How many Christmas specials can Peanuts have? The answer is a few.
"I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown" is an hour long (with commercials) Christmas special from 2003, that first aired on ABC, and as of this writing airs once a year on ABC.
This special focuses on Rerun Van Pelt, the little brother of Linus and Lucy. The primary plot, and I say that because there's loose connections in this special, is that Rerun really wants to have a pet dog.
That's the main focus but most of the special is vignettes of Rerun's daily life: He rides on the back of his mother's bicycle and she's not the most cautious rider, he wants to play with Snoopy, people ask him about his "weird" brother and sister. Rerun is an interesting peanuts character , because he's one of the youngest ones, he's one that was introduced in the 1970's but there wasn't much done with him. His primary gag was the riding on the back of his mother's bicycle. Schulz didn't really have much ideas for the character. For awhile, he was background or not shown at all. (He appeared in the 80's special "Happy New Year") He got a resurgence in the 90's and is in many Peanuts strips many of which were put into special, and a later special, "He's a Bully".
We get to see how Rerun interacts with his sister and brother which brings us some funny moments like when Lucy threatens to knock down his blocks and she asks what he would do? His answer was that years down the lane he would refuse to sign a co-sign on a loan for Lucy and her husband. Which causes her to just storm away and not knock down the blocks.
you could say, he blocked her... ha ha ha / Copyright Peanuts
Later on, Rerun is at school and there's a character that was introduced in the comics in the 90's called "The little pig-tailed girl" she and him are working on some crafts in Kindergarten. When she says she's tired of "this Kindergarten stuff" he says maybe they could go to Paris one day. The next day, he gets in trouble for harassment. (What?) ( This segment is based off strips from January of 1997 and one from 2000. )
Nothing can be proved/ Copyright Peanuts
Then it gets to the plot of Rerun still wanting a dog. More daily life of Rerun stuff, with Rerun being with his mother. They did put in a Schroeder and Lucy moment. (We do have time for this) It has some funny moments to it. Rerun asks Charlie Brown if Snoopy has any family members, to which Charlie says he does. Charlie Brown talks about Snoopy's brother, Marbles, visiting but leaving after one day because Snoopy is a bad pilot. Then about Andy and Olaf. (We get sweet shot of inside Snoopy's house) There's Spike. (His last special was "The Girl in the Red Truck" ) To fill in the gap, he asks Snoopy if he can play with him, which works for a while until Snoopy grows tired of this apparently.
Yay/ Copyright Peanuts
more after the jump
The Rerun and Snoopy moments are sweet and fun when they happen. He goes back to begging his mother for a dog for Christmas. Charlie Brown does care about ole Snoopy , when Rerun asks to buy him, he says he'd need over 10 million dollars. They threw in another Lucy and Schroeder moment. With a fun musical note interaction gag. Later on Sally rides on Snoopy's airplane and that goes expected.
I'm calling the FAA / Copyright Peanuts
Spike writes a letter to Snoopy explaining his few days. Rerun gets an idea to have Spike live with him, since being in the dessert could be lonely for ole Spike. They had room for 3 Lucy and Schroeder gags. Also, there's the part where Rerun makes a snow man to welcome Spike, and it makes me feel bad when it melts, just hearing his voice when he's pleading with the sun and dang it. Spike shows up and brought a cactus, because of course.
You've brought me a sacrifice!/ Copyright Peanuts
Lucy helps Spike get "fattened" (because she wants to eat him?) because he was really thin. We get some nice Rerun and Spike interactions. The bike gag comes in again, and this time Spike rides along and uhhh this causes Spike to lose weight. So, Rerun's mother makes him give up the dog. They try to find a new owner but Spike is best in the desert. Eventually, Charlie Brown convinces Snoopy to play with Rerun and he does. The special ends with with Charlie Brown breaking the 4th wall and where he wonders where it all ends, right after the credits.
Happy New year/ Copyright Peanuts
While, this special isn't a masterpiece, and it doesn't need to be since Peanuts have a special that is a masterpiece. I like Rerun it's nice to see him. The special is mostly vignettes with the over arching plot of Christmas and Rerun wanting to have a dog. It does seem to want to be filling out that 41 minutes it has. (Yeah, it's 41 minutes long; so think of how many commercials ABC adds) It could have been slightly shorter and not lost much of it. This special is good for a nice relaxing moment when Christmas feels overwhelming, it's good for the Rerun fans (there's got to be a few of us out there) .
That's it for now, tune in next time, when we get Rerun a pet rat.
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