Beautiful settings and an appreciation of family underscore ‘Crossroads’

Sweeping grassy plains and thundering horses provide the backdrop for this week’s ABC Afterschool Special: Montana Crossroads, but the show’s underlying message is the profound understanding between multigenerational families--despite their volatility, says star Kellie Martin (“Life Goes On”).

Martin, speaking from Tennessee where she is working on “Christy,” a CBS miniseries, describes “Montana Crossroads” as the story of Julie (Jacklyn Zeman), a single parent, whose 17-year-old daughter Samantha (Martin) dreams of art school. Meanwhile, Julie struggles to persuade her father (Don Murray) to enter a retirement home.

Julie and Samantha’s tense relationship echoes the one a younger Julie once had with her father.

“Even though the show is only an hour, each character undergoes many changes,” Martin stresses. “You really can see how they learn to appreciate each other.”

While the deeper message of achieving understanding can be appreciated by a more mature audience, viewers in the younger range will like the beautiful settings and horses, notes Martin. “I also think the younger audiences will like the relationships between the mom and the grandpa and the mother and daughter.”

Sculptor Samantha, Martin says, has a wonderful energy, and her artistic streak made her fun to portray.

“She starts out as being a typical teen, in that she’s constantly rolling her eyes at her mother and being sarcastic and defensive,” Martin says. “But you know right away, with her artistic side, that there is more to her, and that slowly grows and changes throughout the movie.”

Part of the understanding that develops from the “Montana Crossroads” lies in parents and children coming to the realization that “sometimes, loving someone means letting them go,” notes ABC spokesperson Patti McTeague.

The “ABC Afterschool Special: Montana Crossroads” airs Thursday at 3-4 p.m. on ABC. For ages 10 and up.

MORE FAMILY SHOWS

The age-old game of spin-the-bottle makes its way around Amanda’s first boy-girl party on Ready or Not “Romantic Kisses” (Sunday 5-5:30 p.m. Showtime). For ages 10 and up.

Christmas comes early with the rebroadcasts of Fox’s It’s A Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas Special (Sunday 7-7:30 p.m. Fox), followed by Eek! The Cat Christmas Special (7:30-8 p.m.). For ages 2 and up.

While the title may imply a tale of teen parenthood, the rebroadcast of “Two Teens and a Baby,” the CBS Schoolbreak Special (Tuesday 3-4 p.m. CBS) actually presents the dilemma of two teen-age boys who find out that their mother is pregnant. For ages 8 and up.

The live-action movie The Comic Book Christmas Caper (Friday 5-6:50 p.m. Disney Channel), set in 1945, premieres. For ages 6 and up.

Julian Lennon, Sheena Easton, Michael York, Howie Mandel, Kelly LeBrock and Andrea Martin lend their voices to the new animated special Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield (Friday 8-10 p.m. NBC). The movie’s score was written by Al Kasha, a two-time Oscar winner and nominee for a Tony, Grammy and an Emmy. For ages 3 and up.

Holiday specials are featured this week on Nick’s A Muppet Family Christmas (Friday 8-8:30 p.m.); The Ren & Stimpy Show (Saturday 9-9:30 p.m.) and Roundhouse (Saturday 9:30-10 p.m.).