Pingu Runs Away

Pingu Runs Away
Season 01, Episode 14

Date	1990 (production year)
Previous	Skiing
Next	Building Igloos

Pingu Runs Away (sometimes known as Pingu Runs Away from Home) is the fourteenth episode of the first season.

Plot

Pingu's parents are enjoying a quiet dinner, but Pingu isn't happy because he is fed up with boiled green vegetables. Mother and Father decide to share their food. Father gives Mother a piece of his fish, Mother gives Father some of her greens and then tries to get Pingu to eat some of her beetroot, but he refuses and throws it at Mother’s chest. Father becomes enraged and tells him off, but Pingu ignores him and then decides to rock in his chair until he rocks too far. He tries to stop himself falling backwards by grabbing the table cloth, but he falls anyway, pulling the table cloth with him. All the food goes everywhere and the plates get smashed against the wall. His parents become furious and Mother spanks him. Pingu asks his father for a hug after that, but he rejects it, so he leaves the igloo crying, feeling that his parents don't love him anymore. As he leaves, he threatens to never come home again.

Back inside, Pingu's parents enjoy some quiet time, Father is knitting and Mother is reading the newspaper. She notices how late it is getting and asks Father if she should get Pingu but Father is sure Pingu will be back soon a wiser penguin, not realising about his threats. Meanwhile, Pingu starts to become scared when he realises how dangerous the outdoors can be at night. He nearly gets crushed by falling ice, and then comes face to face with menacing mounds of ice which look like monsters with horrible hands. Terrified, he runs off and hides inside an ice cave. There, he sits and waits for help.

Back home, Mother is very worried about how late it is and the fact that Pingu has still not returned. Father decides that this time they should go and look for him. Mother walks ahead and calls for Pingu while Father drives close behind on the tractor sledge. Pingu hears his mother's calls and replies. Happy to see her son, Mother grabs Pingu and hugs him, calling to Father to drive over. Father states that it would have not happened if he and Mother had not been so angry and he apologises to Pingu. Father drives them home and Mother feeds Pingu a bowl of hot soup in front of a warm log fire. Then they all go to bed together happily.

Characters

Censorship

Since the 1990s, "Pingu Runs Away" was deemed controversial due to its offensive scenes (including Mother spanking Pingu and Pingu running away from home). As a result, "Pingu Runs Away" was placed under unofficial ban from broadcast or video distribution from the US by The Pygos Group and other rights-holders and broadcasters (including The Paley Center for Media, Turner Broadcasting, PBS Kids, and HiT Entertainment). Also, the episode contains dark, frightening images that have scared many young viewers. Due to the upsetting themes in this episode also, it was removed from British television in 2005. This was also one of the few episodes pulled from US airings due to its offensive material. It was, however, released on the US VHS/DVD Antarctic Antics.

Trivia

This episode and another take place before The New Arrival. The reason for this is that Pinga has not appeared yet.

Goofs

The front door is opened from the inside twice in this episode, but the background outside is different both times.
The tractor sledge has doors and a bell instead of a horn in this episode.
The scary mounds of ice keep changing their positions.