Very special episode

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Very special episode is an advertising term originally used in American television commercials to refer to an episode of a situation comedy or television drama that dealt with a serious and/or controversial social issue (often in a forced and/or awkward manner). Although the concept has been in existence for some time, the usage of the term peaked in the 1980s and early 1990s.

These episodes are usually a departure from the existing tone of the series. For example, many situation comedies have had a "very special episode" that covers a more serious topic in a dramatic, rather than comedic, fashion. Although the term is descriptive, it is sometimes used in a pejorative manner, particularly by television critics and pop culture journalists.

The phrase has become particularly related to (and nearly synonymous with) the 1990s NBC show Blossom, a sitcom which more often than not dealt with melodramatic teen issues. The term "a very special Blossom" is understood as a rather scathing remark on both.

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[edit] General overview of content

Various very special episodes have addressed such topics as interracial marriage, dealing with an unexpected death, coming out, abortion, sexual abuse, cancer, and the morality of lying. Recurring themes for American television programs with younger viewers often include drug addiction, eating disorders, guns and violence, cultural views concerning pre-marital sex, environmentalism, and teenage pregnancy.

Depending on the nature of the social issue, television producers and scriptwriters may choose either a protagonist, recurring character, or a supporting character written especially for the episode to embody the personal failing, social problem, or controversy at hand. Often these "very special episodes" feature characters suddenly developing problems with drugs (commonly painkillers) when none had existed previously, and after the episode no further consequences are usually shown.

A closely related concept is the after school special, which deals with issues in much the same way. The key difference is that an after school special is a stand-alone story, rather than an installment of a pre-existing series.

[edit] Usage

Television viewers and critics alike widely regard the phrase very special episode as ironic and melodramatic; the perception is that use of the term very special episode is a blatant attempt at a ratings boost or winning an Emmy award.

The "very special episode" is occasionally billed as "an episode your family can't afford to miss", again dramatizing the importance of the episode by insinuating the issues presented represent mandatory viewing for the responsible parent and child.

Television websites such as Television Without Pity and jumptheshark.com deride the phrase. In an episode of Friends, Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) mocked the ubiquitous NBC commercials that popularized the phrase. (Perry himself appeared in "a very special episode" of Growing Pains earlier in his career.)

The concept of the very special episode was deconstructed in Clone High, as every episode of that series is called a very special episode.

The Drew Carey Show, in its fifth season, also did a similar spoof titled "A Very Special Drew", where numerous examples of Very Special motifs were used. The premise of the show was that the cast, upset about never getting an Emmy, decided to throw together a show so schmaltzy they had to win the prize. In the course of a half-hour, every possible issue, from eating disorders to homelessness to illiteracy to kleptomania, is addressed, while one famous character passes into a coma and dies (but is alive again at the end of the episode).

The popular sitcom Seinfeld, famously "about nothing", was also opposed to very special episodes. The on-set motto among writers and cast was reportedly "No hugging, no learning."

On the Canadian dramedy series Degrassi: The Next Generation, the writers usually spread the very controversial plots over two-part episodes. Noted examples are "Accidents Will Happen," that dealt with teen pregnancy and abortion; "Time Stands Still", which dealt with a school shooting, an issue that was hardly shown on television shows before this; and "Turned Out," an episode that dealt with JT (typically a comic relief character) becoming a drug dealer and trying to overdose in an attempt to commit suicide. Typically, these kinds of episodes usually have a light-hearted subplot, although the show has dealt with almost every topic imaginable: eating disorders, teen pregnancy, suicide, alcohol abuse, drunk driving, mental illness, rape, physical abuse, sexual abuse, racism, homophobia, drug abuse, drug dealing, disability, death of friends and parents, suicide, bullying, etc.

[edit] Early examples of special episodes

Bonanza would commonly use guest stars to illustrate a problem in any given week. In one episode, Hoss's friend Susan (who was never seen before said episode, and who would never be seen again) wanted to drive her father's buggy, so she begs Hoss to let her. They end up in an accident with Susan paralyzed from the waist down. A questionable faith healer (played by Ed Nelson from Peyton Place) comes to town and convinces Hoss to let him help her. At first, it was solely an attempt to rob her of her considerable fortune. However, the faith healer becomes brainwashed into believing that he really can heal her. In the end, Susan walked, but not because of the faith healer; her injury wasn't as bad as was previously believed. The problem solved, Susan and the faith healer were never heard from again.

On more melodramatic series such as Family, the stories were more controversial. Arguably, the most notable very special episode of the series is when Buddy (played by Kristy McNichol) is pressured for sex by her boyfriend (played by teen idol Leif Garrett). Although she is tempted, she ultimately decides that she is not ready for the responsibility just yet, teaching viewers that they, too, can say no to sex if they are not prepared. Family was one of the first television shows to deal with very topical subjects in this manner.

Both All In The Family and its spinoff Maude were examples of situation comedies with topical special episodes. All In The Family featured a number of serious situations, including Edith's heart attack, as well as her experiences with menopause; Maude featured topical stories on alcoholism and abortion.

[edit] Parodies of very special episodes

  • Animaniacs - In one episode that parodies Very Special Episodes, the Warners discuss the problem of Wakko not wearing any pants.
  • Beavis and Butt-head - In the appropriately-titled "A Very Special Episode", the duo find a wounded bird and inadvertently help Mr. Stevenson take it to a vet. Although Stevenson hopes to cure the bird, the boys are waiting for it to die. However, when Beavis regurgitates worms into its mouth, it grows strong, to their great annoyance. An emotional Stevenson drives them to a park where they release the bird back into the wild by throwing it (or as Beavis puts it, "flipping the bird"), at which point it falls to the ground again, wounded.
  • Cel Damage, a video game, which, according to the instruction manual, is a highly popular TV show in a cartoon world, starts with a cinema that is supposedly a commercial for the show, saying it's a "Very Special Episode," where one character may learn of a terminal illness, but then the announcer admits they'll "just drive around way too fast and blow up everything in sight like we do every week!"
  • Clone High - Every episode starts with the narrator mentioning how it is a "very special episode," poking fun at Very Special Episodes in general, with every episode humourously tackling a strange subject as if it was another problem, such as the characters smoking raisins, or treating ADHD as if it were AIDS.
  • Dinosaurs - Robbie and Spike eat a plant they find in the woods. The euphoria they experience results in them dubbing it "The Happy Plant". Soon Earl and Charlene are addicted to the happy plant, as well, but after "crashing", they all realize the plant is bad, and decide to destroy it. The episode ends with Robbie in a public service announcement to put an end to preachy anti-drug episodes.
  • Drawn Together -
    • "The Other Cousin" parodies The Facts of Life episode "Cousin Geri".
    • "A Very Special Drawn Together Afterschool Special" parodies Very Special Episodes in general. To help Xandir prepare to tell his parents he's gay, the other housemates agree to role-play, but they let the exercise get way out of hand and end up enacting an outlandish scenario involving prostitution, murder, adultery, and even disposing of a dead body in a swamp.
  • Everybody Hates Chris - Rochelle's father (Jimmie Walker) comes to visit and dies at the dinner table. Besides the casting of Walker, this episode contains direct references to the Good Times episode "The Big Move". Rochelle is curiously upbeat while the rest of the family mourns. In one of Chris's fantasy sequences, Rochelle is shown screaming "Damn! Damn! Damn!" exactly as Florida Evans did in said episode.
  • Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends - In "One False Movie," Eduardo, worried about the noise coming out his bottom, writes to the executive producer of "Lauren is Explorin'" for advice. Upon reading the letter, a cartoon cameo of Craig McCracken bursts from his office and says, "It's time we make a very special episode."
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel Air featured an episode revolving around poetry. The episode ends with Will Smith's character addressing the camera and saying, "If you'd like to learn more about poetry--" before cutting himself off and laughing as the credits begin to roll.
  • Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law - In the episode "SPF", Harvey visits the doctor after discovering a mole on his upper lip, and is told to stay out of the sun, which is the source of his power. Harvey quickly becomes addicted to "Tanning Crème", eventually leading to an invervention at a bar. After overcoming his addiction, it is revealed that the mole was actually a speck of gravy. The episode ends with a PSA, except the actual points made are unheard due to a character with indecipherable mumbling and another with a coconut stuck in his mouth.
  • Robot Chicken - In one episode, it's shown that Autobot leader Optimus Prime has inoperable prostate cancer (which is already out there, with Prime being a robot) and dies from it (transforming into a casket). At the end, Optimus talks about the need to check for signs of cancer. Part way through the episode, there's a brief skit where the Human Torch tells a doctor "It burns when I pee..." (a small joke about the Torch's powers, and a joke on the Frank Zappa song "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?"), only to have Optimus pop into frame and shout "What did I just tell you?!"
  • Mr. Show - An episode described as a Very Special Episode opens with David Cross, in a parody of coming out, revealing that although he plays David Cross, a bald character, he, David Cross (the actor), is in truth bald, pulling a bald wig off of his head to reveal his bald head. The cast then cynically checks their ratings and the remainder of the show follows regular format.
  • The Simpsons -
    • The episode "Bart the General," in which Bart fights a war against bully Nelson Muntz, ends with an epilogue in which Bart reminds the audience, "Contrary to what you've just seen, war is neither glamorous nor fun. There are no winners, only losers. There are no 'good' wars, with the following exceptions: the American Revolution, World War II, and the Star Wars Trilogy." (1990)
    • At the end of "Bart Star", guest star Joe Namath earnestly warns the viewers about the dangers of vapor lock, which had been seen (albeit extremely briefly) during the episode.
  • South Park -
    • Kenny dies from a muscular disease. The irony is that Kenny dies all the time, but for this one episode, the show treated his demise with a deathly seriousness. (Notably, he actually stayed dead for most of the next season.)
    • "Sexual Harassment Panda" talks about sexual harassment in school through a comedic point of view, with Cartman suing Stan for calling him an "ass-sucker" and considering that sexual harassment. Cartman eventually wins the lawsuit, and the school is forced to pay him a generous sum of money. With that prospect of easy money, everyone starts suing everyone. After the episode, the Sexual Harassment Panda, the school's sexual education mascot, becomes the "Don't Sue People Panda" and warns the audience in an epilogue that suing the school system without a good reason costs money to the contributors, including themselves, the taxpayers. It should be noted, though, that most episodes of South Park end with obvious messages to the viewers.
  • Strong Bad Email - In email #166, named "unnatural", Strong Bad receives an email with many apostrophes. He then addresses viewers in a public service announcement format, and a phone number is shown: 1-800-APOSTROHOLIC.
  • Unfabulous - Addie's great Aunt Bertha dies and Addie is unable to grieve until Bertha starts haunting her.
  • The Venture Bros. - Dean develops a case of testicular torsion, and at the end of the episode, a public service announcement parody is shown with the characters giving a speech raising awareness of testicular torsion, but in a slow monotone while reading something off-camera (clearly implied to be cue cards).
  • Penny Arcade - A Rebel father is upset that his daughter Katya is going to Prom on Coruscant with her Imperial boyfriend Brian. Katya's mother reveals she just found out that Brian was killed in a speeder bike accident, and Katya is shocked, saying she is carrying his child. Read the comic.
  • PVP - after a poke at serious comics, one storyline started each panel with the words 'A very special PVP' above a rose. the story featured Cole diagnosed with a tumor that would shortly kill him.
  • ctrl+alt+del - Two strips featured Scott addressing the public that there is help for DDR addictions and 'l33t-ness'.
  • Bonus Stage - the episode 'Ryaconning' killed off Rya once and for all. Phil insisted the matter be dealt seriously, yet Joel still continued to go out with jokes.

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