Punky Brewster Sequel in the Works

Punky Brewster was just one of the many beloved cult-hit TV sitcoms of the 1980s, and like so many things that were once popular, the powers that be are interested in giving Punky Brewster a revival. Reports are in that a new Punky Brewster is in the works, and it’s taking a real-time approach to the material.

According to THR:

“Punky Brewster, the 1980s NBC sitcom about a young girl who is raised by a foster parent, is being revived by Universal Content Productions with original star Soleil Moon Frye set to reprise her role as the titular character. A network is not yet attached…. The new take will see Frye’s Punky now a single mother of three as she attempts to get her life back on track when she meets a girl who reminds her of her younger self.”

The original Punky Brewster ran on NBC from 1984 to 1988, an spawned an animated spinoff series, It’s Punky Brewster, which ran from 1985 – 1986. The animated version was much more fantastical than the original series, featuring (among other things) a ‘magical leprechaun gopher’ named Glomer.

Like so many ’80s sitcoms, Punky Brewster found a way to push boundaries without coming off as controversial. The story of Punky is actually pretty dark: her dad walked out on the family, and her mom abandons her at a Chicago shopping mall. If that wasn’t already setup for a story about a severely emotionally-damaged child, Punky ends up squating in the empty apartment of a local building. Things take a fairy tale turn after that, as Punky is discovered by the building’s manager, Henry Warnimont (George Gaynes), who eventually cuts through a lot of red tape in order to adopt the girl. The series would retain its darker themes throughout its run, with subsequent seasons seeing Henry’s photography studio burn down and him having to be hospitalized with a stress ulcer, or an acclaimed episode dealing with Punky and other children having to deal with the horror of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.

Given the angle of this revival, the new Punky Brewster may have to walk an even tighter rope than the original. Soleil Moon Frye returning as a Punky who is a single mother to three kids is an ominous starting place, suggesting not all has gone well for the character over the years. The notion of adult Punky meeting a girl like her younger self is equally foreboding, given the dark backstory of Punky’s life.

Still, with Frye and original series creator David W. Duclon both returning, there’s reason to be believe the new Punky Brewster will still capture the spirit of the original.