The ABC Afterschool SpecialSeason 12

Dramatically presented situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were either in animated form or presented as documentaries. Topics included illiteracy, substance abuse and teenage pregnancy.

Where to Watch The ABC Afterschool Special • Season 12

8 Episodes

It's No Crush, I'm in Love
E1
It's No Crush, I'm in LoveA high school girl has a crush on a soap-opera star but she thinks she is in love with him. At school she meets her new English teacher who looks closely like the soap-opera star. Partly filmed at Lyndhurst Library
The Hand Me Down Kid
E2
The Hand Me Down Kid
The Dog Days of Arthur Cane
E3
The Dog Days of Arthur Cane
Andrea's Story: A Hitchhiking Tragedy
E4
Andrea's Story: A Hitchhiking TragedyA pretty teen-aged girl named Andrea Cranston and her boyfriend are stranded, and decide to hitchhike home. A nice man driving a green Dodge Coronet gives them a ride. After dropping the boyfriend off at home, the nice man reveals his true colors and declares ""We're going for a ride."" The man takes Andrea to a remote location, knocks her out and rapes her. This story explores the dangers of hitchhiking and the boyfriend's efforts to track down Andrea's assailant. In the end, the man is caught, and it's revealed he has raped more than one girl in his time.
The Great Love Experiment
E5
The Great Love ExperimentTeenagers bait a timid girl to get her involved with various displays of affection. Starring Tracy Pollan, Pete Kowanko and Jennifer Grey.
Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia
E6
Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia13-year-old boy has problems reading, which his teachers attribute to laziness. It is later discovered that he has Dyslexia.
The Hero Who Couldn't Read
E7
The Hero Who Couldn't ReadTeacher discovers that the star basketball player is illiterate, and makes it his mission to teach him how to read.
The Celebrity and the Arcade Kid
E8
The Celebrity and the Arcade KidVideo-arcade whiz and teen movie star discover they are exact doubles and decide to switch identities.