Winner 1985

Tender Places

WBZ-TV

Tender Places concerns divorce, called by one critic “the common cold of social problems.” But WBZ-TV in Boston considered the problems of divorce important enough to undertake the production of this award-winning play, originally written by 12-year-old Jason Brown and first staged for the New York theater. Written through the eyes of a child experiencing the divorce of his own parents, the television version proved to be a meaningful venture for WBZ-TV and an extraordinary viewing opportunity for the audience. Filmed entirely on location in Boston, it brought to the home screen bitterness, conflict, and humor with a sense of honesty and directness rarely experienced in television. Such a bold venture, in the opinion of the Peabody Board, merits recognition with an award.