Synopsis
The Puzzle Place is an American children's television series produced by KCET in Los Angeles, California and Lancit Media in New York City, New York. It premiered on the Public Broadcasting Service on January 16, 1995, and ran for about four years, airing its final episode on December 4, 1998. Reruns were continued until March 31, 2000. The show followed a multi-ethnic group of kids from different parts of the United States who hung out at "the Puzzle Place", which is a teen hangout themed around jigsaw puzzle pieces. In each episode the characters were confronted with an everyday conflict usually encountered in childhood and even early teenagerdom, such as making moral decisions, sharing, racism, sexism, etc.
Episodes
1E1Tippy WooJulie obtains a teddy bear, and names it after herself "Tippy Wu". She also remarks on some unflattering nicknames other kids have given her, per her last name "Wu".29m2E2Train Driving KidsThe boys have a model train but refuse to share with the girls, insisting it’s a boys’ activity. Gradually everyone takes to other suggested activities, leaving only Leon and Kiki still wanting to play with the model train. Nuzzle struggles to play a toy xylophone.29m3E3Rip Van WrinkleLeon, Kiki, Julie and Skye host a slumber party, but have to work together to help each other's bedtime routines/needs be met, or else the “slumber” part will be difficult. Sizzle and Nuzzle try to be nocturnal, but it’s harder than it seems. Ben and Jody only make cameo appearances.29m4E4Accentuate the PositiveKiki dresses as a space alien, distressed that other kids at school laughed at her Hispanic accent.29m5E5Gotta DanceThe kids obtain a sheet of dance steps and learn of various cultural dances while trying to decipher it. Sizzle recalls the time Nuzzle criticized her for carrying her tail wrong and refuses to dance with him again.29m6E6Rudy OneA robot shows up at the Puzzle Place and befriends Leon, while insulting everyone else, in an attempt to sabotage everyone’s friendship. Sizzle turns to Nuzzle for advice after a new cat calls her a “snooty patootie.”29m7E7ButterfingersThe kids hold a relay race, but Ben drops his baton, prompting the nickname “Butterfingers” from everyone else. Nuzzle tries to show off his bravado by wanting to be called “Professor Muscles.”29m8E8Rock DreamsSkye aspires to perform music, but is discouraged by the fact that he doesn't know very many Native American performers. Eventually he makes contact with Native American Robby Romero and his band, Red Thunder, who reassure him. Nuzzle gets so tired of watching Sizzle listen to Swiss yodeling music that he tries to make her yodel herself.29m9E9RoamanticsBen brings in an ant farm to show everyone, but Leon unwittingly wreaks havoc in an attempt to give the ants fresh air, and has to make some sacrifices to restore order to The Puzzle Place. Nuzzle gets carried away with a roll of paper towel.29m10E10Spud BudsSkye finds a party box in the kitchen, but everyone else is too distracted watching TV to take interest. Nuzzle wishes he hadn’t let Sizzle use a flying machine all she wants.29m11E11Different DrummerJulie plays referee to Skye and Leon’s dispute over whose cultural drum is more significant. The two eventually agree that both drugs are significant in their own way, and neither's is necessarily better. Sizzle takes up skateboarding.29m12E12I Love KikiKiki is at a loss as to what to do when she unwittingly “breaks” Julie’s toy horse, and can't bring herself to tell her. Sizzle looks after the sneaker that Nuzzle likes to chew on, but when the Piece Police throw it out as she naps, she panics. Ben does not appear in this episode.29m13E13True ColorsThe kids all partner up to paint one another, but initially can’t find a suitable paint color for everyone. Their second attempt, using chalk of different colors, is much more successful. Sizzle wants to paint a self-portrait, but it’s too hard for her.29m14E14Cute Is as Cute DoesJulie wants to emulate her favorite singer, Penny Candy, but sees her true colors when a crisis in the greenhouse hits. Nuzzle bores Sizzle to sleep when he tries to show her a photo album of when he was a puppy. Leon and Ben only make cameo appearances.29m15E15Leon's PizzaLeon wants to make a pizza for everyone, but he needs a creative solution to satisfy everyone’s different topping preferences. Sizzle and Nuzzle fight over which toy is better.29m16E16Real HeroesThe kids compare their favorite superheroes but need to band together when the pets get caught in a dangerous situation.29m17E17Going By the BookThe kids want to play Sleeping Beauty, but as four of them don’t fit the description of the protagonists, they research other princes and princesses that reflect their individual heritages.29m18E18Mad Music MagicKiki leads the kids in a makeshift band, but her authority seems to do more harm than good when she won’t allow them to play their preferred instruments. Sizzle attends her cousin’s birthday party, so Nuzzle tries to be the dog and the cat at the same time.29m19E19Party of OneLeon learns a hard lesson in racism when he’s barred from attending a friend’s birthday party simply because he’s African-American. Nuzzle refuses to fetch a stick for Kiki because she didn’t say “the magic word” (which Sizzle tries in vain to guess).29m20E20Dancing DragonSkye and Kiki unwittingly invade Julie’s privacy by opening a package meant for her. Nuzzle and Sizzle cause some mischief with it.29m21E21Picture PerfectBen is unwilling to wear his glasses for a group picture because of some teasing, but unwittingly wreaks havoc when he spends a day without them. Nuzzle goes for a “hip cat” approach, which fails to impress Sizzle.29m22E22Maiden VoyagesWhile the others turn the basement into a moonwalk with many balloons, Kiki and Julie enjoy moon cakes, but a humorous misunderstanding may mean Julie will marry Leon.29m23E23Donuts and DitheringThe kids receive six assorted donuts, and Jody gets first dibs, but she struggles to decide which one she wants. Leon attempts to manipulate her choice to keep her from picking the one he wants, but it backfires. Sizzle and Nuzzle so badly want to take a donut themselves.29m24E24Bully for JodyJody is a victim of bullying when a bigger student keeps stealing her lunch. Sizzle also tries to keep away a bigger cat.29m25E25Ben's Bad Hair DayBen attempts to change his “boring” hairstyle with disastrous results, before learning that his hair was fine the way it was.29m26E26All Weather FriendsWhen a storm hits the Puzzle Place, Leon is embarrassed to admit he is afraid of thunder and lightning.29m27E27Bread and MatzohSkye brings some special bread from his tribe to share with the kids but is troubled when Jody refuses to try any for eight days. It turns out the reason is because of one of her own Jewish customs. Sizzle and Nuzzle get very hungry because the kids forget to feed them.29m28E28Owning ItLeon obtains a new watch but drives everyone else crazy with it, causing them to snap back at him. Kiki is preparing chili in the kitchen, and Sizzle and Nuzzle want to taste it so badly.29m29E29Baffled BenBen is struggling to put together a puzzle but angrily snaps and puts down anyone who tries to help him. He also insults Skye's special plant, which grows when complimented, but shrinks when put down.29m30E30Practice Makes PerfectWhile nearly all the kids are sick with chickenpox, Skye finds a guitar and wants to play it, but he is slow to understand that he has to put time and effort into becoming good at it. Sizzle tries playing billiards. Ben and Julie only make cameo appearances.29m31E31Finders KeepersJulie finds Skye’s misplaced Apache pollen pouch and is so enamored with it that she doesn’t return it right away, damaging her friendship with Skye when she finally does. Jody does not appear in this episode. However, she does send the other kids an automatic popcorn snack, which, when heating up, makes Sizzle and Nuzzle curious. Ben only makes cameo appearances.29m32E32You Say PotatoThe kids bring in items for a picnic but can’t seem to agree on where to have it. While Leon and Jody are content to go anywhere, Skye and Julie prefer the mountains and Ben and Kiki prefer the park. Even the two duos can’t agree on the specifics. Sizzle and Nuzzle are excited to go on the picnic themselves, especially for bird-watching.29m33E33At the End of Our RopeThe boys challenge the girls to a game of tug of war but are unexpectedly defeated and can’t figure out why.29m34E34Just KiddingThe others tease Skye when he forgets to bring a bat to a baseball game, prompting Skye to get upset and leave. Ben feels badly their teasing, even though they were just joking. Sizzle and Nuzzle climb up a tree in the greenhouse but are too scared to come down. Leon and Kiki only make cameo appearances.29m35E35Everything In Its PlaceKiki makes plans to clean the place, but it doesn’t go as planned.29m36E36Big Boys Don't CryLeon cries when the others exclude him from his own pancake making recipe and is labelled a “crybaby” by Ben and Skye. Julie convinces the two that they've had reason to cry in the past. Sizzle and Nuzzle filch all the pancakes made, and get sick from doing so.29m37E37Here's to the WinnersBen becomes discouraged when everyone but him has won a trophy for something, even though he does have an impressive skill that’s worthy of a prize in and of itself. Sizzle and Nuzzle do not appear in this episode, and Skye and Julie only make cameo appearances.29m38E38A World of DifferenceEveryone except Skye disguise themselves as identical superheroes, but Skye can use each one's individual quirks to tell who is who.29m39E39Willing and AbleBen takes pity on Skye’s friend Kyle, who’s in a wheelchair. Sizzle and Nuzzle find out the hard way that she can’t bury a bone and he can’t climb a tree. Leon and Kiki only make a cameo appearance in this episode.29m40E40It's MagicKiki becomes scared when her friends disappear after a failed magic act. Nuzzle becomes inspired by a heroic dog on TV.29m
Cast
