Anyone Watching Charlie Brown?

[Jesse James]

Just curious...

This is a yearly thing for me.  I never miss Charlie Brown, though one time I unfortunately missed out because I couldn't find the night it was on and I felt like a big Block Head all Christmas long.  ARRRRGHHH!!!

[Morgbug]

The animations probably too crude for most of these young punks Jesse.  But this one and the great pumpkin are two of my all time favorites, having grown up on them every year.  Way back in the day, before VCR's and Tivo and all that other crap, we had to actually watch the show the one time it was on or you were screwed for the entire year.  It's not Halloween without seeing (or rather missing) the great pumpkin and it's not Christmas without seeing that crappy little tree that Charlie Brown gets.  Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

[DSJ™]

Best tree ever! 

[MetalJedi]

Thanks for reminding me its on tonight. 

[TeenJedi]

I watch this too! Every year along with Rudolph, Frosty and some of the others. I recorded it one year, I think it was like in 93 or 94. Oh yeah the next thing on the tape was the OJ Simpson trial so it has to be sometime in the 90's! It shows him being found not guilty and the helicopters followed him wherever he was going. I also recorded the comercials during the Charlie Brown Christmas. It's fun to look back and see Bill Cosby and the Jello jigglers, JCPenny and the "Doin Right" slogan/song, and the Olive Garden's "newest" dish, along with all the others. This was when they used to show it on CBS, along with Disney cartoons, which now all air on ABC.   

[Jesse James]

I can't watch it on tape for some reason...  It's just not the same.  I have to catch it on TV.  I'm like that with Star Wars too...  If it's on I watch it.  I can't help it, but I don't watch the DVD's much ironically.

I used to watch Frosty but it just is meh...  Rudolph I caught the other night with my gf's kids, and that was fun.  I can't help but make crude jokes throughout it for some reason though, which takes something away from Burl Ives singing Holly Jolly Christmas.   

I do like those two though, they're my holiday must-see's for certain...  I'm always on the prowl to catch Scrooged, X-Mas Carol (variety of versions), and X-Mas story though...  But tonight was CHarlie, and I happen to like the new mini-toons they added to the end instead of making Merry Christmas Charlie Brown last for the hour.  I think the little toons at the end are even better.

Your right though Brent, I think the animation is going to lose audiences over time...  Eventually it'll fade I'm afraid.  That sorta sucks really because it's something that makes me feel slightly human for an evening.

[Tracy]

We introduced the 4 year old to Charlie Brown this year.  After watching the Great Pumpkin and the Thanksgiving Special he was really excited about seeing the Christmas one last night.  He now wants to go into the woods out back and find a little tree.   I, too, am afraid that these will disappear over time.  I noticed the sound quality on the Great Pumpkin was especially awful.  I wonder if they could enhance them at all?  It wouldn't be the same with out ole Chuck, the Grinch and Ralphie.........

[Darth_Anton]

My family and I watched it last night. My kids loved it, and I, having worked in animation find it fascinating in addition to entertaining. Think about it, the dialogue is pretty advanced for kids.

I just get a kick out of the fact that it was made for $150,000 and today, a 30 second add costs $200,000. That's more than a 30 second add for ABC's top rated one hour drama's.

[Brian]

I can't watch it on tape for some reason...  It's just not the same.  I have to catch it on TV.  I'm like that with Star Wars too...  If it's on I watch it.  I can't help it, but I don't watch the DVD's much ironically.

Funny, I'm like that too.  Whenever Star Wars is on TV and we're home, I end up watching it...even though we have the DVDs sitting right there.  Merry Christmas Charlie Brown (and the Great Pumpkin) are the same way.  I don't miss them, and have watched them every year for as long as I can remember.  I was pretty big into Snoopy/Peanuts when I was a kid, and I guess that has carried over.  One of those nostalgic things that reminds me of "simpler times" I guess.  I stuck a tape in and taped it tonight too, just in case we want to watch it again.  I've been thinking about picking up the DVD 3 pack of the Charlie Brown specials, just to have them on hand.  Its definitely my favorite holiday special, and a must see every Christmas.  The others I remember from childhood are Rudolph and Frosty, and I did watch some of Rudolph last week and that is still a fun watch.  I haven't seen Frosty yet (missed it if its been on), but I've missed that a few years.  But anyways..Charlie Brown....yeah, definitely watched it tonight, and loved every minute of it once again.

[Morgbug]

Scrooged is another great one. 

I was travelling through Australia when it was released and was up in Darwin in the Northern Territory.  I'd guess it was about 2-3 weeks before Christmas and Darwin is located at around 12 S latitude.  The weather was like a hot day in New Orleans in the middle of summer - about 95 F and 250% humidity.  Existence makes you sweat.

I'd wandered into a drug store (chemist, if you prefer) because I was coming down with a cold.  I was standing in line and when I got to the cashier, I asked her why the mall was so very busy.  She gave me a ****-eyed look and said uh, it's Christmas in a couple of weeks.  Being from the frozen hinterlands of Canada all my environmental cues for Christmas were completely gone - it was hot, humid and sunny. 

I left the store and headed off to the movie theater for a couple of hours to watch Scrooged to get in the mood, plus the theater was airconditioned.  I walked out of the theater cooled down, opened the door into the humidity and it smacked me like a Mack truck.  And I loved it.  Anyone that tells you they need the cold is insane, plain and simple. 

[Matt_Fury]

I have to watch Charlie Brown every year as well as the Heat Miser/Snow Miser special.  Classics!   

[JediMAC]

Yep, Patty was watching it last night too, and I joined her halfway through.  I've got them all on DVD, but have never watched them, and I haven't caught any Charlie Brown specials on TV in probably 15 years.  I'd forgotten how funny they were...

[Darth Broem]

Yeah I saw it last night.  It's my favorite of those specials along with Rudolph and Frosty The Snowman.  But Charlie Brown is the king of those specials.  I live the Halloween one also. 

[TheBlackDog65]

I also watched/watch Charlie Brown and own them on DVD. On DVD I do watch them, but I have to agree for nostilga's case, I LOVE to catch em on TV.  It takes me back to when my life was simple (when I was a kid) and all the great memories of it all. Speaking of that, I bought a Snoppy, a Woodstock and a Charlie Brown stuff doll at Kohl's (proceeds went to local charities for kids). So yeah, at 40 I'm still a sucker for Charlie Brown.
It did make me think what would happen in 30 years when my generation tends to go or be gone and kids do not grow up with it.  Instead they'll have reruns of the Simpsons etc.

[Jesse James]

I will say, it's started recently for me but I have integrated South Park into my holiday traditions.  They have such great episodes and it's inevitable that Comedy Central will have some Holiday South Park marathon or something at some point.  I always like curling up and watching it.

Last year's "Very Critter Christmas" was great on a deranged level and made me think about an essay I wrote in 6th grade where I replaced Santa with the Iatola, and his elf Momar.  What can I say, other than I watched a lot of news as a child, and had a very disturbing sense of humor.  My teacher read the essay himself to the class (only one he did this with) and laughed till he cried throughout.  Ah, good times.