Sometimes we have a hard time letting go of the past because letting go of the past – well, it’s scary, as we see in Punky Brewster 1×07 “The Treehouse that Punky Built.” We’re taught that the past shapes us and becomes a part of us. So if we let go of the past are we not letting go of the things that are most important?
Diego and Daniel are playing a game and I have to say, I admire Daniel. I would be cussing the world out right then and there if I lost, but Daniel isn’t about to give his brother the satisfaction.
He runs to the treehouse to cuss in his safe space. His safe space is important to him. When he returns, his brother has changed his name, and he goes back to cuss more.
Meanwhile, Izzy is bored. At her age, she’s bound to be bored and not understand how to occupy herself. Punky is trying to work and so she tells Diego to take Izzy to the treehouse.
The treehouse is important to Punky. It’s her safe space and has been her safe space since she was a kid. It’s been her kids space. It’s been the place that she feels can always be safe.
Izzy wants to have a tea party and you know – Diego is a good brother. He’s right there, doing everything that she wants. The drama, the tea, the hats. And they are having a great time when Daniel comes up, not noticing that they are there.
They are shocked seeing Daniel cuss up a storm and he’s shocked that they are there. He tells them it’s his safe space for cursing and Izzy just wants him to have tea with them. When he says no, like the crafty girl she is – she gets him to change his mind.
Threatening to tell parents is always a good move.
As they are playing and Izzy is asking questions, she falls through the floorboards. Diego runs to get Punky to help. And like the amazing Mom she is – she’s right there to get her kid. She tells them that it’s not safe right now and tells them all they have to get out.
But what this leads to is the city saying they are going to tear down the treehouse. Punky is determined that this won’t happen. The treehouse is a part of her life, it’s important to her. It’s the first thing that made her feel safe and secure and at home.
She’s determined that it will be the same safe space for her kids. Hannah, Diego, and Daniel have all used the space. It’s been important to all of them. She wants to make sure that Izzy has the same safe space.
Of course the kids don’t want to help and Izzy is more of an idea person than anything and she comes up with a plan. Punky has her own plan and calls Cherie over for help.
Cherie is a good friend, because I would be like construction isn’t my thing. But Cherie is right there, being bribed with gummy bears and memories. Apparently she doesn’t eat sugar at home – her girlfriend, Lauren, won’t allow it.
Cherie asks Punky if she’s called her Mom back yet. Punky says she can’t. She goes back to being a kid. Punky doesn’t want to let her in and be abandoned again. Cherie tells her she’ll know when time is right and I applaud this approach. Being there for your friend, but taking a small step back in order to make sure your friend finds their own way is important.
Lauren shows up to save the day. She was able to make sure that the treehouse doesn’t get taken down. They have 30 days in order to get it in order.
The kids may not want to help, but the adults are right there. Including Travis. Punky is on a tirade, and Travis tells Punky that she is starting to sound like an angry townie from Footloose. I love their relationship and that even as they are divorced, they are making sure that they have a healthy relationship.
Hannah and friends are at a coffee house hanging out and talking. Travis comes to get them and I have to say – he’s the Dad that wants to be there for his kids. But boundaries man. He was gonna join them but they are like no.
The girls take a selfie and she sees that she has spinach in her teeth. She finds that she had it the whole time and wants to know why they didn’t tell her. Well, cause they didn’t want to hurt her. The girls say friends should be honest with each other and while that is true, it’s really not always the best idea. Travis even says that total honesty is not best idea. Travis gets upset when they call him a boomer and he says he’s gen x.
I get it – no one wants to be that old. I don’t. But time goes on and makes us all age. Shit starts sagging and time takes our youth.
Hannah and her friends say they can handle an honesty pact. Oh sweet little things. Travis keeps trying to get them to stop and then gets annoyed and goes to car.
Hannah and her friends are having honesty talks at school. Bre comes in, letting them know that she posted a video on how to do brows. But girls brows look like she has leeches on her face. It’s BAD. Hannah honors the pact and tells the truth, while the other girl lies and tells her they are good.
Honesty is the best policy, but there is the approach. You have to watch your approach. I hate to say it, but situational honesty is important.
Hannah has had a bad day and she is feeling bad for herself. I miss being a dramatic kid and laying on the couch sighing like my world is ending. Punky comes out and tells the kids to put on work clothes – time for treehouse work.
Punky is sad that the kids have grown out of it. That they don’t want to help.
Hannah and Diego are in the kitchen and says she should have lied to he friends. She is using Diego as her replacement friend. Teenage drama is a bitch.
But as Hannah’s life is dramatic, Punky is excited. She lets them all know that the treehouse is fixed.
The treehouse looks exactly the same. Izzy is trying to make Punky feel good about it and lies to Punky that she’s excited. Only she’s not. Because it wasn’t what Izzy wanted. It was what Punky needed. And when Izzy left, Punky knew that she wasn’t being honest.
Hannah tells her mom the truth, that this wasn’t about Izzy. The talk makes Punky realize she was rebuilding the treehouse for herself. Punkt’s like I get it – I am no longer the treehouse, I am the tree. She’s so happy that she’s the tree.
Do I understand what that means? Nope.
It’s a revelation that she needs to do the treehouse again, so Punky does as Punky does. She calls a family meeting and tells the kids they are fixing the treehouse again. Only this time, she is doing it the Izzy way. Hannah says she’s in – Izzy deserves it and her friends hate her right now.
Way to make it about you, Hannah.
As they are walking out the door, Bre comes over to talk to Hannah. She wants to apologize to Hannah – her video got a lot of honest comments, and they weren’t kind. Bre was like even though it hurt to hear it she was thankful for the friends were honest for her.
But they smartly decide not to continue with the pact.
When Izzy returns and the family shows her the treehouse, she is genuinely excited. She says it everything she wanted. And I love that she says this, because it makes Punky remember what she loved about the treehouse in the first place.
And that is a memory that she can hold onto as she builds new ones. Her family may not be conventional, but it’s hers and it works for them.
And that’s the beauty of the show. It shows you that families are the people you chose as well as the people that you are related to by blood.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Izzy carving her name on the family board was so important and touching. Punky solidified that she can feel safe and that she’s part of this family and that was so important.
- Hannah telling Travis that he was right. I get what she did it, but lets all remember, we never tell our parents they are right.
- Punky deciding to call her Mom and leave all those messages. I cried and laughed at the same time.
