lemon_magic I vaguely remembered "Hey Vern!" from 20 years ago, mostly that there were a lot of jump cuts and primitive cut-out style "retro" graphics (that actually worked fairly well), there was some goofy stuff with the engagingly rubber-faced Jim Varney, and a few bits here and there that were bust-your-gut funny. But the show seemed to vanish like an annual flower after one season and never resurfaced. When I saw a Mill Creek collection on DVD with the entire season for under $7.00, the few memories I had of the show were good enough that I decided to spring for it and see how it held up. Answer:It holds up pretty well for a kid's Saturday morning show from more that 20 years ago...in fact better than most kid's material from that era, or from any era. I watched a couple of episodes each day for a week, so the repetition and running jokes for some of the skits got old pretty fast (this wouldn't have been an issue for a kid watching one episode every Saturday morning)...but I never got tired of Auntie Nelda, Doctor Otto, Existo The Magician, or Dust Bunny, and I only got a little tired of Ernest himself. Along with the skits and characters that appeared in all the episodes were a few wonderful miscellaneous bits, like when Jackie Welch (who played "Simon Simmons") also did a couple of hilarious Julie Andrews parodies (tributes?), or the two appearances of "Bill And Coo". I think that the cast and creators of "Hey Vern" were somewhat ahead of their time - "Pee Wee's Playhouse" took the same approach, and it was a big success (only short-circuited by Paul Reubens' melt down in his private life). Apparently they quit while they were ahead, or decided to concentrate on movies (there appear to have been several "Ernest" movies, which I never felt I needed to see). In any case, I enjoyed a return visit of all these goofy characters, and you might enjoy them too.

bug76 Children's programming doesn't get any better than this. I grew up with Ernest P. Worrell. "Hey, Vern! It's Ernest" was an excellent show and is still better than the children's programming they air today. As the song goes: "It's Ernest P. Worrell with a story and a moral." The entire song is catchy and I find myself singing along with it when I pop in the DVD. Having won 2 Emmy's(one going to Jim Varney), I cannot see why the show only had 13 episodes(what's up with that, CBS?) I wanted more. There was lovable Ernest, of course, Dust Bunny, Lonnie Don, Sgt. Glory, bitter old Auntie Nelda, Existo the magician, Earl the Barber, Willie the Homemade Robot, Mrs. Simon Simmons, Vern(who we never see, but is addressed in every episode), Chuck and Bobby, the crazy Dr. Otto, My Father, The Clown, Bill and Coo, Ernest's Tongue, Mac and George, and an assortment of other characters. Each story had a moral message to it and wasn't preachy about it and it didn't feel like you were being lectured to but treated as an equal. When I was a kid, I really gravitated toward that. Ernest was a playmate that never aged. This is great for the kids but there is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor for the adults. I was 12 when this came out and even though I'm an adult, I still enjoy the series and find myself feeling like a kid again. This gets a perfect rating from me. Amongst all the filth that Hollywood creates, Jim kept 'Ernest' clean, honest, down to earth, he was never vulgar or laced his shows with any sexual content whatsoever. I can't say that about children's programming today. "Jim, you made us laugh until we cried. You will always be my hero. And what you did as 'Ernest P. Worrell', no one will ever be able to duplicate." R.I.P. 1949-2000.

rainman0034 Jim Varney was quite brilliant as an entertainer. He never received the acclaim that he was due and it often makes me sad now that he's gone. Anyways, his television show "Hey Vern its Ernest" was one of the zaniest most imaginative programs... imaginable and it filled many of my Saturday mornings with joy and wonder! With its originality and poise, its difficult to believe it only lasted a few seasons. The show truly chronicles Jim Varney's ability as an entertainer and his take on different characters is exceptional and always memorable. "Hey Vern, its Ernest" would be especially welcome in these times of copious craptastic reality TV programming...Erghhh! (Fingers crossed) How about some reruns of 'Hey Vern Its Ernest'? ;) ;) :)

matthewc-2 This show is hilarious! You never stop laughing. The writing is fantastic! Jim Varney is amazing as all of the various characters; you sometimes forget it's even him. And he is supported by an equally talented cast of actors and puppeteers.Characters like Dust Bunny and George add the prefect element of fantasy to the world of Ernest P. Worrel and his neighbor, Vern. You also get to watch the antics of the likes of Bill and Coo, Existo the Magician, Lonnie Don, Chuck, Bobby and others.The classic elements appeared in pretty much every episode, but you never got bored. It always stayed creative and funny. This is a fantastic program for young and old alike. If you can get yours hands on it, or catch it in reruns, do so. You will enjoy yourself, over and over again.