The Back to the Future films were among the most popular choices on Netflix this year, and for good reason: We can all use a few extra doses of Michael J. Fox right now. As he publishes his fourth memoir, No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality, we look back on his truly iconic career, from Reaganite teen Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties and rebellious time traveler Marty McFly to crusader for Parkinson’s Disease research.

Through it all, he’s remained bitingly funny and refreshingly honest about his own Parkinson’s diagnosis, incorporating it into stellar performances on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Rescue Me, and The Good Wife and The Good Fight. In this episode, we break down what’s so appealing about Fox, what makes his legacy so special, and why he's the legend we need right now.