Pee-Wee Herman ends the show by singing “Sex Machine” with the SNL Band with the cast dancing along with him. A fun end to the show, with the cast, Queen Ida and her band gradually filling the stage behind Pee-wee.

OMG at Terry Sweeney’s pants.

Damon Wayans can be seen leaving the stage early by going through the theatre doors; Dan Vitale comes on-stage through them a few seconds later.

In dress rehearsal, Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Downey Jr. were dressed as Hall and Oates; they appear as themselves here.

Paul Reubens’ collaborators from the Groundlings, Phil Hartman and John Paragon, are credited with additional sketches tonight. Eleven months later, Hartman would be a regular SNL cast member and the show’s second golden age would begin.

Show photographer Isaiah Wyner’s name is misspelled as “Isiah” Wyner in tonight’s credit roll.

Rerun alterations: More applause after Pee-wee asks the band if they know “Sex Machine”. Laughter added after Lovitz falls down trying to put the cape on Pee-wee. Credits run in full.

Final thoughts: A marked improvement over the first two shows of the season, though much of it is because Pee-wee Herman effectively took over the show and gave it a much more fun vibe than usual. Paul Reubens doing the whole show in character worked better than the last time SNL tried it (with Father Guido Sarducci in 1984), mainly because Herman is a goofier and more flexible character, but also due to Reubens’ improv background. There was also a little improvement from Joan Cusack, though there were also some telling signs of the show’s coming reliance on recurring characters (Pat Stevens, Tommy Flanagan, Cabrini Green Jackson) and not knowing what to do with Vance or Wayans.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

Dinosaur Town

Monologue

Say No

Pee-wee’s Thanksgiving Special

The Pat Stevens Show

Tightrope

SHOW LOWLIGHTS:

Die Foreigner Die!

Money Magnetism Seminar

MVP:

Paul Reubens

CAST & GUEST BREAKDOWN

cast

Joan Cusack : 4 appearances [Tightrope, Pee-Wee’s Thanksgiving Special, Dinosaur Town, Love Letter]

Robert Downey Jr. : 5 appearances [Tightrope, Say No, Pee-Wee’s Thanksgiving Special, Dinosaur Town, Money Magnetism Seminar]

Nora Dunn : 3 appearances [Tightrope, The Pat Stevens Show, Dinosaur Town]

Anthony Michael Hall : 4 appearances [Tightrope, Say No, Pee-Wee’s Thanksgiving Special, Dinosaur Town]

Jon Lovitz : 2 appearances [Tightrope, Big House]

Dennis Miller : 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

Randy Quaid ; 4 appearances [Locker Room, The Pat Stevens Show, Dinosaur Town, Money Magnetism Seminar]

Terry Sweeney : 2 appearances [Pee-Wee’s Thanksgiving Special, Dinosaur Town]

Danitra Vance: 3 appearances [Tightrope, Pee-Wee’s Thanksgiving Special, Pregnancy Tips]

featured players

Don Novello : 1 appearance [Weekend Update]

Dan Vitale : 2 appearances [Big House, Dinosaur Town]

Damon Wayans: 1 appearance [Dinosaur Town]

unbilled crew, extras and bit players

Al Franken : 1 voice-over [Weekend Update]

Lanier Laney : 2 appearances [Pee-Wee’s Thanksgiving Special, Dinosaur Town]

Bruce McCulloch : 1 appearance [Say No]

Mark McKinney : 1 voice-over [The Pat Stevens Show]

Evie Murray : 1 appearance [Love Letter]

Robert Smigel: 1 appearance [Love Letter]

guests

Paul Reubens : 7 appearance[Tightrope, Monologue, Locker Room, Pee-Wee’s Thanksgiving Special, Big House, Dinosaur Town, Love Letter]

Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band: 1 appearance [“La Louisiane, Frisco Zydeco”]

REBROADCAST HISTORY:

April 5, 1986

Known alterations:

Audience sweetening: None to mild: Tightrope, Monologue, Say No, Locker Room, Die Foreigner Die!, Dennis Miller’s Weekend Update jokes, Pregnancy Tips, James Brown Moderate: Pee-wee’s Thanksgiving Special, The Pat Stevens Show, Father Guido Sarducci segment on Weekend Update, Dinosaur Town, Love Letter, Money Magnetism Seminar Heavy: Big House

Edits: Tightrope, The Pat Stevens Show, Weekend Update, Dinosaur Town

Dress substitutions: Big House (partial)

Additional screen captures from this episode are available here.