though the overseas manufacture and chemical content of artificial trees, combined with the renewable nature of natural Christmas trees, has swung the pendulum back towards natural trees somewhat, a computer game that allows you to do the same, those deeply spiritual moments from this special, including a life-size version of the famous tree, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and the other characters, how kitschy the artificial trees of the 1960s in question could be, This special still reigns as by far the most popular, Shermy's dance is ahead of its time, as people note he's doing ". http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/YMMV/ACharlieBrownChristmas. We don't have an article named Characters/ … Produced on the cheap and quick for CBS in 1965 (a careful viewer will notice that it's rife with animation errors due to its rushed production), this special has nonetheless gone on to become one of the most iconic Christmas works of all time. It’s not bad at all, really. While Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol predated it by three years, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by one, A Charlie Brown Christmas made Christmas Specials a thing in the entire Western world. All The Tropes Wiki. Yup, even in real life, something winds up going wrong for Charlie Brown! Games Movies TV Video. Also, Shermy. Index Index; Tropes of Legend; ... A Charlie Brown Christmas. ; Even in Christmas Specials alone, Peanuts has done three more. Schroeder trying to play Jingle Bells to Lucy's satisfaction. Thinking the play requires the proper mood, Charlie Brown decides they need a Christmas tree. It's basically Charlie's thoughts when he picks up the tree, except set to sad music. There's a reason many consider that one of the greatest cartoon moments of all time. Charlie Brown instead selects a twiggy sapling that's too tiny to even support the weight of a single ornament — but is at least a real tree — and the kids' reaction to it causes him to wonder if Christmas has any deeper meaning at all. There's a reason many consider that one of the greatest cartoon moments of all time. But when they get to the tree market, Charlie Brown zeroes in on a small baby tree which, with symbolic irony, is the only real tree on the lot. But where's the fun in that? In a Meta example, during the 1966 Emmy Awards, when the special won the award for Outstanding Children's Program, it was mispronounced as "A Charlie Bound Christmas''. For reference, the only other things on American TV to earn that high an audience share are the Super Bowl (sometimes), and the final episode of M*A*S*H. Over the next four decades, Peanuts would get several dozen more specials, a Saturday Morning Cartoon that ran for two seasons, four theatrical filmsnote Plus a CGI adaptation years later from Blue Sky Studios, and two Broadway musicalsnote Both of which were given a Recursive Adaptation as a TV special. Especially now that more people are aware that it's not so uncommon — a. He's received no Christmas cards, he's been roped into helping Lucy with her Christmas pageant, and he feels no particular holiday joy. The Christmas tree as a symbol of Christmas: There is one, but it's tiny. The overt biblical message might be a little uncomfortable or unwelcoming for those who celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday. Linus's sermon. The message is that, Holiday depression: The title character isn't sad because it's Christmas; he's sad because. The program is composed of various storylines from the comic strip. CBS quickly changed their tune when the ratings came in; Realistic plastic Christmas trees took over in. However, a, The original three airings also contained a sponsor tag at the end for Coca-Cola, which explains why later airings have the chorus of "Hark! And yes, the animation is cheesy to go with it. $10 in 1965 money equals about $75 in 2015 money. This is the Christmas special. Inexact title. The special's perennial appeal is so strong that when it was edited for time to accommodate more commercials, fans raised such a stink that ABC agreed to broadcast it uncut in an hour-timeslot with a new segment, Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales, being commissioned to fill the remaining time. Awesome Music: The entire soundtrack. Lee Mendelson, the producer who brought “A Charlie Brown Christmas” to television in 1965 died on Christmas day, his son said. When "A Charlie Brown Christmas" won an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program in 1966, only Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez were called up to accept the award, but they made sure that Charles Schultz was with them to give the acceptance speech. Register Start a Wiki. Since Coca-Cola commissioned the show to begin with, the anti-commercialization theme could be considered, ...And now, you can decorate your entire house with, Some of the children providing the voices were too young to understand their lines, resulting in the classic awkward delivery that later became a staple of all. "Real estate!" The lyrics suggest something cheery while the overall tone in the singing and piano playing is very depressing. Linus's sermon. Similarly, the awful animation, a direct result of its abysmal budget and extremely compressed production schedule. (his gimmick, along with that of his twin sisters "3" and "4" [also shown in the dance sequence], was that his father gave them numerical names as a way of giving in to the preponderance of numbers in people's lives; their lack of other distinguishing characteristics led to them being, Note that Schulz was never averse to merchandising. Schultz's speech simply went, "Charlie Brown's not used to winning, so we thank you." The scene where the kids verbally tear Charlie Brown to bits for choosing the wrong tree, before walking away, laughing hysterically. There was even an album of Vince Guaraldi's music released, and it too has become a classic. So tiny it can't even support the weight of one bulb. It is the Christmas season, but while the rest of the Peanuts gang is out ice skating, Charlie Brown is feeling depressed. Books 📚 Stars we lost 💔 TV shows 📺 100 movies to stream 🎥 http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/ACharlieBrownChristmas. Add new page. And … Produced on the cheap and quick for CBS in 1965 (a careful viewer will notice that it's rife with animation errors due to its rushed production), this special has nonetheless gone on to become one of the most iconic Christmas works of all time. The earliest, animated appearance of Charlie Brown and friends was in a. In the original broadcast, there were ads for Coca-Cola in opening and closing credits… in a show that protests the commercialization of Christmas. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Wikis. When forcing Charlie Brown to write her letter to Santa for her, Sally says that if her list "seems too complicated", then Santa should "make it easy on [him]self" by sending money; suggesting "10s and 20s". Makes you want to get up and do that, doesn't it? It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown is the 36th prime-time animated TV special based on the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz.It originally aired on the CBS network on November 27, 1992.. The strip that this scene is based on is actually Charlie Brown attempting to discuss his new baseball signals to his team on a rainy day at his house. Christmas is about the people who care about you enough to make you happy. Not to mention him playing an extremely simple version with a glare on his face, then having Lucy scream "THAT'S IT!!! By 1965, Christmas was already largely secularized, especially on television, so one of their major complaints about the special was in fact Linus's Bible recitation; they feared a backlash from the less-religious. In fact, if you're from a Christmas-celebrating household, chances are you've already watched this special more times than you can count, and we don't have to remind you about the plot. A Charlie Brown Christmas is the eighth studio album by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi (later credited to the Vince Guaraldi Trio). Using the voices of actual children to voice the Peanuts characters. An. And … It's basically Charlie's thoughts when he picks up the tree, except set to sad music. note  Of course, the fact that the network could then sell twice as many commercial spots with a consistently popular rerun was appealing as well. Yes, for a 30-minute animated special. No wonder he chooses that one. The classic King James Version, of course. This special still reigns as by far the most popular Peanuts special, to the point some aren't aware how many there are outside this and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (there are dozens). Modern broadcasts cut to commercial after the title card instead, while home video releases fade to black. And really, Charlie Brown needed it. Category page. And really, Charlie Brown needed it. Christmas as a time of gift-giving: This special focuses on how the message of Christmas has been lost by its commercialization and promise of presents. This is not just a Christmas Special. "I never thought it was such a bad little tree. In 2015, ABC aired a two-hour special called It's Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown, which focuses on the enduring popularity of A Charlie Brown Christmas. The scene where the kids verbally tear Charlie Brown to bits for choosing the wrong tree, before walking away, laughing hysterically. And You Thought It Would Fail: Sums up the initial thoughts of the producers before the special aired. "Real estate!" For whatever reason, the special just clicked with audiences the way nothing else had before, and very few Christmas works ever have since. With Linus in tow, Charlie Brown sets off on his quest. The special is based around Charles Schulz's Peanuts characters. In the special, Charlie Brown finds himself depressed despite the onset of the cheerful holiday season. It effectively is the gold standard for all subsequent Christmas specials in any medium, and it single-handedly exterminated both the use of a Laugh Track in animated comedy and the popularity of tacky painted metal Christmas trees. It’s not bad at all, really. Linus showing off his Improbable Aiming Skills by using his blanket as a sling for throwing snowballs. Executive Meddling: CBS executives had some issues with the special as it was originally put together. This isn't the first time the Peanuts characters were seen in animated form. Let's be honest: the last 5 minutes are nothing but CMOH. These days, eco-conscious people are more likely to use artificial trees because they'd rather not, The shots at holiday commercialism and presentation of the Biblical, Now that we know more about depression, and, in particular, how it can get worse around the holiday season, Charlie Brown's state of mind at the start of the special is more poignant than ever. (They do air cut half-hour versions some years, but the full version will be shown at some point during the season.) ", sending him flying. The absence of a Laugh Track. Obviously, A Charlie Brown Christmas easily overshadows the other three, which consist of It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992), Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales (2002), and I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003). When they released the soundtrack on CD, they added a new song called "Just Like Me." ; First Installment Wins:. Yes, that's the whole plot. When they released the soundtrack on CD, they added a new song called "Just Like Me." The Herald Angels Sing" at the very end. He confides this fact to Linus, citing his dismay with the over-commercialization of Christmas and his inability to grasp what Christmas is all about, which Linus dismisses as Charlie Brown's typical behavior at first. Schulz himself often pointed out how the Pathetic Christmas Tree inexplicably grew a few branches over the course of its time on screen. You know, the guy who gets one line... and it's to complain that every Christmas he always plays the shepherd. And yet… there's a reason this 26-minute cartoon aired on network TV every December for 50+ years, originally on CBS and then on ABC. The Woobie: Charlie Brown as always, but also his tree. Getting an artificial tree for the holidays is presented as just another example of tacky commercialism at work. "I never thought it was such a bad little tree. See the list below. As is his wont, Charlie Brown is having a pretty bad holiday season. They objected to: The scripture quotation that Linus reads to explain the meaning of Christmas. 157,008 Pages. They objected to: The scripture quotation that Linus reads to explain the meaning of Christmas. Using the voices of actual children to voice the Peanuts characters. One wonders why Charlie Brown hasn't committed suicide when even his own dog hates him. The absence of a Laugh Track. The jazzy "Linus And Lucy" is pure Ear Worm. The Herald Angels Sing" over the closing credits fading out early. This is not a Christmas Special. '", he sees that the other teammates are watching television. More importantly, when Linus gives his Biblical recitation of the Nativity; it's pure Talking Heads, but its sincerity and dramatic power makes it riveting. After his attempt to direct the rehearsal falls flat, Lucy sends him out to pick the perfect Christmas tree for the show, preferably aluminum and painted pink. You'll never see the potential of the people (or trees) you dismiss for superficial reasons. But after he says, "I said, 'Am I right? "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." "Real estate!" Instead, the special says the purpose of Christmas is kindness for everyone, and conspicuous consumption around the holidays cheapens that purpose. ; More importantly, when Linus gives his Biblical recitation of the Nativity; it's pure Talking Heads, but its sincerity and dramatic power makes it riveting. TVTropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. "It just needed a little love. Well, more wistful than sad — kind of like "White Christmas". Let's be honest: the last 5 minutes are nothing but CMOH. Troper Portals. Charlie Brown's sad little tree becomes transfigured, and his spirits are restored. In an earlier scene, Lucy claims that all she wants for Christmas is "real estate". CBS actually worried about this at the time. 3 HATE: Overdecorating Some movies put a focus on decorating for the holidays and taking it to the next level. Some of the movies we recommend with this trope include The Santa Clause, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Elf. The Vince Guaraldi jazz score for the program. She also, for the most part, happily helps him out. ; Schroeder trying to play Jingle Bells to Lucy's satisfaction.. Not to mention him playing an extremely simple version with a glare on his face, then having Lucy scream "THAT'S IT!!! "Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about." That's all." Linus is reluctant about Charli… A page for describing Characters: A Charlie Brown Christmas. In ironic contrast to the aforementioned product placement of early airings, Charlie Brown objects to Sally's and Snoopy's misguided holiday priorities, as well as commercialization in general. "Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about." Despite Christmas Tales being made specifically to help fill a one hour timeslot with the unedited Charlie Brown Christmas, the original is usually paired with It's Christmastime Again... on DVD. This humble television special that no one had any faith in – CBS was fully-prepared to disown it and only aired it out of legal obligation – ended up turning Peanuts into a multimedia juggernaut. Produced on the cheap-and-quick for CBS in 1965† a careful viewer will notice that it's rife with animation errors due to its rushed production, A Charlie Brown Christmas has nonetheless gone on to become one of the most iconic Christmas works of all time. That's all." Amusingly enough, the music picks up right after he explains his signal for "Pick up the tempo." * CBS quickly changed their tune when the ratings came in; literally half of America watched this special. a careful viewer will notice that it's rife with. Ruined in the Polish translation, which translated this line simply as "Something valuable!". (And while you think about that, consider this: this was in. So Lucy takes over the crowd and dispatches Charlie Brown to get a big shiny aluminum tree... maybe painted pink. Schroeder trying to play Jingle Bells to Lucy's satisfaction. The album was released in December 1965 in the U.S. by Fantasy Records and was Guaraldi's final studio album for the label. Linus showing off his Improbable Aiming Skills by using his blanket as a sling for throwing snowballs. https://tvtropes.org/.../WesternAnimation/ACharlieBrownChristmas It's also one of the most successful of all time, having been reliably on TV from its debut to the modern day. Cue Linus, who recites the Christmas story from Luke 2 and seemingly reminds everyone that Christmas is about appreciating the humble things. When Charlie Brown first arrives to direct the play, everyone applauds him, except for someone making a "booooooooooooooooooo" noise. When ABC acquired the rights in 2001, they blocked out a full hour for the special so that it could run uncut, commissioning Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales to fill the extra time. too tiny to even support the weight of a single ornament, a contest just like the one in the special, black-and-white print of the sequence with the Coke billboard, derived from the original color master, the original color version derived from a promotional tape reel. It turns out to be Snoopy, the revelation of which causes Charlie Brown to say, "Man's Best Friend". Executive Meddling: CBS executives had some issues with the special as it was originally put together. This is not a Christmas Special. This is the Christmas special. And really, Charlie Brown needed it. Possibly it's meant to symbolize Charlie Brown's inner depression and how the Christmas spirit seems shallow to him. Ruined in the Polish translation, which translated this line simply as "Something valuable!". This is the Christmas special. Crosses the Line Twice: Charlie Brown accidentally killing the tree by putting a single decoration on it. Not to mention him playing an extremely simple version with a glare on his face, then having Lucy scream "THAT'S IT!!! However as of 2020, that concern for accommodating commercials is no longer relevant considering it will no longer be broadcast on television, but instead it will be available exclusively on Apple TV+ along with most of animated adaptations of the Peanuts franchise.