Punky Brewster

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NBC (ended 1986)
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Show Summary

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"Every time I turn around, I see the girl who turns my world around..." Seven-year-old Punky Brewster certainly turned Henry Warnimont's world around. Henry was a grouchy old man who was set in his ways, until Punky came along and changed him in a way that was not thought possible...Henry became a happy man, determined to be the best parent he could be. According to reports from when this series was announced, there was a real Punky Brewster, but not quite like the one in the show. When NBC's programming head Brandon Tartikoff was a kid, he had a crush on a tomboyish older girl by that name. Years later, Tartikoff's first child was nicknamed Punky. He also thought it would be a great name for a series. NBC's attorneys tracked down the real Punky, who was married to an attorney in Connecticut, and got permission to use her name. The real "Punky", Peyton B. Rutledge, even appeared in the Season Two episode "The Search", as a teacher at Punky's school. The show's premise was as follows: After 7-year-old Penelope "Punky" Brewster and her beloved dog Brandon are abandoned at a shopping center by Punky's mother, Susan Brewster, Punky is taken in by Chicago photographer and apartment building manager Henry Warnimont, who lives on the apartment building's second floor. Henry's friend, Betty Johnson, lives upstairs from Henry. Betty is a registered nurse who has had custody of her granddaughter, Cherie, ever since Cherie's parents died in a car accident. When the show first started, it was aired on Sunday nights after the weekly televised NFL football game, which would sometimes run overtime into Punky Brewster's 7:30 PM time slot. Instead of cancelling the show because of this, they would make 15 minute episodes to air whenever the football game ran into the show's time slot. Six of these 15 minute episodes were made. Whenever the show is in syndicated reruns, these six 15 minute episodes are aired in three 30 minute packages of two 15 minute episodes each. After Punky Brewster's first two seasons, the show went into first-run syndication for its last two seasons. Theme Song Lyrics "Every Time I Turn Around" Written By: Judy Hart Angelo & Gary Portnoy Maybe the world is blind, Or just a little unkind. Don't know. Seems you can't be sure Of anything anymore. Although, You maybe lonely and then, One day you're smiling again. Every time I turn around, I see the girl that turns my world around. Standing there ... Everytime I turn around, Her spirit's lifting me right off the ground. What's gonna be? Guess we'll just wait and see. Spinoff:It's Punky Brewstermoreless
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Episode Guide

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S 4 :  Ep 22
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S 4 :  Ep 21 Aired 5/26/88
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S 4 :  Ep 20 Aired 5/25/88
S 4 :  Ep 20 Aired 5/25/88
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S 4 :  Ep 19 Aired 5/24/88
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Fan Reviews (14)

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  • The best sitcom of the 1980's to watch! It's about 8-year-old Penelope "Punky" Brewster and her dog, Brandon are abandoned by her mother at a local grocery store. She is taken in by Henry Warnimont, the landlord at the apartment.moreless

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By RaineRP, Oct 09, 2010
    I was a fan of the show since it began on NBC for two seasons and another two seasons on syndication. I was three years old and in preschool, when the show started. I was seven years old and a first grader in grade school, when the show ended. Punky befriended Cherie, a black girl, who lives was raised by her grandmother, after her parents were killed in a car accident, while on the way the pick her up at school. Cherie's grandmother lives in the same apartment, where Henry, a friend of her grandmother's, is a landlord at the apartment. Punky is also befriended by Margaux Kramer, a pre-teen dumb blonde and Allen Anderson.moreless

  • Punky Power!!!

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By piccolomaster, Jun 28, 2010
    Punky Brewster...a cute, hilarious and fun show that ran from 1984 to 1988. A very plucky, energetic and entertaining character wonderfully performed by Soleil. The rest of the cast are wonderful too. I like George Gaynes of Police Academy fame as Henry Mortimer and of course Cherie Johnson as her best friend and Susie Garrett as Cherie's guardian and nurse. I have all four seasons on DVD. I have watched the first two seasons and was very entertained. I will watch the last 2 seasons at a later date. Shout! Factory has done a wonderful job on the DVDs. Of course there are minor glitches on the processing of the DVDs but what does one expect when a show first aired in 1984???? Great job Shout! Factory.moreless

  • Punky Brewster was a personal favorite of the 80's. She had a big heart and was always up for a new adventure. She often got into sticky situations, but always meant well. The show had a positive lesson to be learned. Great for young kids to grow up on!moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Loralea707, Feb 21, 2009
    Punky Brewster was a personal favorite of the 80's. I idolized her as a kid. She had a big heart and was always up for a new adventure. She often got into sticky situations, but always meant well. The show had a positive lesson to be learned. In grade school, there was an issue where I was stuck between a rock & a hard place. I hid a friend in my room who ran away from an abusive family. I thought about Punky and the episode with TC. As scary as it seemed at the time for a 3rd grader, I confessed to my parents and the authorities. I knew it was the right thing to do when I thought about the episode. I just purchased the 1st - 4th season on e-bay to reminisce. The show brings me back as a kid, and it even has the old griddy feel to it. I give this show a perfect 10! Great for young kids to grow up on! - Lora Lea Binaleymoreless

  • Just a great show.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By makgambit, Jul 17, 2006
    This was a super show to me. I wanted to be punkie buster so bad. I would even dress like her wiht her unmatched shows. I even had her doll. This live action show was better than the cartoon. The cartoon was good but this was great. Punkie would get into so much trouble. If i was her, I would be died right now. It was so neat to watch her get out of trouble every week. I just loved her and her buddy. Punkie came from a broken family and i loved that about her. She was adopted by the old man. she showed him more to life and got in trouble along the way.moreless

  • A young girl without parents is taken in by a crotchety old man with a heart of gold.

    8.5
    "Great"
    By flurfgirl, May 02, 2006
    This was one of my favorite shows as a kid. I remember wanted to be like Punky. I was even punky for halloween one year. I wore the mismatched shoes and never matched my hairties. I even remember practicing with my friends the punky walk swaying our heads back and forth. Punky was every kids dream. None of us envied her not having parents, but her free spirit and the way she took care of herself was really cool. I know that the episodes are on dvd now so if you grew up with this show you should give it a second look. Its not like other shows of its age, it still has magic!moreless
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adoption, buddies and gal pals, child stars, for the child in you, for the nostalgic

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