From appreciating little trees that just need a bit of love to voicing love to the coolest beagles in town, Peanuts films sprinkle in little messages between the iconic wit and charm of each entry. But social media isn’t about to gather round the table for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, at least on TV, because the holiday movie will only be available to stream in 2022.
Released in 1973, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving aired on CBS and features all the classics, from beloved characters to Charlie kicking – or attempting to kick – the football held by Lucy. It continued the tradition of greatness started first by A Charlie Brown Christmas in 1965 and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown in ’66 by winning an Emmy. Since Apple acquired the rights to Peanuts films, fans have seen less of them on cable and more on Apple TV+. It seems the holiday of thankfulness will be the same.
How can you watch ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ in 2022?
Holiday specials are dominating television right now. But now some classics are exclusive to streaming, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving being one of them. Back in 2020 and 2021, PBS did retain rights to air some Peanuts holiday specials. Now, though, it is only available for streaming – and primarily on just one streaming platform: Apple TV+. American Entertainment notes it is absent from Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
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Apple TV+ requires a subscription payment of $6.99 a month. However, from November 23 through November 27, you can view A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving for free. There is also a 7-day free trial option, in case there are other exclusive titles you’ll want to watch.
Fans are not happy with this new norm
When Apple first acquired the rights to Peanuts films and shared plans of making them a streaming exclusive, fans were not happy years ago. In fact, a petition was signed to change this, and that energy has carried into this year. First was the pushback against pulling A Charlie Brown Christmas, with its recognizable and nostalgic soundtrack. This year, it’s getting the streaming treatment, available for free on Apple TV+ from December 22 through December 25, even if a viewer doesn’t have a subscription.
It’s not the same!!! pic.twitter.com/XnOukesRWu
— Kelly Gannon (@KellyLGannon) November 8, 2022
In recent years, other films have been added to the catalog of Charlie Brown filmography, including 2015’s The Peanuts Movie, which was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film. This one is actually available on Disney+. All these streaming exclusives have some fans frustrated. In response to an announcement, one Twitter user wrote a despairing, “Noooooooooo. It isn’t the same… poof it’s on TV… it makes it special.”
Do you prefer streaming Peanuts movies, or do you want to see them all back on TV?
