As a young girl born in the mid-60s but with the majority of my childhood memories in the ’70s, Christmas was a magical time. It just was. I don’t know how to explain why it felt different. It could be all the homes decorated for the holidays, or the department store windows with their glittery, mechanical displays. It could have been the carolers, yes, people really did that, or the giant Christmas catalogs that came in the mail. Or it could have been the Christmas specials on TV, with their Christmas commercials that kept us too intrigued to leave the Continue Reading
80s TV
The Boy Who Drank Too Much
I hesitated before recapping “The Boy Who Drank Too Much,“ wondering if it was too soon after recapping another Scott Baio classic, “Stoned.” But since one was a made-for-TV movie and the other was an ABC After School Special, I decided it’s not the same thing. Made-for-TV movies in the ’70s and ’80s were (usually) low-budget productions made for television rather than the box office. They featured stars from some of our favorite television shows. In this case, Scott Baio, who was achieving teen idol fame on “Happy Days” and the short-lived “Joanie Loves Chachi,” Michele Tobin from “The Fitzpatricks,” Continue Reading
ABC Afterschool Special: “Stoned” Starring Scott Baio
In the world of the ABC Afterschool Special, “Stoned” may be the episode I remember the most from my teens. Though ABC Afterschool specials ran through the mid-90s, I really only remember some of the episodes that ran in the mid to late 70s and early 80s. For those not in the know, the ABC Afterschool Special was like a one-off Very Special Episode. Basically, they were 60-90 minute films that touched on social issues such as drugs, alcohol, and peer pressure. ABC After School Special: “Stoned” Starring Scott Baio The first ABC Afterschool Special we’re recapping here is “Stoned,” Continue Reading
Introducing the Very Special Episode: A Staple of 70’s, 80s, and 90s TV
Back in the day, if a sitcom advertised a “Very Special Episode,” kids knew they were in for a lecture. At first, they fell for the con. How could they miss an episode that is being advertised as “very special?” They did their homework, ate everything on their plates, and even helped to clean up after dinner. Nothing would get in the way of viewing something advertised as a Very Special Episode. This is especially true in the days before VCRs, DVDs, and DVRs became mainstream. If kids missed an episode, they missed it. They had to watch that puppy Continue Reading