5 of the best Peanuts specials to grace our TV screens
There have been many Peanuts specials over the years, some have become classics, some are not as well known, and some are so good, we can’t help but want to talk about them. And with the recent, heartbreaking news that none of the classic Peanuts specials would be airing on network TV in 2020 for the holiday season, we can’t help but want to give them some love anyway.
If you’re anything like us then you might have made a tradition out of getting together with loved ones to watch the holiday Peanuts specials. From It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown to Charlie Brown’s All-Stars, these our five favorites when it comes to the specials that have kept Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of their friends as iconic characters through the ages.
Ranking the top 5 Peanuts Specials ever
5. Charlie Brown’s All-Stars
If you love baseball and Charlie Brown, this is a definite must-watch. Here is a special that continuously drives home the fact that our boy “Chuck” can’t ever seem to catch a break. And yet, even as it shows Charlie Brown repeatedly coming up short, this special offers us not just a sports-centric episode, but one where there is a clear sense of excitement. There is a real feeling of joy coming from these characters and it is one that is very infectious as a watcher.
4. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
I think the reason A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has to be at number four (there are approximately 45 Peanuts specials that have aired over the years) is the simple nostalgia of it all. There is something about the chaos of Thanksgiving that feels like it is timeless and relatable. And watching our favorite characters struggle to figure out this holiday makes us feel like perhaps we aren’t alone.
3. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown might be a favorite simply because of the sheer amount of humor that this special offered. And if ever there was a time when Charlie Brown was at his most relatable it was this time. Here is our boy trying to put off an assignment and looking for every single option that would prevent him from having to read his current assignment. That also means turning to a video game adaptation of his book (War and Peace if you were wondering).
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas
There is so much joy in A Charlie Brown Christmas, and while there have been other Peanuts specials revolving around this holiday or the season itself, this one might just be the very best of the bunch. Linus alone is the highlight for me in this one, as his speech is so powerful that it sticks with you long after the program is done. The reason we come back to this one time and time again is that it resonate with so many of us.
1. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
This one might be a bit of cheating because I love all things Halloween, but I truly believe that It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is the best of the best when it comes to Peanuts specials. I love the fact that the dialogue in this one is like they are children pretending to be adults (they are, and that’s the point), there is a mythical Halloween entity that is on par with Santa Claus, and of course Snoopy. I think this one has everything we want in a holiday special and even more. And the fact that Halloween is the season of make believe and children being children, makes this special one that will forever be nostalgic fun.
What do you think of our ranking of 5 of the best Peanuts specials? Do you agree with this top 5? Did we leave off one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below.