It's a Lookback, Charlie Brown: She's a Good Skate, Charllie Brown (Re-write edition)

Peanuts  The Flashback 

           So, I have written about this special  before, but I feel  since this special is turning 40 in 2020, and I have more thoughts and insights into special, that I'd do a rewrite. Keeping the old post up, but doing something a little updated and what I hope is a better look than the old one, it's always good to try and improve on something.

          Peppermint Patty is probably one of more interesting Peanuts characters because she stood out as a character with a lot character.  I always heard this rumor that Peppermint Patty was considered for her own strip, if anything, she would be a character that could hold a strip.

     "She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown" is the 19th Special in the Peanuts line of specials, it's first of the 1980's specials coming out on February 25th 1980 airing on the CBS network. (Charlie Brown station) As of this writing, it makes yearly appearances on ABC with "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" as a lead-in.

       This special starts Peppermint Patty. You will only see her, Marcie, Snoopy. and Woodstock in prominence. Can Peppermint Patty hold an entire special?

   
       It starts with Peppermint Patty ice skating while, being coached by Snoopy who acts like an old Soviet ice skating coach. Then after the intro, it has the familiar,from the strips, Peppermint Patty being asleep in class. Also, there's a voice for the teacher and it's trumpets it's actual woman's voice, so this a rarity.  The reason why Peppermint Patty is dozing off is because she's been waking up at 4:30AM to train for ice skating. (That is early, like even local news shouldn't be on that early early)

Sandals in  the snow, how brave/ Copyright Peanuts 

            Hey there's Chuck, she wakes up him just to tell him that she's going to wake up Snoopy, tells him to go back to sleep.   I'm pointing this out now, ABC air this differently, like really differently. They start with a scene later on that'll point out, then show the title, then they cut the part where Peppermint wakes up Chuck and just goes straight into her waking up Snoopy and bringing him to the pond to practice  They cut almost of the stuff I mentioned above, then show her practicing to the music of "O mio babbino caro" (It was my Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown will later use this piece of music) This part is where we come back together with ABC's airing.    One of the cool things about special's animation is the ice skating.  They asked professional skaters if everything they did was accurate before they finished the special. The main goal was to have it be believable that Peppermint Patty would be ice skating in a regional competition.  They filmed three skaters : Mary Ellen Kinsey, Amy Schulz, and Karen Hutton and studied the results frame by frame.  This shows the great care and attention that went into Peanuts specials and respect for the audience, I love this fact.   (my source)

She is a good skate/ Copyright Peanuts

            Up next,  some skaters show up and want to ride play hockey they want to force Peppermint Patty and Snoopy off , but these two knock them with two pushes and Snoopy just scoops them off the ice. (Don't mess with these two, ever!)   This part is where ABC starts their airing with more Peppermint Patty practicing with the music and Marcie there this time. ( Watch this post be weird f the specials change networks and that network airs this unedited.)

 
         Peppermint Patty wants Marcie to make her skating dress, and in true Peppermint Patty fashion she doesn't listen to Marcie saying that she's not someone who can make a dress. (I'm not going to mention every ABC edit because that bogs down everything)  It's interesting to hear them use a woman's voice for the fabric store woman as well, that's a little wow.   After a quick moon transition, peppermint Patty shows up to look at the dress. Marcie made one with out arms (it's hip in some countries)
                                    
                                        Fashion trend of the future/ Copyright Peanuts


more after the jump

The Flashback: Pepper Ann: Valentine's Day Tune

Disney Pepper Ann Valentine's Day  The Flashback '

        I had to do this "Pepper Ann" episode not just for Valentine's Day, but also for the fact that this episode is turning 20 this year. As it came out on February 14, 2000.    

      This is "Pepper Ann" episode 42 . 

                 Pepper Ann doesn't like Valentine's  Day. That's set up for this episode that Pepper Ann doesn't like Valentine's Day. They take first the few minutes showing the school really loving Valentine's Day (which is actually the next day) and showing Pepper Ann being really annoyed by it all.  This full 24 minute episode is going to be using a plot that's normally used for Christmas, yep, they are going to use "A Christmas Carol".   

I'm going to be translucent with you / Copyright Disney 

  

          The episode starts with following the normal process you'd find in "A Christmas Carol" to see how they mold it for both Pepper Ann and Valentine's Day.  First a ghost visits her warning that she will suffer if she doesn't change her way.  Then the first ghost appears, in the form of her first grade boyfriend, to take her to the past. (I like Pepper Ann enjoying that she can fly)  The ghost takes her back to a moment of time when Pepper Ann tried to get her parents back together after their divorce. And she tried it on Valentine's Day. Then it takes her to the moment where her mother got her a locket for Valentine's Day. And she does feel bad on how she treated the gift. 

I put your locket away/ Copyright Disney 

          Next, the second ghost from the present.  The mother works on her Valentine's cake and never gives up.  There's a school bully who really wants a valentine. (Yep) She sees her friends Nikki and Milo are sad that she's not the Valentine's dance. 

I also can power 3 cities/ Copyright Disney 

            Finally, she meets the ghost of future.  They keep this one in the grim reaper fashion as per tradition.  Instead of Pepper Ann being dead, she's a crazy rich old cat lady.  (At least she's rich?)  Then they go more to the future (more future-y)  the year 2468.  There's this couple hiding from Robot Pepper Ann  trying to give Valentine's because love is forbidden in the building; she kicks them out.  

Robot Pepper Ann is a head of all us/ Copyright Disney 

      They do whole thing were it takes Pepper Ann takes a while to figure it out that it's her.  Pepper Ann says she'll lighten up on Valentine's Day. She goes through the change of heart and embraces Valentine's Day.   

 

Happy Arbor Day/ Copyright Disney 

        First off, I like this episode going with the embrace  of non romantic love  for Valentine's Day and focusing on friendship and family.  That's not saying romantic love is bad or anything, it's just nice to see Valentine's Day plot line have more than just that kind of love be used. The idea of using "A Christmas Carol" as a basis for the plot is rather creative, for a piece of media that's been used a lot.   The ghosts were creative, giving people that Pepper Ann would remember or know.   

        It has the good Pepper Ann well-written humor that ties everything in a nice package. Valentine's Day is one of those easier holidays to say feels like it was there just for marketing things compared most of the other holidays giving Pepper Ann, the character, kind of a point but, they also give reasons why there's something worth celebrating. That you should appreciate the  love around you and try to spread some  as well, and I think that's great message.   

    That's our lookback, tune in next time when we do Saint Patrick's Day: A Christmas Carol style. 

 Also brought you by the Get Pepper Ann on Disney Plus squad. 

Valentine's Day: For Better or For Worse: A Valentine from the Heart

Valentine's Day The Flashback

       I have been enjoying writing about "For Better or For Worse" animated specials, and thankfully there's another holiday to use to talk about a holiday special this one being Valentine's Day.  This special came out in 1993.

      This is "A Valentine From the Heart"

   It starts with pizza, which has already shown this special understands love already.  Michael and his friends are having Pizza  and they are talking about a dance, they want to do but can't at a school because the principal is not happy with a past incident.  Michael convinces his mother if he can have a party at his house. Which she allows. (wow cool)

Yeah I need my right to party! 

      Also Brad from the Halloween special is back, and he's still creepy. Also, this special shows takes place a little later than special because Michael is fifteen.(Which fits with the comics aging in real time)  It cuts to Brad who earlier helped  Elizabeth at the grocery store when she was knocked over. While Michael's parents are talking about how great and carefree it is to be 15, we see Brad taking care of his over worked mother. I like how it contrasts so well.

   Elly and John are a great couple and they're loving shows well in this special. The party is about to start.  I wasn't expecting a song sung by Liz, like it comes out of nowhere. She wants to have a valentine. The party seems to be going well until, Brad shows up.  Michael lets him stay as long as he's not trouble.  He does try to talk this girl named Allison but she wants nothing to do with him.  When someone bumps into him , he pushes back a little hard and causes a mess and gets kicked out of the party.

 

     After the party, they lament about Brad.  Later Brad's mother comes by and she says Brad hasn't come home.  Brad calls Allison from a bus station and he's leaving to Vancouver  because she did say she wanted him to disappear. (He took it literally)

       Everyone goes to catch up, while Brad is on a  bus, all sad. They call to him  on the bus and cause people's trip to get delayed. He's quiet and hugs his mother and takes him back to the house. Liz gives Brad her valentine, since she's the boy who she saw earlier. Which I think makes him turn around a little bit.

    It ends with Pizza and Brad shows up and he joins Michael and his friends.

    There's a good great use of visual work for this special. They show us how Brad's life is without any thing he or his mother saying anything, they used a contrast of Elly and John's words to Brad's segment.  They were saying that fifteen year olds have it easy and there's Brad not having an easy life.
 
   The things about these specials is how they stay in the realism and do it well. Liz's subplot plays well into the main plot and everything comes together nicely.  Much like the Halloween special, Valentine's day is used as plot device, but how it uses it here to show kindness as a kind of love more than just romantic love.  It's not something you see much especially for Valentine's Day where the focus always seems to be romantic.  It's a good special with some great heart to it that really has it 's own charm.

 That's our look back tune in next time when we send Valentine's.