After school special
An after school special is a television film, usually dealing with controversial or socially relevant issues, that were generally broadcast in the late afternoon and meant to be viewed by school-age children, particularly teenagers.[1] The term comes from the title of the ABC Afterschool Special, an anthology series of films that debuted on ABC in 1972 and ran until 1996.[2] The specials were generally broadcast four to six times during the school year, pre-empting local programming that would usually follow the network schedule in the late afternoon hours.
Series
[edit]In addition to ABC's series, CBS distributed its own series of films under the name CBS Schoolbreak Special (originally called the CBS Afternoon Playhouse), which were produced from 1978 to 1996, while NBC aired after-school programs under the umbrella title Special Treat from 1975 to 1986.
Legacy
[edit]The cult TV show Strangers with Candy and its 2005 feature film adaptation, featuring Amy Sedaris as an ex-con, prostitute, and junkie, spoofs after-school special conventions.[3]
See also
[edit]- Degrassi (franchise)
- 13 Reasons Why
- Last of the Curlews – The very first ABC Afterschool Special (1972), and one of a very few animated ones.
- Public information film – In the UK, extended versions of these were shown in schools. These were often about safety.
- Schoolhouse Rock!
- Very special episode
- WonderWorks – Produced several after-school-type specials for PBS
References
[edit]- ^ Traumatic Episodes: A History of the ABC Afterschool Special | Mental Floss
- ^ "Retroland | ABC Afterschool Special". Retroland, Inc. 2004-07-16. Archived from the original on 2007-04-16. Retrieved 2015-09-12.
- ^ "Strangers With Candy". AV Club.
External links
[edit]- Complete list of ABC After School Specials at the Internet Movie Database
- Complete list of CBS Schoolbreak Specials at the Internet Movie Database
- Partial list of NBC Special Treat episodes at the Internet Movie Database
- "The Strange Afterlife of the After School Special" by Joanna Weiss, The Boston Globe, January 1, 2006
- "My Dad Lives in a Downtown Hotel: The Subtle Brilliance of the After School Special" by Marisa Meltzer, Slate, July 20, 2006