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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Our unforgettable "Spunky Punky" is back for one last round on DVD!, December 18, 2007
Although the considerable delay between this DVD set and Season 3 (which was released well over a year ago, in July 2006) was enough to concern some people, the fourth and final season of "Punky Brewster" will officially put hard-core fans at ease! We've had to wait almost two years to get this, but now that it's been announced for February 26 (right around Valentine's Day!) there's plenty to look forward to.
"Punky" certainly has maintained a solid fan base over the years, with plenty of grown adults eager to revisit the episodes, as well as legions of contemporary kids, whose parents can be assured that each show is thirty minutes of innocent, lighthearted fluff. Of course, those adults who loved the show as children will be hard-pressed to watch it now without cringing a little at the shameless sap packed into every episode. In addition, the plot (although entirely sweet) has very little plausibility, when you consider that it involves a girl abandoned by both of her parents at the age of eight, a lifelong bachelor who is at or above the age of sixty, who randomly comes across her and takes on the responsibility of adopting her, and apparently, Punky has no other living relatives whatsoever. On top of that, there seems to be zero emotional trauma on Punky's part as she enters adolescence without the guidance of her parents, and aside from a couple boyfriend woes here and there, the kid doesn't have a care in the world. Let's just say that although childhood abandonment is hardly a rarity in today's world, you'd be hard-pressed to find a child in that situation who is as optimistic and well-adjusted as Miss Punky Brewster, especially when you remember that she is now entering those difficult female teen years, but is still happy as ever. Still, it's not the kind of show that's meant to be taken that seriously, and in light of the trash that reigns over the television screens today, it's nice to look back on the days when people actually didn't mind taking the time to create real shows with a message worth telling. The cynics out there can have a field day with this particular show, but it won't do much good, because it's a sweet, deliciously cheesy example of children's programming, and "Punky Brewster" is not afraid to be what it is.
While seasons 1, 2, and 3 focused on Punky's ultra-loving relationship with adoptive father Henry, Season 4 strays from that a bit to depict 11-year-old Punky's more recent priorities, which include boys and friends. Remember when she couldn't stand even fathoming a romantic relationship with a guy, and she even went so far as to punch a little boy in Season 1 when he wanted to be her "male friend?" Well, to accommodate the classic 80-degree turn that takes place with many pre-teens, that all changes as Punky develops passionate crushes left and right, whether it's a handsome boy from summer camp, a gorgeous handyman who is twice her age, or two hunks that she accompanies separately to the same movie theater (a memorable episode that finds Punky constantly darting from one theater to another, as best pal Cherie documents the whole thing on videotape). Of course, there's more to Punky than just her newfound "boy nutty" ways this season. She winds up in the hospital twice, helps deliver a baby in an elevator, struggles to help her wealthy friend Margaux through a financial crisis (did you ever think that would happen?) and watches her beloved dog Brandon tie the knot with a beautiful female dog in the finale episode. In retrospect, it was a rather dumb way for the writers to close out the series, but on the other hand, the whimsical goofiness of it all is pretty much classic Punky Brewster.
As a proud owner of the first three seasons, I am very excited about this upcoming release, and I can't wait to round out my collection in February. There's no doubt that Soleil Moon Frye's amazing, unprecedented performance in the title role has worked wonders in making this a guilty pleasure for thousands of fans around the world. Shout Factory has done a nice job of bringing the episodes to DVD. This set will look just the same as the other three, except the color is now yellow, and along with the sturdy packaging and a nice visual transfer (the episodes look great to me, no visible graininess or anything like that), a generous helping of the "It's Punky Brewster!" cartoon episodes have been a great way to top off the DVDs. We have also received interviews from Cherie Johnson (as herself) and Ami Foster (as Margaux Kramer) in past releases, and although I don't think any interviews have been planned for this final set, it would have been nice to get something from Ms. Soleil herself. Either way, though, I am satisfied with the quality of these DVD collections. As a 22-year-old fan, there are times when I can't ignore the fact that the show is undeniably corny, but when the mood hits you just right, it's fun to enjoy a couple episodes, and as far as I'm concerned, February 26 can't come soon enough!
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DVD ~ Soleil Moon Frye
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