ABC Afterschool Special

Oct 4, 1972

Nov 1, 1972

Dec 6, 1972

Jan 3, 1973

Introduces William Shakespeare to young people through sketches, readings and music.

Feb 7, 1973

A partially-animated special about two youngsters who are miniaturized, then travel through their Uncle's body to understand more about his health.

Apr 4, 1973

Oct 3, 1973

Nov 28, 1973

Divorce, as seen through the eyes of a young boy. The youngster - whose father has been ordered out of the house and is forced to take up permanent residence in a downtown hotel - is traumatized by the imminent divorce, and it is up to his loved ones to help him cope.

Jan 16, 1974

A small-for-his-age sixth-grade student and his wild attempts to flee a bully after word gets around he thinks of him as a Neanderthal.

Mar 6, 1974

Mar 27, 1974

May 15, 1974

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

Jun 5, 1974

Oct 2, 1974

Oct 23, 1974

Nov 6, 1974

Nov 27, 1974

Feb 5, 1975

Feb 19, 1975

Apr 27, 1975

Oct 8, 1975

Oct 22, 1975

Nov 19, 1975

Feb 4, 1976

This cute story centers around an insecure 6th grader, Duffy Moon (played by Ike Eisenmann), whose discovery of ""Cosmic Awareness"" leads him on a journey to self-discovery and confidence that he can do anything.

Feb 18, 1976

Apr 21, 1976

May 19, 1976

Oct 6, 1976

Semi-standard ABC Afterschool Special about Francesca James, a teenage daughter dealing with her alcoholic mother through the support group Ala-Teen.

Nov 10, 1976

Update of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. Delivery boy and President's son discover they are exact doubles of one another, and decide to swap identities.

Dec 1, 1976

Feb 16, 1977

My Mom's Having a Baby is an American television teen comedy/documentary that aired as an ABC Afterschool Special on February 16, 1977. The program would be historic as it was the first television program of its kind in the United States to showcase the pregnancy process and conception to young people, using a combination of animation and live action. The program was a co-production between Dick Clark Productions and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises.

Mar 9, 1977

Apr 6, 1977

Oct 12, 1977

Oct 26, 1977

Three diverse kids with different outlooks on life are sent to a foster home until family problems can be worked out.

Feb 15, 1978

Mar 8, 1978

Mar 22, 1978

Apr 5, 1978

May 3, 1978

Sep 27, 1978

Oct 11, 1978

Oct 25, 1978

Feb 14, 1979

Mar 7, 1979

May 9, 1979

Sep 26, 1979

Oct 10, 1979

Oct 4, 1979

Nov 14, 1979

Dec 12, 1979

Dinky Hocker is an American television teen comedy/drama that aired as an ABC Afterschool Special on December 12, 1979. It was based on the 1972 novel Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack by M.E. Kerr.

Feb 13, 1980

Mar 5, 1980

Where Do Teenagers Come From? was an American television teen comedy/documentary that aired as an ABC Afterschool Special on March 5, 1980. The live action/animation program was produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and was a sequel to the 1977 program My Mom's Having a Baby. The special was notable for its signature song "Growing Up," written by Doug Goodwin.

Mar 19, 1980

Sep 24, 1980

A widower's two teen-aged daughters resent their father's remarriage to a single mother, especially since the woman's 12-year-old daughter (who is several years younger) will now compete for the parents attention. This special focuses on the parents' attempts to unite the new stepsisters into a loving family.

Oct 15, 1980

High school senior discovers his summer girlfriend has given birth to his child, and decides to fight for custody.

Oct 29, 1980

Nov 12, 1980

Feb 11, 1981

Mar 4, 1981

Mar 16, 1981

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.

Sep 23, 1981

""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.

Oct 14, 1981

Aspiring teen folk singer is torn whether to continue her singing or to accept an educational scholarship.

Oct 28, 1981

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.

Nov 11, 1981

The Color of Friendship is a 1981 film shown as part of the ABC Afterschool Special series. It's about the friendship between two 13-year-old boys, one black and one white, in a small town that has just started integrating its schools.

Feb 10, 1982

Mar 3, 1982

Apr 7, 1982

Sep 22, 1982

Oct 27, 1982

A teen violinist is torn between her musical career and her boyfriend. (Also knowns as "Between Two Loves")

Nov 10, 1982

Jan 19, 1983

Please Don't Hit Me, Mom is a TV episode that was nominated for Outstanding Children's Program in the 34th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Mar 16, 1983

Mar 23, 1983

Mar 30, 1983

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

Sep 28, 1983

Oct 19, 1983

Feb 18, 1984

Dec 7, 1983

Mar 7, 1984

Apr 18, 1984

Teacher discovers that the star basketball player is illiterate, and makes it his mission to teach him how to read.

Nov 19, 1983

Video-arcade whiz and teen movie star discover they are exact doubles and decide to switch identities.

Sep 19, 1984

Oct 10, 1984

An aspiring teenager Lisa dancer gets the chance to try out for a dance troupe. But will fear of failure keep her from auditioning? Terry Donahoe stars as Lisa Williams.

Oct 24, 1984

The Almost Royal Family is an American television teen comedy that aired as an ABC Afterschool Special on October 23, 1984. The program was based on the 1973 novel Meanwhile, Back At the Castle, by Hope Campbell.

Nov 14, 1984

Feb 13, 1985

Mar 6, 1985

May 1, 1985

Four high school friends find their lives changed forever when one of the friends drives drunk with devastating results.

Sep 11, 1985

Oct 9, 1985

Nov 6, 1985

A teen-aged girl named Karen Anderson suspects that Molly Stewart, the 6-year-old girl she is baby-sitting, is behaving quite strangely around an adult friend of the Stewarts. Turns out that the man is likely molesting Molly. Karen tries to bring the matter to the Stewarts' attention, but they only take action when it is almost too late. This special takes a look at child molestation and explores the warning signs people should notice.

Feb 12, 1986

Mar 5, 1986

Mar 19, 1986

Sep 17, 1986

Oct 1, 1986

A teen-aged boy and his girlfriend secretly place personal ads for his divorced mother, Ellie, in an effort to find Mr. Right. The two screen potential dates, but none of them seem right for Ellie. In the end, it is Ellie who finds the man who she deems ""the perfect guy.

Oct 22, 1986

Nov 19, 1986

Feb 18, 1987

Mar 4, 1987

Mar 18, 1987

Jun 3, 1987

When an illiterate toy maker has the right to his invention stolen, his grandson and the Harlem Globetrotters team up to get them back.

Sep 9, 1987

Sep 23, 1987

Oct 23, 1987

Dec 2, 1987

Jan 20, 1988

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.

Mar 16, 1988

Sep 15, 1988

Oct 13, 1988

Oct 26, 1988

Jan 19, 1989

Mar 16, 1989

A teenage girl is in total denial about her mother's drinking problem.

Mar 30, 1989

Three girls steal the answers to their final exam. When the headmistress finds out, she gives those responsible one-day to confess. After that anyone participating in the cover-up will be expelled.

Apr 20, 1989

Sep 14, 1989

A 16-year-old high school student tries to cope with his schizophrenic father's behavior, which takes its toll on his schoolwork, activities and reputation.

Mar 23, 1990

High school student Matt Thompson (Keith Coogan) must decide whether or not to come forward with the truth about a tragic drunk-driving accident. Co-starring Sam Rockwell.

Apr 19, 1990

A 16-year-old student is convinced his upcoming date with the school prom queen will be the perfect date. However it turns out to be anything but the perfect date.

Sep 13, 1990

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

Oct 18, 1990

Dec 6, 1990

A teen-aged girl attempts to get even with her boyfriend who stood her up on prom night by suing him for the cost of the dress. When the small claims court docket is full, she takes her case to a high school student court.

Jan 24, 1991

Mar 19, 1992

Apr 2, 1992

Apr 16, 1992

Jan 28, 1993

Sep 16, 1993

Dec 9, 1993

An art student enters the breach between her controlling mother and her stubborn, aging grandfather during a stay at her grandfather's Montana ranch.

Mar 21, 1994

May 2, 1994

Sep 15, 1994

A high-school sophomore has her reputation tarnished by some male students who scrawl malicious graffiti about her in the boys' restroom.

Dec 8, 1994

Mar 16, 1995

Apr 6, 1995

Sep 21, 1995

Dec 8, 1994

Teenage girl desperately wants to be popular. One day an angel grants her that wish, by giving her a new image every day. But soon she wishes she could just be herself.

Mar 14, 1996

Apr 18, 1996

Jun 11, 1996

Sep 12, 1996

Dec 7, 1995

Positive: A Journey Into AIDS is a 1995 documentary directed by Eamon Harrington and John Watkin. It was produced for the ABC Afterschool Special series. It followed actors Michael Sutton and Kimberly McCullough, who played Stone Cates and Robin Scorpio, respectively, as they researched HIV and AIDS for their roles as HIV+ teenagers on the long-running ABC daytime serial General Hospital.

Jan 24, 1994

After the senseless death of his twin brother, a teen drug pusher decides to seek revenge against all who have wronged him in the neighborhood.

Sep 12, 1996

Oct 24, 1996

Dec 5, 1996

Jan 23, 1997