History Series / PunkyBrewster

* AdultFear:
** The episodes in which Child Protective Services has taken Punky away from Henry due to his failing health. Being unable to care for their child (adoptive or biological) is one of every parent's worst fears.
** One episode where the kids play hide and seek and Cherie hides inside an old refrigerator. She nearly suffocates to death.
* AnAesop: Usually once per episode.

Well-loved KidCom of TheEighties (by kids, anyway--critics hated it), especially when it re-ran in syndication. Did a VerySpecialEpisode after the Challenger space shuttle explosion.

* RummageSaleReject: Punky's wardrobe: a mauve vest over a red T-shirt over a blue long-sleeve shirt, jeans with one leg rolled up and another with a kerchief tied to it at the knee, a red shoe on her right foot and a yellow shoe on her left. Then again, it's what makes her [[CrazyAwesome so cool]]. In syndication, Punky's clothing style, while still unorthodox, was not as colorful and patchwork as it was on NBC.

* ParentNeverCameBackFromTheStore: This was how the title character wound up living alone before being found at the beginning of the series. Her mom had gone to the store and never came back. In a slight twist, Punky and her dog were waiting outside the store instead of at home.

In September 2019, it was announced that a {{sequel series}} was being produced for NBC's upcoming streaming service Peacock, with Frye reprising the role of Punky, now a single mother trying to get her life together. ''Series/PunkyBrewster2021'' premiered in February 2021.

* RashomonStyle: The episode "See You In Court" where Henry and Betty tell different versions of the same story and then Punky and Cherie tell the real version.

* {{Tuckerization}}:
** The title character is named after a childhood crush of NBC Entertainment president Brandon Tartikoff (although the actual Punky's first name was Peyton), even leading to the real Punky being cast in the 1985 episode "The Search".
** Brandon was the name of Punky's dog. Since this show was Mr. Tartikoff's pet project, it's only fitting that the pet is named after him.
** In the Fenster Hall episode, T.C. Finestra is named after Carmen Finestra, the program's creative consultant.
** In addition, in the episode "Yes, Punky, There is a Santa Claus", Henry mentions talking to a private investigator named Gene Doucette, which was also the name of the program's costume designer.

In September 2019, it was announced that a {{sequel series}} was being produced for NBC's upcoming streaming service Peacock, with Frye reprising the role of Punky, now a single mother trying to get her life together.

''Punky Brewster'' is a 1984-88 DomCom created and executive produced by David W. Duclon and airing on Creator/{{NBC}} and later in UsefulNotes/{{Syndication}} about abandoned child Penelope "Punky" Brewster (her father walked out on her and her mom left Punky and her pet dog, Brandon, at a grocery store), played by Soleil Moon Frye, and her adoptive father, Henry, played by George Gaynes (best known for his role as Cmdt. Lassard in the ''Film/PoliceAcademy'' movies). Also revolves around Punky's interactions with her best friend, Cherie Johnson, played by [[TheDanza Cherie Johnson]] (who later went on to play Laura Winslow's friend Maxine on ''Series/FamilyMatters''), who lives with her grandmother, Betty, played by Susie Garrett. Punky's other friends include geeky Allen Anderson (Creator/CaseyEllison) and stuck-up rich girl Margaux Kramer (Creator/AmiFoster). During the NBC run, Punky's teachers were frequently seen. In the first season, Punky's teacher was cheerful Mrs. Morton (Creator/DodyGoodman), while in the second season, it was hip Mike Fulton (Creator/TKCarter). Also seen briefly in Henry and Punky's apartment building was kooky maintenance man Eddie Malvin (Creator/EddieDeezen).

''Punky Brewster'' is a 1984-88 DomCom created and executive produced by David W. Duclon and airing on Creator/{{NBC}} and later in UsefulNotes/{{Syndication}} about abandoned child Penelope "Punky" Brewster (her father walked out on her and her mom left Punky and her pet dog, Brandon, at a grocery store), played by Soleil Moon Frye, and her adoptive father, Henry, played by George Gaynes (best known for his role as Cmdt. Lassard in the ''Film/PoliceAcademy'' movies). Also revolves around Punky's interactions with her best friend, Cherie Johnson, played by [[TheDanza Cherie Johnson]] (who later went on to play Laura Winslow's friend Maxine on ''Series/FamilyMatters''), who lives with her grandmother, Betty, played by Susie Garrett. Punky's other friends include geeky Allen Anderson (Casey Ellison) and stuck-up rich girl Margaux Kramer (Ami Foster). During the NBC run, Punky's teachers were frequently seen. In the first season, Punky's teacher was cheerful Mrs. Morton (Dody Goodman), while in the second season, it was hip Mike Fulton (T.K. Carter). Also seen briefly in Henry and Punky's apartment building was kooky maintenance man Eddie Malvin (Creator/EddieDeezen).

* DoNotCallMePaul: The opening story features a custody hearing between Henry and Fenster Hall which takes place in a courtroom where the bailiff announces Punky as "Penelope Brewster". She insists on being called Punky.

* AdultFear: the episodes in which Child Protective Services has taken Punky away from Henry due to his failing health. Being unable to care for their child (adoptive or biological) is one of every parent's worst fears.

* CPRCleanPrettyReliable: The subject of one of ''many'' many {{Very Special Episode}}s.

* {}Tuckerization}}:

* ShoutOut:

* WeddingDay: The final episode of the series revolves around a wedding staged for Punky's dog Brandon and a neighbor's female golden retriever, Brenda.

* HairDecorations: The smiling sun clips in Punky's pigtails.

** "Changes" (5 parts), the finale of the second season.

Well-loved KidCom of TheEighties (by kids, anyway--critics hated it), especially when it re-ran in syndication. Did a VerySpecialEpisode after the Challenger space shuttle explosion. Its AnimatedAdaptation (featuring a magical furry creature named Glomer who was left in the real world after wandering out of [[Theatre/{{Brigadoon}} his village, Chaundoon]] located within a rainbow) also was shown on NBC.

The show was originally produced by Lightkeeper Productions, David W. Duclon's production company, alongside NBC from 1984-1986, when NBC cancelled the series. After the NBC cancellation, Duclon teamed up with Creator/ColumbiaPictures to produce two additional seasons in syndication from 1987-1988. Today, Sony, which now owns Columbia Pictures, hold domestic rights to the series, while NBC holds international rights. The animated series was produced throughout the run by Creator/RubySpears alongside NBC.

!!The cartoon contains examples of:
* AccidentalAthlete: The episode "The Quartersize Quarterback" has Glomer giving Allen--normally a klutz--the abilities of a professional player who winds up winning a spot with the Chicago Bears. Punky and the others have to stop Allen when Glomer reveals that magic on him has a time limit.
* AlienAmongUs: Glomer.
* AllJustADream: "Return to Chaundoon" has the rainbow gateway to Glomer's home world appear, so he takes Punky with him to visit. After defeating an enemy in the episode, Glomer and Punky and her pals are celebrated for their heroics only for Punky and Glomer to wake up from what turned out to be a dream.
* AnimatedAdaptation: ''It's Punky Brewster''
** Bizarrely, it was called that everywhere but the title card (which read just "Punky Brewster"). It's also notable in that it shared a cast with the live show.
*** In fact, the last shot of the intro to the primetime show's second season features the Ruby/Spears-animated Punky, Henry, and Brandon on TV.
** TV Guide also billed the cartoon as just "Punky Brewster." NBC dropped it after a two-year run then brought it back in repeats in October 1988 after the live-action pre-teen show ''2 Hip 4 TV'' tanked. In 1989, selected episodes were run on a rotating basis in the syndicated series ''WesternAnimation/MaxiesWorld''.
* ArtShift: All season one episodes were cel-on-film animation. Season two's new episodes, save for three, were composited by computer.
* AscendedExtra: Both Allen and Margaux had more prominence here than in the main live action program.
* AsideGlance: At the end of the "The Bermuda Tangle", Punky winks to the audience.
* AskAStupidQuestion: The episode "Growing Pain" has Glomer growing in size due to an allergy to pepperoni pizza. He is taken to a gym where he attempts to use a weights machine but is catapulted back and wedged within the bars of the machine:
-->'''Punky:''' Glomer, are you okay?\\
'''Glomer:''' ''[not too pleased]'' Am I looking okay?!
* TheBait: The episode "Punky to the Rescue" had Margaux posed as bait to catch a supposed swamp monster that Punky thinks kidnapped Henry.
* BirthdayEpisode: Punky is out to win a new easy chair for Henry's birthday.
* BreakTheCutie: Happens to Punky in the episode "Punky the Heiress," where she believes she's going to see her missing mother. She is devastated when she realizes she was used by her aunt and uncle to embezzle an inheritance.
* ButtMonkey: Allen. Probably because he's the only male of the four main kids in the show.
* CartoonCreature: Glomer is a magical furry something whose species (a "glomley," as specified in the show) are leprechaun helpers in Chaundoon (a land within a rainbow).
* CatchPhrase: "Holy Macanoly!"
* CaughtInASnare: In the episode "Punky to the Rescue", Margaux has one foot in a snare posing as bait for a so-called swamp monster, but in a case of animator's discretion she is shown standing upright with her snared foot raised and not hanging upside down because she's wearing a dress.
* ChristmasEpisode: Glomer takes Punky and her friends to Santa's workshop in "Christmas in July". Santa is on summer vacation, so naturally the kids make a shamble of things until Big Red returns to make things right.
* ChristmasInJuly: In the episode "Christmas in July", Glomer, claiming to know Santa personally, takes Punky and her pals to the North Pole workshop in July only to find Santa's on vacation. The kids manage to flummox Santa's toy-making assembly line, prompting him to return early to set things right.
* ConfrontingYourImposter: In the episode "Double Your Punky", Glomer creates an obnoxious clone of Punky from a photograph to keep him company while the real Punky is on a class picnic. After lots of confusion, the two Punkys meet and nobody can tell who is who except her dog Brandon, who recognizes her scent.
* CryIntoChest: The episode "Punky, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs" had Henry put into a deep sleep after eating an apple pie made from a spiked apple. Punky sadly kisses him on the cheek and starts sobbing into his chest.
* ADayInTheLimelight:
** "Any Wish Way You Can" has Margaux misusing the three wishes she accidentally got from Glomer.
** "Allen Who?" has Allen and the ItsAWonderfulPlot narrative.
* DecoyDamsel: In the episode "Punky to the Rescue", the kids are trying to catch a supposed swamp monster they think has taken Henry, Punky's foster dad, captive. Margaux is used as bait with her foot caught in a snare (she's wearing a dress, so she's not hanging upside down).
* DemotedToExtra: Henry is seen less often than in the main live action program.
* DontLookAtMe: "Pretty Ugly" has Glomer turning Margaux's face into a glomley face (a glomley is a leprechaun helper in Glomer's world) just before attending an important upscale party. Eventually, Margaux's face returns to normal, which she doesn't know yet (she's on the verge of wringing Punky's neck), and when Avery Bigelow--the kid who invited Margaux--enters, Margaux tearfully entreats "Don't look at me! I'm ugly!" Punky holds a shiny pan to Margaux so she can see she is back to normal.
* EverythingIsAnInstrument: Towards the end of the opening titles, Punky and her pals are playing music using a broom, an aluminum washtub and other items.
* EverythingsBetterWithRainbows: The show starts right off telling how Glomer strayed from his home Chaundoon within a rainbow and became stranded in Chicago when the rainbow disappeared. One episode, "Be My Glomley", had Punky and her pals helping Glomer and a female glomley, Glomine, return to Chaundoon by creating a rainbow.
* EvilUncle: Punky discovers she has an aunt and an uncle in "Punky the Heiress", and they've offered to reunite her with her missing mother. But (a) they're actually servants for the Chester Henderson estate, and (b) they're using Punky to embezzle the inheritance of Henderson's granddaughter, of whom they have Punky dressed up to look like.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: This, from the animated episode "Punky To The Rescue," where Margaux is posed as bait for a so-called swamp monster which they hear coming:
-->'''Punky:''' Smile! Look pretty!
-->'''Margaux:''' Don't be redundant!
* ExpositoryThemeSong: The theme song explains who Glomer is and how he and Punky met.
* FairyCompanion: Glomer in the AnimatedAdaptation, infamously.
* FairyTaleEpisode: In "Punky, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves", Glomer brings the characters out of the book, including the Wicked Queen. Snow White and Henry both succumb to a tainted apple pie from the Queen, who is later returned to the book. Punky's kiss on the cheek eventually wakes Henry.
* FriendOrIdolDecision: "Be My Glomley" has Glomer and a female glomley called Glomine using their combined magic and some gadgetry by Punky and her pals to create a rainbow gate to their home land of Chaundoon. But a rope in the hot air balloon Punky is in snaps, leaving Punky dangling from the side. Faced with whether to finally return home or rescue Punky, Glomer sends Glomine back ("Tell momly and dadly I love them!") and effects the rescue. By that time, the rainbow disappears and Glomer remains stranded. But he's not too disappointed--he joyfully leaps into Punky's arms and hugs her.
* GameShowAppearance: In "Punky's Millions", Punky and Henry vie to win a jackpot on a show called "Can You Spend It?", but to do so they have to spend $1 million in one day. Punky and her pals take the task at hand after Henry comes down with chicken pox. [[spoiler:Punky and the gang lose the game when Allen reveals that he has change in his pocket.]]
* GoofyPrintUnderwear: In "The Quartersize Quarterback", Allen bumbles as he attempts to catch a football pass. His belt snaps and his trousers drop, revealing polka dot boxers.
* GratuitousAnimalSidekick: The addition of Glomer to the cast is especially gratuitous since Punky already had an animal sidekick.
* GreatGazoo: Glomer. He's a little more...[[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} out there]] than most examples. The joke? He's from a ''Theatre/{{Brigadoon}}'' {{Expy}}.
* HairDecorations:
** The smiling sun clips in Punky's pigtails.
** The little bows in Margaux's hair.
* HalloweenEpisode: "Halloween Howlers". Glomer turns everyone who doesn't give him a treat into a jack o'lantern.
* HeartSymbol: Punky had a small heart embroidered on the right side of her vest.
* ImpostorExposingTest: In the episode "Double Your Punky", Glomer creates a clone of Punky from a photograph to keep him company at home while she's at a school picnic. This Punky clone is obnoxious, however, and in his confusion to corral her, he zaps the sweet Punky back into the photograph. When the two Punkys face each other, nobody can tell who is who--nobody except her dog Brandon, who recognizes her scent, jumps on her and licks her face profusely.
* ItsAllMyFault: Punky goes through this in the debut episode when she talks Henry into taking a skydiving photography assignment in Florida where he gets lost in a swamp and she (and the others) think a swamp monster has him. As she sits on a log, head cradled in her hands and arms propped on knees:
-->'''Punky:''' We'll never find Henry, and it's all my fault. ''[sniffling, tears streaming down her cheeks]'' I guess I just wasn't meant to have a family.
* ItsAWonderfulPlot: The episode "Allen Who?" has Allen being browbeaten by everyone for nearly spoiling a surprise party, so he wishes that nobody knew who he was. Glomer grants him that wish, but he's forced to fend for himself as everyone takes him as a stranger. In that reality, Allen's grandmother was depressed for having no grandchildren; nobody cared about the coach to start the surprise party; Margaux had a broken arm because Allen wasn't there with a wagonload of basketballs to stop her fall (showing the Mainstream Margaux was wrong about blaming him for it in the first place).
* IWishedYouWereDead: In the episode "Any Wish Way You Can", the wish spell Glomer intended for Punky hits Margaux instead, giving her three wishes. Allen says something that irks Margaux, who growls "I wish you'd disappear!!" Allen's body does just that, leaving his clothes in midair. (Glomer brings him back, though. Margaux certainly wasn't going to waste her second wish on his behalf.)
* {{Jerkass}}: The host of the show "Can You Spend It?" (episode ''Punky's Millions''), who [[spoiler:celebrated Punky losing the game.]]
* KidDetective: In the episode "Punky P.I.", Punky opens a detective office from her school locker as she and her friends try to solve an in-school mystery involving a classmate's sabotaged project.
* {{Leprechaun}}:
** Punky relates how she met Glomer in the title song. Glomleys (a creature of which Glomer is) are leprechaun helpers in their homeland of Chaundoon.
** One episode has a bad leprechaun imprisoned as a piece of art on a plate escape and causing chaos.
** In "Return to Chaundoon", Glomer returns home and brings Punky with him, where they find the glomleys and the leprechauns mysteriously asleep.
* LongLostRelative: Punky finds out she has an aunt and an uncle in the episode "Punky the Heiress". They're actually servants for the Chester Henderson mansion. They disguise Punky as Chester's granddaughter and use her to embezzle the granddaughter's inheritance from the missing Henderson patriarch.
* MagicHair: In "Return to Chaundoon", Glomer temporarily transfers his magic powers to Punky, giving her magic pigtails which she uses to save the day.
* MagicKiss: In "Fish Story", Glomer turns Punky into a mermaid in a misguided attempt to be helpful. In the end, it turns out the only way to turn Punky back to normal is for a glomley (of which Glomer is) to kiss her on the cheek.
* MagicMisfire: Glomer's magic powers can go haywire sometimes. In "Fish Story" he wants to help Punky win the role of a mermaid in a school play, so as opposed to creating a more quality-like outfit, he turns Punky into an actual mermaid.
* MagicSkirt: Subverted in the episode "Punky To The Rescue." Margaux has one foot caught in a snare posing as bait for a so-called swamp monster, but since she's wearing a dress, she is shown standing upright against a tree with her trapped foot raised as opposed to hanging upside down.
** In the animated edition of "The Perils Of Punky," Margaux is held upside down as part of a human chain to retrieve a gem down a well. Her skirt and slip are draped over her rear end.
* {{Malaproper}}: In the episode "The Quartersize Quarterback", which revolves around the game of football, Glomer refers to it as 'toeball'.
* MissingMom: In the episode "Punky The Heiress," she suddenly has an aunt and uncle--servants for the Chester Henderson estate--who use her to impersonate Chester's granddaughter and embezzle the kid's inheritance, all under the guise that they've located Punky's mother.
* MoneySong: The episode "Punky's Millions" has a cover of "Money (That's What I Want)" performed by the same vocalist as the series theme.
* {{Nephewism}}: In the episode "Punky the Heiress", Punky finds out she has an aunt and an uncle. But they're a couple of ne'er-do-wells--servants of Chester Henderson and his estate--who use Punky to embezzle the fortune of Henderson's granddaughter.
* TheNoseKnows: In the episode "Double Your Punky", this is how Brandon is able to pick her out from the obnoxious clone of her Glomer accidentally created. He recognizes Punky's scent while the clone has none, being artificially created.
* NotNowKiddo: In the episode "Growing Pain", Glomer starts to grow uncontrollably after he sneezes from eating pepperoni pizza. The flowers from Margaux's parade float help Glomer to shrink a little, but as he tries to tell Punky this, she's not listening because she's competing against Margaux with her own float.
-->'''Glomer:''' But Punky...Margaux's flowers making me--\\
'''Punky:''' I don't want to hear another word about Margaux's dumb flowers!
* TheOlympics: The episode "Camp Confusion" has an Olympics-style competition between Camp Tumbleweeds (where Punky attends) and Camp Towering Pines (where Margaux is). Punky wins two events single-handedly but Margaux accuses her of using Glomer to help her. Glomer offers to stay with Margaux to prove Punky can win by herself, but when things go wrong for Camp Tumbleweeds, Punky suspects Glomer of helping Towering Pines.
* TheOneGuy: Of the regular kids, this would be Allen in the cartoon.
* OnOneCondition: In "Punky's Millions", Punky and Henry win a jackpot on a TV show. To collect it, however, they have to spend $1 million in a week. The task falls upon Punky and her pals when Henry comes down with chicken pox. Come the end of the week, and the total seems to show that Punky succeeded--until Allen accidentally spills some loose change from a candy bar he bought with the money from the million.
* OrWasItADream: At the end of "Return to Chaundoon", Punky decides her visit to Glomer's home was just a dream. But Punky's dog Brandon is seen with a bone that was given to him in Chaundoon.
* PalmOnCheekPose: A "now we return to" bumper of the show had this with Punky winking.
* PantyShot: Margaux in two blink-and-you'll miss it instances ("Any Wish Way You Can" and "Louvre Affair").
* PomPomGirl: In "Double Your Punky", Margaux becomes a de facto pom-pom girl rooting for a boy named Tony in a series of athletic games at a neighborhood party.
* PromotionToParent: Could apply to Punky with Glomer. The episode "Return To Chaundoon" has a scene where Punky plants a goodnight kiss on Glomer's forehead.
* RealWomenDontWearDresses: Much like the live action show, Punky doesn't wear skirts often. The rare times that she did was when she impersonated Margaux at a fancy party, when her aunt and uncle used her to embezzle an inheritance, and going incognito to solve a crime at school.
* SecretKeeper: When Punky takes Glomer under her wing, she takes it upon herself to keep him a secret. Punky's pals are also entrusted to keep Glomer a secret. Glomer himself has to stay inconspicuous, even at home, so Henry doesn't find out about him.
* SidekickExMachina: Glomer.
* SpellingBee: "Spellbound": Punky is on her way to Washington D.C. for a spelling bee. Glomer zaps a bee that makes people spell out words when it alights on them to help Punky, but she refuses it saying that would be cheating. The bee takes off on its own where it disrupts a senator's campaign rally.
* SpotTheImposter:
** The episode "Double Your Punky" had Glomer creating a clone of Punky from a photograph to keep him company at home while the real Punky was at a school picnic. The clone, however, was obnoxious, and in his confusion, Glomer zaps the sweet Punky back into the photograph and throws it away. Having retrieved it and getting her back, Glomer is unable to tell who the real Punky is. It's up to Brandon, who recognizes her scent.
** Punky disguising herself as Margaux in the episode "Pretty Ugly."
* TalkingAnimal: Pretty much averted, but subverted in the episode "Brandon The Dialogue Dog," Glomer gives Punky's dog Brandon the gift of gab. Also in "Punky's Half Acre," Glomer makes the barnyard animals at the farm of Punky's pen pal talk as they air their grievances about how Margaux treats them.
* TearsOfRemorse: "Punky To The Rescue": Punky and her pals are in a swamp looking for Henry and they think a so-called swamp monster may get him. After several attempts to find him, Punky sits on a log and cries, blaming herself for sending Henry to Florida for a photo assignment to start with.
* TrueLovesKiss: The episode "Punky, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" has Snow White and Henry put to sleep from an apple pie spiked by a disguised wicked queen. Brandon's lick awakens Snow White, but it doesn't work on Henry. Punky sadly kisses Henry on the cheek and sobs into his chest, and he suddenly awakens.
* UndesirablePrize: In "Growing Pain", Punky is competing with Margaux in creating a float for a local parade, but first she has to deal with Glomer's pepperoni pizza-fueled growth spurts. When Punky and Margaux are declared co-winners, they find out after their prize is a pizza. A cold pepperoni pizza at that.
* UnwillingSuspension: Happens to Punky twice ("Growing Pain" and "The Bermuda Tangle"), hung upside down by one foot each time.
* ValentinesDayEpisodes: "Be My Glomley". On Valentine's Day, Glomer discovers Glomine, a girl glomley, and with their combined powers can create a gateway back to Chaundoon. It almost works, except when Punky is seen dangling from a hot-air balloon basket, Glomer sacrifices his ticket back home, sending Glomine back, in order to rescue Punky.
* WholePlotReference: The episode "Punky's Millions" is basically ''Literature/BrewstersMillions'' with the millions being a game show prize instead of an UnexpectedInheritance.
* WinkDing: When Punky and Allen wink to each other at the end of "How The Midwest Was Won."

* TomboyAndGirlGirl: Punky and Margaux.

* AfraidOfDoctors: In the episode "Ouch", Punky is stricken with appendicitis. She's not so much afraid of doctors or hospital as she is being operated on.

* ChristmasSpecial: Three, the most iconic being the "Yes Punky, There is a Santa Claus" two-parter from Season One.

* DepartmentOfChildDisservices: Recurring attempts by Child Services bureaucrats to take Punky away from Henry and put her in an orphanage.

* DrugsAreBad: The episode "Just Say No." Ends with rallies being held in St. Louis (with Cherie Johnson) and Atlanta (with Soleil Moon Frye). Also with season 3 episode "Unhooking Henry."

* HalloweenEpisode
* HappilyAdopted: Punky.

* RummageSaleReject: Punky's wardrobe. Then again, it's what makes her [[CrazyAwesome so cool]]. In syndication, Punky's clothing style, while still unorthodox, was not as colorful and patchwork as it was on NBC.

* SickEpisode: In "Ouch," Punky comes down with appendicitis. The idea of being operated on frightens her to tears.

* VerySpecialEpisode: Quite a few. The CPR/trapped in an old refrigerator episode is one of the more well remembered.

* YouGoGirl: "PUNKY POWEEEER!!!"

** TV Guide also billed the cartoon as just "Punky Brewster." NBC dropped it after a two-year run then brought it back in repeats in October 1988 after the live-action pre-teen show ''2 Hip 4 TV'' tanked. In 1989, selected episodes were run on a rotating basis in the syndicated series ''[=Maxie's World=].''

* AlienAmongUs: Glomer.

* AnimatedCreditsOpening: Three weeks into the first season, an alternate opening sequence mixing live-action footage and an animated sequence was used. This lasted a few weeks and was replaced by yet another sequence mixing the location footage shot in Chicago and clips from episodes, ending with the tail end of the animated sequence being watched by the lead characters on TV.
** The animated sequence at the end stayed during the second season's intro, but was redone by Ruby-Spears in a cross-promotion for the animated series running on NBC at the time.

* BreakTheCutie: Punky after the Space Shuttle tragedy ("Accidents Happen"); after Allen moves away ("Divorce Anderson Style"); and when she is stricken with appendicitis ("Ouch"--her tearful lament: "I have an -itis! I'm worm food!").

* ButtMonkey: Allen. Probably because he's the only male of the four main kids in the show.

* CatchPhrase: "Holy Macanoly!"
** Also "Gross-a-Roo" in early seasons when Punky is confronted with something disgusting.

* CPRCleanPrettyReliable: The subject of one of ''many'' many {{Very Special Episode}}s.

* CryIntoChest: "Divorce, Anderson Style" ends with Punky crying into Cherie's chest after Allen leaves to move away with his to-be-divorced mother.

* DeadpanSnarker: Henry. He and Betty are known for SnarkToSnarkCombat.

* HairDecorations: The smiling sun clips in Punky's pigtails. Also in the cartoon, the little bows in Margaux's hair.

* HalloweenEpisode / ValentinesDayEpisode: Had episode of both holidays.

* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Soleil Moon Frye, for a while. By the show's third season (in syndication) the producers gave up on that, and finally acknowledged that Punky needed to buy her first ''bra'' (the episode "Metamorphosis"; November 12, 1987).
** The Family Channel refused to screen this episode when they replayed the series in the mid 90s.
** Soleil Moon Frye, as it turned out, suffered from a condition (known as either juvenile macromastia or juvenile gigantomastia) which caused her breasts to develop early and larger than usual. She had to have reduction surgery at '''15''' because of it.

* ShoutOut: The title character is named after a childhood crush of NBC Entertainment president Brandon Tartikoff (although the actual Punky's first name was Peyton), even leading to the real Punky being cast in the 1985 episode "The Search".

** Also, in the Fenster Hall episode, T.C. Finestra is named after Carmen Finestra, the program's creative consultant.

* WhamLine: Punky's "It exploded." on the Space Shuttle episode.
** Also when Cherie reveals that May 9th is [[spoiler: "The day my parents died!"]]

!The cartoon contains examples of:

* AscendedExtra: Both Allen and Margaux had more prominence here than in the main live action program.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: Punky winks to us at the end of the episode "The Bermuda Tangle."

* FairyCompanion / SidekickExMachina: Glomer in the AnimatedAdaptation, infamously.

* GameShowEpisode: In "Punky's Millions", Punky and Henry vie to win a jackpot on a show called "Can You Spend It?", but to do so they have to spend $1 million in one day. Punky and her pals take the task at hand after Henry comes down with chicken pox. [[spoiler:Punky and the gang lose the game when Allen reveals that he has change in his pocket.]]

* [[RealWomenDontWearDresses Real Girls Don't Wear Dresses]]: Much like the live action show, Punky doesn't wear skirts often. The rare times that she did was when she impersonated Margaux at a fancy party, when her aunt and uncle used her to embezzle an inheritance, and going incognito to solve a crime at school.

* SpotTheImposter: The episode "Double Your Punky" had Glomer creating a clone of Punky from a photograph to keep him company at home while the real Punky was at a school picnic. The clone, however, was obnoxious, and in his confusion, Glomer zaps the sweet Punky back into the photograph and throws it away. Having retrieved it and getting her back, Glomer is unable to tell who the real Punky is. It's up to Brandon, who recognizes her scent.
** Also, Punky disguising herself as Margaux in the episode "Pretty Ugly."

* BoxingLesson

* BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats: Henry belongs to one.

* ClipShow: "Remember When" (season three finale) and "Wedding Bells For Brandon" (season four and series finale).

* HalloweenEpisode / ValentinesDayEpisode: Had episodes of both holidays ("Halloween Howlers" and "Be My Glomley").
* ItsAWonderfulPlot: Pastiched in the episode "Allen Who?"

* BodyDouble: In the five-part "Changes," Punky impersonates Margaux so she can sneak out of Fenster Hall and visit Henry, who is in the hospital after collapsing from exhaustion following the burning down of his photo studio. In turn, Margaux impersonates Punky. As a result, Margaux took Punky's personality test, causing Punky to be (temporarily) adopted by a wealthy couple.

* BodyDouble: Punky dresses up as Margaux in the episode "Pretty Ugly"--but only because Glomer turned Margaux's face into a glomley face. It's a wonder that Avery Bigelow (a kid whose dad runs a fashion magazine) didn't catch on that Margaux ''doesn't'' have brown eyes, freckles and a smoky voice.