Ep 6. Give Uncle Arthur a Kiss

In season 1 episode 6 of the classic sitcom Family Ties, entitled "Give Uncle Arthur a Kiss," the Keaton family faces some uncomfortable situations when Tom Hanks guest stars as Uncle Ned.

When Alex announces that he's taking his girlfriend Ellen to the family house for the weekend, everyone is excited to meet her. However, when Alex starts talking about how conservative Ellen's family is and how she would never have a relative like Uncle Arthur (played by Hanks), he unknowingly sets the stage for a series of awkward encounters.

Uncle Arthur, who is gay, arrives at the Keaton house and wastes no time before making his presence known. While he's initially met with polite smiles and greetings, everyone soon starts to feel uncomfortable when he starts making inappropriate comments and advances towards Steven, the patriarch of the family. The tension increases when Uncle Ned reveals that he's HIV positive, causing the family to fear for their safety.

Meanwhile, Mallory is struggling to find the perfect dress for her upcoming school dance. When Uncle Arthur offers to take her shopping, she's initially excited but soon realizes that he has different tastes than she does. When he suggests that she try on a dress that is way too revealing, she gets uncomfortable and tries to explain her boundaries. Uncle Arthur doesn't take her seriously and keeps pushing her to try on the dress, causing her to snap and storm out of the store.

Alex, whose views on homosexuality are still being formed, is torn between his loyalty to his family and his desire to impress Ellen. He tries to stick to his conservative values and avoid Uncle Arthur, but is forced to confront his prejudice when he sees how much Ellen admires his Uncle Ned for living his life with courage and honesty.

Throughout the episode, the Keaton family grapples with their own prejudices and biases, and ultimately learns to accept each other for who they are. In the end, they come to see Uncle Arthur not as a threat, but as an important member of their family who deserves their love and respect.

"Give Uncle Arthur a Kiss" is a poignant and emotional episode of Family Ties, tackling serious themes with sensitivity and grace. Tom Hanks delivers a standout performance as Uncle Arthur, depicting the pain and frustration of being a marginalized person in a society that doesn't accept you. The episode is a testament to the power of television to challenge our assumptions, and to help us see the world through a different lens.