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Season guide

Family Ties: Season 6

26 episodes Premiered Sep 13, 1987 Updated Sep 26, 2026
Previously on Family Ties

Season 6 Lore Primer

Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.

  • ⚡ Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Family Ties Season 5.
  • ⚡ Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
  • ⚡ Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
  • ⚡ Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
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Season 6 Episodes

Episode Guide

🛡️ SPOILER SHIELD

Season 6 Progress Shield

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Binge Efficiency Engine

Season 6: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

15%
85%
Mytharc (4): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (22): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (0): Standalone / filler
S6·E1 Mytharc

The Last of the Red Hot Psychologists

Sep 13, 1987 · 49 min

As the Keaton household gets ready for the first day of the new school year, Alex reminds Jennifer of how incredibly successful he was at the high school she's about to enter, and

S6·E2 Core

Dear Mallory

Sep 20, 1987 · 25 min

Mallory is thrilled to follow in ""Dear Abby's"" footsteps when she's tapped to write the personal advice column in the Columbus Shopper's Guide. She manages to involve the entire

S6·E3 Core

The Other Woman

Sep 27, 1987 · 25 min

While Nick entertains the Keatons with a demonstration of the ""salesmanship"" he's using in his new job selling lightbulbs over the phone, an impatient Andrew waits for Alex to co

S6·E4 Core

Dream Date

Oct 4, 1987 · 25 min

Jennifer is appalled when nerdy sophomore Simon Wickerson falls head over heels in love with her. Although Jennifer rejects his advances, Simon is undaunted. He follows her home an

S6·E5 Core

Super Mom

Oct 18, 1987 · 25 min

As Elyse wraps up a major project for her firm, she realizes that her busy architectural career is causing her to neglect her family, especially Andy. Although Elyse feels terribl

S6·E6 Core

Walking On Air

Oct 25, 1987 · 25 min

When Steven arrives home with news of a job opening at his station, an internship position he feels would be perfect for Mallory, he finds his family deeply engrossed in a contest

S6·E7 Core

Invasion of the Psychologist Snatchers

Nov 1, 1987 · 25 min

Alex and Lauren face the first real test of their budding romance when one of Lauren's former loves comes for a visit and Alex finds himself feeling uncharacteristically insecure.

S6·E8 Core

The Way We Were

Nov 8, 1987 · 25 min

The Keatons are surprised, but delighted, when Elyse's Aunt Rosemary shows up for a visit. Although Rosemary claims to have sent a letter and spoken with Mallory about her arrival,

S6·E9 Core

Mister Sister

Nov 15, 1987 · 25 min

Fearing the long-term effects of Andy's liberal upbringing with Its lack of strong gender identification, Alex tries to push his little brother into learning to play basketball, on

S6·E10 Core

Citizen Keaton

Nov 22, 1987 · 25 min

When Mallory decides to run for student body president of Grant College, her family is surprised at her uncharacteristic interest in politics. She explains that ""it just sounded l

S6·E11 Core

Father Time (1)

Nov 29, 1987 · 25 min

When Steven's recently divorced brother Rob arrives with his son and daughter for a visit, the Keaton's become a sounding board for their relatives' family problems. In the wake of

S6·E12 Core

Father Time (2)

Dec 6, 1987 · 25 min

When Uncle Rob's daughter Marilyn stays out all nite with a Marine she meets while visiting the Keaton's, the family becomes painfully aware of her deep-seated anger with her fathe

S6·E13 Core

The American Family

Dec 13, 1987 · 49 min

When Lauren is required to write a paper on the typical American family, she chooses the Keatons. Focusing first on Steven and Elyse, she asks about their history together and the

S6·E14 Core

Anniversary Waltz

Dec 16, 1987 · 24 min

While plans are in full swing for the Keaton's 20th anniversary party, Steven and Elyse are fighting and it looks like they may not make it that far. Elyse wants to have a big par

S6·E15 Core

Miracle in Columbus

Dec 20, 1987 · 25 min

The Christmas spirit has come to the Keaton house, where the family is busy baking Christmas cookies when Skippy stops by to ask a favor. He wants Alex to pinch-hit for him as Sant

S6·E16 Core

The Play's the Thing

Jan 10, 1988 · 25 min

The Keaton kids are dismayed when the local playhouse agree to stage Steven's radical 60's college play, ""A Draft Card for the Burning"". Embarrassed by the script's laughably dat

S6·E17 Core

The Spirit of Columbus

Jan 17, 1988 · 25 min

Alex is more than a little sceptical when Nick enters his sculpture "Spirit of Columbus", priced at $200, in an art show at the mall. but when Nick returns with the money and the n

S6·E18 Core

The Blues Brother

Jan 24, 1988 · 25 min

Alex becomes a deejay of his own college radio show with a program he calls "Syncopated Money", designed to "combine classic American music with an indepth analysis of the business

S6·E19 Core

Read It and Weep (1)

Feb 7, 1988 · 24 min

Jennifer comes home from school feeling blue because after choosing the American classic "Huckleberry Finn" as the subject of her book report, she learns that the novel has been pu

S6·E20 Mytharc

Read It and Weep (2)

Feb 14, 1988 · 25 min

While Jennifer steels herself for a showdown with school authorities, Steven and Elyse prepare to back her up in her fight against the school board's book banning policy. Even Mall

S6·E21 Core

Quittin' Time

Feb 21, 1988 · 25 min

While Andy is inspired by his parents' old love letters to try his hand at writing one to a kindergarten sweetheart, Lauren finds herself less and less able to spend time with Alex

S6·E22 Core

Spring Reminds Me (a.k.a. Rosalie's Legacy)

Feb 28, 1988 · 25 min

As Steven goes thru another one of his dreaded "magician phases" and tries to rope the whole family into participating in his magic tricks, the Keatons get a visit from Evelyn Mitc

S6·E23 Core

The Boys Next Door

Mar 6, 1988 · 25 min

As Elyse prepares for her high school reunion, she is contacted by her old buddy, Roger "Eggy" Erdman, a klutzy class nerd turned millionaire. Never a romantic couple, Elyse and "E

S6·E24 Core

Sign of the Times

Mar 13, 1988 · 25 min

While Alex prepares little Andrew's resume for future kindergarten elections, Elyse proudly tells the family that Andy has been chosen as "Buddy for the Day" at school, which means

S6·E25 Mytharc

Return of the Native

Mar 20, 1988 · 25 min

Cousin June returns to the Keaton household for a visit after a three year stay in London. All of the Keatons are eager to hear her tales of England, but they just can't seem to le

S6·E26 Mytharc

Father, Can You Spare a Dime?

May 1, 1988 · 25 min

Nick again demonstrates his flair for teaching art by conducting a class at the "Y" for children, including Andrew. So popular is the class, in fact, that when the "Y" needs the cl

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