The Pee-Wee Herman Show (1981 TV Movie) User Reviews

brilliant sketch comedy

[funkyfry · 9/10 · 15 September 2008]

This is just a hilarious and unique thing, a filmed act that Paul Reubens was doing in the early 80s that could be described as theater or stand-up or whatever you want to call it. Essentially it's like an adult or R-rated version of what he later did with "Pee Wee's Playhouse" -- it's a ribald satire of 1950s and 60s local access kiddie shows, and seems to take place in an alternate universe from one of Captain Kangaroo's nightmares. Reubens' Pee Wee act never was better, because he's really cut loose and crazy. This reminds me more of his famous David Letterman appearances and so forth as opposed to some of the more toned down stuff he did later on when he figured out you could make even more money from actually catering to kids and not just spoofing them.

One of the other great joys in this little filmed sketch is Phil Hartman in a hilarious bit as Kap'n Karl, whose love for Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart) forms whatever plot this hourlong sketch has to offer. Hartman was such a joy in these kinds of roles, and it's great to have this video on hand whenever I get nostalgic for his talent.

If you watch this movie sober, by the end of the movie you will feel like you just ingested LSD or some other mind altering drug. The graphics and the whole style of thing is brilliantly stylized and carried out with perfection, never once with a wink or a nod towards the audience. And going on with the drug metaphor, compared to the excellent show and even Tim Burton's wonderful Pee-Wee film, this little video (which I first saw on HBO in the early 90s) is the uncut and undilluted stuff. Fans of Pee-Wee Herman and of sketch comedy in general will want to seek it out, and watching it might just generate some new fans as well.

A Satiric Gem

[slayer_of_the_jugga_phuk · 8/10 · 1 March 2006]

Well... this special was definitely unique. At first I figured it would be good to watch because I like to watch child comedy shows to make fun of some of the things they say, but when I watched this I honestly think this a satiric look at all those other child shows, making fun of them while aiming towards adults who are sick of them, while being too mature for children to understand the sometimes HORRIDLY crude jokes thrown in so they, as well, can be entertained. This way a parent can watch a show with their kids and enjoy it for once.

Overall, I believe this to be quite entertaining if you understand that by no means is this truly child oriented, it is adult humour.

An unbelievably fun way to spend an hour.

[Joe-124 · 18 January 1999]

I've always thought that "Pee Wee's Playhouse" was geared toward adults more than kids, but "The Pee Wee Herman Show" is unquestionably adult-oriented comedy. I first saw this show on HBO in the early 80's, and watched a dozen times before tears from laughing so hard began to slow. This well-written, fast-paced, well-performed "play" lays the ground work for Reubens' subsequent films and tv shows.

A complete masterpiece.

[staircar · 10/10 · 8 October 2001]

I can't think of many things that make me laugh harder than that piece of cake Phil gets in the lunch line. I just can't watch this too many times. It remains funny every time I see it. Words can't explain my rapture at Captain Carl's hand-washing dance. The day Phil Hartman died, I wandered about the dorms mournfully intoning "A sailor travels to many lands/Any place he please/And he always remembers to wash his hands/So's he don't gets no diseases." God bless you, Mr. Herman, wherever you are!

Hyperactive PeeWee

[Theresa-3215 · 7/10 · 23 November 2023]

This is a very fun show with PeeWee Herman. Paul Reuben's character is not a child here, but a youngish teen.

Here he is a nerd on a sugar high getting into whatever he feels like. Lots of joyous fun to be had with all his friends antics.

Singing , talking to the furniture, reading mail-and interacting with all his friends is only part of this day glo piece.

I really didn't catch much of the adult humor. I thought much of the humor was a reference to the 1950s -1970s kid's tv shows. There was lots of nostalgic moments.

What I was most impressed with was PeeWee's athleticism. He runs, jumps, and dances across the stage during the whole show. He resembles a real life Peter Pan.

As fun as all the goings on in the Playhouse with his friend (including talking furniture, lot of puppets, and eccentric neighbors ) it was just too much for me. It was too much sensory overload.

All in all, I loved the PeeWee character-but for me I am better suited to his interactions with David Letterman.

I will miss this character and Paul Reubens. He was such a funny and sweet man.

The cake looked delicious....

[seles_girl · 21 February 2003]

the first time I saw this, I nearly died laughing. It's not Pee Wee for kids, and it is SO funny! my dad laughed at it and he laughs at nothing. I would highly reccomend this to anyone...whatever your sense of humor is, you will find something funny in it from the songs, to the Mr. Bungle Sketch, to Captain Carl, you will laugh so hard.

Pee Wee is a genius

[goldenhawk40 · 27 December 2003]

I remember seeing this on HBO when it first came out, and it hasn't lost anything in the 22 years since. It is still hysterical.

I wish Paul Reubens would bring Pee Wee back, even though I really like him in his non-Pee Wee roles. I just need Pee Wee.

Pee-wee, rated PG-13

[sauguaro · 31 January 1999]

This is early Pee Wee filmed at the Roxy Theater in Hollywood. I picked this video up to entertain my kid and ended up watching it myself. It was great. Much funnier that the TV show that would come much later.

Cool Man

[peeweehoglie · 13 July 2001]

This was the first show I ever saw Pee-wee Herman and I thought he was funny on The Pee-wee Herman Show. The other actors are good but Pee-wee was funniest out of all the actors. I first saw this when I was little and I laughed out loud and I almost cried because I believe that Pee-wee is the funniest comedian in the world. The show was cool and I rate it 10 out of 10 because Pee-wee is the funniest and the whole show is funny.

Funny funny funny

[shrinkv · 27 May 2000]

i'd vote 10 if I could... This is some strange and hilarious stuff Ruebens is a comic genius you'll laugh and laugh

Has its ups and downs. Sometimes you find yourself forced to laugh

[phenomynouss · 10 December 2006]

There must have been a laugh track to this HBO special, or the audience was high or something, because they were laughing at almost every little thing Pee-Wee did It was surprising to see a stage-version of what would essentially become Pee-Wee's Playhouse, with more adult situations (like Pee-Wee looking up a girl's skirt with mirrors on his shoes, to which the girl notices and says to his dismay, "I'm not wearing panties") Some of the characters from the TV show are here, including a raunchy Captain Carl, a somewhat psychotic Miss Yvonne, and Jambi!!!!!!!!!!!! Some of the antics were only mildly amusing, but there was nothing that was laugh out loud funny in the entire show. It's amazing to see these people in the crowd laugh uproariously at what you would have to force yourself to laugh at, or just snort a bit.

All in all, it was fun to see Pee-Wee's Playhouse with an adult spin to it, but it wasn't at all very funny

It's cool!

[spacemonk2000 · 11 March 2001]

I have watched this 10 times on Comedy Central and it was funny. My favorite was that Pee-wee was a boy who was flying. I laughed when he was showing toys to the audience and the audience were laughing their head off. So if you have a hard time watch this, because it's funny.