How the final episode SHOULD have been... - Punky Brewster (1984) Discussion

[–] dans-doll 17 years ago

I agree. Or maybe they should do a one off where adult Punky meets her mother for the first time since she was 8. Now that i would like to see, (with soleil and all the crew in it)

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[–] lili217 17 years ago

I could've sworn I saw an episode in the 4th season where Punky's mother came. I would be able to see that if they ever came out with the 4th season on DVD!

I hear people wanting something...MEEEEEEEEE!!!!

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[–] JoJanelle 17 years ago

they wouldnt have had her mother come because think about it, no matter who it was, it would have been a dissapointment, not who you imagined type of thing. ya know? it would just dissapoint fans...but the dog wedding was lame.

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] MommyKate 17 years ago

I think it was a pretty lame ending, too. I swear - I had always had it stuck in my head all these years that Henry died in the last episode. Don't ask me why I thought that, but I could have sworn that was how the show ended up. I don't know where I got that from. It would have made for a much more interesting ending, that's for sure, as opposed to a stupid-ass dog wedding. I did love Brandon, though. Cool dog.

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[–] pianoteacher1218 16 years ago

I agree that was a stupid way to end the series. They must have been pressured to end it quick. I agree, they should have brought the mom back to bring closure, to the series and for Punky. Even if she didn't go back with her, perhaps it would have answered some questions for Punky(and us)It would have made a really good multi-episode arc, spanning perhaps two or three episodes where she comes back and Punky deals with many emotions, happiness, relief, anger, bitterness, the whole works and has to work through this. I would have ended it that she didn't go back to live with her mom BUT leave the show with the hope that she could forgive her mom and perhaps forge a relationship.

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[–] monkts1164 15 years ago

I think it should of been like a 2 hour special or a 4 part special. Where Punkys mother comes back and wants custody of Punky. So she takes Henry to court to fight for custody. And Punky says Mom I want to stay with Henry. Henry took me in and took care of me no questions asked where have you been the past 4 years.

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[–] psychfan21 15 years ago

Wow...your dramatic Punky monologue is just fascinating there. Hate to interrupt since you seem so into it and everything but Henry actually did ask quite a few questions and wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to take a little girl in. What everyone is suggesting in bringing her mom back at the end would have suddenly made the whole thing about her mom, which it wasn't. The show was about Punky, her relationship with the people she found on her own, and the love that she found with someone who she had no blood relation to, and in the end because of her courage and spunk she was able to move on without any help from her mom.

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[–] tearbear_51283 15 years ago

The show should have definitely ended differently, the dog wedding was stupid. They should have also altered the show more towards Punky growing up and becoming a woman, although there were a few episodes that did meet that criteria.

I don't know if Punky's mom should have come back. The show was about her and Henry and the love they found for each other. I think it may have been interesting to bring Punky's mom into the picture, but what about her dad? I don't remember the story line about her dad. Did he die? If he didn't, what if he came back?

Maybe Punky's mom could have come back, or both of her parents. Or they could have ended the show in the future with Punky finding her mom, but still living with Henry.

There are so many different ways the show could have ended. It would have been nice to see something different.

I can't keep myself away from myself and me... -Adam Duritz

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[–] FireMinstrel 13 years ago

Her dad was the first to walk out on her. In one episode, she'd mentioned to a friend that when her dad left, her mom wasn't the same after that.
I think her dad coming back would have been better, and maybe more realistic. Like maybe he tried to reconcile with her mom, only to find out she'd disappeared, and had been looking for Punky for years. Plus, two fathers competing for her, that would have been interesting.

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[–] ediaz8 15 years ago

NBC wanted to end the show at all costs. The show originally ended in 1986 but it was picked up by Columbia Pictures Television (now Sony Pictures Television) for 2 or 3 more seasons. The series finale from 1986 was the episode where the "Challenger" incident was shown in Punky's classroom. That episode alone drew a huge rating but NBC decided to end things there. Sony saw potential that the show could last longer. I agree with the original poster that the show should've had a more emotionally-charged ending story arch where Punky's mom returned to reunite with her and Punk had to choose whether to forgive her or not. I bet that if that idea would've been used instead of "Brandon's wedding", the show would've lasted longer due to popular demand. However, Punky already hit puberty and was nearing high-school age so her time was up, the cuteness was gone. An ending like that would've opened a new can of worms so therefore a "cute" ending was chosen instead.

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[–] BbaySMH 15 years ago

Yeah, pretty much. I mean besides Frye starting to outgrow the part, shows end, it's usually how it happens. "Married...with Children" has a pretty crappy series finale too. It's for the same reason "Punky Brewster" had a crap ending...it wasn't supposed to be the ending. Had they known the series wouldn't be picked up again at the start of the season, only then would they had been able to plan a big finale. Otherwise, the finale is what it is: a season finale. But the show was canceled and that was that. Hell look at "ALF", they did a huge season finale cliffhanger where the government kidnapped him, but then the show got axed and there was no wrap up to that plot line, lol. They eventually did get to finish it though years and years later in the TV movie "Project: ALF". It's a shame the show wasn't on during prime-time instead of mornings with cartoons, then maybe it could've reached a broader audience and possibly have continued on with Punky getting older like "Boy Meets World" or something.

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[–] branenj001 15 years ago

I think it would have been an interesting ending to have either Punky and Henry have to move away or Cherie and her grandmother move away. It would have been hella sad but often times that happens. My best friend moved away right before I turned 13. It was a sudden move. We only knew about a week before it actually happened. I was devastated. She practicly LIVED at my house during the summer and on the weekend. To top it off even though I wasn't the one moving, my small elementary/jr high school closed down so I had to start school at a new jr high in the fall without my best friend. We both started at a new school, just thousands of miles away. That would have been an episode worth sobbing over, that's for sure.

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[–] defleppardvanhalen 15 years ago

You know, there are always the "what if's" as far as different storyline ideas, but I am very grateful we have four excellent seasons to look back on, because of the chemistry Soleil had with just about everyone.

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[–] jodi437 14 years ago

I agree, that finale was really stupid. The dog wedding was a dumb way to end a show, I didn't even know that was the end of the show back then.
I agree about her mom coming back, that would have been a good conclusion.
I'd love to know why her mom left her and where she has been for 4 years.
Even if they didn't do that,they could have at least come up with some conclusion for the show.

Also, someone mentioned that the orginal ending was an episode called chaallenger" or something. Anyone know what episode that was?

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mw2000 14 years ago

I agree it was bad - but the concept of a "series finale" is relatively new one...it just wasn't part of tv culture in the 80s that everything had to be wrapped up at the end. The producers and cast were probably hoping for another season or two. That being said - the mother returning to would have been some great TV.

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[–] TheSnappySneezer 14 years ago

There were series finales in the 80s and before, I know the Fugitive had one in the 60s, Newhart did, Three's Company, it just is that not all shows get to have one and the last season was not intended to be the last season. It was part of the creators intention to never have her mom come back, I remember reading that somewhere. Personally, I always though she had to have been murdered but I guess we will never know unless they do a reunion film or something which I doubt they will but thy should, Henry is still alive! Now, the person that suggested a friend moving, this happened with Alan, poor Alan. I do think she did not outgrow the role, she was a kid, kids grow up and we should have been able to see that even if she developed more than other girls.

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[–] ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch 14 years ago

The last episode might have been considered dumb but, its clearly a metaphor, like the whole last season pretty much that everyone was growing up-Brandon was a puppy at the beginning of the show now heres his doggie 'wedding'. Til that point Punky Brewster was generally a children's show about children and child issues, for it to go on any further would mean a major overhaul and loss of premise.

Its kind of like what Mark Twain said at the end of Tom Sawyer, about the story ending at a certain point since it'd been the adventures of a boy; were the story to go any further then it'd become the history of a man.

"You win some, you lose some. But you live, you live to fight another day."

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[–] CloudzAngel 13 years ago

I think if the series had ended with Punky meeting her mother, then viewers would've been left wondering "Well, what happened next with Punky and her mother?"...it would've been a bit of a cliff hanger. Did Punky stay with Henry or move in with her mother? If she stayed with Henry, what kind of relationship did she have with her mother? If she moved in with her mother, what would have happened to Henry and Punky's relationship? If the series had ended with a reunion with Punky and her mother, a lot of questions would have been left unanswered. At least this way, we know Henry continued to raise Punky. And I do agree with the previous poster hero4hire. Well put.

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