Pee-Wee Herman, the bow-tie spouting, deep voice giggling, and bike riding man-child is returning to our screens in due time, only instead of a cinema or TV, he will be hitting Netflix. Produced by Judd Apatow, Pee-Wee’s future saga features the gray suit clad Herman being told to take his first ever holiday (does he really need time off?) in which hilarity, child-like drama, and a little bit of learning will ensue.
Directed by John Lee (Comedy Central’s Broad City) and written by Paul Rust (Arrested Development), Pee-Wee’s newest adventure should have all the makings of a very fun time. It’s direct-to-Netflix arrival is actually a solid idea; after all, Mr. Herman is not a (play)household name like he was in the ’80s and early ’90s. His absence from the spotlight was due to a arrest in 2002, when Reubens stepped out of his celebrity comfort zone as he was found in an adult theater doing something not really appropriate. His mug shot appeared everywhere, and children were shocked to see their beloved hero bearded and with long hair, a far cry from the clean shaven Pee-Wee.
In time, Reubens slowly brought the character, mainly in small television appearances. However, in 2011, Pee-Wee came full circle, starring in a Broadway show. His first appearance was in a stage performance, so it was a natural for Reubens to resurrect Mr. Herman in the same fashion as how he started out. I was in attendance for one of these showings, and let me tell you, it was absolutely awesome. Time has been kind to Reubens, and Pee-Wee is still as loved today as he was 20 plus years ago.
For the character to return to the screen, albeit small, the newest Pee-Wee film needs to do right by audiences and pull from what made Big Adventure so memorable, but not a carbon copy. There’s a reason the character survived as long as he has, and that’s because he’s a person kids and adults can laugh along with. Big Top Pee-Wee lost sight of that, hence why it was such disaster. For the up and coming movie to succeed, it just need its heart in the right place. I think with all those behind it, it should be a wonderful new tale to add to the Pee-Wee library. I will be looking forward to it, no if, ands or buts. Everyone, I feel, has a big but. Now come on, let’s talk about your big but.
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Logan J. Fowler is a senior writer and video game editor on Po-Break.com. He contributes his thoughts every week for Trailer Tuesday and has his own column called “A Link to the Past.” Logan’s “kid at heart” nature has led to his discussion about pop culture that many geeks love to talk about, including superheroes, Super Mario Bros., Pixar, and Muppets, among other things. In addition, one of his first pieces for the site, “Top Ten Comic Book Movies,” was picked as a “Freshly Pressed” piece by WordPress and remains one of the site’s most well-read articles. Currently, Logan works as a Special Education Instructional Assistant at Roosevelt School in Manville NJ. He graduated from Wagner College in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and in 2007 with a Master of Science in Education Degree in Birth-6th Grade Literacy. He also holds a Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certification from Rutgers. Many of Logan’s friends have said that he moonlights as Spider-Man but this is so not true. Wait, are those police sirens I’m hearing?! Gotta go! -thwipp-
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