User Reviews

Warning do not read unless seen episode.

This episode is an honorable mention, this is one of the darkest episodes of the show. Tom Hanks guess stars in the episode once more and for the last time, which kind of sucks it's too bad there was never any follow up to this in the latter seasons, I would of liked to of seen if Ned was able to turn his life around; but due to Tom Hanks career on the sliver screen it couldn't happen.

However, the other shame was that both Michael and Tom never got to do a movie on the sliver screen together which I felt was a lost opportunity, it would have been awesome seeing both back together to do a film.

The only bad thing about the episode is I felt the humor and drama felt a little imbalanced at times. There were a few points where a joke wasn't inserted at a moment of absolute seriousness which I'll admit felt inappropriate, as if someone prematurely turned on the laugh track.

But this is easy to get past as it only happens in some parts of the episode. Anyway, here we see Ned is unfortunately is at an absolute low point in his life; we see he's became a self-destructive wreck but worst of all an alcoholic.

I'll admit there were some points where it felt a little scary and I exercised concern, but it's also very sad as we've known who he was in Season 1. As he was this fun friendly optimistic guy, now it seems like Rob has lost touch with that guy.

One scene in the late night when both Alex and Ned were talking with one another, you see Rob is a little drunk and there where a couple of moments when Ned sounded abusive toward Alex which made me worried that things could escalate.

It then comes down to the job interview which is a little funny but at the same time a little cringe inducing and uncomfortable which is the point as we see Ned is completely drunk and is practically making a fool of himself; I'll admit seeing was sad as he was blowing his chance of getting a career in public television (I personally would love to have) which could have been the road back to the top, but instead he takes a detour to nowhere.

It then comes down to the final minutes which were emotional and slightly intense. Steve and Else both are taking Ned down and trying to get him to get some help. Alex, we see is trying to get Ned to get back in touch with the guy he use to be again. We really see how much Ned is Alex's hero when Alex shows him a bunch of newspaper clippings on Ned's achievements and how each of them help inspire him to strive.

It then comes down to the final minutes where we see Ned is trying to destroy those clippings feeling he can't be that guy again; Alex tries to get them back but then Ned hit's Alex. I'll admit that moment made my heart sink and also really mad at Ned, really like that moment when Steve almost charged at him, yeah I would of done the same and gave Ned a right hook. I know that sound bold, but I don't tolerate people that physically hurt my friends. In that moment Ned let Alex, the family and us down, but worst of all himself.

Though we can sort of forgive Ned as he really didn't mean do, and you see him break down, cry, feeling guilty and realizing in the end he really does have a problem.

This episode isn't just about not drinking but also how it's never too late to climb back up in life but the importance of doing something about a serious problem like alcoholism before you truly lose everything.

Rating: 4 stars

This episode is very powerful and dramatic. Tom Hanks reprises his role of Elysis's brother Ned Donnelly. We were first introduced to Ned in season one where we discover he was on the run for embezzling four an half million dollars from the company where he was junior vice-president to stop a merger he did not agree with, which would have left eighteen-hundred people without a job. Sometime has passed since Ned had turned himself in and apparantly settled his legal troubles, but we come to find out that Ned has developed a much worse and dangerous problem in the form of alcoholism. Ned is out of control unbeknownst to the Keatons until one night Alex (Michael J Fox) witnesses a drunk Uncle Ned rummaging through the kitchen at 3 am trying to find any form of alcohol. The next morning Alex warns his mother about Ned's dilemna, but his mother refuses to believe the severity of Ned's problem. Steven (Michael Gross) sets up a job interview for Ned at his employer a local public access station in an attempt to get Ned back on his feet again. Ned shows up to the interview drunk and destroys any chance of getting hired which he had a very good chance despite his past legal issues. Later the family discusses what to do about Ned after Elysis accepts the fact her brother needs help. Ned returns to the Keaton house still drunk and Alex admonishes him for ruining the interview and ruining his opportunity at a second chance. Alex, who admires Ned, shows news paper articles that he keeps about his Uncle when he was a rising star in the corporate world. Ned in a drunken rage takes those clippings and proceeds to rip them up and throw them into the fireplace where Alex attempts to stop him, but Ned becomes violent and strikes Alex knocking him across the living room. An angry Steven is stopped by Elysis before he can physically restrain Ned, but he tells Ned either he gets himself some help or he gets the hell out of their lives for good. Ned in a state of remorse for hitting Alex realizes he needs help and calls AA as the Keatons watch when the episode ends. This is a very dramatic and powerful episode that shows how a man who once had everthing had sunken into self depression which resulted him becoming an alcoholic and the self destructive nature of his disease. Sadly Tom Hanks never reprised his role of Uncle Ned nor did the series ever mention Uncle Ned's status for the rest of Family Ties run. I think the writers missed an golden opportunity to complete Ned's stort arc. It would have been nice to know what became of him given such a powerful performance by Hanks. If you never watched this episode its one you will never forget. Give it a watch.