02x14 - Urban Fear

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Punky Brewster". Aired: September 16, 1984 to March 1986.*
Watch/Buy Amazon  Merchandise


Follows Punky and her dog, Brandon who have been abandoned by her parents.
Post Reply

02x14 - Urban Fear

Post by bunniefuu »

[theme song]

♪ Maybe the world is blind

♪ Or just a little unkind

♪ Don't know

♪ Seems you can't be sure

♪ Of anything anymore

♪ Although

♪ You may be lonely and then

♪ One day you're smiling again

♪ Every time I turn around

♪ I see the girl
that turns my world around ♪

♪ Standing there

♪ Every time I turn around

♪ Her spirit's lifting me

♪ Right off the ground

♪ What's gonna be?

♪ Guess we'll just wait

♪ And see ♪

[instrumental music]

I don't know why they call
this game "Kiddie IQ."

Questions are really difficult.

[chuckles]

Oh, this is an easy one.

"Name Big Bird's best friend."

Kermit the Frog.

[chuckles]

Wrong again.

Sorry, Henry.
It's Mr. Snuffleupagus.

Let me see that.

No adult would know this.

Henry, can I turn on the news?

Betty...
Name Big Bird's best friend.

Mr. Snuffleupagus.

Lucky guess.

- Henry, he struck again.
- Who?

The North Side stalker.

A wave of panic
engulfs Chicago

as the stalker continues
his k*lling spree.

This is the North Side apartment
building of James R. Hindman,

victim number seven.

Punky... you and Cherie

go into your room and play.

- But, Henry...
- Go.

This is not appropriate
TV viewing for children.

But, Henry, you let me watch
all the w*r movies with you.

That's make-believe,
this is real.

World w*r II is make-believe?

Go!

[Brandon barks]

The police have released
this composite drawing

of the stalker, based on
eye-witness descriptions.

Why, he looks
just like David Letterman.

Anyone fitting the description
of the k*ller

should be reported immediately

to your local police department.

Speaking of K*llers, Wally,

how about that k*ller snowstorm
headed our way?

Can you believe it, Henry?

Right in our neighborhood.

This stalker thing
scares me to death.

Oh, Betty...

the media is blowing this thing
up out of all proportion.

The stations are
over-sensationalizing it

to get us to watch their news.

Well, I haven't slept a wink
in the last three nights.

And every little noise
makes me jumpy.

If you ask me,
you're overreacting.

Henry, what is this world
coming to

when you can't even feel safe
in your own home?

Well, I'll give you that much.

Why don't you put an
alarm system in this building?

I have a theory about alarms.

It's like putting up
a sign saying,

"Hey, burglars, lots of
good stuff to steal in here."

Well, the least you could do is
get us some new locks.

The locks in this building
are perfectly adequate.

How would you know?
You never use them.

I walked right in here
through your unlocked door.

I could've been
a mass m*rder*r.

Oh, you do have
the mass for it.

You've gotta be real careful

'cause this guy is crazy.

He doesn't just break in
to steal your TV or your stereo,

he comes in to k*ll you dead.

Keep your voice down.
I don't want the girls to hear.

Henry, the girls already know
about the stalker.

Everybody in Chicago
is running scared.

Then all the more reason
for us to stay calm.

If you keep your head
when all around you

are losing theirs,
then you'll-- you'll, uh...

You'll... end up taller,
I don't know.

Point is... if we
ignore the stalker,

so will the girls.

Punky: Boy, this stalker
sure looks scary.

He looks like a horrible monster
from outer space.

Gee, I think he looks
like David Letterman.

It says here he's k*lled
six people already.

You know what B.B. Bahootsas
told me at recess?

What?

Her cousin lives
right next door to a lady

whose husband
is a piano tuner.

Yeah?

He tuned the piano
of victim number four

just three months before
the stalker got him.

Talk about a close shave.

And the worst thing of all,

he never got paid.

You know what's really scary?

He can break into any house.

Yeah, even in here.

Wait a minute.

What am I so scared about

when I've got the best protector
in the whole world.

- Who?
- Blood Fang.

"Blood Fang?"

You know him as Brandon.

But if I or one of my close
personal friends are in trouble

he becomes Blood Fang.

Come on,
that dog's a pussycat.

Oh, yeah? Watch this.

Blood Fang,
assume the att*ck position.

[instrumental music]

I think he assumed
the rub my belly position.

Mrs. Johnson: Cherie.

Mrs. Johnson: Get it in gear.
We're goin' home.

Okay, Grandma, I've gotta go.

Uh, Cherie.

Be careful
on your way upstairs.

Oh, don't worry, Punky,
I'll be fine.

Besides, the third floor is a
lot safer than the second floor.

Well, Brandon,
you can't protect me.

Guess I'll have to find a way
to protect both of us.

[instrumental music]

[Brandon snoring]

[bells chiming]

Who's here?
Sic 'em, Blood Fang!

Hold on, Punky, it's me.

Oh, Henry, you scared me.

I scared you? Huh.

[balloons bursting]

What on earth?

[bells chiming]

[sighs]

Punky, if this is
your idea of a joke,

I'm not amused.

It's no joke, Henry,
it's my security system.

Punky, why do you need
a security system?

So I'd know
if he came to get me.

- Who?
- The stalker.

Oh.

Punky, nobody is gonna
come and get you.

I'm here.

I know, but, Henry--

You don't have to worry.

He doesn't bother
little children.

He's only after grown-ups.

Really?

Maybe we should let Brandon
sleep in your room.

No, thanks. His snoring
would keep me awake.

You could use my earmuffs.

That won't be necessary.

The police are gonna
catch the stalker.

- They haven't caught him yet.
- They will.

There are detectives
assigned to this case

working day and night.

No wonder they haven't caught
him. They're too tired.

[laughs]

They don't all work
at the same time.

Henry, why does a stalker
act like this?

Why does he break in to houses
and k*ll people?

He can't help himself.

His mind is very sick.

Then I bet
he's never gonna stop.

He's gonna keep k*lling,
isn't he?

Punky, I want you to stop
thinking about him.

I know, but how can I?

Erase him from your mind.

I can't.

I must be thinking about him
in ink.

Think about someone nice.

The stalker is only
one bad apple

in a big barrel
full of good, kind people.

- What about that saying?
- What saying?

"One bad apple can spoil
the whole barrel."

[sighs]

There's another saying...

I don't want to talk
about this anymore.

- I know, but--
- Punky...

You must stop worrying,
and be my brave little girl.

I don't know if I can.

You can and you will. Okay?

- I'll try.
- Good.

Now, close your eyes,
and go back to sleep.

[balloons bursting]

[air escapes]

Sorry, Henry, I forgot about
my window alarm.

[instrumental music]

[bells chiming]

Okay, Steven, let's see
how you did on the test.

"The hardest fought battle
of the Civil w*r was...

the battle
of the Network Stars."

"The opposing generals
in this conflict were...

Heather Locklear
and Adrienne Barbeau."

[knock at door]

- Mike?
- Henry.

- Ha-ha.
- Am I disturbing you?

Oh no, I was just
correcting some papers.

These kids like to interpret
history their own way.

Laurie thinks the American flag
was sewn by

Gloria Vanderbilt.

[laughing]

So, Mike, give it to me
straight.

I can take it.

Beg your pardon?

It's been my experience
that when a parent is called

to school, it's either for
bad grades or bad behavior.

- Which is it for Punky?
- Neither.

See, I was worried about her,
and I thought

that I should share
my concern with you.

- Sounds serious.
- Might be.

Punky made this drawing
during art period.

[instrumental music]

Punky drew this?

It's so gruesome.

I know.

Usually a drawing like this
means that a child is troubled.

It's this stalker business.

It's really bothering her.

I told her to put it
out of her mind,

and to be brave about it...

And why are you
shaking your head?

Henry, it won't work.

Punky's afraid.

Her fear won't go away
by ignoring it.

Look, Henry,
I'm no psychologist,

but from the looks of
this drawing,

I would say that Punky's
more afraid for you

than for herself.

For me?

Of course.

We talked about the stalker,

and I told her
he only att*cked adults.

Now, I guess she thinks
he's after me.

Maybe I should stay home
with her,

and not go to work
for a few days.

And why're you shaking
your head again?

- That won't work either.
- Why?

Because you'd only be
givin' in to her fears.

What should I do?

Look, Henry...

why don't you talk to her?

Reassure her.

Tell her that it's natural
to feel afraid.


But she shouldn't let her fear
rule her life...

or yours.

Makes sense.
I'll give it a try.

- Thanks, Mike.
- Oh, forget it.

You know, Mike...

my ignoring the stalker

was a way of dealing
with my own fears.

Way down deep I guess...

I'm afraid of the creep.

I know it's hard to believe,

coming from a macho guy
like me.

Hey, I hear you, Henry.
It's gotten to me too.

Of course, I'm not nearly
as macho as you.

Woman on TV: Oh, no.
Timmy forgot his lunch.

Lassie, he-- here, girl.

Take this lunch pail to school.

You just go straight on Elm,
take a left on Fairview,

go down four blocks,
and hang a right.

You can't miss it.

Oh, there's a girl.
[Lassie barks]

[Brandon barks]

Oh, Brandon, let's watch
"The Brady Bunch."

It's the one where Marsha gets
a zit on prom night.

Oh, alright.
We'll watch "Lassie" again.

Punky, dinner.

Punky: Coming, Henry.

[carnival music]

[groans]

Henry, I didn't know
you could juggle.

Neither did I.

Why're we eating so early?

Because I have to go to work.

At night?

Yes, I have a layout that has to
be done by tomorrow morning.

But, Henry, you can't layout
at night by yourself.

Punky, this is not
the first time

I've had to go
to work at night.

It's the first time
since the stalker.

- Let me go with you.
- No, you're staying here.

Mrs. Johnson's coming down
to babysit.

Henry, please don't go.

Punky, listen to me.

I'll be perfectly fine.
Okay?

- I guess.
- That's my girl.

Now, let's eat.

[instrumental music]

[moans]

What's wrong?

All of a sudden,
I don't feel so good.

My stomach's pounding,
my head's scratching

and my throat's upset.

Really?
Oh, my, my!

[sighs]

You don't feel warm to me.

That's on the outside.

Inside,
I'm a towering inherfon.

Oh, sounds serious.

I'll get the thermometer.

[instrumental music]

Now, let's see
if you have a temperature.

Ah, Henry,
when you were gone I, uh,

broke out into a rash.

Oh.

Hmm.

Usually, when a rash smears,

it isn't too serious.

Oh, good.

Now, let's see
if you have a fever.

And just in case,

I'll get you
some children's aspirin.

Now, let's see,
where are they?

Ah, usually behind my Ex-Lax.

Ah, here they are.

Let me see that.

- A .
- Is that high?

Not if you're a radiator.

You better give me some of this
medicine, quick, Henry.

I should give it to the potato.

Why?

Because it would go
with the sour cream

that's on the thermometer.

Punky...

you're really pretending
to be sick

so I won't go to work,
aren't you?

- No, no. I'm really sick.
- Mm-hmm.

Henry, look at my throat,
it hurts.

- I bet it's all red.
- Oh.

Ooh.
And so are your teeth.

Oh, no, it's spreading.

[sighs]

Punky, Mrs. Johnson will be down
here any minute,

and I have to go.

Woman on TV: [moaning]
You know, Lassie,

I do believe
these are the best muffins

you and I have ever baked.

[Lassie barks]

Reporter on TV: And now,
this special update.

The North Side stalker
has claimed victim number eight.

More details
on our nightly news at : .

And Dr. Bud will conclude
his hard-hitting series,

"Dress Shields:
Protection Or Peril?"

Henry, you can't go now.

Well, the sooner I go,
the sooner I get back.

I don't wanna miss
Dr. Bud's "Dress Shield" expose.

Henry, I'm serious.
The stalker's out there.

He'll get you!

[instrumental music]

Come, Punky, sit next to me.

I think that it's time
you and I had a little talk.

About what?

Fear.

Everyone in this city

is afraid
because of the stalker.

People are locking
their doors and their windows

and being more concerned
about their safety.

That's healthy fear.

So, it's good to be afraid?

Up to a point.

If you're so scared, that you
won't go out of the house,

or you spend
all your time worrying,

that's an unhealthy fear.

I don't care!

I still don't want you to go.

Why not?

Because you'll never come back.

How do you know that?

That's what always happens.

My father left
and never came back.

Then my mom left,
and she never came back either.

I've lost so many people
in my life.

You're the one I love the best.

I couldn't stand it
if I lost you.

[instrumental music]

You know...

I worry about losing you too.

You do?

Every time
you cross the street,

I wanna be with you
to make sure you're safe.

But I realize I can't be
with you all the time.

I have to trust you
to be very careful

when you cross the street.

I am. I always look both ways.

I know you do.

That's why you always come back
safe and sound.

And you, Punky...

have to trust me

to be very careful
when I go out tonight.

So I can come back to you
safe and sound.

Is it a deal?

Promise you'll be extra careful?

I'll be extra, extra careful.

Don't worry.

I'm a tough old bird.
You're not gonna lose me.

Cross your heart?

Cross my heart and hope to...

I'll just cross my heart.

[knock at door]

Hi, Betty.

Well, how could you
open the door

without asking who is it?

Who is it?

Mrs. Johnson: Very funny, Henry.
Open the door.

Goodnight, Punky.
I won't be long.

Okay, Henry. Bye.

Henry, you wanna borrow
my mace?

That won't be necessary.

Well, you take good care
of yourself out there.

Don't worry, he will.

He's a tough old bird.

[instrumental music]

[theme music]
Post Reply