6 Very Special Episodes That Shocked 80s Kids

Laurie Metcalf was such a good actor.

Then came season one episode six of Family Ties. In other words, they started their show with it.

Little house on the prairie “Silvia”

Another one that comes to mind is that episode of Full House where Stephanie is paired to work on a school project with a boy she find repulsive and annoying. Then she hears that he is the victim of child abuse by his dad and she is torn whether to report it or stay silent. I remember a PSA was aired at the end of the episode urging children to speak up if they are the victim or know someone who is.

You should have kept the reaction on Growing Pains going a bit longer. The reaction that Carol (Tracy Gold) gave to Mike – What happened to his second chance? was a gut wrenching punch 👊! Two decent ones were from Full House. The first was episode 6: Season 3 – Just Say No in which the character of D..J. ., at 13, is tempted to drink beer. The other I remember was, I think , in Season 9, where Stephanie is sworn to keep a secret about a boy being beaten by his father.

Iowa is known for potatoes not corn🤣 had to throw that kernal in there

The JUST SAY NO people came to my school in the early 2000s and it was low-key harmful. They heavily pressured us to admit if we had ever used ANY "drugs". I was on Xanax at the time (prescribed to me by a psych doctor because I was having crippling panic attacks almost every day that had me suicidal) and also Percocet (again, legit prescribed because I'm epileptic and had fractured my spine and broken 4 ribs in a recent, violent seizure). I "admitted" it and they fucked SHAMED me.
Like, they acted like I was gonna be a dope fiend and die of an OD if I didn't stop taking them.

Different Strokes episode with the bicycle old man, Saved by the Bell with Jessie and her caffeine pills, Punky Brewster with Cherri hiding in the refrigerator, Family Matters when Josie gets shot over her pair of shoes, Full House with DJ not eating for 3 days, Boy Meets World with Mr Turner in the hospital from motorcycle accident, Step by Step with Dana almost getting ra^ed until Cody saves her, Blossom when Blossoms date tries to assault her……

Dude Roseanne and years later Malcom in the middle were my top favorite shows they were super close to what it was like in the real world for me at the times!

i think it's funny that you put the accent on cold brews in such a way that it sounds like you mean the chilled coffee beverage and not beers which i'm assuming is being referenced. no shade intended. just made me giggle.

Family matters when Laura tried to get a black history class at school

Wasn't there a " very special episode " in Boy Meets World where Winnie Coopers brother was killed in Vietnam?

The Mr Belvedere episode disturbed me

…We STILL don't have all of Mr Belverdere to watch anywhere.

I thought the little boy drank bleach .

80's kids were rarely shocked.

About the number one spot on this list?? This subject is frightening to talk about period, but to see this handled properly for TV, might want to check out I Know My Name Is Steven. The TV movie aired in 1990 in a two part cut, but I was impressed with all the actors involved with the project, particularly the actor who played the dad….

Poor Wesley. Damn molestation and friends with aids. sheehs.

I cant read!! Now i know what that is from. Its been haunting my since 1988 as a kid till today. I've heard it many times and joked many times. but forgot what it was from!!! Thank you!!!

One thing you forgot to mention about The Counselor: the show normally ended with Mr. Belvedere sitting at his desk, writing in his journal about what has just taken place in the episode. For this one, they had Christopher Hewitt and Brice Beckham as themselves, talking to the kids watching the show about what to do if they ever find themselves in a situation like that. I think that was the best way to end that episode.