A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Only Available on Apple TV+
By Movieguide® Contributor
The 1965 special A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS will not make its annual appearance on TV this year.
“Feeling down about the commercialism of Christmas, Charlie Brown becomes the director of the gang’s holiday play. Can he overcome his friends’ preference for dancing over acting, find the ‘perfect’ tree, and discover the true meaning of Christmas,” a brief synopsis of the film reads.
“In the past, the movie aired every year on CBS, ABC, but Apple acquired the rights to the PEANUTS holiday specials in 2020. Although the movie aired on PBS in 2020 and 2021, it will not be available on standard television this year,” USA Today reported.
When Apple secured the rights to the PEANUTS holiday specials in 2020, many people were upset that they would no longer air on television.
An online petition began in 2020, and over 263,000 people signed to bring the cartoons back to the national stage.
The petition read, “For over 50 years, we have celebrated the holidays with the airings of the Peanuts holiday specials on TV—first on CBS, then on ABC. To our shock and dismay, last night it was announced that Apple had swiped the football from us and claimed the specials for their Apple TV platform, leaving us devoted fans who have grown up with Charlie Brown and the PEANUTS gang in the dark, unable to watch.”
At the time, Apple allowed PBS to air the Christmas special. That trend continued in 2021 and 2022.
But in 2023, the company made the specials exclusive to its Apple TV+ streaming platform.
Although a monthly subscription to Apple TV+ is $9.99 a month, the short film will be available to stream for free for a few days this month.
“You’ll have to tune in to Apple TV+ to watch A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS this year. If you want to watch it for free, stream it on the service without a subscription between Saturday, Dec. 16 through Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023,” Parade reported.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Apple TV is bringing the iconic Charlie Brown holiday cartoons to viewers for free this holiday season…
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS will be available from Saturday, Dec. 16 through Sunday, Dec. 17.
PEOPLE reported that Apple TV+ subscribers already have access to the cartoons.
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS debuted in 1965, followed by IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHARLIE BROWN in 1966 and A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING in 1973, all airing on CBS.
The three cartoons later joined ABC in the early 2000s.
