When Is ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ on TV in 2021?
The wait for the Great Pumpkin is almost over. After not airing in 2020 for the first time in decades, the classic Peanuts Halloween special It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown will return to TV in 2021 on PBS.
‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ airs Sunday, Oct. 24 on PBS
Watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a spooky season tradition for many families. For years, the beloved 1966 cartoon aired on ABC. But in 2020, it was exclusively available to stream on AppleTV+ after the tech giant snapped up the streaming rights to the Halloween special, along with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas. That prompted an outcry from fans of Charlie Brown, Linus, and the rest of the Peanuts gang, with many taking to social media to claim Apple had ruined the holiday.
Facing serious backlash, Apple relented and allowed PBS to air the Thanksgiving and Christmas specials. But by then, Halloween was over, so It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown never aired in 2020.
Fortunately, that’s changing in 2021. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown will air on PBS and PBS Kids on Sunday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET. (Check local listings.)
‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ and ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ will also air on PBS
PBS will also air two other Peanuts holiday specials this year. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will air Sunday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET. A Charlie Brown Christmas will air Sunday, Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
“We are delighted to bring the joy of these holiday classics to families across the country, in partnership with our member stations,” said Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS, in a statement. “During these challenging times, public television continues to be a free and easily accessible source of comfort, inspiration, and education for millions of Americans.”
You can also stream ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ on AppleTV+
RELATRED: Freeform Launched ‘31 Nights of Halloween’ with ‘Hocus Pocus,’ And We Are Here For It
In addition to airing on PBS, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, along with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas continue to be available to stream on AppleTV+. The streaming service is also home to Happy New Year, Charlie Brown and It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. AppleTV+ is the only place to stream the Peanuts holiday specials.
The streaming service is also home to the 2021 documentary Who Are You, Charlie Brown?, about the life of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz. AppleTV+ subscribers can also watch two new animated shows featuring Schulz’s Peanuts characters, The Snoopy Show and Snoopy in Space. Additional specials are also in the works around Mother’s Day, Earth Day, and New Year’s Eve.
Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!
