The classic animated Halloween special, *It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown*, will not be airing on traditional broadcast television this year, leaving fans eager to catch the beloved show exploring new streaming avenues. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the iconic programme, which first made its debut on CBS on 27 October 1966, shortly after Charles M. Schulz introduced the Peanuts comic strip in 1950.
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For decades, families have turned to this charming special as a staple of their Halloween celebrations. It was a fixture on CBS until 2000, after which ABC took over its broadcasting rights in 2001. The landscape shifted once more in October 2020 when Apple TV acquired the exclusive rights to the Peanuts catalogue, securing the animated specials and original series for its platform.
While *It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown* won’t be available via standard television channels this season, Apple TV has generous options for viewers hoping to catch the festivities. The streaming service will make the classic show available for free on select days, allowing those without a subscription to join in the Halloween fun.
The storyline of *It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown* centres around the Peanuts gang engaging in Halloween festivities. Charlie Brown, voiced by Peter Robbins, gets ready for a Halloween party, while his friends go trick-or-treating and Snoopy, voiced by Bill Melendez, imagines himself as a daring pilot. In a parallel thread, Linus, voiced by Chris Shea, waits in a pumpkin patch, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Great Pumpkin—a mythical figure akin to Santa Claus, believed to deliver gifts each Halloween.
In an interview with the Charles M. Schulz Museum in 1979, Schulz shared that the inspiration for the Great Pumpkin came from his imaginative inquiry into what might happen if a child mistakenly celebrated Halloween as a gift-giving holiday. “Then, of course, he had to wait for someone to bring him these presents. And who would it be on Halloween night other than—obviously—the Great Pumpkin,” he recounted. His pride in this concept highlights its uniqueness among his extensive work over the years.
As for viewers keen to immerse themselves in this nostalgic Halloween experience, *It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown* will exclusively stream on Apple TV. Since securing the rights to the Peanuts specials in 2020, Apple TV has committed its efforts to maintaining a rich library of Peanuts content, which includes *A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving* and *A Charlie Brown Christmas*.
In 2025, Apple TV confirmed a five-year extension of their partnership with WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide, and Lee Mendelson Film Productions, ensuring that Peanuts specials remain a cornerstone of their offering until at least 2030. Tara Sorensen, head of children’s programming at Apple TV, expressed their enthusiasm for the franchise’s impact, stating, “These beloved characters and stories hold a timeless significance, resonating with people of all ages across the globe.”
Fans of the Peanuts special can access *It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown* on Apple TV, available for streaming. For those wishing to enjoy the special without a subscription, be sure to mark 17 and 18 October on the calendar, as it will be available for free on these dates. Beyond this brief window, a subscription will be necessary for viewers to accompany Linus as he waits for the Great Pumpkin in the patch.
While traditional broadcasts of *It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown* may be a thing of the past, the historical significance and heartwarming charm of the programme continue to endure, captivating new generations of viewers through modern streaming platforms.