Punky Brewster - Synopsis

Synopsis

Penelope "Punky" Brewster (Soleil Moon Frye) is a warm, funny and bright child. Her father walked out on her family, then her mother abandoned her at a Chicago shopping center, leaving Punky alone with her dog Brandon. Afterwards, Punky discovered a vacant apartment in a local building.

The building is managed by photographer Henry Warnimont (George Gaynes), an elderly widower who is something of a grouch. Punky quickly became friends with Cherie Johnson (played by Cherie Johnson, the niece of series creator David W. Duclon), a young girl who lived upstairs in Henry's building with her grandmother, Betty Johnson (Susie Garrett), who worked as an RN at the local Cook County Hospital. Henry discovers Punky in the empty apartment across from his, and hears her story.

The relationship between the two blossoms, despite red tape from social workers, who ultimately rally to Henry's side. As their day in court approached, Punky was forced by the state to stay at Fenster Hall, a shelter for orphaned and abandoned children, which made her realize all the more how close she had grown to Henry. Finally, their day arrived, and the court approved Henry to become Punky's foster dad, and later on her real father by adopting her legally.

Punky's other friends are geeky Allen Anderson (Casey Ellison) and stuck-up rich girl Margaux Kramer (Ami Foster). During the NBC run, Punky's teachers were regularly seen; in the first season, cheerful Mrs. Morton (Dody Goodman) and in the second season, hip Mike Fulton (T.K. Carter). Mike formed a close relationship with Punky and her friends, and was also portrayed as a social crusader of sorts.

Also in the first season, Margaux's socialite mother, played by Loyita Chapel, appeared on a recurring basis, and there was a kooky maintenance man in the Warnimont building named Eddie Malvin (Eddie Deezen), who only showed up in the first several episodes.

Beginning in 1984, NBC aired the sitcom on Sundays. Because the show had many young viewers and was scheduled after football games (which tended to run overtime), six fifteen-minute episodes were produced. This was done rather than joining a full-length episode in progress, because that would disappoint children watching the program. Also, NBC felt that showing Punky Brewster later tended to put them up at a time parents may have considered too late for their children.