These are probably my three favorite
Diff’rent Strokes- When Arnold and Dudley go to the bike shop and Dudley gets molested
Fresh Prince of Bel Air- Will starts taking speed so he can stay up and study and Carlton pops a few before prom and dances his ass off before collapsing
Mr Belvidere- Wesley gets molested at summer camp
The hard to find Facts of Life drug episode where tootie is roller skating around with two big glass bongs yelling “bong!” “bong!”
The david cassidy after special that was the blueprint for 21 Jump Street.
“How come he don’t want me?”
Don’t forget The Facts of Life sex episode
Full House - When stephanie has a classmate who is beaten by his dad. Also, the episode when Kimmy gets wasted at a house party
Does Jesse Spano getting addicted to caffeine pills count?
She’s so excited.
She’s so excited.
She’s so…
Scared.
Maybe my memory is a bit foggy, but wasn’t there also a Golden Girls episode where Dorothy gets a visit from a lesbian friend that tries to pick up Rose?
Yes.
Seems like in the 80s the Very Special Episodes were about drugs or molestation.
There was also the Boy Meets World episode. Corey and Shawn get ripped on whiskey. Shawn drinks for a while pretty heavy.
Star Trek TNG “The Inner Light”
Where Picard lives an entire lifetime through someone else’s eyes.
Dennis Reynolds: Making a Murderer
Does that faggot Alex Trebek cheating so Cliff Claven doesn’t win Jeopardy count?
Good thread.
I remember there was an episode of Mad About You that was shot all in one take with one camera. I think the gist of it was it was the first night they let their baby cry through the night or something like that. Some type of parenting struggle.
Not even saying it was good - I just remember that being a “Special Episode”. I think that show sucked for the most part but I didnt’ watch enough.
Also…
Family matters - episode where Lisa gets the n-word spray painted across her locker.
ER did a fully live episode once just for the hell of it.
I think they might have done two performances - 1 for west and 1 for east coast.
Family Matters had a bunch,
The brother gettin ragged on for never fuckin.
Urkel saving Carl after he got electrocuted.
IM SO EXCITED!
IM SO EXCITED!
IM SO…
scared 
Some of you don’t understand what a “Very Special Episode” is.
In the 80s/90s, it was when sitcoms had “serious” episodes, usually centered around drugs, sexual abuse, AIDS/sexual orientation, or death.
Usually unintentionally hilarious, like the first one I mentioned. I mean, why would the bike shop owner pick Dudley when Arnold was so much more molestable?
LOL. Damn.
South Park - the one where Mr. Garrison has to come to terms with the fact his father never molested him. Even worse, his mother knew, and did nothing. She did NOTHING while her son was continually not molested at any time.