Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Family Ties
S2.E19
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

Baby Boy Doe

  • Episode aired Mar 8, 1984
  • TV-PG
  • 25m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
159
YOUR RATING
Marc Price in Family Ties (1982)
ComedyDramaFamily

Skippy finds out he is adopted, and decides to meet his birth mother.Skippy finds out he is adopted, and decides to meet his birth mother.Skippy finds out he is adopted, and decides to meet his birth mother.

  • Director
    • Will Mackenzie
  • Writers
    • Gary David Goldberg
    • Ruth Bennett
    • Alan Uger
  • Stars
    • Meredith Baxter
    • Michael Gross
    • Michael J. Fox
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    159
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Will Mackenzie
    • Writers
      • Gary David Goldberg
      • Ruth Bennett
      • Alan Uger
    • Stars
      • Meredith Baxter
      • Michael Gross
      • Michael J. Fox
    • 3User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast9

    Edit
    Meredith Baxter
    Meredith Baxter
    • Elyse Keaton
    • (as Meredith Baxter Birney)
    Michael Gross
    Michael Gross
    • Steven Keaton
    Michael J. Fox
    Michael J. Fox
    • Alex P. Keaton
    Justine Bateman
    Justine Bateman
    • Mallory Keaton
    Tina Yothers
    Tina Yothers
    • Jennifer Keaton
    Marc Price
    Marc Price
    • Irwin 'Skippy' Handelman
    Lois De Banzie
    Lois De Banzie
    • Rose Handelman
    Garn Stephens
    Garn Stephens
    • Elizabeth Davidson
    Raleigh Bond
    Raleigh Bond
    • Harry Handelman
    • Director
      • Will Mackenzie
    • Writers
      • Gary David Goldberg
      • Ruth Bennett
      • Alan Uger
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews3

    7.0159
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    2whoop-70951

    Whitewashed 80's

    Seen this episode a couple of times throughout the years and still makes me angry of how they depict Skippy. They throw up all the defense mechanisms, joke to get out of a serious conversation and go as far as " I gave you up because I love you". This was obviously written by adoptive parents or someone who has no clue how the Skippy character should react. Most of all, all the characters involved contain the situation so their lives don't change. Skippy's situation leaves more question than answers.
    4Kranadon65

    A rather cruel episode of Family Ties

    Skippy finds out that he is adopted and wants to meet his birth mother. His adopted parents seem to think he will want her instead of them and try to keep Skippy from going. In the end he goes to meet her but she is neither warm or particularly cordial to him. He is a bit naive as to her situation , she was a young 18 yo unwed mother who people shunned and his biological father was also young and by her reactions she told Skippy that he was not someone she wanted to talk about.

    He tries to persist in wanting a relationship with her but she basically hurts his feelings by saying that it was a mistake and that she wondered why he came to visit her. Her only saving grace is that she realized that he was better off to be with someone who could take care of him. His reactions are hurt and rejection. To put something as fragile into a sitcom and try to play it for laughs is rather cruel and had they put it into say an hr long episode to flesh it out , could have been better.

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      Elizabeth Davidson: I think it's best you don't come to visit me again.

      Irwin 'Skippy' Handelman: Why not?

      Elizabeth Davidson: Irwin, you have parents. I'm sure you're very important to them. I have my own life too.

      [shrugs and grins awkwardly]

      Elizabeth Davidson: I can't just become a mother like that, it's not that easy. It would be very disruptive for both of us, do you understand what I'm saying?

      Irwin 'Skippy' Handelman: Yeah, I understand. You don't want me.

      [he starts walking for the door]

      Elizabeth Davidson: [frustrated] Do you have any idea how painful it is seeing you again? It took me fifteen years to get my life together again and you just want to rip it apart again. What do you want from me?

      Irwin 'Skippy' Handelman: I want to know how you could do it. How could you? How could you just give me away?

      Elizabeth Davidson: It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

      Irwin 'Skippy' Handelman: But you still did it!

      Elizabeth Davidson: I wanted you to have a good life. I couldn't give it to you.

    • Connections
      Edited into Family Ties: The American Family (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      Without Us
      (Theme song)

      Lyrics by Jeff Barry

      Music by Tom Scott

      Performed by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 8, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Ubu Productions
      • Paramount Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 25m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1
      • 4:3

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.