The classic Peanuts holiday specials, a beloved animated tradition on ABC for two decades, will not air on network television this year after Apple TV Plus purchased the rights to the programs two years ago, according to reports.
Many fans of the nostalgic comic strip have expressed outrage over the shows becoming available to mostly paid subscribers.
“It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will all be available exclusively on the Apple TV+ platform throughout the holidays along with several new specials that are currently in development, the company announced this week.
The streaming service still plans to air the popular specials for free for non-subscribers but only during limited time windows. And while an Apple TV device isn’t necessary to see the specials, fans would at least need something like an Amazon Fire Stick or Roku TV to be able to watch them.
»AUGUST: 2020 keeps getting better with slight chance for asteroid collision
The Halloween special will stream free during Halloween weekend, from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.
The Thanksgiving special begins streaming to subscribers on Nov. 18, but anyone can watch for free during the Thanksgiving holiday from Nov. 25 to Nov. 27.
The only special that will not air for free during the actual holiday is the Christmas special, which will start streaming for paid subscribers Dec. 4, but everyone else can only see it from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13.
Apple is producing several other new Peanuts specials for Mother’s Day, Earth Day and New Year’s Eve, reports said. Another program called “The Snoopy Show” will also debut in 2021, according to Apple’s website.
Created by late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, the TV specials are considered a national treasure that span generations due to Schulz’s innocent portrayal of American youth with remarkable characters including Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and Peppermint Patty.
»FROM JUNE: ‘Psycho,’ Hitchcock’s masterpiece, stunned moviegoers 60 years ago
The family programs first aired on CBS in 1965 and remained there until ABC won the rights to the features in 2000, according to Vulture.
Apple bought the rights to the holiday specials in 2018 and acquired the rights to air the classics this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Some voices on social media noted that many households do not have access to streaming services.
“The point of having them on network TV is the country coming together and watching at the same time. That’s being taken from us,” one Twitter user wrote, according to NBC News. “The Peanuts specials are one of the very FEW things that brings US together.”
About the Author
