As of June 2026, Family Ties Season 3 aired in 1984 with 23 episodes — streaming now on Paramount Plus Premium. Full episode guide and where to watch below.
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Family Ties Season 3

1984 23 Episodes Comedy · Drama ⭐ 7/10

Family Ties Season 3 is currently streaming on and , and its 7/10 TMDB rating reflects what viewers who have already found it know. A tightly focused run that does not overstay its welcome. That rating comes from 264 viewer scores — enough to represent a genuine consensus rather than a handful of enthusiasts. The availability across streaming platforms means you can start tonight without hunting for a disc or a dodgy stream. Meredith Baxter is the obvious draw, but once you are in, it is the writing and the ensemble that keep you watching. If it has been sitting on your watchlist untouched, there is no better time to finally start it.

Originally commissioned by NBC, Family Ties Season 3 quickly became exactly the kind of show that viewers rearrange their evenings for. Former 1960s flower children Steven and Elyse Keaton raise their conservative son Alex, daughters Mallory and Jennifer, and later, youngest child Andrew. It aired in 1984. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Family Ties Season 3 holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-season curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

The kind of show you put on in the background and find yourself actually paying attention to. It earns every laugh across its entire run — no coasting on goodwill. The comedy comes from character rather than situation, which means it holds up on rewatch in a way that pure farce never does. Meredith Baxter sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night when you want quality comedy without the homework.

📡 Where to Watch Family Ties Season 3

🇺🇸 United States
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🎬 Family Ties Season 3 — Episode Guide

E1
The Gambler
1984-09-20
Elyse is stricken with gambling fever on a business trip to Atlantic City, and while on a roll with Alex's "foolproof" blackjack system, she's oblivious to her family and job. Excited at the prospect of having his system put to the test, Alex urges his folks to "go for the gold", but Elyse insists h...
E2
Here We Go Again
1984-09-27
The news that their mother is pregnant sends the three Keaton kids into an angry outburst resulting in a family battle. The children react with panic and outrage at the though of having a baby around, and the Keaton household is in turmoil while Elyse tries to make them see the brighter side of the ...
E3
Little Man on Campus
1984-10-04
Alex is thrilled to be taking a college course taught by one of his personal heroes, Professor Ephraim Bronski, but in his eagerness to impress the teacher he gets off to a bad start and is humiliated by his idol when he fails the first class assignment.
E4
Love Thy Neighbor
1984-10-11
Little Jennifer is thrilled about a visit from Scott, a former neighborhood pal she hasn't seen in five years, but her happiness at the reunion is shattered when he ignores her in favor of her older sister, Mallory. To win Scott's attention, Jennifer dresses up in a flirtatious outfit and goes to t...
E5
Keaton and Son
1984-10-18
Alex reluctantly accepts a part-time job with his father at the non-profit station, and his dad is bursting with pride to have him following in his footsteps, but Alex feels his talents are being wasted. Steven is excited to have Alex working with him and begins planning their future together, but ...
E6
Fabric Smarts
1984-10-25
Mallory's enthusiasm for her part-time job at a boutique causes her school grades to slip even lower than usual and Steven and Elyse agree that she must quit work, but Alex comes up with a proposal that could resolve the situation. Alex has his own reasons for wanting Mallory to keep her job, it ke...
E7
Hotline Fever
1984-11-01
Alex is teamed with long-time rival James Jarrett and assigned to work at a ""hotline"" crisis center to fulfill a course requirement, and the two end up in a crisis of their own when they get a call from a suicidal student. As an economics student, Alex finds it demeaning to be forced into a publi...
E8
4 Rms Ocn Vu
1984-11-08
While Steven and Elyse are away on vacation, the Keaton house becomes a hotel for the weekend after Mallory accidentally crashes her parents' car into a telephone pole and the kids need to raise money for auto repairs. A lot of people are in town for the Leland homecoming game, so Alex decides to t...
E9
Best Man
1984-11-15
When his best friend, Doug, meets and falls in love with Eleanor, and decides to marry her, Alex resents the fact that someone has come between their friendship and refuses to be in the wedding. Alex cannot accept the fact that he and everyone around him are growing up, and desperately clings to hi...
E10
Lost Weekend
1984-11-22
Steven and Elyse plan a nostalgic weekend with the kids before the baby arrives, and are crushed to discover that the children are not at all interested in reminiscing about old times, they'd rather be with their friends. Elyse's camping trip with Mallory and Jennifer is cut short when she realizes...
E11
Don't Kiss Me, I'm Only the Messenger
1984-11-29
Alex plays Cupid to help his shy pal Skippy get together with Jane, the girl of his dreams, but his good intentions goes awry when the girl falls for him instead. When Skippy and Mallory find Alex locked in a passionate embrace with Jane, Skippy accuses him of stealing his girl.
E12
Help Wanted
1984-12-06
Because of Elyse's pregnancy, the family decides to get a housekeeper, so Alex hires the lovely Karen Nicholson, a totally incompetent young lady whom the family immediately adores but Steven insists she must be fired. Despite the fact that Karen has no domestic skills and is rapidly destroying eve...
E13
Karen II, Alex 0
1984-12-13
Alex's chances or acceptance into a smug college fraternity are dependent upon his having a knockout date for the pledge dance and when the girl cancels he pleads with Karen, the housekeeper, to accompany him but his problems are far from resolved when they arrive at the dance. Karen reluctantly ag...
E14
Oh Donna
1985-01-03
Alex becomes involved with Donna, a young, unwed expectant mother from Elyse's natural-childbirth class but his interest in her becomes an obsession when he starts planning for her child's future and acting as if they were a real family. Donna is flattered by Alex's concern for her and her unborn b...
E15
Auntie Up
1985-01-10
Mallory is crushed when her favorite aunt dies suddenly, but her feelings of sadness turns to anger when family and friends at the funeral seem to be taking Aunt Trudy's death too lightly. Mallory feels that she has lost her best friend, and is shocked that no one else seems to share her grief.
E16
Philadelphia Story
1985-01-17
The Keaton family is transported back in time when Alex dreams he is at the Constitutional Convention at 1776, but history is off track. Steven Keaton is Thomas Jefferson and has just turned down John Adams' request to write the Declaration of Independence, so it's up to Alex to convince him to do i...
E17
Birth of a Keaton (1)
1985-01-24
To help Steven during pledge week at his TV station, the Keatons reluctantly agree to be a part of the entertainment, but the audience gets an unexpected show when Elyse goes into labor right on camera while in the middle of a song. Elyse realizes that the baby is on the way. she and the kids begin...
E18
Birth of a Keaton (2)
1985-01-31
Still trapped at the television station, Elyse realizes she cannot make it thru the snowstorm to the hospital and prepares to gibe birth in Steven's office. Meanwhile, stuck at home by the same storm, Steven enlists the help of Bud the plumber and his truck, and heads for the hospital, thinking Elys...
E19
Cry Baby
1985-02-07
The Keaton family adjusts to life with the new baby but while everyone caters to the new arrival, Jennifer struggles with jealous feelings about not being the baby of the family anymore. When Steven and Elyse realize that Jennifer feels left out, they overcompensate by trying too hard to make her f...
E20
Don't Know Much About History...
1985-02-14
Alex and his good friend James go into business together as tutors for their fellow students at Leland. However, their competitiveness threatens to undermine their business let alone their friendship particularly when one of their students turns out to be a very attractive young lady.

🎭 Cast of Family Ties Season 3

Meredith Baxter
Meredith Baxter
Elyse Keaton
Michael Gross
Michael Gross
Steven Keaton
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Alex P. Keaton
Justine Bateman
Justine Bateman
Mallory Keaton
Tina Yothers
Tina Yothers
Jennifer Keaton

📋 All Seasons of Family Ties

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