For the first time in nearly six decades, the Charlie Brown holiday specials will not be broadcast on television. Instead, the Peanuts gang is heading to Apple TV+.
Each year, TV stations across the country have announced the much-anticipated airdates of the iconic Charlie Brown Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas specials. The trifecta of animated specials has aired on ABC for the past 20 years. Before that, they aired on CBS.
Families can still continue the tradition of watching Charlie Brown around the holidays — but it will be a bit different this year.
Apple TV+ announced this week it has made a deal with Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film Productions to stream the specials, including "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965), "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (1973) and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966). Apple TV+ will also be getting new originals featuring the "Peanuts" characters.
In a statement to CBS News, a rep for Apple confirmed that the specials will only be available on Apple TV+. Each program will be available for free for a short period of time. Then, "Peanuts" fans will have to pay to watch Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and their friends.
According to Vulture.com, Apple is planning to make some of the classic specials free to all — even nonsubscribers — for a limited time. Great Pumpkin will stream outside of the TV+ paywall from October 30 through November 1, allowing anyone, even viewers without an Apple TV+ account or device, to watch. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will debut on the Apple platform November 18 and stream for free from November 25 through November 27. A Charlie Brown Christmas will begin streaming on Apple TV+ on December 4, and will have a free window from December 11 to December 13.
