Strangely enough the final episodes of season five, were produced during the fourth season, and the cast and the story reflect that. Andy is not played by Brian Bonsall, but us an actual baby, and look, everyone, Ellen (Tracy Pollan) is here!

Broken into two episodes, the first was broadcast on 6 August, 1987 and was written by Susan Borowotiz. Jennifer’s (Tina Yothers) 13th birthday is coming, and there are plans in action to help her celebrate.

She pretends to enjoy Steven’s (Micheal Gross) annual puppet show, but is more interested in getting in with the cool girls. It doesn’t go super-well for Jennifer, even with some guidance from Mallory (Justine Bateman).

Indulging in lots of valley speak, Jennifer cuts out from her own party to hang with the cool kids, leaving the rest of her friends and her family behind. None of whom are impressed with the situation. And since we’re at the twenty-three-minute mark, I guess we’ll throw a ‘to be continued’ up here so that the family can deal with the new totally rad 80s version of Jennifer.

Not the best way to end the season, but like the previous episode, if it had been aired when it was supposed to be, it would have been fine. Now, it just seems out of place.

Part 2 aired a week later on 13 August, 1987.

The valley speak continues, and it’s really fun to see Steven deliver it while Alex (Micheal J. Fox) bemoans the fact that both of his sisters aren’t normal. Steven is bothered that he can’t connect with his daughter, and Elyse (Meredith Baxter) is just as lost.

But when the cool girls talk about cutting class, Jennifer is less than sure about what to do, but goes with them anyway. You know this is going to come back and blow up on her. She gets grounded, and refuses to go with the rest of the family to an annual football game, and that’s when the cool kids show up to party at her house.

How far will be too far for Jennifer before she stands up for herself, and stays true to who she is. And will the family accept her back?

I find it strange that the series was sitting on three episodes altogether that got made during the fourth season but were never aired. How does something like that happen? Was there a union thing, I know there was a writer’s strike happening around ’88 as I remember it affected The Next Generation and it’s horrible season two finale. But I don’t understand how this happened on a popular sitcom. Anyway, the Keatons will carry on.

Next week, we dig into season six!