{"id":2603,"date":"2013-11-15T01:59:26","date_gmt":"2013-11-15T07:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geekgoesrogue\/?p=2603"},"modified":"2013-11-15T11:26:47","modified_gmt":"2013-11-15T17:26:47","slug":"the-michael-j-fox-show-newer-family-stronger-ties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geekgoesrogue\/2013\/11\/the-michael-j-fox-show-newer-family-stronger-ties\/","title":{"rendered":"The Michael J. Fox Show – Newer Family, Stronger Ties"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

From Geek Goes Rogue TV Editor Zach W. Lorton, as told to by the air conditioning, which is actually running in the apartment, even though it\u2019s below 40 degrees outside\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

There are two things that remind me of being younger. \u00a0One of them is my homemade chili cheese dip. \u00a0Layer one brick of cream cheese, softened, in the bottom of a deep dish round pan. \u00a0Spread a can of chili, preferably Chili Man, over the cream cheese, the cover with shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, perhaps some green onions. \u00a0Microwave for about 4 minutes. \u00a0Scoop up the dip with some solid chips. \u00a0Eat. \u00a0Eat it. \u00a0Eat it all.<\/p>\n

Memories\u2026<\/p>\n

The second thing that reminds me of being younger is Michael J. Fox.<\/p>\n

As a kid, I watched\u00a0Family Ties<\/em> with my family nearly every week. \u00a0It was the only sitcom on the air at the time that featured a nuclear family, and it did so with some great writing and great acting from their leads. \u00a0The first season wasn\u2019t all that much to sneeze at, but once the second season got into full swing, the show began to hit a major stride. \u00a0And Michael J. Fox was a key reason why.<\/p>\n

After starring in\u00a0Back To the Future<\/em> and\u00a0The Secret of My Success<\/em>, Fox continued on\u00a0Ties<\/em>, and eventually found another vehicle in\u00a0Spin City<\/em>. \u00a0The problem with that program is that while he played the main character, the most memorable characters were all the secondary characters.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>This time around,\u00a0The Michael J. Fox Show<\/em> hits all the right notes in all the right areas \u2014 great writing, acting, directing, and editing. \u00a0But the big difference is that while all that is great, Fox is the star of the show. \u00a0He\u2019s the patriarch at the center of a group of highly functioning, yet equally dysfunctional, family and co-workers.<\/p>\n

Having retired from news reporting due to being diagnosed with Parkinson\u2019s disease, anchor Mike Henry decides, after several years out, to get back in the game. \u00a0Reintegrating into his work life isn\u2019t as difficult as he or anyone else thinks it will be, but after holding down the home for several years, Mike\u2019s family is now dealing with him not being there all the time.<\/p>\n

Actually, they love it. \u00a0The pilot episode sets up the premise \u2014 confessional-type video pops up, due to a report for school that Mike\u2019s daughter Eve, but the series maintains the confessionals throughout the episodes, long after the report has been done. \u00a0So that\u2019s a minor flaw. \u00a0Fox\u2019s family \u2014 including his wife Annie (played brilliantly by Betsy Brandt), sons Ian and Graham, and Mike\u2019s flighty sister Leigh \u2014 actually can\u2019t wait for Mike to get out of the house and back to work. \u00a0They all have their parts to play in the show, and all are somewhat stereotypical, but the situations they find themselves in are very real and very relatable.<\/p>\n

What helps is that instead of hiding Fox\u2019s\/Henry\u2019s Parkinson\u2019s, the disease is front and center, and is often the cause for or the center of several of the shows laughs. \u00a0If anyone has a family member with Parkinson\u2019s, they are completely mistaken if they think the disease is handled disrespectfully by this show. \u00a0In the pilot, Mike gets into a broadcast van with a junior employee, and as the van starts moving and items start falling off the shelves, Mike remarks, \u201cTo me, this is perfectly still.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fox knows how to surround himself with great people, and everyone involved on this show does nothing but enhance the show\u2019s viability. \u00a0While some of the family dynamic could come off as cliche on another show, those moments are handled rather deftly here. \u00a0For a brand new sitcom, it\u2019s one of the best I\u2019ve seen since\u00a0New Girl<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Michael J. Fox Show<\/em> airs Thursday nights at 9:30\/8:30 Central on NBC.<\/p>\n

Zach W. Lorton<\/a>\u00a0is a media producer and professional DJ\/MC by trade, and a comedian, actor, and musician by default. \u00a0His debut music project is set to begin recording in 2014, and will likely take the world by storm, possibly in the form of a Sharknado.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Geek Goes Rogue TV Editor Zach W. Lorton, as told to by the air conditioning, which is actually running in the apartment, even though it\u2019s below 40 degrees outside\u2026 There are two things that remind me of being younger. \u00a0One of them is my homemade chili cheese dip. \u00a0Layer one brick of cream cheese, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1636,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[277,98,128,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-geek-entertainment","category-music","category-geek-tv","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Michael J. Fox Show - Newer Family, Stronger Ties<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From Geek Goes Rogue TV Editor Zach W. 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