Pingu Runs Away (Pingu)

Pingu Runs Away From Home is an episode from Pingu, it is the 14th episode of the first season and is overall the 14th episode of the Pingu series.

Plot
Pingu and his family are having dinner, but Pingu is feeling grumpy because he is forced to eat his spinach. After unintentionally ruining the dinner, he runs away from home after getting spanked and yelled at. When Pingu is frightened by some scary ice statues, his parents are sad with how they treated Pingu to go out and search for him and all is forgiven.

Why This Episode Should Run Away

 * 1) The episode is infamous for it's extremely mean-spirited and dark nature, and this is in a kid's show, keep in mind.
 * 2) The episode is also nothing more than a Pingu torture episode and this is one of the prime examples when the torture is set to 11.
 * 3) Perhaps the most infamous moment is when Pingu's mother straight up spanks him. And his father felt he deserved it and refused to hug him when he wanted one. This is, with out question, one of the single most mean-spirited moments to have happen in a kids show, and is the main reasons as to why this episode is so disliked.
 * 4) Granted, Pingu was just as unlikable as his parents in the beginning, as he refused to eat spinach, threw a meatball at his mother, swung on his chair and pulled the tablecloth so all the food and dishes were ruined, but that doesn't excuse that part.
 * 5) The faces from the mounds of ice look way too scary for it's target audience. It frightened them as much as it did to poor Pingu.
 * 6) Overall, because of it's extremely mean-spirited and dark nature, "Pingu Runs Away From Home" feels more like an Adult Swim episode, rather then be an episode from a SproutKids show like Pingu.

Redeeming Qualities

 * 1) Surprising good ending: Pingu's parents searched and apologized for the harsh treatment they gave him, and go to bed all happy.
 * 2) Depending on your view, Pingu swinging on his chair is funny.
 * 3) Good stop-motion animation as usual.

Reception
The episode was critically panned by fans and critics alike, and was criticized for it's heavy dark subject matter with some considering it one of the worst episodes of Pingu.

The episode's subject matter was enough for the US and UK to unofficially ban the episode in 2005.

Videos
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRCYZeN7WaM