24-Hour ‘Pee-wee’s Playhouse’ Marathon to Run on IFC on Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is coming up this week and that means food, family, football, and marathons of Christmas movies. If you need a break from any of those, however, just pull up a “Chairry”. IFC has you covered with a Pee-wee’s Playhouse marathon.

Announced late last week, IFC will be airing a 24-hour marathon of episodes of the cult classic Saturday morning series including the 1988 special Christmas at Pee-wee’s Playhouse.

Starring Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman, Pee-wee’s Playhouse ran for five seasons and 45 episodes. With most of the show’s episodes being 30 minutes in length, it seems like IFC could be running the entire series for the marathon but if you miss a few episodes don’t fret. The marathon is itself a kick off for the network’s subsequent run of Pee-wee’s Playhouse starting Saturday mornings beginning November 24th.

“For over 30 years, the enormously popular Pee-wee Herman and innovative television series Pee-wee’s Playhouse—created by and starring Paul Reubens—has captured a special place in the hearts of millions of viewers, young and old,” IFC wrote in a press release. “Since its initial premiere on CBS in 1986, this multiple Emmy-winning children’s program became Saturday morning appointment viewing for kids in the ’80s and ’90s and has been a staple in the pop culture zeitgeist ever since.”

That “pop culture zeitgeist” includes two feature films, the most recent being 2016’s Pee-wee’s Big Holiday which debuted on Netflix, as well as a stage show revival in 2010 which kicked off in Los Angeles before making its way to sold out shows on Broadway. The original television series also served as the launch pad for several major stars, including Laurence Fishburne (Cowboy Curtis,) S. Epatha Merkerson (Reba the Mail Lady,) Natasha Lyonne (Opal) and the late Phil Hartman (Captain Carl).

IFC’s Pee-wee’s Playhouse marathon will kick off at 6 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 22 and will run for 24 hours straight. The series will then air weekly in “its rightful home on Saturday mornings” beginning November 24th.

Will you be tuning into IFC’s Pee-wee’s Playhouse marathon? Let us know in the comments!