Wednesday morning (Nov. 18), it was reported that A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving would not air on television for the first time in 46 years.
The short animated film was first aired on television November 20th in 1973 and won an Emmy Award the next year. Ever since then it has been replayed on multiple media outlets before or on the day of Thanksgiving. That’s 46 years in a row!
After launching late last year, Apple’s brand new streaming service (called Apple TV+) has become the exclusive rights holder to the airing of all Peanuts branded specials…and that includes the Thanksgiving special.
Detroit Free Press reported that Apple TV+ is offering free streaming of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving for three days, from November 25 to November 27. If you’d like to watch it sooner, it is available right now if you pay to become a subscriber.
But now…it seems that A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will air on television after all!
PBS and PBS Kids have teamed up with Apple TV+ to air the Thanksgiving special on November 22 at 7:30 pm. Furthermore, A Charlie Brown Christmas will air on PBS and PBS Kids on December 13, 2020 at 7:30 pm.
Apple TV+ will stream Thanksgiving for free between November 25 and November 27 and Christmas between December 11 and December 13.
Apple heard the complaints over its purchase of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas for Apple TV+. It is making an ad-free version of the show available to PBS and PBS kids on Nov. 22 and Dec. 13. It's free on Apple TV+ Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 11-13. pic.twitter.com/9isykSF1Lo
— Eric Deggans at NPR (@Deggans) November 18, 2020
Check out PBS Kids’ announcement below.