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
Runtime: 29m
On family photo day, the gang learns about diverse types of families. Nuzzle and Sizzle see a single-parent family, a grandparent lead family, and an adoptive family.
Runtime: 29m
Julie is upset because her mother gives so much attention to her baby sister, Helen. Nuzzle is suspicious of the newly installed pet door.
Runtime: 29m
Ben’s lack of exposure to diversity causes him to assume that Tim can’t be Leon’s cousin because Tim is too fair-skinned. When he learns he is wrong, Ben’s openness in accepting his mistake helps his view of the world grow as he discovers that even people who are the same race have different colors of skin.
Runtime: 29m
Skye worries that the others won't play with him because his parents refuse to buy an expensive new toy. Nuzzle fakes an injury to get sympathy.
Runtime: 29m
The gang wants to throw Kiki a birthday party, but they learn that she likes different things than they do. Meanwhile, Sizzle becomes a Mexican heartthrob's biggest fan.
Runtime: 29m
Skye refuses to let Leon wear his Apache necklace, and Leon gets upset. When the kids hide Nuzzle and Sizzle’s favorite toys, they search everywhere to find them.
Runtime: 29m
Skye is directing the kids' production of Rapunzel. Julie gets mad when he praises costar Ben so she hits him to get a peace of her mind. Kiki and Jody do not appear in this episode.
Runtime: 29m
Skye and Ben exclude Kiki and Julie from their Count Spookula club because they don't think girls like spooky stuff, but they learn that some girls do like scary stuff, and some boys don't. Leon and Jody do not appear in this episode. Sizzle and Nuzzle only make cameo appearances.
Runtime: 29m
Julie and Ben are surprised by Kyle's new activity of rock climbing. They incorrectly assume that people who use wheelchairs can't do something physically challenging, like climbing rocks. They soon become Kyle's biggest supporters, though.
Runtime: 29m
Skye is ignored when he asks to use a video game so he assumes the girl is being mean. Then he discovers that she didn't hear him because she is deaf. After he learns some sign language, he realizes he has found a new friend. Nuzzle gets interrupted from his nap by Sizzle trying to catch a butterfly. Julie, Ben, and Jody do not appear in this episode.
