Few topics light up the Neilsen ratings like sex, which might help explain the abundance of Very Special Episodes aimed directly at our private parts. Struggling with puberty was a hot topic for the teen set, but as we watched our beloved characters deal with sex at more advanced ages, things quickly got uncomfortable. And if it's uncomfortable, it's definitely special.

Edith Fights the Rapist ("All in the Family," Episode 163: "Edith's 50th Birthday")

Edith Bunker was more than Jean Stapleton screeching like a maniac -- she was an adoring, sweet-hearted surrogate to a generation. We could take Archie's grumpy abuse because we knew it was founded in love, but when the show's producers upped the ante by involving dear Edith in an attempted rape, audiences were floored. Though it didn't provide the same scathing social commentary as other "All in the Family" episodes, it was equally powerful.

Maude Has an Abortion ("Maude," Episode 10: "Maude's Dilemma")

Fittingly, an "All in the Family" spin-off resulted in another incredibly special episode as our protagonist dealt with the brutal ironies of an unwanted pregnancy. "Maude" never shied away from the tough stuff and, by confronting the controversial issue of abortion, the series broke new ground.

Arnold and Dudley Meet a Pedophile ("Diff'rent Strokes," Episode 114-115: "The Bicycle Man")

In a series best known for its diminutive star and his unstoppable catchphrase, they certainly dove deep from time to time. This one, however, took the cake. Will viewers ever forget the image of Arnold's friend Dudley hopped up on wine and pills in a bathroom with the slimy Gordon Jump (who also played station manager Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson on "WKRP in Cincinnati")? Whachoo talkin' bout, NBC?

It isn't easy being a sitcom kid, especially if your show is trying to score higher ratings by preying on your addictions. But turning happy-go-lucky characters into starving, crazed drug fiends was just another day in the life of the Very Special Episode.

Alex Gets Addicted to Diet Pills ("Family Ties," Episode 28: "Speed Trap")

We all knew that Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) was a go-getter, but the writers of "Family Ties" slammed the pedal to the metal in this riveting ride through the high-speed world of chemical dependency. Forced to stay up late to cram for a couple of tests, Alex convinces his sister to "lend" him some diet pills, develops a nice addiction, wastes some time painting the house, eventually threatens Mallory if she doesn't find him more, then "crashes" and misses the tests entirely. It's the quickest dependency we've ever witnessed, but when you only have a half-hour, you gotta make it special.

Sue Ann Is Anorexic ("The Facts of Life," Episode 7: "Dieting")

For a show based on the trials and tribulations of a gaggle of teenage girls, "The Facts of Life" had its work cut out for it. It didn't take long to hit hard, though, because this first-season doozie went toe-to-toe with the uncomfortable issue of teen anorexia. Sue Ann would only last one season, but her fascinating battle with a common eating disorder helped set the pace for the rest of the show's serious undertones.

Jessie Is So Excited ("Saved by the Bell," Episode 25: "Jessie's Song")

It's not a classic. It's not even close. Heck, it even blatantly rips off "Family Ties" by copying the diet-pill-dependency plot device. But if you want to watch a teen actress (Elizabeth Berkley) make an absolute mockery of a legitimate addiction, you've got to track this one down. It's arguably better (i.e., worse) than "Showgirls."