Customer Reviews

After School Specials

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After School Specials were dramatic, some times comedic, programs designed especially entertain and teach pre-teens about life and issues they could have very well faced, in terms they could understand in an hour-long format (approximately 45 minutes, without the commercials), often dealing with serious issues like drug and alcohol abuse, teen age pregnancy, and so forth...the series (I believe there were something like 26 episodes) was created and produced by Martin Tahse, which won a slew of awards, was really unique in that it was programming for young people that wasn't created to tie into products or sell merchandise, but to speak to them about situations difficult to understand or comprehend, treating its' audience with the respect and intelligence not often seen, not talking down to them but relating to them on a level they understood and appreciated. Below is an episode listing with alternate titles.

The 18th Emergency (Originally aired 1/16/74) aka `Pssst, Hammerman's After You'

In Summer of the Swans (Originally aired 10/2/74) aka Sara's Summer of the Swans

The Skating Rink (Originally aired 2/5/75)

Dear Lovey Hart: I Am Desperate (Originally aired 5/19/76)

Francesca, Baby (Originally aired 6/10/76)

In Beat the Turtle Drum (Originally aired 4/6/77)

The Pinballs (Originally aired 10/26/77)

Trouble River (Originally aired 11/12/77)

It's A Mile from Here to Glory (Originally aired 5/5/78)

Thank You, Jackie Robinson (Originally aired 10/11/78) aka A Home Run for Love

Gaucho (Originally aired 10/25/78)

My Other Mother (Originally aired 9/26/79) aka Which Mother Is Mine?

A Special Gift (Originally aired 10/24/79)

The Gold Test (Originally aired 2/13/80) aka Heartbreak Winner

What Are Friends For? (Originally aired 3/19/80) aka What Are Best Friends For?

Schoolboy Father (Originally aired 10/15/80)

A Matter of Time (Originally aired 2/11/1981)

First Step (Originally aired 9/23/1981) aka She Drinks a Little

Tough Girl (Originally aired 10/28/1981)

The Night Swimmers (Originally aired 3/3/1982) aka Daddy, I'm Their Mama Now

Two Loves for Jenny (Originally aired 10/27/1982) aka Between Two Loves

Did You Hear What Happened to Andrea? (Originally aired 12/27/1983) aka Andrea's Story: A Hitchhiking Tragedy

Ace Hits the Big Time (Originally aired 10/28/1985)

Face at the Edge of the World (Originally aired 9/17/1986) aka A Desperate Exit

The quality of the video on these DVDs is not the best, but it is as how it was when originally televised, and given these were teleplays made to be presented on television in the 70's, you really can't compare it to today's production standards.

Cookieman108

If it's your aim to get a complete collection of all the Afterschool Specials, this isn't it. In fact, even the other 4 or 5 sets with a couple years worth of episodes grouped together are suffering from the same omissions. Some missing episodes include:

The Amazing Cosmic Awareness Of Duffy Moon

P.J. and the President's Son

Me and My Dad's New Wife

The Boy Who Drank Too Much

The Wave

My Mother and the Monster

Bridge Of Adam Rush

Summer Switch

These sets are very misleading, allowing the buyer to believe they are getting all of the episodes. In my eyes, just the fact that The Boy Who Drank Too Much isn't included is enough to nix the idea of buying the set (Scott Baio and Lance Kerwin are stellar, believable teens in this excellently written and acted drama) The price they are asking for this set and the other split sets is ridiculous, and for that much money certainly it should be complete and then some.

Many of the after school specials were brilliant. They entertained while giving us life lesson with small morality plays. Alcoholism, drug abuse, divorce, and teen parenthood were addressed. I enjoyed everyone of them and made a point to learn from the kids plights and mistakes. Unfortunately Amy and the Angel, one of my favorites that dealt with depression and teen suicide is missing from this series so I can't give it a 5th star. That doesn't mean the series isn't good. Just that I found it lacking for not being a complete collection. If you want to go down memory lane. This series is awesome. If your looking for films to watch with your kids and have a discussion about the subject matter afterward then its a 5 star purchase.

Anyone who grew up in the 70's and 80's probably remembers these educational after school specials. The films were ground breaking in their day for dealing with many issues such as abuse,teen pregnancy, drug addition or just feeling like an outsider in school.

This set includes 26 highly regarded films from the series, two episodes that are exclusive to this set. The films run around 46 minutes and look fairly clean, but they do look a bit soft and faded. They appear to be uncut and it's nice to see them available on DVD.

I had not seen these shows since their original air dates and most of them hold up, but some seem a little dated with a bit of unintentional humor.

The most interesting thing about most of these shows is the casting of some young stars that had later fame or were stars from some very popular TV series at the same time.

I would have liked to have seen some better treatment to these shows as they look like the transfers are direct from VHS and there are no extras on this set, which is a little disappointing.

If you have children, this is an excellent source to use to open discussion about problems they may be experiencing or help them avoid some of these obstacles in their lives. If you don't have children or they're grown, you just might enjoy a ride on this bus, just for the sake of nostagia.

The best part of the After School Specials is the messages they contained. Back when kids television was meant with more of a serious message that a comical message, the television shows tell real life stories in a realistic sense.

I remember watching all of these movies as children, and was thrilled when the dvd set was released. After finally purchasing it off my wish list I have been thrilled with the response of all five of my children.

With children of the Hannah Montana generation, I didn't expect a lot, but was hopeful. The sets have been received better than I expected, and they continue to watch them over and over, a few as selected favorites. While I purchased the set "just because", to them it felt as if I was giving them the gift of family time since we tend to watch them together, yes sometimes multiple times. My oldest two children are a son and a daughter age 13, and they both have sat endlessly watching them. My youngest is an eight year old girl, who has become enthralled with the stories that are presented. So it seems that these movies are certainly perfect for this age group.

This set is highly recommended for families and I encourage those that do purchase the set, to sit down with their children and watch. You'll be surprised at the reaction and the lessons that you watch learned through entertaining stories.

I am still looking for 2 shows:

1. The Wave (1981) starring Bruce Davison

2. If my memory serves me correctly, the second one is a show that starred Loretta Swit (aka 'Hot Lips' Houlihan in M*A*S*H). She played a woman with multiple personality disorder or schizophrenia who spirals downward. Anyone know the one I'm talking about?

How can you call this a deluxe collection when it does not even include the first original episodes including the amazing and heart-wrenching animated film that started it all "The Last of the Curlews"? This is not a collection, it is a disgrace!

I still remember this episode but just found out the title. Why isn't it included in the set? Anyone know?