ThePeanutscharacters began on comic strips but were later developed into over 50 animated specials. The characters were first introduced in acomic strip by Charles Schulzin 1950. Since then,Peanuts' characters have been featured inshows, commercials, feature films, musicals, and many television specials.Peanuts' first prime-time on-screen debut was in 1965, for a highly-regarded holiday special.
Over almost 60 years, thePeanutsgang has becomea beloved group of young characters with shockingly mature sentiments, making thePeanutscharacters highly quotable. The group includes Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Sally, and the famous anthropomorphic dog, Snoopy.Peanutsbecame best known for their holiday specials, as they were the first time the characters were given a voice on screen. While all thePeanutsspecials have their merits, some stand out among the many on-screen iterations of thePeanutsgang.
10It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown (1977)
Charlie Brown Finally Gets To Kiss His Crush
This momentousPeanutsspecial marksCharlie Brown’s first kiss with his crush, the Little Red-Haired Girl. While she is usually referred to by her hair color, she is given the name Heather in the special. When Charlie Brown is chosen to be an escort for the school’s homecoming court and is paired with his long-time crush, he panics and begins spiraling, worrying about his proximity to his love and how he could ruin it.
The special also features a rehashing of the classicfootball gag between Charlie and Lucy, which occurs four times in the film.
As a reward for good behavior, Charlie Brown even gets to kiss the girl on the cheek, which leads to a fantastically adorable dream sequence, where Charlie blissfully soars into the clouds, riding the high of the kiss. It’sa rare and exciting moment of happiness for Charlie Brown, who is usually downtrodden and matter-of-fact. He becomes the life of the party, though he barely remembers it the following day when talking to Linus, lamenting his poor memory of one of the best nights of his life.
9Charlie Brown’s All Stars! (1966)
Charlie Brown Has Trouble Managing His Baseball Team
10 Funniest Peanuts Comics Where People Hate Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown isn’t the most popular member of the Peanuts gang, and that’s never more true than in these comics where kids hate on the blockhead.
Unfortunately, as with manyPeanutsspecials, the gang turns on Charlie Brown, misinterpreting his intentions. Luckily, Linus can be the voice of reason and explain what Charlie was trying to do. The gang tries to make it up to Charlie. This special follows a format similar to one of the most famousPeanutsspecials; however, it isan excellent example of a special that does not involve religion or holidays, making it a good watch for any time of the year.
8He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown (1968)
Snoopy Is Sent Away To Learn Obedience
He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brownis a Snoopy-centric film, as the reckless dog is sent away to learn some manners. Snoopy’s imagination gets him into trouble at the beginning of the special, as his antics disturb all the kids. It isan excellent example of Snoopy’s creativity, as he pretends to be the Red Baron, and the potential extent of his feralness, as he even bears his teeth revealing some sharp dental work.
Though He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown is a special first aired on Valentine’s Day in 1968, it isn’t holiday-themed.
Snoopy goes to Peppermint Patty’s house, where she helps to whip him into shape, training him to be more obedient. And it works, as he takes on lots of chores around the house. Eventually, Snoopy can’t take it anymore and returns home to Charlie Brown. And even though he is still chaotic, everyone is happy Snoopy’s back, having missed his antics more than they expected. Despite his misbehavior,his dramatic imagination and animated behaviormake the special a good watch for all Snoopy lovers.
7It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown (1974)
Snoopy And Woodstock Are On The Case
Snoopy investigates Woodstock’s missing nest inIt’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown. He dons the classic mystery-solving attire, wearing a deerstalker hat, pipe, and magnifying glass, just like Sherlock Holmes. The beagle then interrogates the other characters, comedically barging into their homes and dusting for fingerprints.The special focuses a lot on Snoopy’s loyal sidekick, giving Woodstock lots of solo screen time and character, developing him much more than the comics did.
It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown is the first special where Woodstock is referred to by name.
The thief is Sally, who took the nest for her science class. The case is brought to Lucy, who acts as a judge instead of a psychiatrist and rules in favor of Woodstock being the nest’s rightful owner. To help Sally replace her science experiment, Snoopy goes into the school so she can exhibit Pavlovian techniques on him. The special is fun and filled withSnoopy and Woodstock’s antics and friendship,showcasing the characters' physical comedysince neither speaks.
6Someday You’ll Find Her, Charlie Brown (1981)
Charlie Brown Learns A Hard Lesson About Love
ThisPeanutsspecial explores the full extent ofCharlie Brown’s tendencies as a hopeless romanticand the sad way his friends often dismiss him. After Charlie Brown sees a beautiful girl on television in the football game crowd, he and Linus try to track her down and learn more about her, with Charlie now obsessed. In the end, Charlie is too shy to talk to the girl, and Linus ends up with her, leaving Charlie Brown alone in the dark.
The special was nominated for two Emmy Awards: Outstanding Animated Program and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animated Programming for Director Phil Roman.
The special features a beautiful montage of Charlie Brownwalking home after being dismissed by Linus and the little girl. The animation style becomes a muted watercolor as Charlie imagines what it would be like to be in love and “Alone” by Becky Reardon plays. At the end of the special, his existentialism comes out as the child reads poems about love by Tennyson and Yeats from a book he carries around.
5Snoopy’s Reunion (1991)
The Snoopy Origin Story
This Snoopy-centric special acts as the beloved beagle’s origin story. The film featuresSnoopy’s seven brothers and sisters, who were all adopted to different homes when they were younger. Among Snoopy’s siblings are Spike, Belle, Olaf, Marbles, Andy, Molly, and Rover. In flashbacks, the audience sees the puppies taken one by one as various children adopt them. It reveals that Snoopy was owned by another child before Charlie Brown but had to be returned due to a “no dog” policy.
Published 40 Years Apart, These 2 Peanuts Comics Show How Drastically Snoopy Has Changed
In a surprising observation, two Peanuts comics published 40 years apart show just how much Snoopy evolved, with a similar joke told different ways.
However, before they parted ways, the puppies formed a band, which they try to reform when they reconvene as adults. The special is a touching look at how relationships can change while growing up. Though much has changed since they were puppies, the siblings are just happy to be together, once again picking up their instruments. The special is heartfelt andtakes a rather unusually depressing look at the Peanuts characters, though it ends on a happy note as Snoopy flies his siblings home with his dog house.
4Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975)
Charlie Brown Struggles To Find Love On Valentine’s Day
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brownexploresyoung love and the expectations of Valentine’s Day. In the special, Charlie Brown waits for Valentines that never come, and Linus and Sally both pine after unrequited lovers. The special hits hard on the disappointments and frustrations of Valentine’s Day with sophistication and humor, even though the subjects are only grade schoolers. The special was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Special.
This special again sees Charlie alone and unloved, but it uses less insulting language than many other specials
This Valentine’s special isa prime example of the mature behaviors and dialogue of the characters, which often give the heavy themes an uplifting tone. Plus, like all the specials, the humor is appropriate for young and old audiences. This special again sees Charlie Brown alone and unloved, but it uses less insulting language than many other specials. ABC and CBS have aired the special annually since its release in 1975.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Cast
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a 1973 animated television special based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. The story follows Charlie Brown as he attempts to organize a Thanksgiving dinner for his friends, despite various challenges and mishaps. Directed by Bill Melendez and Phil Roman, the special features the iconic Peanuts characters and their humorous yet heartfelt reflections on the holiday.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgivingis a prime example of thePeanutscharacters hanging out as friends, enjoying each other’s company, and giving thanks. Though Peppermint Patty forces herself and Marcie into Charlie’s holiday plans, ultimately, the group gets together to enjoy a comically mismatched meal. Thanks to Snoopy, the kids dine on jelly beans, popcorn, and buttered toast, all ingredients in a child’s dream Thanksgiving dinner. There is also a good amount of Snoopy content in the special without him being the main focus.
As the thirdPeanutsholiday special, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving was well-received. It wasthe firstPeanutsspecial to have a completely original script without relying on the comics, and it was able to make plenty of typically more minor characters into larger plot points, showcasing the Peanuts world. At only 25 minutes, the special was often coupled with “The Mayflower Voyagers,” the premiere episode of the 1988 miniseriesThis Is America, Charlie Brown. The additional content provided some historical context for the holiday, seeing thePeanutscharacters as pilgrims aboard the Mayflower.
2It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
Linus Waits For His Halloween Hero: The Great Pumpkin
This Halloween special was an early addition to the animated canon and provides a wholesome look at the holiday, complete with trick-or-treating and festive activities.The special showcases what it is like to be a child with an enduring sense of hope. Despite everyone telling Linus that the Great Pumpkin does not exist, he remains in the pumpkin patch all night, excited to catch a glimpse of his hero. This can be interpreted as a religious reference, but Halloween is a typically secular holiday, giving it some wiggle room. Others see Linus' steadfastness as a lesson that everyone thinks differently and should be supported in their beliefs.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brownand all Peanuts specials are available to stream on Apple TV+.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brownwas well-received at its release and waswatched by 49% of American television viewers in its debut broadcast. As a very earlyPeanutsspecial, it helped reinforce the developing tone of the animated shows. The Great Pumpkin was also so well received that it led to the development of the Halloween special as a television genre. It aired on television annually since its release until Apple TV+ acquired it in 2020.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Released in 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas is an animated holiday television movie directed by Bill Melendez. The Peanuts gang are brought together during the Christmas season when Charlie Brown is chosen to direct a holiday Christmas play for his neighborhood. Despite his depression during the season, the group comes together to create a memorable Christmas event.
A Charlie Brown Christmasis widely considered a holiday classic and one of the bestPeanutsspecials. The special follows a few plotlines: Charlie Brown searching for the true meaning of Christmas and the production of the Christmas pageant. It features religious themes as well, with Linus reciting a bible verse.Many parts of the special have become classic recurring holiday themes, including Charlie Brown’s pathetic tree and Vince Guaraldi’s score, including “Linus and Lucy” and “Christmas Time Is Here.”
A Charlie Brown Christmas: 10 Little-Known Facts About The Animated Special You Didn’t Know
Even for fans that watch A Charlie Brown Christmas every year, there are some surprising facts that have likely slipped by unnoticed.
