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As fans of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts gang eagerly await the November release of The Peanuts Movie, now is the perfect time to look back at some of the characters’ classic TV specials—like the 11 specials included in Peanuts: The Emmy Honored Collection.
While Schulz’s holiday specials are perhaps his most memorable, there isn’t a single holiday special in this collection. Instead, this two-disc set features remastered versions of nine Emmy nominees and two Emmy winners. Highlights of the set include:
You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown (1979): The first special in the set was clearly inspired by Bruce Jenner’s 1976 Olympic gold. Here, Lucy convinces perpetual underdog Charlie Brown to sign up to compete in the decathlon at the school’s upcoming track meet, and his friends work together to help him train.
Since most specials find poor Charlie Brown scoffed by all of his friends (and even his not-exactly-loyal pet), this one is refreshingly different. This time around, his friends team up to encourage him and help him train—and it’s only the competitive outsider who’s mean to him.
She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown (1980): Charlie Brown’s name may appear in the title, but the character himself is hardly featured. Instead, this special focuses on Peppermint Patty’s preparations for a big figure skating competition—with help from her skating coach, Snoopy.
With its beautiful watercolor backgrounds, its slowly falling snow, and its gentle music, this special is sweet and serene—and it allows viewers to get to know one of the other characters a little better.
Someday You’ll Find Her, Charlie Brown (1981): When Charlie Brown happens to see the most beautiful girl in the world on the TV broadcast of a football game, he recruits Linus to help him find her.
This one plays out more like the kind of buddy road-trip comedy that you’d see in theaters than a family-friendly TV special. It’s a fun-filled adventure that’s full of twists and turns—and while the set-up is surprisingly grown-up, it’s an entertaining special for all ages.
But Peanuts specials weren’t always silly comic capers. Schulz never shied away from tackling difficult topics, as is evident in this set. In the beautiful, moving tribute, What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?, the gang travels through France, touring the battle sites of both world wars. And in the heartbreaking but informative Why, Charlie Brown, Why?, the kids find that their school friend, Janet, is battling cancer.
From the light and silly to the thoughtful and dramatic, these 11 episodes are full of heart and humor in just the right doses. Each of these characters is lovable in his or her own way—and they often find themselves in amusingly grown-up situations, discussing very grown-up philosophies on life. If you grew up watching these specials as a kid, you’re sure to see them in a whole new light as an adult—and you’ll enjoy sharing them with your own kids, too.
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