7.9/10122 votes#1 - Ice Cream Soup
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/13/1986
In this very first Playhouse episode, Pee Wee's friends, including Cowboy Curtis and Miss Yvonne, are introduced when they come over to swim in the pool. Captain Carl would be there too... if he weren't lost! When he calls in a mayday, it takes Conky and Globey to locate him and guide him to the delicious Sandwich Islands. Speaking of delicious, Pee Wee makes Ice cream Soup for the gang when rain drives them back through the Playhouse ""door"".
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, George McGrath, Max Robert, John Paragon, Michael Varhol
7.8/1070 votes#2 - Luau For Two
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/20/1986
It's no secret that today's secret word is ""fun,"" 'cause Pee Wee just won a dinner for two at a Hawaiian restaurant! The question is -- who's he gonna take? The whole gang, including Captain Carl and Miss Yvonne, ""lei""s on the guilt for poor Pee Wee. Even Cowntess the cow has bought a new Moo-Moo! What's Pee Wee to do? Throw his own wild luau, that's what -- and invite the entire Playhouse!
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 8.0/1055 votes
#3 - Rainy Day
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/27/1986
It's a rainy day outside, and Pee-wee does many things for the rest of the day: fly paper airplanes, get a call from Miss Yvonne (who won't make it due to the weather), build an indoor campfire, and tell a ghost story. Later, he gets bored and has Playhouse fever! Randy tries to cheer him up by letting him call strangers - such as a housewife who grows angry when Randy plays a prank phone call on her. Pee-wee then calls the same person whose husband turns out to be a police officer. The husband threatens to take Pee-wee in, but he lets him go after he learns his lesson. Now, Pee-wee's only hope for "help" is Jambi.
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 7.7/1047 votes
#4 - Now You See Me, Now You Don't
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/4/1986
Today's secret word is really "little," but the gangs' eyes get really big when Pee-wee puts on a magic show and disappears! Captain Carl, Cowboy Curtis, Miss Yvonne, and the gang are amazed as Pee-wee makes use of his new talent at their expense, but when their hidden host can't make himself reappear, it'll take Jambi's magic to set things right!
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 7.7/1044 votes
#5 - Just Another Day
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/11/1986
Cowboy Curtis decides to have a cowboy-style snack (slow-cooked steak) and shows Pee-wee how to square dance. Pee-wee shows Curtis how to pogo, and Dixie gets her name on the "back" of her new jacket.
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 7.7/1040 votes
#6 - Beauty Makeover
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/18/1986
Miss Yvonne is willing to give a beauty makeover to the next person who steps into the playhouse, and it ends up being Mrs. Steve! Then, the Cowntess has a tea party. You'll have the "time" of your life!
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 7.6/1039 votes
#7 - Restaurant
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 10/25/1986
Pee-wee is the maitre d', waiter and cashier while playing restaurant. Customer Captain Carl orders everything on the menu only to learn that all they have are peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches! Also, Dixie is having a particularly bad "day."
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 7.5/1044 votes
#8 - Ants In Your Pants
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/1/1986
The ants are loose, the ants are loose! While Pee Wee is playing house with Miss Yvonne and the Playhouse Gang, the ants sneak out of their farm, go marching into the Dinosaur Family's home, steal a cake and get all over everybody and everything. ""What"" will Pee Wee do? The 'Ants In Your Pants Dance!
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 7.6/1045 votes
#9 - Monster In the Playhouse
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/8/1986
"Look" out because Mrs. Steve reports that there is a giant, one-eyed monster in town! He appears in the Playhouse, on the loose, and scares everyone! After Pee-wee makes the monster a snack, and Jambi grants Pee-wee's wish to understand the monster, the whole gang has a new friend! They even play a game of golf.
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
7.7/1043 votes#10 - The Cowboy and the Cowntess
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/15/1986
The fabulous Miss Yvonne just asked Cowboy Curtis out for a date -- and now he's as nervous as a prairie critter who's just been...um, asked out for a date by Miss Yvonne! To calm Curtis down, Cowntess the Cow suggests a little ""date"" role-playing -- and suddenly Curtis finds himself with ""the most beautiful woman in Puppetland"" -- Pee Wee? ""Remember"" the secret word and you'll have a "good" time!
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1036 votes
#11 - Stolen Apples
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 11/22/1986
Randy steals Mrs. Steve's crummy crab apples from her tree, and Mrs. Steve needs Pee-wee's help in finding him. Then, Pee-wee plays the hands game with Tito, and "there" are enough apples for everyone at snack time.
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 7.3/1042 votes
#12 - The Gang's All Here
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 11/29/1986
Get out your pencils and crayons, 'cause the gang at Pee Wee's Playhouse is sketching Pee Wee's favorite subject -- Pee Wee! The Playhouse Gang joins in the fun when Pee Wee-o assigns everyone a secret name-o. But then Pee Wee develops a severe case of shrunken head when Jambi the Genie's magic helps him out of the mouse hole -- and the entire gang wonders if he'll ever be "okay".
Director: Stephen R. Johnson
Writer: Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol, George McGrath, John Paragon, Max Robert
- 7.9/1041 votes
#13 - Party
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 12/6/1986
It's party time at the Playhouse and you're invited! The whole gang is here: Cowboy Curtis, Captain Carl, Reba the Mail Lady and the lovely Miss Yvonne! You'll want to join in the Hokey-Pokey, yell when you hear the secret word (""this"") and play pin the tail on the...Globey.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Pee-wee's Playhouse Season 1
Every episode of Pee-wee's Playhouse Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Pee-wee's Playhouse Season 1!
Pee-wee's Playhouse is an American children's television program starring Paul Reubens as the childlike Pee-wee Herman.
Genres:KidsComedy
Network:CBS
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Ice Cream Soup" is the best rated episode of "Pee-wee's Playhouse" season 1. It scored 7.9/10 based on 122 votes. Directed by Stephen R. Johnson and written by Paul Reubens, George McGrath, Max Robert, John Paragon, Michael Varhol, it aired on 9/13/1986. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Luau For Two".