Punky Brewster – Season Three

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Episodes: C

 

 

How and why did Punky Brewster ever become a hit?  It simply found a niche in the TV schedule at a time when cable was challenging the network’s hold on TV and less shows were aimed at young girls.  The series was always awkward and not very well produced, but you would think by Season Three, the producers would have got their act together and made a show that flowed better for Soleil Moon Frye and the cast of still-unknowns.  They did get lucky enough to get Alice Ghostley as her teacher, but it was still mostly unknowns.

 

This season opens with an awkward appearance by the last Motown vocal group of the last years of the original company’s reign, DeBarge.  Bunny DeBarge is missing and so is a script, typical of the series, but it is a sad show since the band ran into problems and imploded just around the time the company’s time and magic ran out, becoming an oldies label with the occasional hit artist.  Nothing here is particularly funny and never was.  Editing is sloppy, comic timing is non-existent to go with the would-be jokes and this kind of thing has been done much better before and since.  That leaves the show as a nostalgic time capsule at best, which is the only reason to issue it on DVD.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is problematic on both the episodes and animated shows, which are more poorly drawn than I (or anybody else) will remember.  The use of color is exceptionally poor and is not a print error.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is a bit better on the live-action episodes than animated ones as well.  The animated shows and a featurette on them are the only extras, unless you count some previews for other Shout! Factory titles, but is more than anyone could have expected for this series.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo