Hard-hitting, intense, and sometimes difficult to watch--but it was can't-miss TV. This was the world of After-School specials in the 1980s. 

After being created by ABC in the 1970s, the after-school special continued to rise to prominence in the 1980s, where it became a television institution for an entire generation of kids.

From its unique origins and the numerous awards to the breakout performances of actors who later became major stars,  the ABC After-School Special left a lasting impact on television history.

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