With George Gaynes recent passing at the grand old age of 98, it reminds me of how much he was a part of my childhood, I loved (and still love) the Police Academy movies and every day when I got in my school this was in a block of shows and this was one of the ones I looked most forward to watching (Different Strokes was another one).
So I am a bit biased when it's comes to Punky Brewster, I think the theme song is awesome (it's even on my phone playlist... seriously), also I think Soleil Moon Frye as the title genuinely does give one of the best child performances in any sit-com.
It's obvious by the title of this episode that it's going to be one of them episodes with a message, which tend to get called very special episodes and 9 times out of 10 they are done badly and you really feel like you are being lectured too so in a nutshell the plot of the episode is that Punky and Cherie join a clique called the Chicklis and it turns out dun-dun-dun they do drugs and want Punky and Cherie too as well.
It's surprising how quick the girls introduce drugs into the mix after Punky and Cherie get iniatied into the clique, when Punky asks if they are drugs the man girl replies "just some grass, a few uppers and a little nose candy" which is obviously just hilarious the way she says it and keeps wanting the girls to "party" with them, thes script was clearly written by an adult who as totally forgot what it's like to be a kid.
So after this scene the girls are in a big dilemma they obviously don't want to do drugs but they'll be out the club, and Punky goes to visit cool teacher Mike (T.K. Carter) for advice which even though it's a lecture on peer pressure it is one of the episodes better handled moments which includes Mike turning into James Brown (seriously) and the scene ends up him handing Punky a Just Say No leaflet.
Back at the treehouse the girls are holding a joint as the ringleader tells them to grow up and tries bullying them, and they decide to start a group that makes you feel good about yourself called the Just Say No Club (sounds like a snore) and even gets one of the girls to join (yay)
The episode ends the girls over a Just No Music video handing out t-shirts and holding picket signs with Just Say No with the rest of the cast and even shows some real footage from the marches (which the actresses attented themself).
Obviously it's message is really in your face but I have seen more forced Very Special Episodes and it does do a better job then most of balancing the normal flow of the show and the message it want to convey
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