Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown Talkback 2/10, ABC

[DarthGonzo]

Ah, actually noticed this on the cable guide before it actually airs.

The Peanuts classic Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown is airing tonight at 8 on ABC. To fill out the hour-long run time, the much more recent special A Charlie Brown Valentine is airing afterward.

Thoughts?

[Terra Branford]

I love watching the Charlie Brown specials. It really helps me enjoy shows that were around before I was born. Even after watching these specials for years though, I still can't get over Charlie Brown's voice.

[DarthGonzo]

Aww man. They edited out Sally reading her super long valentine heart candy. Lame.

[Shredder565]

I haven't seen this in ages....at least the last 15 years....and my VCR didn't tape the first 7 minutes.



But the part I did have on tape I remembered instantly. Kind of freaky.


Heh, if memory serves, I think it was also on the same tape as a CBS airing of Star Wars. Sigh. I wish I didn't throw out all those old tapes...so many memories :).

[NewcomerDC]

Aww man. They edited out Sally reading her super long valentine heart candy. Lame.
Well that's ABC for ya. Sucks that we have to deal with these new voices. Ugh.

[Terra Branford]

I love the clearer animation and the voices. But something is kind of odd to me for some reason.

Charlie Brown's voice still bothers me though.

[DarthGonzo]

Ugh, these newer specials outright suck.

They stick verbatim to the strips for all the material, which makes these recent specials nothing but spot gags with no real stories, since new material can't be written to bridge anything. Every 10 seconds end with a punchline.

And I hate Snoopy in these new ones. In general I never liked how Snoopy started to look by the 90s. But in these specials he has no personality. no life. It's painful when you've just got done watching classic Snoopy from 1975.

"clearer animation", WarpedReflection? If by "clear" you mean "lifeless, stiff, dull, and dumbed down" I'd agree with you.

[NewcomerDC]

And I hate Snoopy in these new ones. In general I never liked how Snoopy started to look by the 90s. But in these specials he has no personality. no life. It's painful when you've just got done watching classic Snoopy from 1975.
Well Snoopy was designed that way just to sell health and auto insurance. He pretty much had no purpose outside of that.

[DarthGonzo]

Well Snoopy was designed that way just to sell health and auto insurance. He pretty much had no purpose outside of that.

Snoopy was losing his soul by the late 80s. These days whatever soul this character had is pretty much gone. It's sad because Snoopy used to be able to carry entire specials and contributed the funniest stuff. Now he's a corporate shill.

And this new Valentine special is completely pointless if you've seen You're in Love, Charlie Brown. Some of the jokes are even the same, but with less sincerity.

[Terra Branford]

By clearer, I meant that the lines for the characters.

But that's what's wrong with this this special, the way the story is being presented.

[NewcomerDC]

Snoopy was losing his soul by the late 80s. These days whatever soul this character had is pretty much gone. It's sad because Snoopy used to be able to carry entire specials and contributed the funniest stuff. Now he's a corporate shill.

And this new Valentine special is completely pointless if you've seen You're in Love, Charlie Brown. Some of the jokes are even the same, but with less sincerity.
Charlie Brown complaining about not having a valentine is just sad since he can't remember what happened back in the 60's.

I agree with Snoopy since he hasn't done much in this new special.

And I just saw a commercial about The Goode Family. I'm tired of waiting for it. I bet the show isn't as good as ABC thinks it is.

[DarthGonzo]

I agree with Snoopy since he hasn't done much in this new special.

Is there anyone out there who actually likes these new ones? There hasnt been a good Peanuts special in over two decades. Nothing works about them, because everyone involved is trying way to hard to actually animate Peanut strips without adding any new material.

And trying to highlight Snoopy's ears like they were in the strip was a horrible idea. That's probably my biggest problem about how Snoopy looks. And if I recall Schultz wasn't happy that they showed the Little Red Haired Girl in two earlier specials. So why can you see her here? And where's Woodstock? :(

[Terra Branford]

I'm crying a little because of the terrible ending. I mean, what?

[NewcomerDC]

I'm crying a little because of the terrible ending. I mean, what?
It was just a repeat of the ending we saw an hour ago. With specials like these, there is no life. There's just emptiness just like Charlie Brown's life.

[Terra Branford]

It was just a repeat of the ending we saw an hour ago. With specials like these, there is no life. There's just emptiness just like Charlie Brown's life.

This leads me to believe then that the problem with this special was how it was being presented. Maybe next time. :shrug:

[Nexonius]

Is there anyone out there who actually likes these new ones? There hasnt been a good Peanuts special in over two decades. Nothing works about them, because everyone involved is trying way to hard to actually animate Peanut strips without adding any new material.

And trying to highlight Snoopy's ears like they were in the strip was a horrible idea. That's probably my biggest problem about how Snoopy looks. And if I recall Schultz wasn't happy that they showed the Little Red Haired Girl in two earlier specials. So why can you see her here? And where's Woodstock? :(

I kind of like them.

Be My Valentine redubbed voices felt like they were doing some local commercial or automated voices on telephones.

As for Woodstock, he's probably crying how unenthusiastic and crappythese modern Peanuts specials are.

[DarthGonzo]

This leads md to believe then that the problem with this special was how it was being presented. Maybe next time. :shrug:

This special was released in 2004. There have been a few more made since. They're all painful to sit through.

[Zorak Masaki]

They should have just aired one of the other love-themed CB specials instead of the 2002 one. Heck, its not like we'll see them on ABC anytime soon (i doubt we'll see any non-holiday peanuts specials).

[Terra Branford]

This special was released in 2004. There have been a few more made since. They're all painful to sit through.

I don't have much hope now. I do like Lucy's voice though.

[DarthGonzo]

Will Bill Melendez now dead the odds are highly unlikely that we'll be getting any more Peanuts specials.

[NewcomerDC]

Will Bill Melendez now dead the odds are highly unlikely that we'll be getting any more Peanuts specials.
It all depends if the fans still want to see them again. You'll never know when someone will remake the show to get new younger fans to love Charlie Brown.

[DarthGonzo]

It all depends if the fans still want to see them again. You'll never know when someone will remake the show to get new younger fans to love Charlie Brown.

Problem is I believe Schultz's will stipulates that any and all future Peanuts specials have to be derived from material he wrote in the strips. Which means nothing original can ever again be done with these characters. Ever.

[NewcomerDC]

Problem is I believe Schultz's will stipulates that any and all future Peanuts specials have to be derived from material he wrote in the strips. Which means nothing original can ever again be done with these characters. Ever.
Well at least we'll still have merchandise with the Peanuts for years to come.

[Zorak Masaki]

Problem is I believe Schultz's will stipulates that any and all future Peanuts specials have to be derived from material he wrote in the strips. Which means nothing original can ever again be done with these characters. Ever.

Thats a shame. OTOH, i wouldnt mind seeing the "there goes good ol charlie brown,,how i hate him" scene used in a peanuts special.:evil:

[HomeMoviesFan]

Oh. My. God.

:eek:

These are how the new specials are?!?! No wonder you guys always rag on them, they're god-awful...

[Starbro]

I've consciously avoided watching any of the Charlie Brown specials made after Schulz's passing, and based on what I've read in these talkbacks, I don't think I've the wrong decision there.

[Still HowardFein]

Thats a shame. OTOH, i wouldnt mind seeing the "there goes good ol charlie brown,,how i hate him" scene used in a peanuts special.:evil:

Ah yes, the punchline of the very first strip. But network watchdogs probably wouldn't allow that in today's climate- too negative.:yawn:

For that matter, I recall a scene in the Valentine special whereby Schroeder calls out the name of each person as their valentine is pulled out of the box, hence letting the whole class know who's getting and who isn't. That seems like very bad technique and a cruel thing to do to less 'popular' kids.

It's nice to see ABC reviving the classic Guaraldi-era specials other than CHRISTMAS, GREAT PUMPKIN and THANKSGIVING (Never cared for the latter, actually.), witness a recent showing of YOU'RE NOT ELECTED CHARLIE BROWN. Now if they would just show CHARLIE BROWN'S ALL-STARS, HE'S YOUR DOG CHARLIE BROWN, YOU'RE IN LOVE CHARLIE BROWN, IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER CHARLIE BROWN, and IT'S A MYSTERY CHARLIE BROWN. Anything after 1979 is pretty much bleah! except for IT'S MAGIC CHARLIE BROWN which was entirely original, rather than a patched-together rehash of strips.

[dth1971]

Schroeder mentioned as he was passing out Valentines one of the Peanuts special staff: Joanne Lansing!

[Zorak Masaki]

Ah yes, the punchline of the very first strip. But network watchdogs probably wouldn't allow that in today's climate- too negative.:yawn:

For that matter, I recall a scene in the Valentine special whereby Schroeder calls out the name of each person as their valentine is pulled out of the box, hence letting the whole class know who's getting and who isn't. That seems like very bad technique and a cruel thing to do to less 'popular' kids.

It's nice to see ABC reviving the classic Guaraldi-era specials other than CHRISTMAS, GREAT PUMPKIN and THANKSGIVING (Never cared for the latter, actually.), witness a recent showing of YOU'RE NOT ELECTED CHARLIE BROWN. Now if they would just show CHARLIE BROWN'S ALL-STARS, HE'S YOUR DOG CHARLIE BROWN, YOU'RE IN LOVE CHARLIE BROWN, IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER CHARLIE BROWN, and IT'S A MYSTERY CHARLIE BROWN. Anything after 1979 is pretty much bleah! except for IT'S MAGIC CHARLIE BROWN which was entirely original, rather than a patched-together rehash of strips.

Sadly, the only non-holiday one i can see them airing would be "It was a short summer" possibly around summertime (though it would be a nice touch if they aired "flashbeagle" to tie into dancing with the stars's premiere, but considering how dated that special was its probably not a good idea).

[Super Sonic]

The only problem I have with the newer specials is the way they're presented, but I guess it can't be helped since they have to use material from the comic. I like the animation and the voices of these newer specials, and I do enjoy watching them. I just wish we could get some original material.