By Jonathan Klotz
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Have you ever ever seen one thing that shocked and terrified you a lot that whenever you shut your eyes late at night time, you continue to see it? I really feel that method about Punky Brewster. Not the notorious fridge episode. The one which has stayed with me for many years is “The Perils of Punky,” a two-part episode that aired again in October 1985.
A Halloween episode centered round Punky telling her associates a ghost story, the second half goes full horror by seemingly killing her associates, and worst of all, her canine. Certain, you may watch it right now and snigger on the over-the-top appearing and hilarious particular results, however as a child watching this, it’s haunted me for many years.
The Perils Of Punky Didn’t Have To Go This Exhausting
In “The Perils of Punky, Half 2,” Punky (Soleil Moon Frye) ventures into the cave on the request of Native American spirits to defeat the monster inside, and rapidly comes throughout a person in six separate items strewn throughout the cave. That’s adopted up by an enormous spider trapping her associates in its internet, and whereas she defeats it with a tomahawk, saving her associates, it’s solely a brief reprieve earlier than the sinister spirit takes them away. On the one hand, Punky’s worry of abandonment is a really actual worry that a lot of children really feel, particularly these within the foster care system, however however, did the producers actually must have them come again as zombies and ghosts?
Allen (Casey Ellison) seems as a screaming face on the wall, Cherie (Cherie Johnson) is a possessed zombie with glowing purple eyes, and Marguex (Ami Foster) turns into a dancing skeleton. This all occurs one immediately after one other whereas Punky Brewster stumbles by means of the cave, screaming over the destiny of her associates (and Marguex). Even her loyal canine Brandon, isn’t spared. He seems as a skeleton canine, however as a result of it’s Brandon, his tail remains to be wagging.
Punky makes it previous this gauntlet and reaches the depths of the cave. The Moon Priestess, additionally performed by Soleil Moon Frye, helps her face the evil spirit, who appears like a shaky constellation with evil eyes. In true Punky Brewster vogue, her unflappable optimism, spirit, and love for her associates (and Marguex) overcome the nightmare and banish it to wherever 80s tv producers acquired their terrifying concepts.
Traumatizing Kids Transcends Generations
The solid of Punky Brewster has talked concerning the filming of the episode in a number of interviews, since, effectively, being traumatized by it was a millennial ceremony of passage. Making it was enjoyable, and so they thought the particular results had been stupid-looking, and they’re, however by means of the magic of tv, a whole bunch of hundreds of kids screamed on the sudden look of Allen’s terrifying face. For a present that usually movies on three units, attending to have enjoyable with the wild cave atmosphere and horror-movie make-up needed to be a blast, and as an grownup, it’s straightforward to understand.
Youngsters right now nonetheless get to expertise exhibits that can randomly traumatize them, however they are usually animated. Gravity Falls’ “Weirdmaggeddon” is a superb instance, particularly when Invoice Cipher rearranges the face of Pacifica’s dad. It’s horrifying, nevertheless it’s animated, and viewers watching the sequence had been used to the present getting bizarre. Punky Brewster wasn’t that kind of present. Then once more, neither was G.I.Joeand that included a completely faux household that melted into goo.
Punky Brewster is one among many seemingly regular ’80s children’ exhibits that weren’t above traumatizing youngsters. We survived The Neverending Storywe noticed Gremlins at method too younger an age for the Santa Claus story. There was one thing concerning the freedom of that decade that inspired one of these habits. At the least Punky Brewster by no means did something practically this scary ever once more, and particularly not with a standard family equipment.