Punky Brewster

Theme Song:
Maybe the world is blind / Or just a little unkind. Don't know / Seems you can't be sure, of anything any more / Although, you may be 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 / Every time I turn around / Her spirit's lifting me right off the ground / What's gonna be? / Guess we'll just wait and see.

[repeated line]

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Punky Power!

[repeated line]

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Yippie!

[repeated line]

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Grossaroo!

[repeated line]

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Holy Macanoli!

[repeated line]

Margeaux Kramer:
Peasants!

Henry Warnimont:
[presenting Punky with a present] It's the first camera I ever used.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
It looks like the first camera anybody ever used.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Me and my dog Brandon want to be astronauts. We want to be like Buzz Aldrin who walked on the moon, and Sally Ride, the first woman in space. We want to explore outer space, discover new planets, and ride Harley's comet. Brandon wants to be the first dog on Mars, I just hope they have fire hydrants there. I've wanted to be an astronaut ever since I was a kid, whenever I'd look out my window at night, I'd think 'boy, I wonder what's out there in outer space' and someday I'm gonna find out. Someday I'm gonna touch the other side of the sky!

Mike Fulton:
Next week the Space Shuttle is going up again, now I have a very special interest in this flight because a lady teacher will be on board. That's right the first teacher in space. Now, since several of you are interested in being astronauts, I'm going to bring my television and we can all watch the launch together, would you like that? [the class screams approval]

Henry Warnimont:
[Punky stands in the door crying] Punky, why aren't you in school?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
They sent us home. [runs over to him]

Henry Warnimont:
Oh Punky, what's the matter?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
We were watching the Space Shuttle take off, and...

Henry Warnimont:
Yes?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
It exploded!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
I still can't believe it. When it was time for the final countdown, the whole class counted along. Then it took off, we all cheered because it was so exciting and beautiful, you know? I remember thinking 'Boy, I wish it was me up there', and then all of a sudden there was a big flash and smoke went in all directions!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Mike cried too, then he asked us all to hold hands, say a prayer for the astronauts. Why did it happen, Henry?

Henry Warnimont:
I don't know, honey, it's hard to understand. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Allen Anderson:
Mike, are they going to stop the space program?

Mike Fulton:
I don't think so.

Allen Anderson:
My dad says they should, he says they shouldn't send people into space anymore.

Mike Fulton:
Well that's an understandable first reaction, Allen, but I think most people will realize how important it is for us to keep exploring space.

Margaux Kramer:
Maybe, but the next time they decide to send a teacher up, I don't know if that person will want to go.

Mike Fulton:
I would, if they asked me I would go in a second.

Buzz Aldrin:
Your teacher tells me you'd like to be an astronaut.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Yeah but you know, because of what happened to the space shuttle, my friends think I'm out of my gourd.

Buzz Aldrin:
A lot of the kids at my elementary school laughed at me for wanting to fly to the moon and be part of the space program.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Wait a minute, they didn't have the space program way back then.

Buzz Aldrin:
Maybe that's why they laughed. But this is the way I look at it; astronauts are explorers and all through history, people have thought that explorers are a little bit off their rockers.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[voiceover as she writes] Dear Dairy... Dear Diary, long time no see, how're you doing? That's good. Me too. Sorry I haven't written for a while, but a few weee... a few weee [shakes her pen] a few weeks ago, soemthing happened that made me real sad. Henry said for me to write my feelings down in a journal, but since I don't know what a journal is, I'll use my diary instead. Anyway, what made me so sad was the Space Shuttle blew up.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[voiceover as she writes in her diary] I still feel bad about the shuttle, but I'm going to be an astronaut, no matter how scary it might be. Henry says you've got to take risks when you're doing something that nobody's ever done before. And here's something I realized all by myself, 'if' is a word smack in the middle of 'life', isn't that deeeep?

Henry Warnimont:
[Punky screams and a car squeals, runs to the window] Punky! [runs out to the hall]

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[runs in] Henry! Brandon's been hit by a car and he's not moving!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
We were crossing the street, and this car forgot to stop at the red light and was coming right at us, and the next thing I knew, Brandon pushed me out of the way, and he got hit.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[talking to Brandon, who is about to be put down] I wanted to say thank you for pushing me out of the way of that car and saving my life, but if you want to know the truth I would've rather been hit. Brandon, Dr. Frankel is going to give you something to make you stay asleep, but when you wake up you're going to be in Heaven.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[starts to walk away after saying goodbye to Brandon] NO! Brandon, this isn't right! I can't give up, I'm not going to let you die! You're still got squirrels to chase and bones to bury, you're gonna be around for a long long time, but first you've got to wake up! Brandon please wake up! I love you, I love you, I love you. [Brandon whimpers] Brandon? [Brandon opens his eyes] Brandon!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Henry there's something I don't understand. Why did Brandon wake up?

Henry Warnimont:
Well he probably heard you talking to him and knew how much you loved him and how much you'd miss him.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
But Mrs. Carney loved Angus too, just as much as I love Brandon, and she'll miss him just as much. Why did Brandon live and Angus died?

Henry Warnimont:
[tries to think of an answer] Punky... I just don't know.

Betty Johnson:
You just tell Spud that sticks and stones can break your bones, but names will never hurt you.

Cherie Johnson:
But what if he keeps making fun of me?

Betty Johnson:
Then you rip his lips off!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Henry, there's something I wan to talk you about.

Henry Warnimont:
I'm all ears.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
I'm not exactly sure how to exactly put this, you won't get embarrassed?

Henry Warnimont:
Me embarrassed, Punky you can talk to me about absolutely anything, right?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Right!

Henry Warnimont:
So out with it.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Henry, I'm getting b*obs!.

Henry Warnimont:
Punky, this is Saturday, you're supposed to be cleaning the house. Why is Brandon doing your chores?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
We traded, he's vacuuming, and I'm getting hair on the couch.

Betty Johnson:
This is Paula's brother, Bobby.

Bobby:
I just threw up.

Henry Warnimont:
Well... isn't that special?

Bobby:
No!

Henry Warnimont:
You like to draw animals?

Paula:
Yes, sit down, you're next.

Paula:
Punky, can you help me fill out this application?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Sure, we'll do it in the car, come on.

Paula:
No, we can't, I don't want Cherie and Aunt Betty to know.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
But they already know about the art contest.

Paula:
Yeah, but they don't know I can't fill out this application.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[looks at the application] But these are simple questions.

Paula:
Not for me.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Why, because you're from Rockford?

Paula:
No, because I can't read.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
You can't read? But you're in 7th grade!

Paula:
I guess I can tell you, Cherie, but you can't tell Aunt Betty.

Cherie Johnson:
Tell her what?

Paula:
That I can't read.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
And I had to help her fill out the application.

Cherie Johnson:
You mean you couldn't read it without Punky's help? How do you get by in school?

Paula:
I get other kids to do my homework, I trade them drawings, that works. The school held me back once but then I got too big for my class so they passed me.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Paula, you have to learn how to read.

Cherie Johnson:
Yeah, you can't get anywhere if you can't read.

Paula:
I just got $200, how much money have you made by reading?

Cherie Johnson:
Well, nothing.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
But you wouldn't have made a dime if I hadn't helped you fill out that application.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
What if she waits until her life's almost over, like when she's 30?

Cherie Johnson:
Look, she's my cousin, I have to help her.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Yeah, but I don't think we're helping her by hiding the fact that she can't read as well as Brandon. [Brandon barks] Sorry, Brandon.

Cherie Johnson:
You're not asking me to rat out my own cousin, are you?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
It's not ratting. Think how confused she'll be if she doesn't know how to read. She won't know the difference between ladies room and Cattle Crossing!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
It's Paula, she can't read.

Henry Warnimont:
Not at all?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Maybe a little, like a second grader.

Henry Warnimont:
My goodness, does Betty know about this?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
No, that's the problem, Cherie doesn't want me to rat on Paula.

Henry Warnimont:
You don't have to.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
I don't?

Henry Warnimont:
No, I'll do it for you.

Henry Warnimont:
[Punky doesn't want him to tell Betty that Paula can't read] Punky, we don't have a choice, we have to do what's best for Paula, and this is something Betty has to know.

Betty Johnson:
[hits Henry on the back as he's drinking coffee] Henry, are you telling me my niece can't read?

Henry Warnimont:
[choking] Yes!

Betty Johnson:
I can't imagine anything worse than that.

Henry Warnimont:
Try swallowing hot coffee!

Betty Johnson:
I've known that child all her life, why didn't I see it? Why didn't her mom and dad see it?

Henry Warnimont:
Maybe they just didn't realize. Paula's artistic talent is so outstanding that they only concentrated on that.

Betty Johnson:
I guess you're right. We're all so proud of our children, it's easy for us not to notice their short comings.

Henry Warnimont:
Especially if the kid doesn't want you to notice. It happens all the time with kids who are outstanding in sports.

Betty Johnson:
Yeah, they only know football, basketball...

Henry Warnimont:
And if they don't make it in sports, they don't have an education to fall back on.

Cherie Johnson:
You told everybody about Paula.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
I only told Henry.

Paula:
And he told Aunt Betty, and she told my parents. Now when I get home I'm going to have a tutor and they're going to put me in some reading school!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
I went to reading school, it's fun.

Cherie Johnson:
Yeah, but nobody told on you, Punky!

Paula:
You ruined my vacation.

Betty Johnson:
No she didn't, Paula, someday you'll realize that this is the best thing that could've happened to you.

Paula:
I doubt it.

Betty Johnson:
You should be thanking Punky for telling Henry about this, she used a lot of good sense. [to Cherie] More than you did.

Paula:
You've got to do something fast, he could die!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Paula! [runs into the kitchen]

Cherie Johnson:
What's the matter?

Paula:
Bobby drank this!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
FABRIC SOFTENER?

Paula:
Here, read the words on the bottle!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[takes the phone] Hello? What do you want me to read?

911 Dispatcher:
Just read what it says to do after Warning if Swallowed.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
It says if swallowed, drink large quantities of milk.

Cherie Johnson:
Milk! I'll get it!

Bobby:
Paula, it hurts.

Paula:
Please hurry!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[about Cherie's cousin] I don't know much. Her name's Paula, her brother's name Bobby, her parents are on their second honeymoon, her favorite things are waterskiing, potato chips and freaking out to the Beastie Boys. Oh and by the way she's a terrific artist.

Henry Warnimont:
You don't know much. The only thing you missed is her shoe size.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
4B.

911 Dispatcher:
911, emergency.

Paula:
Hello! My brother just drank a bottle of stuff under the sink in the kitchen, I don't know what to do and I...

911 Dispatcher:
Calm down, your address registered when you called, I'm sending somebody right now.

Paula:
But what do I do? He looks really sick!

911 Dispatcher:
Do you have the bottle your brother drank out of?

Paula:
Yes, I've got it right here!

911 Dispatcher:
There's a label on it that tells you what to do incase someone swallows it, read it to me.

Paula:
Read it? I can't read it!

911 Dispatcher:
Is the label worn off?

Paula:
No, I can't read!

911 Dispatcher:
You can't read, at all?

Paula:
A little!

911 Dispatcher:
You've got to try, it's very important.

Paula:
War... ni... ning... it's no use, I can't read!

Betty Johnson:
[holding portable stereo] I have just what you need, a relaxation tape.

Henry Warnimont:
Huh?

Betty Johnson:
It's one of my old nursing tricks. I use it on patients who get violent.

Henry Warnimont:
If you were my nurse, I'd get violent, too.

Betty Johnson:
Watch it, Henry. My other old nursing trick is to [shakes stereo at Henry] drop this on your head!

News Anchor:
The police have released this composite drawing of the stalker based on eyewitness descriptions.

Betty Johnson:
Why he looks just like David Letterman!

Betty Johnson:
Can you believe it, Henry? Right in our neighborhood! This stalker thing scares me to death.

Henry Warnimont:
Betty, the media is blowing this thing up out of all proportions. The stations are over-sensationalizing it to get us to watch their news.

Betty Johnson:
Well I haven't slept a wink in 3 nights and every little noise makes me jumpy.

Henry Warnimont:
If you ask me, you're overreacting.

Betty Johnson:
Henry, what is this world coming to when you can't even feel safe in your own home?

Betty Johnson:
Why don't you put an alarm system in this building?

Henry Warnimont:
I have a theory about alarms, it's like putting up a sign saying 'hey burglars! Lots of good stuff to steal in here!'

Betty Johnson:
Well the least you can do is get us some new locks.

Henry Warnimont:
The locks in this building are perfectly adequate.

Betty Johnson:
How would you know? You never use them, I walked right in here through your unlocked door. I could've been a mass murderer.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
[reading the paper] It says here he's killed six people already.

Cherie Johnson:
You know what Bebe Behootses told me at recess?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
What?

Cherie Johnson:
Her cousin lives right next door to a lady whose husband is a piano tuner.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Yeah?

Cherie Johnson:
He tuned the piano of victim number 4 just 3 months before the stalker got him.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Talk about a close shave.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
You know what's really scary? He could break into any house.

Cherie Johnson:
Yeah, even in here.

Henry Warnimont:
[Punky has booby trapped her room] Punky, if this is your idea of a joke, I'm not amused.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
It's no joke, Henry, it's my security system!

Henry Warnimont:
Why do you need a security system?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
So I'd know if he came to get me!

Henry Warnimont:
Who?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
The Stalker!

Henry Warnimont:
Punky, nobody's going to come and get you, I'm here.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
I know but Henry...

Henry Warnimont:
You don't have to worry, he doesn't bother little children; he's only after grownups.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Really? Maybe Brandon should sleep in your room.

Henry Warnimont:
No thanks, his snoring would keep me awake.

Henry Warnimont:
The police are going to catch the Stalker.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
But they haven't caught him yet.

Henry Warnimont:
They will, there are 300 detectives assigned to this case working day and night.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
No wonder they haven't caught him, they're too tired.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Henry, why is the stalker like this? Why does he break into houses and kill people?

Henry Warnimont:
He can't help himself, his mind is very sick.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
I bet he's never going to stop, he's going to keep killing, isn't he?

Henry Warnimont:
You know, Mike, my ignoring the stalker was a way of dealing with my own fears. Way down deep I guess I'm afraid of the creep.

Henry Warnimont:
[Punky's moaning] What's the matter?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
All of a sudden I don't feel so good. My stomach's pounding, my head's scratching and my throat is upset.

Henry Warnimont:
Really? Oh my my, [feels her forehead] you don't feel warm to me.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
That's on the outside, inside I'm the Towering Inhervo.

Henry Warnimont:
[after Punky sticks her thermometer into a hot potato] 108!

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Is that high?

Henry Warnimont:
Not if you're a radiator.

Henry Warnimont:
Everyone in this city is afraid because of the stalker. People are locking their doors and windows and being more concerned of their safety. That's healthy fear.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
So it's good to be afraid.

Henry Warnimont:
Up to a point, if you're so scared that you won't go out of the house or you spend all of your time worrying, that's an unhealthy fear.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
I DON'T CARE! I still don't want you to go!

Henry Warnimont:
Why not?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
Because you'll never come back!

Henry Warnimont:
How do you know that?

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
It always happens, my father left and never came back, and my mom left and she never came back either.

Betty Johnson:
Henry, he struck again.

Henry Warnimont:
Who?

Betty Johnson:
The Northside Stalker. [turns on the news]

News Anchor:
A wave of panic engulfed Chicago as the stalker continues his killing spree. This is the northside apartment building of James R. Henry, victim number 7.

Henry Warnimont:
Punky, you and Cherie go into your room and play.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
But Henry.

Henry Warnimont:
Go, this is not appropriate viewing for children.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
But you let me watch old movies with you.

Henry Warnimont:
That's make believe, this is real.

Penelope 'Punky' Brewster:
World War II is make believe?

Betty Johnson:
You gotta be REAL careful, cuz this guy is crazy. He doesn't break in just to steal your TV or your stereo, he comes in to kill you DEAD!

Henry Warnimont:
Keep your voice down! I don't want the girls to hear.

Betty Johnson:
Henry, the girls already know about the stalker, everybody in Chicago is running scared!