Tug-3 Review of Pee-wee's Playhouse

Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986–1991)

Only now do you realize the power of the dark side!

[23 November 1998]

Ten years after CBS pulled Pee-Wee from the Saturday morning line-up, it seems people are starting to realize what a piece of work his show really was. This show made the first real strides in children's programming since Sesame Street came along in 1968. Pee-Wee realized that programming should never be dumbed down for kids, so he filled his show with all sorts of in-jokes and far-out ideas. The playhouse itself is a Dali-esque gallery of weird creatures and set pieces. Countless imitators have followed, but none seem to live up to the imagination and sincerity of *Pee-Wee's Playhouse.*