While Alex packs for New York, Elyse struggles to deal with her feelings of loss.

After Elyse's blow-up with Alex, Steven is finally able to get her to admit that much of what she's suffering is classic separation anxiety. But she is still unable to put her anger aside, telling Steven that Alex is too self-centered to appreciate all the things they've done for him.

That night at Andy's school play, Steven asks Alex to talk with his mother about what she's feeling. Later, when the family decides to go out for ice cream, Elyse excuses herself and goes home alone.

Standing in Alex's room, a melancholy Elyse is surprised when her son walks in and apologies for fighting. Elyse confesses that his leaving reminds her that a part of her life is ending, while Alex tells her that bravado aside, he's scared about leaving the security of the family. Their love for each other reaffirmed, Alex and Elyse embrace.

Early the next morning, the sleepy family gathers for breakfast before taking Alex to th … Continue readingAlex Doesn't Live Here Anymore (2)

When Alex lands his dream job in New York, everyone's delighted for him, except Elyse.

As Steven helps Andy rehearse for his school play on dental hygiene, Alex bursts into the Keaton kitchen with a rousing chorus of ""New York, New York"", and the news that he's been hired by one of Wall Street's biggest investment firms. The family is thrilled, but Elyse is somewhat taken aback when she learns that Alex is expected to move immediately.

While everyone pitches in to help Alex get ready, Elyse becomes miffed over a family photo that he packed without her permission and a palpable tension begins to develop between them. In the course of packing, Alex battles wits with Jennifer, accepts fashion tips from Mallory, receives fatherly advice from Steven and shares some final moments with Nick, Skippy and Lauren. All the while, Elyse continues to withdraw from him.

She becomes even more upset when the family plans to go out to dinner together and Alex begs off, claiming he is just too busy to sp … Continue readingAlex Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1)

Steven must confront his true feelings about Mallory's boyfriend when Nick moves in with the family for a week.

While Elyse struggles to do the family taxes and Steven buries himself in his Tolstoy documentary, Mallory asks her parents if Nick can stay with the Keatons for a week while his house is being painted. Although Elyse gives in to Mallory's pleas, she warns her that Nick must be made to understand that Steven is very busy and should stay out of his way.

During the first night of Nick's stay, protective papa Steven parks himself in a chair on the stair landing to prevent any hanky-panky between the couple. When Mallory wakes Nick up early the next morning to cook breakfast for the whole family, Steven arises with a start and runs into the kitchen, demanding an explanation for their whispers and giggling. When they explain about breakfast, Steven becomes embarrassed and pretends to be sleepwalking!

Later that morning, when the rest of the family departs for school and work, Stev … Continue readingMr. Keaton Takes a Vacation

As Andy's time capsule fills to overflowing with family mementos, the Keaton clan looks back and laughs at their funniest moments.

Although Andy protests that his time capsule has too many items in it, Alex continues to add things from his personal archives, including his collection of report cards from nursery school to first grade.

Munching on popcorn as they reflect on their lives, the Keatons continue to share memories of Andy's first day at school, Steven's terrible magic tricks, Nick's reunion with his long-lost father and Nick and Mallory's aborted elopement.

Even after Andy falls asleep and goes to bed, the family remembers the time Alex and Lauren met, and also when the girl of Skippy's dreams fell for Alex instead. Filled with warm memories of times past, Elyse persuades the entire gang to join her in a sing along. … Continue readingWrap Around the Clock (2)

When Andy asks the family to contribute to his time capsule, the Keaton clan recalls some of their best-loved stories.

As a homework assignment, Andy has been given the task of creating a time capsule which reflects his family's history. For his part, the littlest Keaton has placed his baby boots in the capsule, and asks his parents and siblings to contribute mementos from their past.

Soon, the family is looking back and laughing at some of their funniest experiences together, like the time Steven and Elyse went to Woodstock, Alex went to jail with a group of feminists after feigning support for the Equal Rights Amendment and Mallory coached Nick in grammar to pass his high school equivalency exam.

They also recall what happened when Mallory began dispensing advice to the lovelorn in her ""Dear Mallory"" column, Steven made a mess out of wallpapering the kitchen and Elyse became a blackjack fanatic in Atlantic City, where she was supposed to be lecturing at a conference. … Continue readingWrap Around the Clock (1)

Jennifer becomes obsessed with the environment after she begins studying the earth's ecological evils.

As Alex presents Andrew with a pet parakeet, Jennifer arrives home with news that her science class has begun studying global ecology to explore how the earth is endangered by man's interference. Upset that the world is being destroyed for profit, Jennifer begins trying to make the family more ecologically aware as she laments the destruction of rain forests in Brazil and the ozone layer over the South Pole.

While Mallory teaches the parakeet anti-Republican phrases, Jennifer becomes more and more obsessed. When she realizes how many toxic chemicals are in the Keaton home alone, she demands that the family throw out a bunch of household products and shop for safe alternatives. Not stopping there, however, she begins dwelling on the enormity of the world's environmental problems and becomes psychologically overwhelmed.

Fixating on such evils as acid rain and radon gas, Jennifer sinks i … Continue readingRain Forests Keep Falling on My Head

Alex finds himself on an emotional rollercoaster when he's forced to choose between Lauren and Marty.

When Lauren returns from her psychology conference, she notices that Alex is acting distant and distracted. After an uncomfortable silence, Alex admits that he has become interested in another woman and needs time to sort out his feelings, a revelation that leaves Lauren angry and confused.

Things become even more awkward the next day when Alex accidentally runs into Lauren and Marty in the school cafeteria. After an embarrassing confrontation, both women leave the dining room in a huff. Alex returns home to work on his valedictory address for graduation, but remains preoccupied with how he's going to work his way out of his love triangle. Conjuring up the images of Freud, Sartre and Shakespeare, he calls upon the great minds for advice in matters of love.

Ultimately, when Alex realizes that his immediate plans cannot include either Marty or Lauren, he approaches both women individuall … Continue readingThey Can't Take That Away From Me (2)

Alex's relationship with Lauren is tested when he becomes infatuated with a young music student.

While Lauren's out of town attending a psychology conference. Alex begins teaching a freshman seminar in economics at Leland College. As he begins his first lecture, he is interrupted by a late arrival, music major Marty Brodie, a rather scattered young woman.

When she disrupts his class twice more, first with a blast of classical music from her tape player and then with a muffled sob, Alex dismisses the class early and awkwardly attempts to determine what's wrong. Admitting that she's had a terrible week, during which she broke up with her boyfriend. Marty also confesses that she's terrible in economics and convinces Alex to tutor her for $15 an hour.

When Alex arrives at Marty's dorm room for their first lesson. he tries to divert her attention away from her piano. Unable to get excited about the concept of supply and demand. Marty soon teaches an enthusiastic Alex the basic melody line t … Continue readingThey Can't Take That Away From Me (1)

The Keatons rally behind their black friends when the issue of racial discrimination hits home.

Surprised and disgusted with their neighbors' racist attitudes, Elyse and Steven apologize to Gus and Maya Thompson for ever having suggested that they buy the house across the street. The Keatons become even more disturbed when they learn that the Thompsons are considering moving out immediately.

As Steven and Elyse continue to question their own naivete in matters of race, they urge Gus and Maya not to make any hasty decisions. Unfortunately, their advice is soon challenged when the couples return home after dining out to find Michael standing in the wreckage of the Thompson living room, which has been vandalized by bigots.

The next day, when the Keatons help the Thompsons clean up, Michael comes across pictures of Gus and Maya at various civil rights demonstrations in the '60s and is moved to reflect seriously on the struggles his parents must have gone thru. At last he comes to realize t … Continue readingAll in the Neighborhood (2)

The Keatons are shocked to realize that racism is alive and well when their black friends move into a house across the street.

During dinner with Steven's colleague Gus Thompson and his wife Maya, the Keatons learn that the couple is having trouble finding a house to buy. When Elyse informs them that the house across the street is up for sale, Gus and Maya (who are black) gently raise the subject of race. Although Steven admits that there are no black families in the neighborhood, he believes race to be a non-issue.

The Keatons face a rude awakening, however, when they accompany the Thompsons on a tour of the house. The realtor, Christine Chadway, is barely able to conceal her shock when she realizes that the Thompsons are black. Completely reversing the sales pitch she had earlier given the Keatons, Christine is sternly reminded by Gus that housing discrimination is illegal and she must present his full-price offer to her clients.

To Steven and Elyse's dismay, the Thompsons begin rece … Continue readingAll in the Neighborhood (1)