Milk Does a Body Good

12/1/85

Henry invites Richard Whitney and his daughter Julie, the new neighbors, over for dinner. Punky, Cherie, and Julie are making a cake for after dinner when they see Julie's picture on the back of a milk carton, and it says that her real name is Jennifer Bates, and that she went missing from Lawrence, Kansas. Jennifer runs to her apartment and shows Richard the milk carton. The next thing Richard knows, Jennifer has run away, but Richard refuses to let anyone call the cops. Punky finds Jennifer in the tree house. Jennifer's mad at her father, but Punky tells Jennifer how lucky she is to have him. She then comes back in with Punky, and asks Richard why her picture was on the milk carton. Richard admits that after he and Jennifer's mother Roberta got divorced, she got custody of Jennifer and had cruelly been trying to cut Richard's visitation rights as much as possible in an effort to hurt Richard by keeping him out of Jennifer's life, and Richard loves Jennifer too much to be kept out of her life. Richard knew that Roberta and her new husband were planning to move to the west coast, which would make it to where he would hardly ever get to see Jennifer again, and he ran off with Jennifer so he could stay in her life. Richard decides to call Roberta and tell her where Jennifer is.

Christmas Shoplifting

Air date: 12/15/85

Misled by schoolmate Richmond Matzie, Punky shoplifts a cashmere scarf for Henry as a Christmas gift, and unknowingly switches bags with Mike - and an innocent Mike is put in jail. Punky and Henry get Mike out when Punky explains everything.

Urban Fear

Air date: 1/5/86

A report appears on the TV news about the Northside Stalker, a serial killer in the area who has claimed seven victims so far. Betty and Henry discuss the situation a bit, with Henry telling her to keep it down so the girls don't hear them talking about it. The girls already know, however, and Punky starts to fear for Henry's life, especially when another victim is claimed. Henry remains committed to keeping calm, but Punky is drawing some disturbing pictures in art class and trying everything in the book to keep Henry away from night work at the studio. Henry assures Punky that it's okay to be afraid, but it's not healthy to let her fear completely take over everything she ever does. Henry also assures Punky that he does not intend to let anyone get him.

Girls will be Boys

Air date: 1/12/86

Henry comes home from his Benevolent Order of Buffalo meeting with a package for Punky that she won in a contest sponsored by a hobby shop. It's a remote-controlled race car. Apparently, with a name like Punky, the sponsor didn't know if Punky was a boy or a girl. Nonetheless, Punky wants to keep the car and race it, much to Henry' chagrin. Richmond Matzie and his father and the boys won't let Punky race the new remote control car on their regulation track, just because she's a girl. It seems that too many people are against Punky, so while Mike is setting Henry straight, Punky and Cherie take matters into their own hands, disguising as boys in order to gain access to the track, though they accidentally reveal themselves just before the race. Henry arrives to argue Punky's right to race, and she's granted permission to race. She wins, and after accepting the trophy, she says, "I'm going to put it next to my dolls."

Cherie Lifesaver

Air date: 1/19/86

Henry's old refrigerator breaks down, and it can't be used anymore. Later, at the school, Mike teaches CPR to his class while Henry is putting the refrigerator outside the apartment building for the Salvation Army to pick up. At home after school, Punky and her friends play a game of hide-and-seek. When it starts snowing while Henry is preparing to remove the door from the old refrigerator after buying a new one, Henry tells Punky, Allen, and Margaux to help him and Betty look for Cherie, who still hasn't been found in the hide-and-seek game. Henry and Allen are shocked to find Cherie trapped inside of the old refrigerator. It makes Punky and Margaux thankful that they learned CPR, and makes Allen feel devastated that he was sent to the principal's office during the lesson. Henry and Allen decide to learn CPR together, after watching Punky and Margaux save Cherie's life with it.