Something about "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown"

Peanuts  Valentines' Day

      Sometimes things don't have happy endings that can be wrapped up with happiness.
 
    "Be my Valentine, Charlie Brown" is the 13th Peanuts special in cannon. It first aired on January 28th 1975. In order of holiday specials it came 9 years after the Christmas special, 8 years after the Halloween special, a little over year after the Thanksgiving special and months after the Easter special.   Peanuts the comics and some other specials have dealt with the theme of love before as well.

             It starts even with Charlie Brown waiting by his mailbox for Valentines to pour in. Linus feels that his teacher "likes" him and also this special puts Sally and Linus in the same class because reasons.  Linus has fallen in love ,innocently enough, with his teacher Ms.Othmar. Thus our main two plots are set.  Lucy and Schroeder also have their parts in this , of course Lucy wants Schroeder to "notice" her.  We already know that this special won't  change their status quo.  Linus decides to buy large heart shaped box of candy for his teacher and this is an expensive.   Violet says that it's not a good idea to fall in love with your teacher. (We know where this special is going already, thank you very much Violet.)  Sally who has a large crush on Linus finds that he has bought that large heart-shaped box of candy. Her idea is to get him something now.

You don't have mail/ Copyright Peanuts 

         


   Now that the plots are set, this special does need to fill in that run time and some humor before we all get crushed. (get it?)   Snoopy's puppet show is fun.  The whole sequence  is fun to see Snoopy do this one dog puppet show and also just get Lucy wet, muddy, hit with garbage, hit by puppets, and wetted again. There's also a fun Valentine making segment which also shows us Charlie Brown being a good older brother to Sally, and of course Snoopy is not an average dog and can craft things like  a witch.

Lucy are you alright? / Copyright Peanuts 

      Now it's time for pain.  It's equally sad to see that Charlie Brown made people Valentines only where he doesn't get any from anyone. Also they had to use some stock characters hence Peppermint Patty, Franklin , Marcie showing up in the shots.   It's crushing to see Charlie Brown  hoping so well, and he even tells Schroeder he has a suit case  to hold in all his Valentines. Meanwhile, Sally gets crushed because that box of candy isn't for her.   I also love how there's scene where Sally reads this really long poem on a candy heart.  (You can watch here) Violet notices that Charlie Brown didn't get a Valentine and she asks some others if they sent him one.   Linus also gets his heart crushed when he finds out the love we know couldn't be done anyway is not requited because the teacher already has a boyfriend.  He's not happy and ends up throwing the candy in a rage piece by piece into a water way. (They added in Snoopy eating the chocolate to lighten it)  The mood you can feel, it's depressing and you kind of feel for Linus.  Poor Charlie Brown takes out his anger as well.

      The next day, the girls decide to give Charlie Brown some Valentines (reused ones). I would say their hearts were kind of in the right space. Schroeder's defense of  Charlie Brown is great, I loved it  even though , CB kind of messes up by being desperate.    As I wrote above  Sometimes things don't have happy endings that can be wrapped up with happiness.    It does end with Charlie Brown being optomisic though because that's who he is and always strives that next time will be better.  The credits in this special is cool too because Snoopy does puppets of the people featured in them.

         Much like "The Great Pumpkin" the first airing of the episode resulted in people sending in Valentine's for ole  Charlie Brown.
 
     It's kind of a dower special that doesn't make it bad and the comedy moments know when to be placed to keep from being a drag.  They did a good job of  showing the viewers the sad part of love that many would experience at some point. Charlie Brown's eternal optimism continues through this whole special where you do feel quite bad for him and makes you hope the best for him. Also, we also know that Linus' love wasn't going to be requited and you know what going to happen at the end but it's innocent and makes you feel for the guy when he's throwing those chocolates in frustration in the water. (Also, I want the chocolate) 

 That's our look, tune in next time when we tell you not to give dogs chocolate.

The Loud House : Predict Ability/ Driving Ambition

The Loud House Nickelodeon 


      Two things : since they are doing a week of new episodes for the Loud House( meaning four) and since I want to even out the amount of season 3 posts that I have compared to Seasons 1 and two I decided to do a look at the episodes from the week put together. (If you reading this in the future then hello, disregard this part)


   As I've noted before Season 3 seems to be having a different formula a little where it focuses on other non Lincoln characters from the show but this episode goes back to him and I mean not him and Clyde (who is in this episode) but him exactly. Let's to this episode    I start with an episode called "Predict Ability" get it?

   
        It starts in the morning.  Lisa apparently knows when Lincoln goes to bathroom which is mildly unsettling , he goes at 7:03 AM every morning. (what?)  Then it's breakfast and apparently Lincoln eats the same thing for breakfast every morning,  a breakfast burrito, (this episode is in it's own world isn't it? He's had cereal before and other things, help!) which his father already new he had. (Also Lincoln, chew with your mouth closed!) He's also last into the van for the drive to school. The other girls wonder why he is always the last one out of the house and Lola even wonders how that could be when he puts on an orange polo shirt everyday. (Uhhhh says the girl who wears the same thing everyday stop doing this me show, stop trying to break the illusion it hurts!)   I think Lincoln is talking to us when he wonders maybe its just his family knowing him well. ( Also he doesn't talk to us much this season was it something we did?) 
         

      At school it continues.  Lincoln always picks his best friend Clyde for partnering (because best friends)  and Lincoln always has an excuse for the ropes in gym class. Later at bed, Lincoln has a nightmare where floating heads think he's boring. Lincoln then turns old and he screams to wake up. (I'm calling my lawyer, that scared me)  Lincoln decides that he won't be predictable anymore.  (Well I saw that coming)   So he wakes up at 6:03 AM (Just in time to watch infomercials on WGN America)  he goes to the bathroom early, decides to  have something different for breakfast. Then he tries on some new clothes, from the hand-me-down box.  So first hipster look Lincoln.   He then decides to work with Stella (Me doing these episodes out of order sometimes doesn't help) which causes Clyde to worry.  Lincoln climbs the ropes instead of not , causing Clyde to lose it again. (This episode is getting dark)  Then he decides to wake up early but let everyone use the bathroom a head of him,even though he has to go. The day before he comes a hipster, this time he's gone corporate wearing a suit and brief case. He also walked to school.  Also, more Clyde slowly loosing sanity.  Lincoln them commits a war crime by eating sushi with syrup on it.  More random clothes changes.

Lincoln grants Greenbay Packers their wish in 2020/Copyright Viacom 

       He's run out of clothes  because Louds only have one box ? Also, how did he fit Lana's overalls and did he wear everything in the box?

Did he wear that? /Copyright Viacom 

      Another nightmare.  He dreams he's trying be unpredictable  where he does strange things by taking off his head  then throwing himself into a volcano. (So series finale?)  His friends wonder the next day what Lincoln is going to wear this day, while Clyde looks like he's close to losing all grips of reality.  He tells everyone that everyone should live with him being boring  but they say he's notb boring. (Because that was always going to be how this episode ends unless they were changing up the show and it gets dark.) Also did Lori say she wears the same shorts everyday? Like the same ones or the same kind because what?  Anyway it ends alright is fine now.

help!  / Copyright Viacom 

    Something this show is good at doing is taking a plot line that's been used before many times and following it but still doing something charming.  Lincoln feels that doing things on routine would make people think he's boring. He seemed to worry about being boring and people not wanting to be around him anymore. Many can relate to that in a way. It's also interesting to note that most of the build up was in Lincoln's head  and not from anyone telling him he's boring.  I like how the ending points out that everyone has something they do on routine  and also , that it's not bad to get out of a rout and try new things too.    A nice episode indeed. I give  80% out 100.


more after the jump

It's a Lookback, Charlie Brown: You're in Love, Charlie Brown

Peanuts 

      So, it's almost Valentine's day and since our lookbacks can't look at holiday themed specials (we have something else for that) why not look at love? Anyway, this special rounds out our look at the 1960's non holiday specials meaning we are done with the 1960's.   "You're in Love, Charlie Brown" came out not in the summer of love but in late spring of 1967, June 12, 1967.  It aired on CBS (Charlie Brown's sister's network).

          This was the first Peanuts special where adults were given the trombone thing . It was nominated for an Emmy along with "He's your Dog,Charlie Brown" . See why Charlie Brown is in love.

          Charlie Brown is miserable and says that nobody likes him. (Maybe because he complains all the time, and maybe Linus likes you.)  Charlie Brown wants to have lunch with the little red haired girl  but he says his stomach gets all knotted up and doesn't know what's wrong.(For the rest of this post we are going to short hand the Little Red Haired Girl as  LRHG alright?)  Linus tells him the title of the special.

                                     You're not wearing gloves, Charlie Brown/ Copyright Peanuts


           The theme song has lyrics, nice.  In class , Charlie Brown thinks about the LRHG instead of focusing on his work.  It's almost the last day of school. Anyway, Chuck has to do assignment and reads his note out instead of report.    Linus tells C.B at recess that he should just talk to the LRHG but Chuck is Chuck and that means he's not going to do this very well.  Charlie Brown asks Linus to start a conversation. (This doesn't go well in future cases and in this case either.)
           

Don't roll your face at me Charlie Brown/ Copyright Peanuts 

 
   Also, Linus and Lucy are in the same class this special, she doesn't really talk this special so that's nice (so far) , the teacher calls him again and he screws that up because he really needs to focus.  Now it's lunchtime and he gets to eat outside, cool.  He thinks  nobody likes him again, but Linus does so. (maybe Chuck is an idiot.) Lucy does get a moment when she gets annoyed that Charlie Brown mentions that he gets nervous  around pretty faces. She also mentions the Christmas queen from "A Charlie Brown Christmas"  Linus defends Charlie Brown but most innocently ,and he reveals to the mean girls that Charlie is in love.

Those are love eyes/ Copyright Peanuts 

     Charlie Brown starts thinking about LRHG's hands (what?) and laments that he'll never get to hold hands with her.  Sally is graduating from Kindergarten and Charlie Brown doesn't like the idea of kindergarten graduations.  We get a Schroeder and Lucy scene and she asks what if they got married. Schroeder has multiple pianos and Beethoven busts too.

He buys this stuff at Costco / Copyright Peanuts 

      Lucy does her doctoring and starts ranting about men. (She later started a blog)  This is the first special with Peppermint Patty appearing in it as well.  She's going to help with his baseball team but he tells her that his real problem is a girl in class.  Peppermint decides to help and talks to Lucille thinking that Charlie Brown meant her. She sets up a meeting for them.  (I ship it)  Charlie Brown says that he is going to do his mission tomorrow. His plans get a little messed up and he has to sneak into school.   Gets in trouble.  He has one chance to talk to the LRHG   but fails to , but ends up with a note that says "I like you, Charlie Brown"-- Signed, the Little Red Haired Girl (it's a family name).
 

Her last name is girl?/ Copyright Peanuts 

.

           The animation in this special is what I want to talk about .  The 60's peanuts specials after the first two really got into interesting style groove and this one is really nice.  I like how they made sound effects have onomatopoeic words coming out. The coloring is really well done and I love how it feels like a late spring/early summer time.

         This is great special as well the pay off being that Charlie Brown does get acknowledged by the Little Red Haired girl. He's classic Chuck he's just wanting to the girl to notice him but is too nervous to talk to her.  Peppermint Patty's first showing up was so nice too she really did try to help Chuck even though she innocently messes it up, same with Linus defending Charlie Brown when Lucy and Violet  were making fun of Charlie Brown, even though he kind of  makes it worse it was without intentionally wanting to cause do such a thing.  This is a well done special that I really enjoyed.


  That's our lookback  Tune in next time, when Charlie Brown and Lucy become a couple in college, who would have seen that coming?

Arthur: Season 20 and Season 21 : Buster's Second Chance / Francine and the Soccer Spy

Arthur  PBS 


       Back during the 20th anniversary set of posts I did back in 2016, I stopped at season 19 because season 20 hadn't premiered yet, it was to start the month after I was doing the post.  Over that time , season 21 also premiered.   There are also the noted reaction by some to say , "Arthur is still running and has new episodes?" to that answer yes.  Also the show will at least be running to a season 25.

  Let's start with season 20.


   Season 20 ran from October 2016 to June 2017. Somethings to note about this season: Arthur seasons got shorter over time  but,this one was the shortest producing  7 half hours.  The animation studio also changed, again, leaving 9-Story and WGBH went with another Canadian studio, Oasis Animation.   D.W's voice actor changed again (for those that don't know Arthur's sister is voiced by males) , and Arthur's voice actor also changed again. (because they use male children for his voice too).

       We are looking at the first episode of the season with the first half 1a called "Buster's Second Chance"  which premiered on October 10th,2016.

 

 
 Monologue : Arthur says that Buster has always been his best friend, and flashback to when they first met. Then a montage of them doing best friends stuff. Yep Best Friends until this week. What hold on what?

   Episode:  Buster is unhappy that the Brain won  the statewide science competition because the report was Brain finding types of bacteria in the drinking fountain. Buster says he knew there was something strange about that fountain.   Arthur tells him everyone knew the water tasted like feet (what?)  and that Brain was the only one to go study it.   Buster gives a  backstory on his not studying.  He was brought to a pre-school for "brainy kids" he stuck a marble up his nose and not where it was supposed to go. If he didn't try to outsmart the test he says, then his life could have been different.

       Buster says he would have just as smart as The Brian. Arthur suggests time travel but, not really. Buster reads time travel comics and fall asleep , guess where this episode is going?  He sees a passage way that sends him back in time. Back to the time  with the marble.  Where he impresses the teacher with magic and puts the marble in the right spot.  He wakes up and finds out that he is a genius now.   (Also all smart people wear glasses in Buster's mind, apparently)

Hmm , what?/ Copyright WGBH 

    Buster's life is different because he wears glasses and goes to a different school in the mornings and the other one he normally goes to in the afternoon. He tries to wave at Arthur but I don't think he's friends with him in this alternate universe.  Apparently, because Buster is smart now and didn't meet Arthur, Arthur has become a gang-leader (kind of joking) but he does become the leader of the tough customers.  His nickname is Specs. (get it because he wears glasses)  Buster goes to find Arthur and doesn't know where he went then finds him at the comic book store. Buster finds out that since he went to the fancy pre-school he never met Arthur at the park and they didn't become friends. (How does Buster know Arthur? Well it's a dream don't question it)

EEEEEEH/ Copyright WGBH 

 

       Arthur ended up being a tough customer.  Buster jumps out of a time warp (he wakes up) and everything is back to normal.

      I guess this episode's  moral is that a different paths in life result in different results, they kind of did this idea before in this series. The other is at the end where Buster decides to study something to prove  a point and do it with his best friend.  It's a fun episode where you see some of the outlandishness of Buster's fantasy.

The Loud House Season 2: Baby Steps/ Lock 'N' Loud

The Loud House  Nickelodeon 

         For those reading this post in January of 2019: This wraps up our look at "The Loud House" for now, more in the future.

                 Once again, dipping into season 2 of "The Loud House" with a look at couple episodes.

  Let's start with  4th episode of season 2 called "Baby Steps" what's this episode about?  It first aired in the US on January  10th 2017.

           Time to give Clyde more time and attention TV show , and that's what this episode does.  So it starts in the middle of the night where Lincoln is sleeping when he gets awoken by Clyde on the walkie talkie. Clyde tells him that his Dads are planning on having another baby now, they didn't tell him this news he suspects it because they were getting baby clothes and baby-proofing the house. (remember this line)  So, he tells Lincoln that he is going to be an older brother.   Also, I like the shot during the split screen of them taking where Lincoln has Charles the dog on his bed, and Clyde has his cat on his bed. (Remember this line later)  Lincoln says that he is the best person to talk to about being an other brother. (why? oh that's right)
is
    The next morning, Lincoln shows Clyde the best steps to being a big brother or as Lincoln calls them the 3 C's which are Confidence, Caring, and Cookies. (cookies mmm) Lincoln decides to show him these skills by example. (Lincoln is that kind of teacher)   Helping with Baby Lilly's pain he shows off the three C's in action.  Up next it's the twins fighting. Then it's the 4-year-old genius, Lisa, who has Lincoln make a  PBJ sandwich. (This later comes up in that Mad Scientist episode)  Then Lucy just need simple help on a poem rhyme.

    Now the student gets to do some experience training. Clyde puts his training into work and  if you can guess how this guess, you win something. This bad mess causes Clyde to stress out. Later, Lincoln leaves to get something while Clyde is waiting Lisa enters the room asking for help with her shoe strings which should make him skeptical (remember this line later too). Lucy asks for help with a poem rhyme a word that rhymes with Lori. (Hmm)  Remember that line above there? (Also remember the characters  mentioned plus Lilly) Well Lincoln pai d them off for them to do what they did to help Clyde.  Clyde hears this and is unhappy and decides to leave.  Lana is stuck in a tree (remember she wasn't mentioned)  and Clyde thinks she's part of the plan but she's not. He saves the day.

awww/ Copyright Viacom 

    Remember those details above?  Well Clyde finds out that his parents aren't getting a baby they are getting a kitten   Clyde finds that Lincoln's tips also work with cats.

       The charming thing for this episode is Lincoln showing how good a bigger brother he is to the younger ones.  The show does run from his perspective as middle child in the family and we've seen interactions where the sisters act as one, his interactions with the older ones and younger ones as well.  It's also nice to see Clyde do more in the series as well. I speak from the framing of him in season 1.   It makes a nice episode with a nice fit to it, and the ending doesn't ruin it because he learned something valuable.   I give this one a 97% out of 100.

 More after the Jump 

But First These Messages but We have undersold ad time so PSA's instead!

PSAs 

          We'll be right back more popular children's program  "The Loud Bob Universe of Odd Parents" after these messages.
 
        So this time we are doing a new "But First These Messages" but with a twist , we don't have ads , instead we have  PSAs ,public service announcements, because someone (sorry) forgot to sell some ad time so have to fill the gap with PSAs.   That's what we are doing this time.

     Sometimes you get lost , so what do you do when you get lost?   Panic!
   
    I could make fun of this one, but it does a good message of  if you get lost (as a kid?) check your area and find a police person to help. (Doesn't work in the middle no where)

   

Is that balloon supposed to say Fail? 

         Today's weather forecast calls for 100% sun and 0% rain if we are wrong it's channel 20's fault. 

           
        I have some questions , why is that guy in the water?  Did that kid want to die?  That metal suit might be dangerous too!
       

This is the face you see before you die! 

       Now it's time to pet this strange dog. 

         

      
      Don't pet random animals he said animals not dogs , so don't pet random bears, only bears you know!

 

mean doggy mean doggy 

Don't forget to watch new episodes of Cyborg Lassie , every Tuesday!  More after the jump

Arthur : Season 12 and 13 : I Owe You One/ Arthur's Number Nightmare

Arthur PBS 

   In our January journey looking at Arthur we have skipped a head from season 5 to Seasons 12 and 13 mostly to keep us from sticking to a cluster of seasons.  Let's take a look at an episode from season 12 first, called "I owe you one" .

  This episode aired on April 21st, 2009 it is 7B of the season paired with "War of Worms".

  Monologue: This time done with Muffy because why not?  Muffy is playing as Suze Orman on her old CNBC show and trying to give money advice. Different Elwood  City characters call in.  So What Muffy says that when you ask a favor or borrow money you in their debt, and you shouldn't say "I Owe you One" ( Sorry, I owe you one).  It never ends up being one, and she decides to tell a story which happens to be our episode.


    The episode:  Buster's mom tells him to rake the leaves by 5 O'Clock, and he forgets to do so because he focused on a video game.  Arthur is called to help and he tells Arthur he owes him one. Francine asks him what he's going to do and Buster says he doesn't know. Then they find out that Buster owes Arthur alot.  They tell him that he also owes interest while telling everyone that credit cards are dangerous.  Buster gets a call from Arthur asking him to come over and help him out. Apparently, two aliens  wanted to abduct Arthur  and since Buster owes him some favors it was time for Buster to pay up.
 

This is the best payback/ Copyright WGBH 

    Oh, it was a dream, I was thinking this episode got dark. Buster starts trying to do stuff for Arthur. He starts talking to Binky and Binky happens to tell him that Arthur owes him a few things. This makes Buster help Arthur pay back his debts first, by doing stuff for Binky. Arthur calls Buster but then Francine decides to come over and ask if Buster can pay off some of Arthur's debt to her , then others come by as well to the same. (Well then)  It's apparently been two weeks Since Arthur spent time together and Arthur thinks that Buster is mad at him.  Buster tells him that he paying back Arthur.

         Arthur tells him that Buster owes him no more favors. Then Arthur tell Muffy that is his show.

This is my show and you can't stop me/ Copyright WGBH 

    The message of the episode is to be careful with taking favors because you don't want to take advantage of people. I really kind of like that it wasn't Arthur who was like "where's my favors, man?" but more Buster thinking he has to pay Arthur back to make sure things are square. I found it a genuinely alright episode with some charm to it. 

More after the jump

The Loud House: Season 1: For Bros about to Rock / Ties that Bind

The Loud House Nickelodeon 


  Since I was writing these posts as part of a theme or in this a Loud House look every Tuesday in January and I decided to use all 5 Tuesdays in January, I found that since this show only 3 seasons I have to double up on a couple seasons, so that's what's happening here. For those reading outside January, first Thankyou! and second, this doesn't matter as much since it's part of the collection of season 1 episodes I've written about.

         
         We look at episode 13A from season  1 called "For Bros about to Rock".  They've characterized the sisters in this show each have a primary thing they like, mostly done to get us identifier for each one. So Luna is the music loving girl mostly rock, but she likes music so there's an episode for her to interact with Lincoln and Clyde.

     Lincoln and Clyde are going to a Smooch concert, (I wonder what that's a parody of )  the other non-Luna sisters want to warn Lincoln not have Luna know that he going to his first concert. Why? Well, Luna gets over zealous at concerts. Each sister tells Lincoln what happened at their first concerts.  So, they help him escape but she already knew and saved them a spot in  line (That was nice of her). She changes their threads (Don't how this works, we don't question it). Luna even starts singing and eventually Luna annoys Lincoln and makes her leave.   They also lost their space in line meaning that they made to the end and didn't get tickets.  A strange man in a beard asks them if they wanted tickets. Today's moral: if a strange man in a beard asks if you want tickets don't buy them or talk to him. Thank you.  Now back to the episode.

These Bros are about to Rock/ Copyright Viacom 

      The strange man in a beard ended up being a mall cop who is really invested into his job. He arrests  Lincoln and Clyde for buying scalped tickets  you know the ones he was selling, that's how tings work. (Court TV needs to return to answer my question)  Bobby had a running gag in the series early on where he was going through more jobs than Homer Simpson.   Luna appears disguised as their mother, and guess who figures out that it's Luna? (That information is behind our new pay wall please give us 50 cents)

Luna the Mom,coming this fall to CBS/ Copyright Viacom 

     Luna gets thrown behind bars.  Lincoln wonders why concerts are so important to her. Flashback time!  Luna talks about her  first rock concert at the age of 12 and how it changed her life  The Mick Swagger song ( I wonder who that's a parody of?)  The story makes the mall cop cry and decides to let them go and give them the tickets.  Lincoln asks if  he has a third ticket for his sister he does. (This is how the law should work!)     Luna helps them have a great concert and a good time was had by all.

past Luna/ Copyright Viacom 

         So, this episodes tell us that why Luna is engulfed in rock music and has a general love of music in the first place.  They also did a good job of even though Luna was being over zealous to annoying that didn't make her unlikable and it didn't make Lincoln un justified in saying that she was being annoying.   The episode itself was fun and enjoyable nothing seemed to drag on, and had some funny moments.    I give it  9.5/10. 

Up next, the Loud parents think it's time to get rid of one of their kids , after the jump.