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Punky Brewster
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Soleil Moon-Frye stars as the orphaned little girl with an indomitable spirit, who, with her faithful dog Brandon, brings light and laughter into the life of a grumpy, old photographer played by George Gaynes.
Highest-rated episodes all ranked
- 01
Punky Finds a Home (1)In the series opener, in Chicago, 8-year-old Penelope ""Punky"" Brewster and her dog Brandon are found living in an empty apartment by the building's grouchy manager, photography studio owner Henry Warnimont. Punky tells Henry that it all started when her father walked out on her and her mother Susan Brewster, then a couple of weeks ago, Susan said they were going on a trip, so Susan, Punky, and Brandon piled up in their car and drove to a shopping center in Chicago, where Susan abandoned Punky and Brandon, who have been homeless ever since. In the vacant apartment, Punky always had food, because 8-year-old Cherie Johnson, who lives upstairs from Henry with her grandmother Betty Johnson, always brought food to Punky. Henry takes some memorable pictures of Punky, Cherie, Betty, Brandon, and himself at his photography studio. Later, Punky decides to clean Henry's apartment but when Henry gets home, he is furious because he liked everything the way it was before Punky cleaned the place. - 02
I Love You, BrandonHenry scolds Brandon for eating several valuable stamps. After that, Punky takes him on a walk, where he is hit by a car. He is rushed to the veterinary hospital, where his prognosis is grim. - 03
My Aged ValentineAfter getting in trouble for slugging a boy at school, Punky dreams of life 80 years into the future where everyone has found love except for her.
Cast
Episodes by season
Season01
- S01E01
Season's bestPunky Finds a Home (1)September 16, 1984In the series opener, in Chicago, 8-year-old Penelope ""Punky"" Brewster and her dog Brandon are found living in an empty apartment by the b - S01E02
Punky Finds a Home (2)September 23, 1984—Henry calls the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), but Punky panics, saying that she doesn't want to go to an orphanage, so He - S01E03
Punky Finds a Home (3)September 30, 1984—Henry demands to know one reason why Randi doesn't think he should be Punky's foster father, but Randi gives him three reasons -- he's never - S01E04
Punky Gets Her Own Room / Lost and FoundOctober 7, 1984—Punky and her friends convert Henry's study room into her bedroom without asking him first. - S01E05
Walk Pool / Gone Fishin'October 14, 1984—Henry, Punky's foster father, takes over the task of walking her and her hyperactive friends Cherie, Margeaux, Scotty and Allen to school af - S01E06
Take Me Out to the BallgameOctober 21, 1984—As the Chicago Cubs play in their first post-season championship since 1945, proud Cubs fan Henry tries to get tickets for Punky and himself - S01E07
Parents NightOctober 28, 1984—As the school's parent-teacher night approaches, Punky is upset by Margaux's insensitive comments about foster parents and foster children. - S01E08
Go to Sleep / A Visit to the DoctorNovember 4, 1984—Punky can't sleep, so Henry agrees to let her stay up and watch the opera with him on TV. - S01E09
Miss AdorableNovember 25, 1984—Punky, Cherie, and Margaux compete in a beauty pageant hosted by pop singer Andy Gibb. - S01E10
Dog Dough AfternoonDecember 2, 1984—Punky and Cherie start a dog grooming business so that they can help make ends meet in their respective homes. - S01E11
Bye Bye, MyDecember 9, 1984—Henry throws out Punky's worn-out old doll after the children's attempt to repair it fails. This upsets Punky, so Henry searches throughout - S01E12
Yes, Punky, There Is a Santa Claus (1)December 16, 1984—Christmas is approaching, and the only thing Punky wants is to find her mother. - S01E13
Yes, Punky, There Is a Santa Claus (2)December 16, 1984—Christmas is approaching, and the only thing Punky wants is to find her mother. - S01E14
Punky in the Record BusinessJanuary 20, 1985—Punky helps her piano teacher get into the music business. - S01E15
Henry Falls in Love (1)January 27, 1985—Henry is reunited with a woman he planned to marry in 1941; when Pearl Harbor was attacked, he enlisted in the Merchant Marines and did not - S01E16
Henry Falls in Love (2)February 3, 1985—Punky runs away when he learns that when Henry and Maggie are to be married, she'll be sent to boarding school in Europe. - S01E17
My Aged ValentineFebruary 10, 1985After getting in trouble for slugging a boy at school, Punky dreams of life 80 years into the future where everyone has found love except fo - S01E18
I Love You, BrandonFebruary 17, 1985Henry scolds Brandon for eating several valuable stamps. After that, Punky takes him on a walk, where he is hit by a car. He is rushed to th - S01E19
Punky Brewster's WorkoutFebruary 24, 1985—Henry purchases a video camera for his photo studio and firmly warns Punky that she is not to touch it under any circumstances. However, whi - S01E20
Gals and DollsMarch 3, 1985—Punky, Cherie, and Margaux all want a highly sought-after doll, but Henry can only find one of them at the toy store. - S01E21
Fenster Hall (1)March 31, 1985—Punky catches a boy breaking into her room and stealing from her. Henry takes the boy to Fenster Hall where Mike Fulton, one of the workers - S01E22
Fenster Hall (2)March 31, 1985—T.C.'s criminal mentor, Blade, sends him back to Fenster Hall to steal the money from the upcoming benefit auction.
Season02
- S02E01
The K.O. KidSeptember 15, 1985—When Punky bears the brunt of the school bully's aggression, she asks professional boxer Marvin Hagler for advice on self-defense. - S02E02
Punky's TreehouseSeptember 22, 1985—Punky wants to build a tree house behind her apartment building, but she has trouble getting people to help her. - S02E03
Cheaters Never WinSeptember 29, 1985—Punky and Allen cheat on their geography test. - S02E04
Baby Buddies, IncOctober 6, 1985—With Mrs. Johnson's assistance, Punky and Cherie go into the babysitting business. A woman leaves her baby with them, but when the three of - S02E05
Tap Your Troubles AwayOctober 13, 1985—The children enroll in a tap dancing class taught by Jersey Janet, a former Broadway dancer. Punky is not very good, and she quits the class - S02E06
The Perils of Punky (1)October 20, 1985—Punky and the gang go on a camping trip. When the children get lost in a cave, Punky tells a ghost story about an evil spirit who threatens - S02E07
The Perils of Punky (2)October 20, 1985—The children do battle with an evil spirit, when the ghost of an Indian princess appears to tell Punky that it must be fought with love. - S02E08
Just Say NoOctober 27, 1985Punky and Cherie are admitted into a clique, only to find that they use drugs and want them to do so. - S02E09
The SearchNovember 10, 1985—Punky has something in common with her teacher, Mike Fulton: they were both abandoned by their mothers. They work together to try and find t - S02E10
Love Thy NeighborNovember 17, 1985—On Halloween, Punky raises the ire of Mrs. Peevey, a cantankerous old woman who lives in the building, simply by trying to be her friend. - S02E11
The GiftNovember 24, 1985—Punky befriends the school janitor who, in spite of her learning disability, is a gifted violin player. - S02E12
Milk Does a Body GoodDecember 1, 1985—Punky and Cherie learn that a girl who moved into the building recently was kidnapped by her divorced father, and they are both living in th - S02E13
Christmas ShopliftingDecember 15, 1985—During the Christmas shopping season, Punky sees a friend shoplifting merchandise and decides to steal a present she can't afford for Henry. - S02E14
Urban FearJanuary 5, 1986—Punky is afraid that Henry will be the next victim of a widely publicized murder spree. - S02E15
Girls Will Be BoysJanuary 12, 1986—Punky receives a remote-controlled race car as a gift. She wants to take it to the racing track, but they do not allow girls to compete ther - S02E16
Cherie LifesaverJanuary 19, 1986—Henry reluctantly buys a new refrigerator and puts the old one in the backyard. Mike teaches CPR to the children in class. Allen goofs off a - S02E17
Changes (1)February 2, 1986—Henry's studio burns down; with no insurance and a mountain of bills he can't pay, he suffers a bleeding ulcer and is hospitalized. - S02E18
Changes (2)February 9, 1986—Just as Henry was planning to adopt Punky, a Fenster Hall bureaucrat named Simon P. Chillings rescinds his custody citing his age, his illne - S02E19
Changes (3)February 16, 1986—Punky's friends visit her at Fenster Hall. Hoping that Simon Chillings won't notice (and by taking his glasses), Margaux impersonates Punky - S02E20
Changes (4)February 23, 1986—Simon Chillings performs a Rorschach inkblot test on the fake Punky, and based upon the results, he places the real Punky with a wealthy fam - S02E21
Changes (5)March 2, 1986—After a tearful reunion between Punky and Henry, the Buckworths plan to move to Europe. Henry, however, is working as hard as possible to re - S02E22
Accidents HappenMarch 9, 1986—Punky's dream is to become an astronaut when she grows up. When she sees the explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle on TV, she is devasta
Season03
- S03E01
Reading, Writing, and Rock & RollOctober 30, 1987—Punky wants to see the rock group DeBarge in concert, but Henry is more concerned with her education. - S03E02
Punky's Big StoryNovember 2, 1987—Punky writes a gossip column for the school newspaper. - S03E03
Tons of FunNovember 3, 1987—Punky's overweight cousin Louise wants to lose weight. - S03E04
Divorce Anderson StyleNovember 4, 1987—When Allen's parents file for divorce, his mother moves to Kansas and takes him with her. - S03E05
Beer & Buffalos Don't MixNovember 5, 1987—Punky believes one of Henry's lodge buddies has been drinking and driving. - S03E06
Hands Across the HallsNovember 6, 1987—Punky tries to help an elderly woman in the building. - S03E07
Best FriendsNovember 10, 1987—Punky is angry when Cherie falls for a boy. - S03E08
It's a Dog's LifeNovember 11, 1987—After Henry scolds Punky for not taking better care of Brandon, she dreams that she's a dog and Brandon's a person. - S03E09
The MetamorphosisNovember 12, 1987—Henry goes shopping for a brassiere for Punky. - S03E10
Fighting City HallNovember 13, 1987—Punky and Henry campaign to turn an empty field into a city park, but Henry's fear of public speaking gets the best of him. - S03E11
The MatchmakerNovember 13, 1987—Punky sets Henry up with the school librarian, while Mrs. Johnson goes on a dating game show. - S03E12
My Fair PunkyNovember 16, 1987—Punky tries to fit in at a high society banquet. - S03E13
The AnniversaryNovember 17, 1987—Punky is concerned about the way Cherie always seems to act every year on the 9th of May; she soon learns that it was the day Cherie's paren - S03E14
Tangled WebNovember 20, 1987—When Punky pretends to be an elderly woman and sneaks into an R-rated movie, Cherie and Margaux cover for her truancy at school. - S03E15
Punky's PorkerNovember 25, 1987—Punky enlists the aid of Cherie and Margaux in kidnapping a pig to save it from being slaughtered. - S03E16
This Spud's for YouDecember 1, 1987—Spud threatens to jump off a building if Punky won't go to the Sadie Hawkins dance with him. - S03E17
So Long, StudioDecember 2, 1987—Photo developing tycoon Matt Glossy offers to buy Henry's studio for $100,000. When he accepts the deal, he ends up working for him. Dissati - S03E18
Help WantedDecember 3, 1987—Punky convinces Henry to let her work at Punky's Place, the new restaurant named for her. However, she screws things up tremendously and is - S03E19
Remember WhenDecember 4, 1987—A blackout prompts the gang to reminisce on old times (in clips from previous episodes). - S03E20
Unhooking HenryDecember 7, 1987—Punky tries to help Henry break his addiction to sleeping pills. - S03E21
Open Door, Broken Heart (1)December 8, 1987—Brandon runs away after Cherie leaves the apartment door open. - S03E22
Open Door, Broken Heart (2)December 9, 1987—The boy who finds Brandon refuses to give him up, even when his parents tell him that they're moving to California.
Season04
- S04E01
The Nun's StoryApril 27, 1988—Punky believes she has donated an urn containing Henry's Aunt Mabel's ashes to a convent. - S04E02
CrushedApril 28, 1988—Punky has a crush on an older boy. - S04E03
Going to CampApril 29, 1988—Punky, Cherie, and Margaux go to Camp Kookalookie. - S04E04
Poor MargauxMay 2, 1988—Margaux believes that Punky and Cherie won't want to be her friends anymore because her family has gone bankrupt. - S04E05
Brandon's CommercialMay 3, 1988—Punky pushes Brandon into doing a TV commercial for dog food. - S04E06
Passed Away at Punky's PlaceMay 4, 1988—Punky and Cherie believe that a man has died at Punky's Place. When a newspaper's restaurant critic eats there, they fear that this will hur - S04E07
Christmas HeroMay 5, 1988—During the Christmas season, Punky finds a briefcase full of stolen money. - S04E08
Cosmetic ScamMay 6, 1988—Punky and Cherie make money selling cosmetics with unexpected side effects. - S04E09
See You in CourtMay 9, 1988—When Henry teaches Mrs. Johnson how to drive, mutual lawsuits result because of an accident. The judge hears contradictory testimony from bo - S04E10
Radio DazeMay 10, 1988—Punky, Cherie, and Margaux perform a radio drama. - S04E11
Aunt Larnese Is Coming to TownMay 11, 1988—Betty's sister Larnese, a world famous singer, asks Cherie to come live with her in France. - S04E12
Dear DiaryMay 12, 1988—While Henry tries to throw out souvenirs he has collected over the years, Punky tries to read Cherie's diary. After it accidentally goes out - S04E13
The Reading GameMay 13, 1988—Cherie's cousin Paula is a talented artist. When it is suggested that she enters a contest, she balks at filling out the entry form because - S04E14
OuchMay 16, 1988—Punky is afraid to undergo an appendectomy. - S04E15
No No, We Won't GoMay 17, 1988—When Margaux's father buys the apartment building, Mrs. Johnson can't afford the rent increase he has proposed. Punky, Cherie, and Margaux p - S04E16
Bad DogMay 18, 1988—Brandon's behavior receives complaints from other tenants. - S04E17
Vice VersaMay 19, 1988—In Punky's dream, Henry and Mrs. Johnson are the children while she and Cherie are the parents. - S04E18
Wimped OutMay 23, 1988—Punky - who has a broken leg - and Cherie are stuck in an elevator with a pregnant woman in labor. - S04E19
One Plus Tutor Is ThreeMay 24, 1988—Punky has a crush on her math tutor, who is more interested in Margaux. - S04E20
The DilemmaMay 25, 1988—Punky tries to juggle two dates at the same time. - S04E21
What's Your Sign?May 26, 1988—Punky befriends a deaf girl. - S04E22
Wedding Bells for BrandonMay 27, 1988—Though Henry finds it ridiculous, Punky arranges for Brandon to get married to Myron's dog Brenda.
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