The 1973 short, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is often underappreciated in the midst of the great films of the Peanuts franchise. 

     Running only 30 minutes long, the tenth television special based on Charles M. Schulz’ comic strip gets so much done in so little time, much alike to our favorite beagle Snoopy’s role in the animation. 

     Charlie Brown and his friends nervously anticipate the events of the upcoming holiday, feeling like Halloween was yesterday. “I haven’t even finished eating all my halloween candy!” Sally Brown exclaimed exasperatedly in the second scene. 

     An oblivious Peppermint Patty invites herself, Marcie, and Franklin over to Charlie Brown’s for Thanksgiving dinner, forcing a stressed Snoopy to take matters into his own hands, running around to prepare the celebration under Linus’ orders. 

     The meal doesn’t exactly go as planned, seeing as the chef is a dog with a not so great understanding of the holiday traditions. 

    The film ends happily as Grandma Brown invites the whole gang over for a nice traditional Thanksgiving feast. 

    Now while I thoroughly enjoy this movie and all of the comic strip adaptation animations, I now have beef with all of the Peanuts Gallery minus Snoopy and Woodstock. 

    That little dog worked his butt off to prepare that meal, not to mention the horrors he went through preceding that. 

     All he’s trying to do is play some sports with his little buddy, and this little bird has no athletic ability. (I stand with you Woodstock, no worries.) The thing can’t ride a bike, nor even dribble a basketball. Snoopy finally gets this ping pong table open, and starts a game with himself, only to be interrupted by this kid with a blanket telling him they have no time to play.

     Tell me, Linus, when did Snoopy sign up for all this free animal labor? Maybe I’m missing something but as far as I see it, Linus is the antagonist of this short. 

     Not only does he put Snoopy to work with no contract, all this hard working fellow gets in return is a lousy old, “Okay, Snoopy, that’s pretty good.” 

     Excuse me? Who do you think you are? Maybe let go of your baby blanket and that false reality of a Great Pumpkin before talking to my good buddy here like that again. 

     Furthermore, Snoopy finally gets to sit down to enjoy the beautiful meal he prepared for all of the guests, only for Peppermint Patty to open her big mouth and call him a BLOCKHEAD. 

     As Snoopy pulls his chef hat over his eyes in shame at this table of bullying tyrants, only an audience of monsters with no empathy would watch with no guilt. 

     Don’t get me wrong. I love these kids and understand that they are all around approximately 8 years old. Nonetheless, I believe you can be a kind and compassionate 8 year old. 

     Besides the torment of America’s favorite canine (or maybe just mine) the movie is iconic to say the least. 

     We witness Charlie Brown once again gullibly attempt to kick a football, Sally invite Linus to dinner with hearts in her eyes, and Peppermint Patty accuse ‘Chuck’ of having a thing for her. 

    The film is a Thanksgiving necessity and is guaranteed to bring joy (and maybe guilt) into the hearts of any who watch it.