Directed by Will Mackenzie Running time 60 minutes | Produced by Gary David Goldberg | |
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 23 & 24 Written by Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger Original air date March 27, 1987 (1987-03-27) | ||
"'A', My Name Is Alex" is a two-part hour-long very special episode of the NBC television series Family Ties. The episodes aired on March 12, 1987 as the 23rd and 24th episodes of the fifth season and 119th and 120th episodes overall in the series. The episode garnered a Primetime Emmy Award, a Humanitas Prize and a Writers Guild of America Award for writing as well as a DGA Award.
Contents
Plot
Part 1: Alex's (Michael J. Fox) friend, Greg (Brian McNamara), has a fatal car accident. As the family grieves, Alex is overcome with a variety of emotional challenges that he tries to hide unsuccessfully.
Part 2: Steven (Michael Gross) and Elyse (Meredith Baxter) attempt to help Alex deal with his emotion by getting him professional help. This enables him to confront the issues that he must deal with resulting from his friend's untimely fatality. Alex is able to reassess his own life.
Awards
The episode won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series at the 39th Primetime Emmy Awards, a Humanitas Prize for 60 Minute Network or Syndicated Television at the 13th annual ceremony held in 1987 and a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay - Episodic Comedy at the 40th annual Writers Guild of America Awards 1987 ceremony held in 1988 for writers Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger. It also won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series at the Directors Guild of America Awards 1987 for director Will Mackenzie. It also earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series nomination for Will Mackenzie. In addition it won an Outstanding Technical Direction/Electronic Camerawork/Video Control for a Series Emmy for Parker Roe (technical director), Paul Basta (cameraperson), Tom Dasbach (cameraperson), Richard Price (cameraperson), John Repczynski (cameraperson), and Eric Clay (senior video control).