MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving': Release date, where to watch and all you need to know about PBS' holiday specials

The Charlie Brown festive classic will stream from November 18 on PBS and PBS Kids, and will be available from November 25 through November 27

More good news coming up this holiday season! ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ and ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ are coming to PBS. The network revealed in an official Twitter confirmation that the Apple TV partnership, ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ is coming back with a bang! Last month, Apple TV+ struck a deal with Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film Productions to be the sole place for Peanuts' holiday specials. 

'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' originally premiered on CBS network on November 20, 1973, and won an Emmy the next year. Until 2019, the show had continued to run on the ABC network. However, earlier this year, Apple TV+ became the exclusive home of all 'Peanuts' specials. This was followed by 'Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts' gang celebrating the comic's 70th anniversary.

Last month, after the news of Apple TV+ becoming the exclusive home for 'Peanuts', a huge outcry followed by a Change.org petition urged officials to bring 'Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Woodstock' and the whole holiday gang back on national TV. The petition which garnered over 15,000 signatures urged fans: "For over 50 years, we have celebrated the holidays with the airings of the Peanuts holiday specials on TV - first on CBS, then on ABC. To our shock and dismay, last night it was announced that Apple had swiped the football from us and claimed the specials for their Apple TV platform, leaving us devoted fans who have grown up with Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang in the dark, unable to watch." And looks like, the wishes have come true. 

Now, 2020 will be the first year in a long time when ‘The Great Pumpkin’ will not be aired on television for the holiday session, even though older episodes of the show will be available for Apple TV+ users. Here's all you need to know about ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ and ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’.

Release date

The special one-night event will be broadcasted on PBS and PBS Kids on November 22 at 7:30 p.m. local time/6:30 p.m. CT. For Apple TV+ users, ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ will stream from November 18 and the free streaming service will be available from November 25 through November 27.

Plot 

‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ is based on Charlie Brown and his friends spending Thanksgiving. Charlie Brown is preparing to go to his Grandmother’s thanksgiving when he gets a call from Peppermint Patty who invites herself over to Charlie Brown's house for the holiday dinner. Charlie doesn’t know how to make Thanksgiving dinner as he only knows how to make "cold cereal and maybe toast" but he gets help from Woodstock and Snoopy. The unique feast includes buttered toast, pretzel sticks, popcorn, jelly beans, and an ice cream sundae. Patty is taken aback by this strange combination and outrages but after some time, she apologies to Charlie. 

Following this, Charlie Brown is reminded that he and Sally were to go to his Grandmother’s thanksgiving where they all go together. In the end, Snoopy and Woodstock go to the doghouse and cook up their own traditional Thanksgiving meal and as the credit rolls, two friends are seen devouring a large piece of pumpkin pie then sit back with contented smiles as Woodstock pats his full stomach.

Creator 

'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' is based on the popular comic strip 'Peanuts' created by Charles M. Schulz.

Where to watch

PBS announced that 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' along with ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ would be telecasted ad-free from PBS and PBS Kids on November 22 and December 13. 

Trailer

There is no trailer yet. Circle back for the latest updates. 

If you like this, you'll love these,

'The Great Pumpkin'

'It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown'