Breaking Away(1980)

Breaking Away is a 1980 American comedy-drama series that expands the story of the 1979 film. Created by screenwriter Steve Tesich with director Peter Yates as executive producer, the show serves as a prequel set in Bloomington, Indiana during the year before the film's events. Shaun Cassidy stars as Dave Stohler, a passionate young cyclist obsessed with Italian culture, alongside Barbara Barrie, Jackie Earle Haley, and John Ashton reprising their film roles. Despite heavy promotion from ABC, the series struggled to find an audience and was cancelled after just eight episodes were filmed. The 1980 Screen Actors Guild Strike delayed production, pushing the show to fall. Only seven episodes aired during its original run, though ABC reran the series the following summer and cable's Arts & Entertainment network broadcast it again in the mid-1980s.