The essential episodes of ABC Afterschool Special

Watch these 13 in order and you've got ABC Afterschool Special — each pick states its reason.

  1. 01

    S01E01 · Pilot · October 4, 1972 · 1h

    Last of the Curlews

  2. 02

    S02E06 · Season 2 peak · May 15, 1974 · 1h

    The Magical Mystery Trip Through Little Red's Head8.0

    Two youngsters are shrunk so they can enter their teenage sister's head, and discover how the mind works.

  3. 03

    S05E03 · Season 5 peak · December 1, 1976 · 1h

    Mighty Moose and the Quarterback Kid7.0

  4. 04

    S09E07 · Season 9 peak · March 16, 1981 · 1h

    My Mother Was Never a Kid8.0

    My Mother Was Never a Kid is an American television teen fantasy/comedy/drama that aired as an ABC Afterschool Special on March 16, 1981. It was based on the 1977 Francine Pascal novel Hangin' Out With CiCi, which in turn was the first teen novel in the "Victoria Martin" trilogy series. It was also the first of two Pascal teen novels that were adapted into Afterschool Specials for the network, the other being The Hand-Me-Down Kid.

  5. 05

    S10E01 · Top rated · September 23, 1981 · 1h

    She Drinks a Little7.0

    ""She Drinks a Little"" ... or does she a lot, lot more? That's what Cindy's friends try to convince her as she denies that her mother may be a flat-out alcoholic. Eventually, Cindy sees that her mother indeed has a serious drinking problem and needs help. This ABC Afterschool Special showcases Alateen, the national support group for teenagers with alcoholic family members.

  6. 06

    S10E03 · Season 10 peak · October 28, 1981 · 1h

    Tough Girl10.0

    After juvenile delinquent Renie Lake is caught dealing drugs in a stolen van, she is court ordered to live with her father and rigid step-family. Despite living with a family that seems to dislike her, she re-enrolls in High School and befriends a hearing-impaired girl.

  7. 07

    S11E08 · Season 11 peak · March 30, 1983 · 1h

    The Wave6.0

    The Wave, is a short made-for-TV movie directed by Alex Grasshoff, based on Ron Jones' The Third Wave experiment. Though more prominently featured as an episode of the ABC Afterschool Special series, this show debuted October 4, 1981, almost two years before being featured in the Afterschool Special series. It starred Bruce Davison as the teacher Ben Ross, a character based on Jones. A novelization of the film The Wave, was released in the same year. Ron Jones' writings and Johnny Dawkins' screenplay were also basis of the 2008 German film The Wave

  8. 08

    S12E01 · Season 12 peak · September 28, 1983 · 1h

    It's No Crush, I'm in Love9.0

  9. 09

    S13E01 · Season 13 peak · September 19, 1984 · 45m

    Summer Switch10.0

  10. 10

    S16E04 · Season 16 peak · December 2, 1987 · 1h

    Seasonal Differences10.0

  11. 11

    S16E05 · Top rated · January 20, 1988 · 1h

    The Terrible Things My Mother Told Me7.0

    Terrible Things My Mother Told Me is a 1988 TV film starring Nicole Andrews, Ita DeMarco, Carol Goodheart, Beth Howland and Stephen James. This TV film is about a 16-year-old girl who doesn't realize that her mother is emotionally and verbally abusive to her. It was directed by Susan Rohrer and written by John Alan Palmer, Christopher Whitesell and Susan Rohrer. It aired on ABC.

  12. 12

    S19E01 · Season 19 peak · September 13, 1990 · 1h

    A Question About Sex8.0

    A Question About Sex is a TV episode of ABC Afterschool Special.

  13. 13

    S20E04 · Series finale · January 28, 1993 · 1h

    Shades of a Single Protein

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