer is in high school, Alex works at a bank, and Mallory is in college. However some of the episodes jump back to Mallory being still in high school, and Andy being an infant. This can partially be attributed to the fact that in an effort to make Andy a real character on the show, he was quickly aged from infant to four-year-old from season four to season five. However the out of order episodes seem to be about two years old. However, the incongruity does not detract from the overall entertainment value of the show. Season five is a must for any Family Ties fan.
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