Out on Video

THE MONKEES:

"Dance, Monkee, Dance" and "The Wild Monkees" - The Monkees were an ersatz rock group, glued together about 30 years ago by TV producers who wanted to capitalize on the Beatlemania that was sweeping the cosmos. The overwhelming influence on their weekly show was the Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night," from which the not-so-fabulous foursome stole most of their best moves. This cassette will make few eager to revisit the '60s, but there's nostalgic and historical value in having episodes available. (Not rated; Rhino Home Video)

PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE, VOL. 1 - Secret words, funny games, and good-hearted friends like Cowboy Curtis and Reba the Mail Lady are among the ingredients in this colorful children's TV show, which has enough zany and inventive ideas to keep grown-ups as entertained as their youngsters. Not for nothing did "Batman" director Tim Burton draw on Pee-wee Herman for his first feature film, the 1984 comedy "Pee-wee's Big Adventure." While these "Playhouse" episodes from 1987 don't have Burton's degree of cinematic savvy, they hop with energy. Laurence Fishburne and Lynne Stewart join star Paul Reubens in the cast. This volume contains PG-type moments that parents might consider inappropriate for young children. (Not rated; MGM/UA Home Video)

THE X-FILES: "Irresistible" and "Die Hand die Verletzt" - The premise behind this popular Fox series is that the government has special FBI agents who take on cases so strange it's uncertain how to classify them, much less solve them. These episodes bring out the sensationalism that has made Fox controversial. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are refreshingly laid-back as the investigators, and the program is capably produced. But look out for an uncomfortable amount of lurid material. (Not rated; Fox Video)