CUPERTINO, Calif.—If you’re eager to rewatch “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” on one of your local TV stations this year, you may end up waiting like Linus does in the pumpkin patch.
For the first time since 1966, the Peanuts Halloween special will not air on traditional broadcast TV, instead it will be available only on the Apple TV+ streaming service. This will actually be the case of all of the Peanut holiday specials moving forward, as Apple TV+ is now the home for both new and classic Peanut programs.
Apple TV+ will make “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” available for free for anyone from Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Similar windows will be offered for “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (available for free Nov. 25-27) and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (Dec. 11-Dec. 13). Otherwise all Peanuts programming will only be available to Apple TV+ subscribers.
For some on Twitter, the news has the feeling of Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown:
So you’re telling me that they are not going to show Charlie Brown on ABC this year?!?! I’m so over 2020😭 pic.twitter.com/CeuU4cyp3aOctober 20, 2020
Breaking: Charlie Brown holiday specials taken off broadcast TV this year.Twitter: “Not Charlie Brown—“pic.twitter.com/SdMPSPDa6AOctober 21, 2020
In addition to hosting the classic holiday special, Apple TV+ has partnered with WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film Productions for new original content featuring the Peanuts gang, including new holiday specials centered around Mother’s Day, Earth Day, New Year’s Eve and going back to school.
