UPDATE: After a public outcry and even an online petition that went viral, the Charlie Brown holiday specials will air on PBS for the 2020 holiday season!
Nothing lasts forever, and nothing stays the same. It’s such a folly to wish otherwise. Change or goodbyes, by any chance are upsetting, even more so when steeped in family tradition.
Many families are saddened this year that they may not be sitting down together to watch the classic Charlie Brown Christmas Special. It’s the end of a cartoon era for mainstream TV. The Peanuts gang are off to Apple TV+ for continued holiday specials, and their gentle-hearted adventures.
‘Goodbye always makes my throat hurt’ – Charlie Brown.
What’s The Matter Charlie Brown?
The tales of lovable loser Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and his pals the Peanuts started in print, where the syndicated comic strip by Charles M. Shultz ran daily. From humble beginnings in 1950 with United Features Syndicate, they ran until 2000, reaching 75 newspapers across the world with a readership of 350 million fans.
On December 9, 1965, a collaboration between Shultz, animator Bill Meléndez and producer Lee Mendelson, saw Charlie make his television debut. Over 15 million households tuned in to see Charlie jump from newspaper into TV. It is estimated that nearly half of American television sets watched what the network thought would flop.
The Peanuts characters appeared in numerous holiday specials, including ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ (1965) and ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ (1966) as well as ‘The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show’ (1983–85). The Peanuts Movie’ (2015) a 3-D computer-generated adventure was kudos to their continued adaptation.
The cute characters came alive on Broadway in 1967 with ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown’ premiering in 1971. In 1999 the show was revived again, and in 2016 became the first-ever show to feature professional children with Broadway experience in the roles.
Charlie Brown reached more ultimate heights when in 1969 the human space flight, Apollo 10, named the mission’s call signs after Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Now as semi-official mascots, Peanuts creator Schulz also drew mission-related artwork for NASA. (1, 2, 3, 4)
Apple To Proceed Holiday Specials
‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ is now set to be an Apple TV+ exclusive. There has been internet backlash to this news, with many families feeling the old-fashioned antennas have been overridden by subscription network.
Since the acquisition was announced, a Change.org petition titled “Bring the Peanuts specials back to broadcast TV!” has already gained more than 107,000 signatures. Apple have responded by saying Thanksgiving and Christmas specials will still be available for free on certain dates on the run up to both traditional celebrations, and all subscriptions have a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, or iPod touch can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free.
The discontent continues; the taking of holiday tradition, and the fact that many families cannot afford a monthly $4.99 pay to view, seems to be hurting household values, both morally and monetary.
With Charles Schulz’s passing in 2000, and Charlie Brown seemingly only reaching the tender age of 8 in a 70-year working life, it is intriguingly unclear what these two originators might have visualized.
Snoopy might say “ Keep looking up, that’s the secret of life.”
In the doldrums, Charlie Brown would simply respond… “Sigh”. (1, 5)
