Playhouse In Outer Space
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| “Playhouse In Outer Space” | |
|---|---|
| Pee-wee's Playhouse episode | |
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| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 9 |
| Written by | Max Robert Paul Reubens George McGrath |
| Directed by | Wayne Orr Paul Reubens |
| Production no. | 209 |
| Original airdate | November 7, 1987 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Spring" | "Pajama Party" |
Playhouse In Outer Space is the 22nd episode of Pee-wee's Playhouse.
The entire Playhouse is actually carried off into outer space to an alien planet, where they meet Zyzzybalubah, a lonely, big-headed alien who brought the Playhouse to his planet so he can have friends to play with. Pee-wee teaches the alien how to make friends the right way.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
[edit] Secret Word
Pee-wee asks Conky what the secret word is and the cardstock pops out of Conky's midsection. It reads: ZYZZYBALUBAH. Pee-wee starts to say, "Today's secret word is Zyzzyba..." but then stops. Perplexed, Pee-wee thinks Conky made a mistake, but Conky insists he never makes mistakes, even though there is no definition in his databank for the word. Unbeknownst to them, a big-headed alien with social deficiencies is behind it all. He has hypnotized Conky into giving the secret word of the day, but no one knows. Pee-wee reluctantly tries out the secret word, even though it may seem unlikely it would ever be used today.
He goes over to the flowers and asks them, "What is the longest word we've ever had here at the playhouse thus far?" The flowers reply, "Zyzzybalubah." Everyone screams. Then Pee-wee says, "What is the one word we've had at the playhouse that you cannot find in the dictionary." "Zyzzybalubah," the flowers reply. Everyone screams again. Pee-wee then says to Conky, "Are you sure that's the secret word, Conky?" "Yes, I'm sure," Conky says. "Today's secret word is 'Zyzzybalubah'!" Everyone screams once again.
[edit] Miss Yvonne's Portraits
Then Mr. Window calls for the arrival of "the most beautiful woman in Puppetland... and it looks she's been to the library." Miss Yvonne arrives at the door with a thick book on her head. She has been dropped off by Cowboy Curtis on Pegasus (presumably his horse). She then enters the playhouse, slowly so as not to drop the book atop her head. She then says hi to Pee-wee and then the audience. Pee-wee notices the book and comments on it. She says that she is balancing the book on her head to keep perfect posture. Pee-wee decides to try it himself, so he takes a book and balances it on his head, but it falls off.
Pee-wee comments that she has been to the playhouse more often than usual. She explains that that's because she's having her portraits done by the Puppetland Band. She then asks Pee-wee to be her escort. Pee-wee says, "Sure, let me take your Zyzzybalubah." Everyone screams. Miss Yvonne looks around, confused. Pee-wee attempts to explain himself: "It's a long story, Miss Yvonne, and an even longer secret word." They then go to Puppetland, hand-in-hand.
Once there, they discover that each of the three members of the band has done his own artwork form of Yvonne. Dirty Dog has sculpted a bust of Yvonne ("Mmm, busty!" Pee-wee quips), Cool Cat has made a collage version of Miss Yvonne (her wearing a red dress with straps) and Chicky Baby has made a painting of Yvonne. They ask her what she thinks of them and she says, "I love 'em. They're nice, thanks. I'll take five copies of each!" "Me, too," Pee-wee says. "In wallet size!" The three beatniks agree to this.
[edit] A Phone Call From Outer Space
Then Mr. Window announces for Reba the Mail Lady's arrival. Reba enters, also trying to keep perfect posture, but in this case, using an enormous mailbag. She points this out to Miss Yvonne and she says that that's good way for posture. Yvonne then leaves the playhouse. Reba removes the bag of mail from her head and tells Pee-wee that all the mail in the bag is for him; they're all pen-pal letters. She sits down on Chairry, because her head is hurting.
Then the Picturephone rings and Pee-wee, of course, yells that he would get it. He races over to the phone booth and pulls down a curtain depicting a beach setting. He puts on an umbrella hat and answers the phone: "Pee-wee's Playhouse. Pee-wee's speaking." Then the big-headed, socially-challenged alien that has hypnotized Conky comes on the screen. "Earthling, listen to me!" he says to Pee-wee. "I speak to you from the furthest reaches of outer space." "Good connection," Pee-wee says, giggling. "You sound next door." "Silence!" the alien continues. "You're under my power! My transport ray is aimed at your playhouse, and in a moment you will begin your journey through space to my planet." "Lemme get this straight," Pee-wee says, confused. "You mean to say we're gonna go into outer space??" The alien stares and then says, "Duh!" Then the connection turns off.
[edit] In Space
Pee-wee leaves the booth and says with a laugh, "Transport ray. I'm so sure!" Suddenly the entire playhouse is shaking like it's an earthquake. Everyone feels the vibration. Pee-wee and Reba, who was still sitting in Chairry, race over to a window and discover that they and the entire playhouse are actually ascending into the stratosphere and soon leave Earth behind! Soon the playhouse is plunged into darkness in the blackness of space. Reba faints while Pee-wee says in a hushed tone, "Wow!"
Pterri, Magic Screen and Chairry all say they're scared. "Where are we going, anyway?" asks Chairry. "I'm not sure, Chairry," Pee-wee replies. "We're on our way to meet someone — or something — named Zyzzybalubah." Everyone screams.
[edit] Whistling
Reba the Mail Lady explains how she calms herself down when she's afraid. And shows how to whistle. Pee-Wee tries to whistle, but couldn't at first, and then Reba sings a song about feeling better by whistling.
[edit] The Planets
Globey teaches about the Solar System. Magic Screen gives a visual aid as Globey describes each planet in order from closest to farthest from the sun.
[edit] Yvona and Zyzzybalubah
When they make it to the planet, Pee-Wee says "Certainly doesn't look like Kansas." Yvona comes along and warns everyone to hide as quickly as possible. When they all try to get out of the playhouse, they're stopped by an invisible forcefield. Pterri tries to fly through, but he couldn't break through either. Then Zyzzybalubah comes bursting in through the front door and welcomes the guests and gives a speech about the welcome. Later on after the speech, he asks for more fun, but Reba says: "We don't feel like laughing, Zyzzybalubah." Everyone screams, and then Zyzzybalubah says "That wasn't a very friendly attitude. You're no friends of mine!" Pee-Wee explains what friendship means and then Zyzzybalubah confesses that he doesn't know how to make friends. Pee-Wee offers to teach Zyzzybalubah how to be friendly if he agrees to shut off the forcefield, which he does and everyone is now more friendlier than ever. Zyzzybalubah excitedly says that he finally learned how to make friends and asks for forgiveness for his selfish behavior and Pee-Wee accepted.
[edit] A Visit To Earth
Zyzzybalubah decides to get his new friends back to Earth and comments that he'd miss his new friends. Pee-Wee decides to offer Zyzzybalubah a visit to Earth. The playhouse returns to Earth. When the Playhouse is back, the Picturephone rings. Pee-Wee asks Zyzzybalubah to answer it. When Zyzzybalubah answers the Picturephone, it's the King of Cartoons. Zyzzybalubah gets Pee-Wee because the call was for him. Pee-Wee enters the Picturephone and puts on the umbrella hat and the King of Cartoons explains that he was concerned because he had came over about an hour ago and the playhouse was gone. Pee-Wee explains that they took a trip into outerspace. The King of Cartoons asks Pee-Wee if he'd still like to watch a cartoon, and Pee-Wee accepts. saying "Would I!" The King of Cartoons puts down his receiver and says: "Boys and girls, members of the playhouse, old friends, new friends, and future friends, let the cartoon begin.
[edit] Trivia
- Zyzzybalubah is played by George McGrath, the voice of Globey and the Cowntess, among others. He also portrayed the police officer over the Picturephone in Rainy Day. Likewise, Yvona is played by Lynne Marie Stewart, who also plays Miss Yvonne.
- This episode marks the second time Pee-wee asks for something in wallet size. The first time was in The Gang's All Here, in which he asks Cher if her portrait of him is available in wallet size.
- As his name is also the secret word, Zyzzybalubah is the longest secret word on the show. The second longest would be REMEMBER in the episode, I Remember Curtis.
- Zyzzybalubah claims he watches the show (or at least knows about what goes on in the Playhouse), but when he answers the picture phone, he doesn't seem to know who the King of Cartoons is.
- Pee-wee's comment on how Zyzzybalubah's planet does not look like Kansas sounds very much like one of the most famous lines heard in The Wizard of Oz by Dorothy Gale (played by Judy Garland): "I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
