Peacock's Punky Brewster is a pretty safe and average example of a "neutral nostalgia reboot"

The Hollywood Reporter

"There are reboots that exercise progressive nostalgia," says Daniel Fienberg. "Those shows use elements of the original to attempt something new and meta within a modern world. Peacock's recent Saved By the Bell only occasionally lived up to its aspirations, but isolated the things that were best about the original and used what didn't work to build out a post-modern reflection on class and gender in the sitcom format. There are reboots — more than in the above category — that exercise regressive nostalgia. Those shows effectively pretend the world hasn't changed or moved on; they're badly dated sitcoms ill-suited for modernity. I point to the first season of Netflix's Fuller House as the exemplar of this type. Did Fuller House eventually find a way to grow or adapt? No clue. I don't have time for regressive nostalgia. Finally — and least likely to result in either greatness or awfulness — there are the reboots that exercise neutral nostalgia. These shows might try to pretend that the rhythms and tone of sitcoms haven't changed, but they're at least aware that the world has changed; they try to be the same type of show as the original, but with accommodations for the 21st century. Peacock's new Punky Brewster is a pretty safe and average example of a neutral nostalgia reboot. It's not oblivious to the differences between 1984 and 2021 and it's conscious of the new challenges of wearing the sitcom-with-heart moniker today. But in its broad approach to both the 'sitcom' and 'heart,' it's basically just Punky Brewster, with all the inconsistencies that entails." Fienberg adds: "Does it matter that Punky Brewster was part of an '80s sitcom subgenre about kids adopted by questionably suited parents, from Diff'rent Strokes to Webster to Small Wonder? Nah. This is not a reboot that has given consideration to what the property meant in 1984 and what it means now, or to the generally changing sitcom landscape. It hasn't become a strikingly more mature or clever show to pander to its older, possibly wiser core audience. I didn't laugh in six episodes, but I smiled here and there. It isn't so stuck in a rut that it made me angry, nor so adroit that it made me look forward to future episodes. It's nostalgia-neutral and quality-neutral as well."

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• Punky Brewster is an aimless revival that fails to grow up with her: "With charisma to spare, Punky Brewster catapulted to the kind of cultural relevance that has defined similarly regarded productions like The Facts Of Life, Webster, and Saved By The Bell," says Shannon Miller. "The dauntless heroine shares another commonality with her fellow NBC alums over at Bayside High: Her series is the latest to get the revival bump from Peacock thanks to the unyielding seduction of nostalgia. But while the newest, most self-aware iteration of Saved By The Bell managed to find the sweet spot between its dated source material and today’s comedic palette, the new Punky Brewster simply dons an ill-fitted costume of an aged-up favorite without sincerely growing up, remaining reliant on old catchphrases and adorable spunk without unearthing anything that is truly fresh. And while a little mindless escapism and vaguely comforting warmth can’t hurt, it is ultimately a continuation of a story that firmly ended over 30 years ago."
• There’s plenty of original Punky charm to go around: "Cynics may cringe at an adult woman boasting about her 'Punky power' years later, but Frye’s pure commitment to joy (not to mention physical comedy) is as infectious as ever," says Daniel D'Addario. He points out that the reboot is in line with the original Punky Brewster. "While some fans may find the lack of depth in such storytelling disappointing, the approach is in line with what the original 1980s series first presented," he says. "The original Punky Brewster—which tackled topics like the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion and the dangers of playing hide-and-seek in a retro refrigerator—sometimes aired in 15-minute installments in order to keep a consistent, post-football schedule on Sunday nights for eager younger viewers. In that vein the family friendly revival can be seen as a way to briefly introduce tough topics to families and children, creating a launchpad for further conversations after the end credits roll."
• Fans of the original series will find themselves well served by this reboot, though others may want to take a “Punky Power” nap instead: "Unlike Peacock’s Saved by the Bell, which is as much a critique of the original as a continuation, the new Punky Brewster is aimed squarely at longtime fans — the ones who shared Punky’s trauma over the space shuttle Challenger exploding, or those who still nurse an unhealthy fear of empty refrigerators after Punky’s friend got trapped inside one — who now hope to share their affinity and fond memories with their kids," says Zaki Hasan. "Helping things enormously on that front is the genuine joie de vivre Frye brings to the main character. Even with a Punky far removed from her ’80s origins, the actress’ obvious love for her most famous alter ego is plain to see, and it’s a pleasure to watch her have so much fun stepping back into her signature mismatched sneakers."
• Punky Brewster will remind fans of Fuller House: "Like that series, Punky relies on both mom humor (complete with jokes about being out-of-touch and growing up in the ’80s) and the nostalgia of the original series, with just enough changes to avoid cries of outright copying its predecessor," says Kristen Lopez, adding: "In the end, Punky Brewster definitely has an uphill battle to stand out from the endless reboots. Compared to Peacock’s other revival, Saved By the Bell, this retread does feel toothless and safe. But if you’re looking for family entertainment with a dependable cast, this will work."
• Child actor Oliver De Los Santos on playing Punky's gender non-conforming son: “I think the reason Daniel is so confident and open with his family is because Punky has really provided so much love and support to all the kids and is accepting of them as their own people,” the 11-year-old De Los Santos tells The Wrap. “And he trusts that she loves him. But also, I think that he just knows that it’s important to do what feels best for yourself and be true to yourself. And it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. I’m really proud to be bringing Daniel to life on TV, and I hope that it gives anyone out there who needs encouragement to be their true selves the confidence to know that it’s OK to do that.”
• How Cherie Johnson learned her character would be queer in the reboot: "My first reaction was, 'You guys better get me a hottie' ... and they did," said Johnson. "At first they were all kind of speechless. I don't know what they thought my reaction was going to be. (Soleil Moony Frye) wanted to call and tell me what they wanted to pitch me, but they didn't want her to have to make that phone call because they didn't know how my reaction was going to be, but I was thrilled. And I think I was more excited than they expected because for me representation definitely matters."
• Soleil Moon Frye has been wanting a Punky Brewster reboot for years: “I don’t know where I end and she (Punky) begins because we are so much the same,” she says, adding that “Punky has really been such a part of my heart."
• Did Frye feel pressure to match the weight of the original?: "I knew that the people who grew up with Punky would want me to capture the life experiences that we go through in an authentic way, so we really tried to keep that through-line throughout," she says. "The writers were so incredible in seeing experiences that were going on in our personal lives and bringing them into the episodes. I can truly say some of my proudest moments in watching the show with my kids, who span the ages of 4 to 15, is that they tell me, "I just wish I had this sooner." If we can create programming that is entertaining, but where you can have conversations around the dinner table and be able to talk about important topics in our lives, it's the greatest gift."