A Very Long Christmas Tradition Has Ended.

[Billy Wall]

Disney/ABC has apparently sold the broadcast rights of The Peanuts holiday specials to Apple TV. So for the first time, they’re not going to be on network television which is a shame.

I’m holding out hope that there will be enough outrage that CBS picks it back up next year.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Wow! This is really sad!! Feels like a punch in the gut

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

55 years.

Bastards!

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Snoopy in France...

 

[Crimson]

I watch the Peanuts Christmas special every year, but not on broadcast TV in somewhere around two decades. Still, the sad end of an awfully long era, if the special had aired annually since 1965,

While I wouldn't trade the "watch it anytime" availability of modern media, in the days before home video there was something magical about watching something only available once a year.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

The Christmas show started out on CBS (as the mini-doc states above) where it ran for decades. Sometime in the last 20 years or so, CBS gave it up to ABC, but why I'm not sure. It seemed an ominous sign.

For the last few years, ABC has shown MERRY CHRISTMAS,CHARLIE BROWN and THE GREAT PUMPKIN (the first and best two of the bunch) twice each season -- once chopped up and a second time a few days later un-cut.

But then I guess 55 years isn't too bad. I mean, things that last forever eventually don't -- when they canceled GUNSMOKE, I felt like I'd been run over by a truck.

 

[Seaviewer]

For the last few years, ABC has shown MERRY CHRISTMAS,CHARLIE BROWN and THE GREAT PUMPKIN (the first and best two of the bunch) twice each season -- once chopped up and a second time a few days later un-cut.

Charlie Brown's All-Stars was the second special. I have them on DVD.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Charlie Brown's All-Stars was the second special. I have them on DVD.

Oh, right. I always forget about that one... I liked all the Peanuts specials in the '60s, none afterwards.

 

[Seaviewer]

Those first six are definitely the best.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

I love A Charlie Brown Christmas! The Thanksgiving and Great Pumpkin ones are a close second and third, respectively.
I remember the Arbor Day one being on t.v., but I don't remember actually watching it. Apparently reviews consider it the worst of all of them. Anyone actually like that one?

 

[Chris2]

It’s Flag Day, Charlie Brown is worse.

 

[Seaviewer]

I remember the Arbor Day one being on t.v., but I don't remember actually watching it. Apparently reviews consider it the worst of all of them. Anyone actually like that one?

I have that in my DVD collection but I don't remember anything about it.

It’s Flag Day, Charlie Brown is worse.

I don't think I've seen that one. Possibly it was never even shown in this country.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I'm not a fan of the Thanksgiving one.

 

[Seaviewer]

The Easter one has a couple of good moments - Peppermint Patty accidentally making egg soup - but is mostly a disappointing remake of Great Pumpkin. The "Easter Beagle" is not Schulz's best idea.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

I love the Peanuts strips from the 1960's and early 1970's. I would go so far as to say they were quite often brilliant. There were many that reflected philosophy, morality and the human condition. It takes a certain kind of talent to express that in a four panel strip.
The Charlie Brown Christmas Special captured Schultz's genius the most out of all the t.v. shows I've seen. What a great talent he was.