OK Halloween fans - It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is coming to ABC in 11 days.
It is looking like it will air on the 27 at 8:00.
“I got a rock.”
Just watched it on Youtube - The kindest thing I can ask is WHY?
Why what?
Some view “The Great Pumpkin” and ask, “Why?”. Others view “the Great Pumpkin” and ask, “Why the hell not”?
For myslef, tradition and nostalgia would be one reason. Or two.
The music would be another. I could listen to a tape of Vince Guaraldi passing out drunk on the piano keys and swear that it’s the best rendition of any drunk passing out on the piano keys that I’d ever heard.
Another would be that’s it’s just plain fun. 
While the “I got a rock,” certainly is funny enough, I always thought it unwise to give a child a rock for trick or treat, as the kid would USE the rock to throw through a window, of the person who gave it to him
“There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.”
Really, if you don’t like it, no amount of explaining is going to compel you to like it, but there are reasons it’s a classic.
The idea that not just one adult but every single adult in the neighborhood gave Charlie Brown a rock instead of candy is probably not meant to be analyzed too closely. It’s Pythonesque in it’s absurdity, and yet somehow we can relate.
The story of Linus and Sally in the pumpkin patch can be seen as a rather biting satire of blind faith (an interesting contrast to the other classic Peanuts holiday special, which climaxes in Linus reciting gospel verses). Of course it seems tame when compared to South Park, but for 1966 family viewing, it was kind of a subversive message.
This is also one of the few, if not the only, times you’ll see Lucy doing anything nice: bringing Linus in from the pumpkin patch at 4am. And I love the sound FX when she pulls off his shoes. Sometimes Mr. Rilch comes in from work totally wiped, so I take off his shoes for him, and I make that noise. WHOIP! WHOIP!
I can’t even think of another halloween cartoon special, other than the Simpsons annual take on it. I look forward to the Great Pumpkin, because it doesn’t get overplayed like the Christmas special.
Also, I like the fact that:
- The kids trick-or-treat after dark, without parental supervision… unlike now, where it’s a timed activity during dusk, and all parents are within arms length of their eggshell children with massive flashlights “just in case” it gets dark.
- The kids actually have costumes on;
- At the halloween party, they actually bob for apples (does anyone do this anymore?)
- Linus and Sally can sit in a pumpkin patch all night by themselves without worrying that they will get kidnapped and/or molested, and their parents don’t get reported to CPS.
Its a reminder of happier times. Like some Christmas specials. And it has CLASS.
A valid point. Simpler times, eh? I don’t know if I would have thrown a rock as a kid (way back when.)
Even then I couldn’t imagine how there were so many assholes living in Charlie’s neighborhood. I mean, giving a kid a rock? How mean is that?
Thanks for posting this.
I’m curious, how do long-time viewers feel about the availability of shows like this on DVD? On one hand my kids won’t know the delightful anticipation of scouting out the week’s TV GUIDE around holiday season. OTOH, if you’d asked me back then, I would have loved to see these shows more than once a year.
I have them all on DVD - but still usually watch them when they are on.
I own the DVD.
According to my local guide, if you miss it on Tuesday don’t worry, ABC is going to pre-empt Hank on Wed to show it again. (Wow, can’t be good news for Hank.)
nostalgia-pooper.
I own the DVD too - but I still like to watch the broadcast event. As I think Stink Fish Pot implied, it is part of the nostalgia.
Some takes on the Great Pumpkin, courtesy of Medium Large:
Well… there are many, many more. Check out the Medium Large page, and click the ‘Peanuts Gallery’ on the right hand side, under “Pages”.
Five and Six made me laugh.