Charlie Brown holiday specials will air on TV after all. Here’s how to watch

Charlie Brown and the whole Peanuts gang are returning to broadcast television!

Apple received public outcry earlier this fall when it gained rights to the Peanuts holiday specials, starting with the airing of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” exclusively on Apple TV+. But Apple struck a deal with PBS for the Thanksgiving and Christmas specials, they announced Wednesday.

“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” will air on PBS and PBS Kids on Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET, while “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will air on the stations Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m., according to a news release.

The two shows will also be on the Apple TV+ streaming service, which is $4.99 a month. The Thanksgiving show will begin streaming Nov. 18 and is free from Nov. 25 to 27. The Christmas program comes to the streaming service Dec. 4 and is free from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13.

The three holiday programs previously aired every year on ABC since 2000, McClatchy News reported. Many families saw the Halloween special’s switch away from broadcast television as the end of an annual tradition.

More than 262,000 people signed a petition calling for the Peanuts specials to return to broadcast TV.

When “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” was exclusively on Apple TV+ last month, it was the first time since 1966 the iconic show was not on network TV.

Apple announced last month it is the “new home for all things Peanuts” and will create new, original shows featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the gang.

This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 3:34 PM with the headline "Charlie Brown holiday specials will air on TV after all. Here’s how to watch."