The big news for season two of
Pee-Wee's Playhouse is the selfsame Playhouse's "new look"--which extends to redesigning several puppet characters, notably Globey. Though Pee-Wee Herman (
Paul Reubens), Miss Yvonne (Lynne Stewart), Cowboy Curtis (
Laurence Fishburne), and many other regulars are still in attendance, there are also several new faces including Suzanne Kent as neighbor lady Mrs. Rene and
William Marshall as the King of Cartoons, replacing the previous season's
Gilbert Lewis. The season's ten half-hour episodes include "
Open House," in which Pee-wee supervises the Playhouse's makeover; "Puppy in the Playhouse," wherein our hero tries to adopt a doggy that already belongs to one of his best friends, Reba the Mail Lady (S. Epatha Merkerson); "
Store," wherein Miss Yvonne goes shopping at Pee-Wee's imaginary convenience shop; "Pee-Wee Catches a Cold," an object lesson in how anything can be cured with a good dose of chicken soup; "Why Wasn't I Invited," in which a misunderstanding almost causes Pee-Wee to miss the Countess' big party; "Tons of Fun," highlighted by a lip-synched performance "That Certain Feeling" (original artist:
Bob Hope); "
School," which brings Christopher Columbus briefly back to the land of the living; "
Spring," a study in disconsolation as Pee-Wee fails to make the baseball team; "Playhouse in Outer Space," which proves that even a secret word like "Zyzzybalubah" can crop up in casual conversation; and "
Pajama Party," which delivers just what the title promises (and it's co-ed, too!) For its second season,
Pee-Wee's Playhouse earned still another Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series. ~ All Movie Guide