A short-lived nighttime soap for a teen demographic, it featured romantic triangles and secrets among the youth and their parents who populate a fictional midwestern college town called Midland Heights. Resembling a dark, 1980s-style Peyton Place, the plot dealt in both hidden secrets and scandalous affairs. Lisa Rogers carried on with college jock Burt Carroll while also seeing fraternity jerk Mark; good girl heiress Ann Dulles secretly dated high school dropout John; Holly Wheeler wanted to lose her virginity to her boyfriend Teddy Welsh, but the teens were shocked to discover her mother Dorothy was having an affair with Teddy's father Nathan.
Secrets of Midland Heights (Season 1)
Founder's Day (Episode 1)
Writer: David Jacobs
Air date: 1980-12-06
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Margaret Millington and her ne'er do well son Guy prepare for the annual Founder's Day in Midland Heights. Local diner owner Lucy Dexter has some secrets that she would like to keep to herself and her deaf son, Eric. Dorothy Wheeler is in an unhappy marriage with her husband Martin and tries to shield this from their daughter Holly, who is seeing well-off Teddy Welsh, whose father Nathan is a schoolteacher. Teddy wants things to progress with Holly, but Holly only sees him as a friend.
Decisions (Episode 2)
Writer: Frédéric Hunter
Air date: 1980-12-13
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Dorothy decides to end her affair with Nathan when Holly finds out about her mother's illicit romance.
The Searchers (Episode 3)
Writer: David Jacobs
Air date: 1980-12-20
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: John Grey is kidnapped, putting Holly and Teddy on the search squad.
Hooverville (Episode 4)
Writer: Elizabeth Quicksilver
Air date: 1980-12-27
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: The high school plans 'Hooverville', a weekend where the student will feel how it was like to live during the Depression.
Letting Go (Episode 5)
Writer: Margaret J. Schibi
Air date: 1981-01-03
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: The carnival comes to town, and everyone's already complicated lives grow increasingly moreso.
The Race (Episode 6)
Writer: Linda Elstad
Air date: 1981-01-10
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Guy's plans for inheriting the family fortune are threatened when his sister returns from a mental institution — apparently recovered. Meanwhile, John's estranged father, who hasn't seen his wife.and son for years, returns to compete against John in an auto race.
The Birthday Party (Episode 7)
Writer: Elizabeth Clark
Air date: 1981-01-17
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Guy's sister's rehabilitation dampens Guy's attempts to take over the Millington fortune.
Facing Facts (Episode 8)
Writer: Jack Turley
Air date: 1981-01-24
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Mark's fiancé shows up, both surprising and angering Lisa. Dorothy turn to pills to ease the pain of her unhappy marriage. The young people decide to have a barn dance.
Reunion of Strangers (Episode 9)
Writer: Naomi Foner
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Micki learns about her past, both surprising and horrifying.
Heritage of Sorrows (Episode 10)
Writer: Mitzi Marvin
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: With new revelations, the lives of the people of Midland Heights will never be the same.
Friends and Lovers (Episode 11)
Writer: Elizabeth Quicksilver
Runtime: 60 min
Overview: Everything comes to a head in the explosive, unaired series finale.
Seasons
Episodes 11