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Peanuts is one of the most beloved media franchises of all time. Peanuts originally started as a syndicated newspaper comic strip, which debuted in October 1950. The popularity of the comic strip eventually led to a massive media franchise that includes a TV series and over 50 animated Peanuts specials. There are 45 classic specials that aired between 1965 and 2011, and some more modern specials hosted by fan-favorite Peanuts character Snoopy.
When people think about Peanuts, they probably think of the specials that stand out as memorable parts of their childhoods. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966), a Halloween Peanuts special, and for many fans, it's the best special out there. Admittedly, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a phenomenal special, but there are at least a few that rival it for the top spot.
Why, Charlie Brown, Why? Is an Emotionally Mature Story for Children
Why, Charlie Brown, Why? (1990) is the newest Peanuts special to appear on this list, introducing a young audience to a heavy subject. In the special, Charlie Brown and Linus make a new friend named Janice Emmons. Linus appears to be in love with her, but things quickly take a turn for the worse when Janice falls ill and is hospitalized.
Later, when Charlie and Linus go to visit her, they discover that Janice has leukemia. Charlie asks Janice if she's going to die, which is a shockingly blunt question to ask, but Janice answers earnestly and honestly.
Why, Charlie Brown, Why? takes the time to explain leukemia and chemotherapy treatments in a way children will understand. It emphasizes both the seriousness of the disease and the idea that receiving such a diagnosis doesn't have to be the end of everything. Janice's explanation about cancer makes the entire topic seem less scary, and it cleverly introduces children to a real and harsh reality without leaving them terrified. Janice eventually returns to school, ending the special on a hopeful note that, despite her illness, she will be okay.
Charlie Brown's All Stars! Is an Important Lesson About Loyalty
Charlie Brown's All Stars! (1966) was the second-ever Peanuts special, following A Charlie Brown Christmas, which came out the previous year. Unlike the first Peanuts special, which wholeheartedly relied on a holiday (Christmas), Charlie Brown's All Stars! has no connection to a holiday, setting it apart from the first special and others to come. It continues a popular Peanuts trend of being progressive for the time.
In Charlie Brown's All Stars!, Charlie's friends quit the baseball team after they lose their first game. To get them to agree to rejoin, he promises to get the team a sponsor to pay for new team uniforms. Mr. Hennessy offers to be that sponsor, and in addition to money for the uniforms, he also promises to get the team into an official organized league. There's a catch, though: the league Mr. Hennessy wants to put the team in will force Charlie to exclude Snoopy and the girls from the team, since it only accepts human boys.
Disappointedbut unwilling to betray his friends, Charlie Brown declines the sponsorship, which causes his friends to turn against him. Once they learn why Charlie turned down the deal, they realize he was sticking up for them. They are also forced to realize that they don't treat Charlie nearly as well as they should, so they promise to rectify that and give baseball another shot.
This entire special focuses on loyalty, integrity, and the importance of friendship. It's not really much of a surprise that it's one of the best Peanuts specials.
A Charlie Brown Christmas Simply Can't Be Topped
For many fans, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Halloween can't be beat, but there is one Peanuts special that, without a doubt, is the best of the best. That honor goes to A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), the very first Peanuts special to air on CBS. It tells the story of Charlie experiencing seasonal depression, because while he loves Christmas, something about the season really drags him down.
As the special unfolds, it takes a bold anti-commercial stance and criticizes the way Christmas has become a breeding ground for consumerism. With so much emphasis on fancy decorations, over-the-top parties and events, and presents, many people have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas.
All of this leads Charlie Brown to lose his enthusiasm for the holiday. To fight it, he picks a small sapling from a Christmas tree lot, the only real tree that's actually there. But when he tries to decorate it, he fears that he accidentally killed the tree. Charlie's friends ultimately save the tree and decorate it, conceding that Charlie's choice was right. The tree brings them together as a group to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
A Charlie Brown Christmas broke many boundaries by taking such a bold stance, omitting a laugh track, using moving, timeless jazz music, and even hiring real children to voice the characters. To this day, A Charlie Brown Christmas remains a holiday classic, even for those who aren't huge Peanuts fans.
