I have to point out that this is not a Peanuts lookback in our official rule about not doing holiday specials, but this counts as a look at a holiday special that just happens to have Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang. The second note there are like 4 Peanuts Christmas specials, one of them is filler for ABC's broadcast of the big one, while there's one for Rerun as well. This one doesn't really get any air time at all. (In the U.S)
Note 2: I happen to Like "I want a Dog for Christmas , Charlie Brown".
It's Christmas Time Again , Charlie Brown was first broadcast on November 27th 1992 on the CBS television network. (We missed the 25th anniversary exact date by a few days) It was the last new one for CBS , as they decided to give up or something.
It was divided up into segments and based directly from different story lines in the strips, so no single story like the first one.
The special starts with Linus trying to sled down a snow bank with a box and resulting in various degrees of failure. Then Charlie Brown is out door to door selling Christmas wreaths before Thanksgiving. (Insert joke about commercialization of Christmas here) In fact Franklin tells him that yes he is adding to the over commercialization of Christmas. (woah alright then)
packing peanuts... I am ashamed of this joke / Copyright Peanuts
Sally decides to help and she does help sell at least one on air. This special uses Guaradi music arranged by David Benoit , this was his first time doing Peanuts specials. Now we skip to some Peppermint Patty where she has to read A Tale of Two Cities (advanced schools in the Peanuts world.) she of course doesn't want to read it. She procrastinates.
Only Peppermint Patty could wear shorts and sandals in the snow/copyright Peanuts
Marcie and Peppermint Patty attend a performance of Handel's Messiah. Snoopy is ringing bells to collect money , but he switches to a horn after someone makes a remark. It also consists of people saying he's not the real Santa Claus.
Something about you seems not real Santa-ish/ Copyright Peanuts
Sally is writing for English , about how Christmas is the season of getting as Charlie Brown tries to correct her to say it is the season of giving. Then she's making a Christmas list and writing to Santa. Sally then wants Linus to tell her about Christmas and he tries to read her from Luke chapter 2 but she continues with her thoughts on disliking shopping. Later on she doesn't like the 12 days of Christmas and she wonders what a calling bird is , as Linus tries to explain she goes back to her thoughts of socks.
She killed him/ Copyright Peanuts
Charlie Brown wants to get a pair of gloves for Peggy Jean but he doesn't have $25 for gloves. (He gave up on the little red haired girl I see) Linus tell her she will love anything he gives her, if she cares about him, Lucy is not helpful though. He tries to sell his signed baseball but that doesn't work very well. So he decides instead to sell his comic books.
Is that enough, comic books, Charlie Brown? /Copyright Peanuts
He sold his whole collection to buy them , but then she comes in the same store to show that her mother bought her, the same gloves. He decides not to give them to her because she already head them. (Guessing No returns ?)
Charlie Brown's life is fun / Copyright Peanuts
Peppermint Patty wants to be Mary in the play , Marcie says she was already chosen , it takes her asking the teacher to find out what Marcie said. Peppermint Patty has to play a sheep instead. Sally has been asked to be in the same play and be an angel. She continues her practicing while Charlie Brown holds the same hockey stick as before.
Why did never know much about Charlie Brown's Hockey career/ Copyright Peanuts
Peppermint Patty doesn't take kindly to being a sheep. (baaadd choice?) Linus and Charlie Brown watch the play as it happens. Peppermint Patty starts constantly baaing and Franklin and Marcie wonderfully master it. The next part she forgets her baaa and starts making random noises and the audience laughs as Marcie drags her off. Linus says it's been a good play so far. (Alright then) Sally forgets her hark line , and she says hockey stick. (I like how they built up the joke) Also her mention of Harold Angel to find out that's a real person.
Marcie's not a good Shepard/ Copyright Peanuts
Harold Angel/ Copyright Peanuts
The last part Lucy wants to take Linus' spot at the TV but he uses something she said against her and she leaves. The end.
more after the jump
Again this special doesn't have a continuous plot, it's mini bites , pretty much. It does work for the special. The Charlie Brown gloves story was good but not feeling long enough to be be a special that would have to be sustained for 24 minutes ,or the play story , which again doesn't seem to have too much to sustain it for 24 minutes solo.
As this special was pieced together directly from the strips we can look at what it references. Linus going down the box is from December 11th, 1991 to December 14th of that year. The Opening was from January 26th 1992. (11, 12,13,14, 26)
Charlie Brown's glove story was from a series of strips that ran from November 29, 1990 to December 13th 1990. (29 )
The Peppermint Patty book plot line comes from December 20th to 23rd of 1976. (20, 21, 22,23)
The Handel's Messiah plot came from December 18, 1985 to December 20th. (18, 19,20)
The play plot line was two different strip story lines combined into one plot. Peppermint Patty's sheep story is from December 17th to 22 1984, and December 23 to 25 1988. (17 -84 23-88) Sally's Angel plot is from December 15th of 1983, which run until December 24th. (15-83)
The Charlie Brown wreath segment was from December 14th to 24 in 1982. (14)
The Snoopy street side Santa was from December 5 to 7 1991. ( 5,6,7) and some parts from December 23 1989.
As stated above this was the last new special to air on CBS, other future specials in the 90's came out on NBC (Superbowl) or direct to video (Best Birthday, and It's the Pied Piper) All the new 2000's specials aired on the new home , ABC, and "Happiness is a Warm Blanket" on Fox.
Sadly enough it doesn't air on TV , though It is not as "good" as the the first one, I say it has a good humor to it and nothing felt like it was dragging, honestly its a great adaption of the strips. I like how they made a story from two different storylines to make one combined one , but it felt natural and it worked well. Loved the sight gags in this as well, I didn't write about what they were except one but it's great. It is available on the A Charlie Brown Christmas DVD as a bonus episode.
The elephant in the room is to compare this to the original special, and that would be something easy to do, but kind of an unfair comparison both specials have a different meaning and use to them. This one here is a mixture of strips animated to TV and just showcasing more of the newer (post 65) characters doing Christmas stuff. It's more comedic in tone, while the original is a classic, was written for TV , has a continuous story, and was the first Peanuts special ever. By nature the first one is better, but this one isn't bad it's not meant to be an update or remake, it's there to be something to show more Peanuts Christmas stories.
Tune in next time ... someone knocks at the door, hey it's Charlie Brown with some wreaths, gloves, and comics.
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