This episode was so beautiful, so important, and honestly, not what I expected at all. But isn’t that the beauty of shows such as Punky Brewster. They teach you a lesson, but also show you the beauty of what could be, if we all open our minds and evolve to the world around us. But this episode also showed us the beauty of family.
When the episode opens Punky and Izzy are sitting there watching the WWE. If I am being honest, I rolled my eyes and thought that I would turn this episode off almost immediately. But I didn’t.
Because as with most Punky episodes it takes seconds before you’re pulled in and you’re seeing the beauty of who this family is.
Izzy is so excited over the WWE. For her the WWE has always been there for her. It was the only thing that she could count on to be there for her. These people have been her heroes and Punky gets it. For her, Henry was her Hero.
Lord, that hit me in the gut. And as if I thought that wouldn’t hit hard enough, Izzy looks at Punky and tells her that at least she got to meet her hero. Queue all my tears.
Daniel on the other hand is walking into the kitchen dressed in a sarong. Diego is an ass and makes fun of him, but Daniel isn’t letting it phase him. He’s secure in who she is. And then when Hannah and her friends walk in and start fawning over Daniel, Diego is suddenly reconsidering his choices.
When they are ready to go to school, Diego is smelling himself and thinking that turning his shirt inside out will get rid of the stench. When Daniel walks out, wearing his sarong, Diego tells him that he can’t wear it to school. Punky tells him that if he is comfortable with wearing the sarong, he should rock it.
And that’s part of why I love Punky, she’s so open to the world around her and doesn’t care what the world thinks. She cares about her kids more than anything. She’s willing to let them be themselves, where a lot of parents would try to fit them into a box.
Izzy looks for her backpack to go to school, but Punky tells her she’s missing school today and she is going somewhere special. Izzy thinks this means a doctor and Punky tells her it will be fun and to stop guessing. I mean, I can’t hate on that – cause I would have thought that my parents were trying to fool me into going somewhere gross.
Punky is taking her to a WWE convention. Izzy thinks she’s in heaven and I am wondering where the fuck my parents were when someone handed out the fun gene. Izzy can’t believe that she is there, and is like these is questionable parenting, but she says thank you. Their old friend Margo runs PR for the WWE and gets them in.
This means that she gets to meet her favorite WWE stars and for Izzy nothing could be better. She’s thrilled. She wants to be like her heroes, even though she’s really not sure of who she is. But isn’t that the beauty of being young?
They come home with huge cardboard stands of the wrestlers, which again – MY PARENTS NEVER WOULD.
Hannah asks to speak to Punky, but tells her don’t freak out. Wrong intro Hannah, that leads to immediate freak out. Diego got into a fight – he’s not in trouble and not hurt. It’s definitely time to freak out and part of what I love about Punky and Hannah’s relationship is these are the moments that they do things together. They’re raising each other – and that’s ok.
Punky goes to check on Diego and he doesn’t want to talk about it. I mean to be does any kid want to talk to their parents? Nope. Punky says she’s there to talk when he needs it. He tells her he was standing up for Daniel – they were making fun of him. Daniel says he shouldn’t have hit his friend and he makes fun of Daniel too. Punky tells him ya he was a jerk, but he’s a good big brother and that’s called growth.
Daniel doesn’t know and Diego tells Punky he doesn’t want her to. He doesn’t want him to feel made fun of and definitely doesn’t want him to know that people are making fun of him.
Travis comes over to Dad with Punky and says since when do the kids get into fights. Punky lets him know that she has talked to Diego, but says she is more worried about Daniel. Kids can be cruel, that’s a lesson that we all learn from an early age.
She wants to tell Daniel if they don’t like your sarong, wear a bright red dress. Travis asks if she thinks he wants to wear dresses and she admits that she doesn’t know. She thinks its important that they see him as he sees himself.
Punky wants to have this open relationship with her kids and make sure that they know that they are loved no matter what.
Izzy is figuring out her wrestling look on her own. She’s trying to figure out who she is and that’s even more difficult when you feel like you’re easily replaceable or can be given back. Hannah and her friends aren’t sure what to say as Izzy jumps right out in her little costume and tells them all to meet four feet of fury. Izzy doesn’t think fury isn’t her go to emotion. She’s discovering who she is, but at her age, she’s not gonna know who that is.
But she wants to make a statement. Izzy asks Hannah and her friends if they can make an outfit for her. They say that they are busy with their stuff. Izzy says what is one child’s dream compared to stuff. Izzy gives guilt trip and they give in.
She’s really good at guilt.
Punky wants to talk to her kids and thinks that they should talk to Daniel. Travis doesn’t think that they should talk to him – he should come to them. He does not want him to feel put on the spot. They compromise and agree to a family meeting.
Family meetings are weird. Like is someone in trouble? Are things good? What is happening? Izzy asks what is happening and Hannah explains it to her. Punky asks if they have anything to say if they are good. They all say they are good. Travis says family meeting is over but Punky keeps them talking. They all start to leave and Punky asks Daniel if he’s good.
She’s really trying hard to get her kids to speak about their feelings. But kids take time.
Their own time.
Hannah knows it’s something more, and if they need her help, they have her number. Punky says it’s time to bring in the big guns. She brings Cherie and her girlfriend over. They want to feel Daneil out. Cherie is apprehensive, but her girlfriend says that she wishes that her parents would have thought this much about her.
They are feeling out Daniel to talk and try to relate to him on a level that he would feel comfortable with. They ask Daniel who he would be in the Star Wars universe. Daniel says he would be Yoda.
This leaves everyone confused. Travis and Punky are so confused. No one knows what to make of that. Hannah though, in all of her wisdom, walks by and hears them talking. Now sometimes, I think Hannah intrudes too much and in other moments I am thankful for her telling them all like it is. She tells them that they are making a big deal of nothing. Daniel wore a sarong. Big deal. Its a thing he did. Doesn’t define him. They ask Hannah what she would do. She says chill out, don’t push Daniel.
Hannah says she knows they are trying to help, but sometimes Punky can be too supportive. Say what you want, but Hannah is uber smart.
What I loved about the next moment was the importance of relationships. Daniel thanks Diego for standing up for him and lets him know that Hannah told him. Daniel tells him it is a big deal but he doesn’t have to defend him, he can look out for himself. They find a common ground and as brother are always going to look out for each other.
In life we’re all going to think that we can get through things alone. It’s life. It’s part of growing. But the biggest part of growth is realizing that you are going to need people. Your brothers and sisters are going to be your built in best friends forever.
And Punky is definitely raising them all so that they have each other.
.
As Izzy is trying to figure out who she is things get more complicated. The girls have made her a cute costume, but she doesn’t feel like herself. She feels lost and out of place and has more questions about who she’s supposed to be. She gets dramatic and goes and lays on the table in front of Punky. She tells her she can’t find her identity and Punky asks if a cookie would help the situation. A cookie always helps, Punky.
Daniel comes into the kitchen and sits down and he says that they need to talk. He knows what Diego did and he wants his Mom to know that it doesn’t matter what other people think of him. He’s just being him and he’s okay with who he is. Izzy gets inspired and leaves.
Daniel says she doesn’t need to spin out – she can just talk to him. She tells him if he ever wants to talk about gender expression she’s here. She tells him to be himself and her and travis will support him no matter what.
And the conversation was very direct, understanding and Punky was there for her son.
The important thing for this episode is that all of the kids know that they are loved and that Punky and Travis are there for them no matter what.
And that’s the best security that they have.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Hannah and Diego’s relationship is typical and I love it. She’s a protective sister, but she’s also there for her brothers – no matter what.
- Izzy debuting her look and it being herself was one of the most important moments. Kids don’t have to try and be some celebrity. They just need to be themselves.
- Diego is growing up and well, I couldn’t be a mom. Don’t wanna have to have the talks I see coming.
- Punky and Cherie’s friendship is everything.