AllMovie

ABC Afterschool Special's fifth-season opener is the first of the series' episodes to focus on AlaTeen, an organization for the teenaged children of alcoholics. Ever since her father walked out, 15-year-old Francesca James (Carol Jones) has been the unofficial head of her household, not only looking after her troubled younger sister, Jo Lynn (Elizabeth Herbert), but also her hard-drinking mother, Lillian (Melendy Britt). Informed of the existence of AlaTeen, the cynical Francesca laughs off the notion that the organization could possibly help her -- and in fact insists she doesn't need any help. And then comes the terrible night when Francesca's mom, in another drunken stupor, falls asleep while smoking in bed....