Alex (Micheal J. Fox) is scheming in Ladies’ Man. Written by Alan Uger, this fun and delightful episode was first broadcast on 2 February, 1984.

Alex poses as a feminist to get in good with the adorable Deena (Tracy Nelson). He starts spouting things about equal rights, something he doesn’t believe in, and even gets involved with the local ERA movement, coming to the defence of Dorothy Canell (Gail Strickland) and even ending up in jail, all to impress Deena.

The relationship is really heating up, and Alex is finding things very exciting, but Steven (Micheal Gross) and Elyse (Meredith Baxter) remind Alex that no matter what he believes honesty is key. When he ends up being the keynote speaker at an ERA event he realizes things may have gone too far, and he should be completely open and honest with Deena.

And it’s going to cost him a wonderful girl.

Fox is simply wonderful throughout the episode, and while it doesn’t explore the different sides of the equal rights argument, how was that still going on in the 80s? What is wrong with society? He leans into the republican nature of the character and it’s funny seeing how things play out for him, and his unwillingness to change. Even for love.

Ready or Not is the sex talk episode for Mallory (Justine Bateman). Alex had his last season, and now it’s her turn. Written by Ruth Bennett and Michael J. Weithorn this episode first debuted on 9 February, 1984.

Mallory has been seeing moving forward in her relationship with her boyfriend of four months (where’s he been all this time then?), Rick (Thomas Byrd). After much internal debate as well as some discussion with her friends, but not a lot of involvement from Elyse.

There’s a goofy b-story that sees Jennifer (Tina Yothers) working on a school project to record a family conversation and how the whole family gets involved. The scene with Alex and Steven is priceless.

But when a much more serious conversation almost gets recorded between Mallory and Alex, her big brother has some strong advice on the subject, saying it’s her job to say no, and that she should go confer with their mother, but instead, she decides to proceed with losing her virginity to Rick.

That is until the moment is upon them, and she decides she’s not ready. She leaves Rick on his own and goes home to have a heart-to-heart with Elyse until Rick shows up, and makes amends, still wanting to stay with Mallory and take the relationship as it comes.

Double Date gives Alex some more girl trouble. Written by Douglas Wyman, this episode debuted on 16 February, 1984.

Alex asks the beautiful Jocelyn (Jami Gertz) to the senior prom (featuring a Gone With The Wind theme), but she turns him down. So he asks Rachel (Daphne Zuniga) out instead. She has a bit of a crush on him and dances around the subject, not able to reveal how she feels about him. So she’s delighted when he asks her to go.

But when Jocelyn becomes free again and agrees to go with Alex, he suddenly has two dates and works hard to keep them both.

There’s a great bit with Skippy (Marc Price) as he tries to stop Alex from agreeing to go out with Jocelyn. And the pair create a plan to make sure he can juggle both of the lovely ladies, but it all blows up at the end of the episode and he ends up really hurting both of them, but especially Rachel, who really seemed to like him.

It’s cute, it’s funny, and Fox is great, and what a great guest cast. And maybe Alex will learn a lesson, and maybe he could meet a girl to keep his heart and his attention. He tries to fix things with Rachel, and maybe, for now, they have a chance, until the next episode I’m sure.