The appeal of Peanuts...why did we like it?

[MIB41]

Oh Dwayne I think you seriously undersell the content here. The Peanuts offer a great analogy on life. It's not timeless just because of nostalgia. It's a brilliant series of cartoons that really speaks to who we are in life. When we're kids, we don't understand anything that our parents say, hence the unintelligible remarks coming from the adults, which we never see. As kids we get it. As adults we understand it even more. Those scenes cater to both sides of the equation. All the players involved with Linus sitting in the pumpkin patch, speaks so much to the motivations that push people to see things as they are or as they want them to be. It also shows us the unintended consequences when others buy into that enthusiasm without thinking for themselves. The Peanuts are just littered with beautiful examples of life lessons, but no where is that better stated than at the end of the Great Pumpkin when Charlie Brown and Linus are reflecting on another Halloween.

Charlie Brown: " Well another Halloween has come and gone."
Linus: "Yes, Charlie Brown."
Charlie Brown: " I don't understand it. I went trick or treating and all I got was a bag full of rocks. I suppose you spent all night in the pumpkin patch."
Linus: (Nods in agreement)
Charlie Brown: " And the Great Pumpkin never showed up?"
Linus: "Nope."
Charlie Brown: "Well don't take it too hard Linus. I've done allot of stupid things in my life too."
Linus: (Shocked) "Stupid?! What do you mean stupid?! Just wait until next year Charlie Brown!"

Genius! It says so much about the human condition. Charlie Brown participated in the tradition but never enjoyed himself because he was too busy looking at what he was getting compared to everyone else. Linus was mad because he believed his blind faith in something would reward him with what he wanted. Both are flawed because neither could see the value of enjoying those moments because they were too worried wondering what they would get compared to everyone else. Yet Charlie Brown could calmly examine (and judge) Linus' situation as being short-sided while being unable to apply the same measure to himself. Insulted, Linus simply digs in and chooses to embrace his misdirection in protest. It's a brilliant profile of people.

[enyawd72]

^That's precisely my point...Peanuts is chock full of philosophy, life lessons, etc. that seem far beyond the grasp of the target audience. I see them now as an adult, and as I said, find it all a bit depressing and preachy, so why did I like it as a kid? Why do I still like it? It's a mystery to me.

[MIB41]

^That's precisely my point...Peanuts is chock full of philosophy, life lessons, etc. that seem far beyond the grasp of the target audience. I see them now as an adult, and as I said, find it all a bit depressing and preachy, so why did I like it as a kid? Why do I still like it? It's a mystery to me.

Peanuts can speak to all age groups. Think of it as the '66 Batman series (minus the wisdom). Kids saw it as dead serious because it was Batman & Robin. Adults saw the innuendo and could look past the costumes and laugh at the obvious winks the show was giving. The Peanuts give the kids their subject matter regarding that playground out back, while reminding adults that we're all just grown up versions of the same ball game. The same rules of engagement apply.

[Spyweb007]

There's a little Charlie Brown in all of us. Who didn't feel like the good kid who could never win at some point coming home from grade school.

[Duncan]

Hahahahaha

For me, TV dinners were more about the family gathering around the TV to watch a "Special". Eating off of TV trays in front of the tube with everyone there to enjoy a game or TV show. That kind of thing.

Variety and availability of prepared foods (think take out pizza and big sub sandwiches), microwaves, and DVRs kind of killed all of that as far as the peeled back foil goes.

For us they were kind of routine when my Mom didn't want to cook. But, occasionally I'd talk my parents into splurging on the 5 course Swanson dinners that came with soup - tomato or chicken noodle. My Dad hated to spend the extra $$ for a half-cup of Campbell's soup, but I occasionally whined enough to get one. Those were reserved for Sunday nights when Disney was on.

[YoungOnce]

For us they were kind of routine when my Mom didn't want to cook. But, occasionally I'd talk my parents into splurging on the 5 course Swanson dinners that came with soup - tomato or chicken noodle. My Dad hated to spend the extra $$ for a half-cup of Campbell's soup, but I occasionally whined enough to get one. Those were reserved for Sunday nights when Disney was on.

This whole thing made me smile.

[Marvelmania]

I loved the Peanuts! It was all about the kids and never once showed or heard real dialogue of adults. I think we all could related on some level to one of the Peanut characters. As many have said it's all about nostalgia. I watch Shazam and Isis now and just don't see what I saw in them except just good memories. Shoot I even love Sigmond and the Seamonsters. You'd have to pay me good money to sit through that but it still doesn't effect my happy memories.

[jwyblejr]

It seemed more realistic. Everything else there is it always has the good guy winning and being the hero and getting the girl. Then there's Charlie Brown. Who can't win at anything. You could relate more to him than any of the other cartoons.

[sprytel]

Another thought... Were there perennial Halloween specials before the Great Pumpkin?

I remember the local UHF station playing the old Universal monster movies around Halloween. And sometimes the Disney Legends of Sleepy Hollow would show up (which admittedly is close, even if it is not technically a Halloween special). But I don't remember any big other big animated specials that pre-dated the Peanuts. I remember a lot that came afterwards, but I can't think of any that came before it.

[JediJaida]

I think that the Christmas special, as well as those of Rudolph, Santa, Frosty, etc. were the very first animated specials for the Christmas season.

I'd have to look it up, but I think that the Halloween special was a couple of years after the Christmas one.

Okay, I looked it up, and the Halloween Special came out in 1966, one year after the Christmas Special.

[sprytel]

Very true. I should have started with Christmas...

Rudolph was 1964, but the Charlie Brown Christmas debuted in 1965 and preceded all the other Rankin-Bass stuff. It preceded the Grinch in 66. Obviously, there were the celebrity Christmas specials, and movies like Miracle on 34th Street, but still.... I think the Peanuts kind of created the whole "kids' animated holiday special" genre. While I think the Great Pumpkin and the Christmas special hold up, I think that tradition is a big part too. We all love holiday traditions.