ABC Won't Air 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' This Year — Here's Where It's Moved To

For a lot of people, Halloween just won't be the same without the broadcasting of their favorite scary season special, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

"Peanuts" fans are devastated as the Halloween classic “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” will not be shown on TV for the first time since its 1966 premiere.

But all is not lost. While ABC and CBS will no longer be showing any of the "Peanuts" specials, including "The Great Pumpkin," Apple TV+ will, and at least this year, the special will be streamed for free.

A BRILLIANT COUP

Apple TV+ has acquired the exclusive rights to all the programs based on the beloved cartoon strip, including other season's favorites such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.”

"Peanuts" is considered one of the most popular and influential comic strips of all time, was translated into 21 languages, and its "translation" into animation was wildly successful.

"Peanuts" and Charlie Brown ended up earning its creator, Charles M. Schulz, over 1 billion dollars, and may well do the same for Apple TV+. There's just something about Charlie Brown and his world that is just irresistible.

Schulz revealed that he'd based the shy, insecure, geeky Charlie Brown on himself, but he is every man and woman, and his struggles with relationships and difficulties in finding his place in a confusing world are universal.

Apple TV+ will also be streaming “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” for free from November 25 to 27

SWEETENING THE PIE

AppleTV+ is a subscription streaming service, but it has announced that it will be sharing the "Great Pumpkin" for free from October 30 to November 1, 2020. After that, "Peanuts" becomes a members-only treat.

Apple TV+ will also be streaming “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” for free from November 25 to 27, and "A Charlie Brown Christmas” from December 11 to 13, but after that, "Peanuts" junkies will have to sign up to keep getting their fix.

NEW "PEANUTS" SPECIALS

Apple TV+ won't just be rehashing old favorites. The streaming service will be offering a second season of “Snoopy in Space,” as well as a brand new “The Snoopy Show,” scheduled to air in February 2021.

Fans can also look forward to new specials created by Apple TV+ celebrating Mother’s Day, Earth Day, New Year’s Eve, and Back to School. The service will also be airing a documentary celebrating "Peanuts" 70th anniversary -- and definitely raking in a lot of new subscribers among the millions of Charlie Brown fans.

THE CHARLIE BROWN CONTROVERSY

Fans of "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" will be glad to know that the special will be airing on Apple TV+ after the 2018 controversy when critics claimed that Franklin -- the strip's only black character -- was portrayed as being treated differently because of his race.

The special, which debuted in 1973, contained a sharp message from the creator of "Peanuts," who was not discriminating against Franklin but commenting on the way American society treated people of different races.