If my mom hadn't recommended I watch this movie when it came on TV for the first time, I never would have seen it. My mother's taste in movies was the only reason I watched it at all. A movie about a bicycle race? No way, Hose. Well, what a treat it was. I do not understand ,however, why they would make a TV show out of it. The role was made for Christopher and he only. Christopher and Paul Dooley made the movie what it was. Out of the four friends I thought Dennis Quaid's was the weakest character. He of course went on to a great career in Hollywood (due mostly to his good looks and being the real life brother of the more talented Randy.) I believe Christopher's career was Sabatoged due to his homosexuality. He never did much of anything after this worth talking about with the exception of playing the father and son role with Paul Dooley 2 other times.Once on Law and Order CI and the other in another movie "The Wedding). Cryil and the Mooch, played by the recently resurrected Jakie Earl Haley and John Stern also were great in this movie. Quaid did a good job with the role of Mike but the other three were all better. Make a TV show out of "Breaking Away" didn't work because it was a dumb idea. The movie ended the way it should have, with Dave having changed his dad's look at life and him going to college instead of being doomed to remain a "cutter". Shaun Cassidy? Come on now. I actually found out that I attended grade school with Christopher for 2 years at St. Philomena's parochial school. He was 5 years ahead of me so he is age is bogus in this site. I was born in 1955 and I will be 53 next month. Sorry David,but as we learned in catholic school, it's a sin to tell a lie. This movie was nominated for best picture and should have won. Cristopher deserved a best actor nomination while we are on the topic but didn't get it.

I was glad when TV Guide recently mentioned this show in passing as vastly underrated. I remember that back then it surprised me. I loved the movie and was well aware how TV series adapted movies into pablum. And Shaun Cassidy? You must be joking!But he was absolutely terrific in the role. The others in the cast were also top-notch. Not only the premise but the earnestness and atmosphere of the movie was uncompromised during the course of the series. It was heart-warming, funny, and inspiring. (The only actor I didn't like was Jack Earl Haley, but I didn't like him in the movie, either -- or anywhere else, if I must tell the truth.) Barbara Barrie was (as usual) so wonderful, never enough air time for her, and Vincent Gardenia was an astonishingly great match to fill Paul Dooley's shoes!When will this come out on DVD? I'd love to see it again! Magnifico!

Breaking Away had the unfortunate luck too have been scheduled for the Fall 1980 season, which just happened to coincide with the writers guild strike. As a result, it didn't make it to the airwaves until late NOV '80. I think only 8 episodes were produced before the show got the Axe. It's a shame, as it was wonderfully filmed in and around Athens GA, acted (by a young Shaun Cassidy and Jackie Earl Haley, as well as veteran Barbara Barrie), written and directed. The show in many ways picks up where the movie left off. The guys are out of High School, and are trying to find out what they are going to do with their lives. Its hard to understand what ABC was thinking when they axed this one! This show is truly a gem, and I hope it makes it way to DVD one day soon.

I loved the movie and never had a chance to see it when the series aired in 1980 and thought I'd never have a chance to see the series period and so I e-mailed people who made Shaun Cassidy websites and they directed me to someone who has all the shows Cassidy was involved in and I couldn't believe my luck!!! Only 8 episodes were made of this series and then it got axed! I know that when a movie is popular enough producer's try to make a TV series out of it with a different cast and it flops but some shows like M*A*S*H, Fame and The Highlander that were based on popular movies make more successful TV shows and I thought Breaking Away could be one of them. But this show aired during the writers strike so they should've waited till the strike was over cause I enjoyed the series, of course not as much as the movie but still enjoyable!!!!