The Search

"The Search" is the ninth episode in the second season of Punky Brewster.

Summary
Punky's feeling a little depressed because Mike has assigned she and her classmates to each work on their family tree. It's making Punky want her mother Susan back in her life. When Mike has a talk with Punky in the tree house, Mike tells Punky something surprising: Mike was born on November 23, 1955, and his mother gave him up for adoption when he was just a few days old, and he was never adopted, so he grew up in Fenster Hall. That inspires Punky and Mike to help each other search for their mothers.

After six weeks of searching, Henry finally gets a lead on Mike's mother...and it leads him right to the phone number of Mike's mother Lois Collins (Janet MacLachlan), who is less than thrilled. Punky gets herself into a position to figure out more from Lois, finding out that she was 16 years old when Mike was born. Years after Lois gave Mike up, she moved on to have another family. Punky makes a plea for Mike based on her own experiences, and while Lois doesn't take it well at first, Mike soon gets a visit to his classroom for a joyful reunion with Lois. The fact that Mike has been happily united with Lois delights Punky, who feels thankful that Henry found her and took her in after her mother Susan abandoned her a year ago. (In the opening of the episode, Punky meets up with a teacher, played by Peyton B. Rutledge, while running down the stairs. She is the real-life Penelope "Punky" Brewster, whom then-NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff had a crush on as a child. He had her tracked down and gotten legal permission to use her name, then she was given a cameo appearance and royalties.)

Trivia

 * Mike finally his long lost mother.
 * Peyton B. Rutledge who's the real life Punky Brewster plays a teacher due to being a childhood crush of former NBC programming chief Brandon Tartikoff
 * Punky would tell Izzy about the events of this episode in the reboot episode Mother's Day.

Cast

 * Soleil Moon Frye as Punky Brewster
 * Cherie Johnson as Cherie Johnson
 * George Gaynes as Henry Warnimont
 * Susie Garrett as Betty Johnson
 * T. K. Carter as Mike Fulton
 * Ami Foster as Margaux Kramer
 * Casey Ellison as Allen Anderson
 * Sandy as Brandon "the Wonder Dog"
 * Janet MacLachlan as Lois Collins
 * Peyton B. Rutledge as Mrs. Rutledge