Pee-wee's Playhouse (Season 0)

The Pee-wee Herman Show (Episode 1)

Air date: 1981-09-11

Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (Episode 2)

Writer: John Paragon

Air date: 1988-12-21

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: It's the wildest holiday ever when some V.I.P.'s (Very Important Persons) stop by to wish Pee-wee a V.M.C. (Very Merry Christmas)! Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon are off the beach and on Pee-wee's floor making Christmas cards, Magic Johnson joins Pee-wee for a wild sleigh ride in the Magic Screen, and Dinah Shore sings the "12 Days (or so) of Christmas!" Joan Rivers, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg wish Pee-wee a merry Christmas and a happy new "year." Pee-wee shows Little Richard how to ice skate, and Charo, K.D. Lang, the Del Rubio triplets, and Grace Jones perform fun yuletide carols! However, Pee-wee's got a problem larger than his mounting fruitcake collection when perhaps the M.I.P. (Most Important Person), Santa Claus, drops by to tell him that his Christmas wish list is just too long, and no one else will get presents if he doesn't shorten it! Will he keep the gifts, or will he help Santa deliver?

The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway (Episode 3)

Air date: 2011-03-19

Building the Playhouse (Episode 4)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: Some great interviews which help to trace the genesis of the show and, ultimately, the incredible production design.

Opening the Playhouse (Episode 5)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: A fun look at the opening multi-media title sequence.

Writing for the Playhouse (Episode 6)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: Doesn't just concentrate on the word writers, but on other writers, like composer Mark Mothersbaugh.

The Look of the Playhouse (Episode 7)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: Good companion piece to the Building featurette, offering more of a look at some of the construction process for the show's incredible array of props, sets and costumes.

Music of the Playhouse (Episode 8)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: Profiles Mothersbaugh and his compositional process for the series.

The Cast of the Playhouse (Episode 9)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: A loving look at the series' truly phenomenal performers, many of whom have gone on to greater renown (and at least one, Phil Hartman, to his "greater reward". The featurette also nicely includes some of the behind the scenes performers who helped bring characters like Chairy to life.

Puppets of the Playhouse (Episode 10)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: A great look at the production and manipulation of the show's puppets.

Animating the Playhouse (Episode 11)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: Details the many different animation techniques which were utilized in the series.

A Very Merry Christmas Special (Episode 12)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: Goes behind the scenes of this special episode.

Fans and Memorabilia of the Playhouse (Episode 13)

Runtime: 30 min

Overview: Looks at the lasting impact of the show courtesy of tchokes that fans still collect.