A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Becomes a Hit on Streaming 52 Years Later

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Holidays are all about tradition, and many people love watching their favorite movies. One popular film is currently a hit on streaming services this Thanksgiving, and its popularity is continuing to grow.

According to Flix Patrol, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is now the second most popular movie on Apple TV in the U.S. – not surprising with the holidays here. However, it’s remarkable that the film has also made the top ten charts in 11 other countries, including places like Antigua and Barbuda, Guatemala, Mongolia, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Directed by Bill Melendez and Phil Roman, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving first aired on CBS in 1973 and quickly became a fan favorite. The special shows the Peanuts gang working together, overcoming their disagreements, to create a wonderfully imperfect Thanksgiving dinner.

When A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving first came out, a lot of people watched it, and it quickly became a tradition on CBS every Thanksgiving for over ten years. Later, in the 1990s and 2000s, it started appearing on other channels like Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, and more recently on streaming services like Apple TV.

Despite remaining a Thanksgiving tradition for many families, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving isn’t universally loved by critics. Currently, the film has a 70% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, while viewers give it a slightly higher score of 76%. These ratings are based on reviews from ten critics and over 50,000 viewers.

There is One Other Reason Why A Charlie Brown Thanksgivingis Blowing Up on Apple TV

Beyond its popularity as a holiday tradition, Apple TV heavily promoted A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving because it’s currently the only place to stream the special online, and that’s likely to remain true for a while.

Starting in 2020, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving became part of a larger collection of Peanuts content – including TV shows, movies, and 51 holiday specials – available through Apple. Luckily, Apple’s agreement, recently updated to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip (October 2nd), ensures that A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving streams for free on Apple TV for several days before Thanksgiving each year.

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for a Peanuts fan? Check out The Essential Peanuts, a new book celebrating the comic strip’s 75th anniversary. Compiled by comic book expert Mark Evanier and published by Harry N. Abrams, this hardcover collection features the most memorable Peanuts strips, along with insightful background information and historical context.

It’s amazing how much of Peanuts has become part of everyday life. You often hear people compare a failed effort to Charlie Brown trying to kick the football. Schulz’s characters really resonated with people and have become a lasting part of our culture.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is currently available for streaming on Apple TV.

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2025-11-27 19:36