First Things First…
When I reviewed It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown last week—the first Peanuts special I’ve written about for Geeksbury—I was reminded that this came on the same DVD as a bonus feature. I figured it’d be fun to review it and publish it on Election Day.
I know I’ve seen this special before, but I don’t remember a thing about it. That probably doesn’t bode well, but we’ll see.
5 Things I Like
5. Schroeder’s Nomination Speech
“I’m here this morning to nominate for the office of school president a great young man. But first, I’d like to say a few words about Beethoven.”
Schroeder
Schroeder is obsessed.
This kid can’t stop himself from talking about Beethoven, no matter the circumstance.
Even as he has the critical job of officially nominating Linus for school president, he still goes off on a tangent about Beethoven.
It’s some oddball behavior from Schroeder, but I like it.
4. Breakfast by Snoopy
Snoopy ambles into the kitchen looking like death…
… then whips up the best breakfast you’ve ever seen in about eight seconds!
A lot of times with Peanuts, it’s the random scenes like this that have nothing to do with the plot that are the most heartwarming.
3. Charlie Brown Can’t Win
“That sounds great, but I don’t think I could win. I’d hate to run and find that nobody wanted me to be president. I don’t think I could stand that.”
Charlie Brown
The special starts off slow and meandering until the kids see the signs for the upcoming school election on a bulletin board, and Linus says Charlie Brown would make a great school president.
Sadly, Charlie Brown is right on the money—at least, according to Lucy’s impromptu poll—when he says he doesn’t think anyone would vote for him.
Whether or not Charlie Brown would be good at the job, it’s sad that no one other than Linus would even give him a chance. His shoulders slump as he talks about not being able to win. It’s all part of his sad-sack persona. And his insecurity is completely relatable.
But equally important is that, when Charlie Brown can’t do something because everyone thinks he’s a loser, he still puts his effort into helping someone else. And he becomes one of Linus’ biggest supporters.
2. Joe Cool
“Joe Cool, back in school, hangin’ round the water fountain playin’ the fool. Joe Cool, take it light, if the principal catches you, you out of sight.”
Joe Cool (song)
I have no idea why Snoopy randomly shows up at Charlie Brown’s school. But there he is, arriving, putting on a sweatshirt that says “Joe Cool” and a pair of shades, holding a couple of books, and leaning against the wall by the water fountain, trying to look cool as girls walk by.
What a legend.
1. The Plight of the Campaign Staff
“It’s hard being a campaign worker. We’re completely at the mercy of our candidate. We do all the work, and the candidate gets all the credit. We ring doorbells and make the posters and build up the candidate’s image, and then he says something stupid and ruins everything we’ve done.”
Lucy
There are a few things about the school election in this special that seem relevant—even prescient—today. My favorite is when Linus nearly blows the election by going off script during his last speech and talking about the Great Pumpkin.
Aside from how much I love the continuity of bringing up the Great Pumpkin again, a few years after that special premiered, it’s so funny to watch him get laughed off the stage by his classmates and realize in real time that he might’ve destroyed his chances of getting elected.
That leads to Lucy’s monologue about how hard it is working for a campaign. You do all the grunt work, but the candidate gets the credit. Not to mention, as a campaign worker, no matter how hard you work on your candidate’s behalf, you’re still at their mercy. Because they could still get on stage and talk about the Great Pumpkin, or some other stupid bullshit, and you’re screwed.
1 Thing I’m Mixed On
1. The Deciding Vote
After Linus’ Great Pumpkin gaffe, he and Russell are deadlocked at 83 votes apiece. The final vote comes down to Russell himself. Surely, he’s going to vote for himself to seal the election win.
But he doesn’t…
Instead, Russell casts his vote for Linus and hands over the election. He simply says Linus would be better at the job.
There’s something heartwarming and idealistic, if naïve, about a candidate believing so strongly that the best person for the job should have the job. I just wish he gave an explanation for his sudden change of heart and belief that Linus would do better. Any explanation would do. But he offers none.
2 Things I Don’t Like
2. Linus the Sellout
“Yes, sir. You’re absolutely right, sir. I won’t do anything without consulting you, sir.”
Linus
Quite the opposite of idealistic, this is so cynical, and I don’t like it for a Peanuts cartoon.
I mean, Linus goes way overboard with his campaign promises. He promises higher pay for teachers and custodians, longer recess, no homework, sick pay…
Clearly he won’t be able to deliver these things. But I’d rather he have come out of his meeting with the principal and say he now realizes the position is just ceremonial, or something like that. Instead, they paint him—and all our real politicians—as sellouts to corporate interests. The special ends with Sally ranting and raving…
“They’re all the same! Promises, promises! You elect them and they weasel out of their promises.”
And no matter how accurate that might be, it’s a very cynical take for this show.
1. Talk Show Appearance
I can’t even describe how annoying this scene is. Linus never really talks with any of the callers who dial in. And two of them are super annoying because they just ramble on with a word salad about how great it is to be able to talk to the candidate, without ever getting to the point or asking him a question.
I understand it’s probably making fun of talk show appearances, town halls, and other interviews candidates in real politics do, and how they often don’t say anything of substance. But this is a dreadful scene.
Tim Matassa
