For Auld Lang Syne appeals to Peanuts followers outdated and new [Review]

It’s best to ring within the New Yr with the primary new Peanuts particular since 2011. In Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne, Lucy is having a celebration however every part goes improper. It’s her fault however she blames everybody else. So the gang has to come back collectively to avoid wasting the day.

As a Peanuts fan going again many years, I watched the brand new vacation particular with a skeptical eye. I discovered quite a bit to love, whether or not that is your introduction to Charlie Brown and his buddies, otherwise you’re a long-time watcher like me.

Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne evaluation

I come on the new particular as somebody who’s seen the Peanuts Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving specials actually dozens of instances. I believe I’ve seen each different particular too, and whereas I haven’t watched each film I can talk about why Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977) is healthier than Bon Voyage, Charlie Forehead (1980).

Past all that, I’m a fan of newspaper comedian strips and have learn Charles Schulz’s creation virtually day-after-day since Ford was within the White Home.

So after I say Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne is nearly as good as basic Peanuts, I do know what I’m speaking about.

Ring within the new 12 months with Peanuts

The just-released vacation specials facilities on Lucy Van Pelt. When her beloved grandmother can’t be there for Christmas, Lucy begins to marvel if it was as a result of her grandmother doesn’t love her. Possibly nobody loves her.

The answer is a giant New Yr’s Eve social gathering that, in her thoughts, will give individuals the chance to indicate they love her by attending… and by doing all of the work.

As a result of Lucy continues to be Lucy. In Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne, she’s a bit kinder than she’s generally been portrayed prior to now, however she stays egocentric and bossy. And crabby. She yells at her buddies when the meals, music and decorations she ordered them to supply for the social gathering aren’t precisely what she had in thoughts, although everybody else is proud of them.

It takes some sensible recommendation from her brother Linus, and the true love of her buddies, to offer everybody a contented New Yr.

Not as darkish… and that’s factor

As a long-time Peanuts fan, I believed quite a bit concerning the tone of the brand new particular and in contrast it to those of the previous. It’s a bit extra hopeful than a few of them, and that’s not a nasty factor.

The Halloween particular is my favourite, however I’m effectively conscious it’s about two little boys having a horrible vacation. The Christmas particular is considerably extra upbeat, however its glad ending comes solely after nearly everybody within the solid treats Charlie Brown like shit. Together with his personal canine. It’s fairly darkish.

The brand new particular has its darker moments. Lucy is impolite to everybody when their contributions to the New Yr’s Eve social gathering aren’t precisely what she imagined. And he or she sinks into despair when she thinks the vacation is ruined.

However the ending is quite a bit lighter than Peanuts specials usually are. Lucy’s buddies pull her out of her despair by telling her they forgive her and so they love her. Distinction that with the ending of the Christmas particular, the place Charlie Brown’s buddies type of apologize by fixing up his tree however don’t truly say they’re sorry. And nobody apologizes in any method for treating Charlie Brown and Linus like filth on Halloween.

It’s the distinction between twentieth Century friendship and the twenty first Century model the place buddies are extra open about their feelings. Once more, that’s not a nasty factor.

Honoring the previous

Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne is collaboration between Apple and WildBrain. And a minimum of a number of the individuals who made it should have learn Peanuts for so long as I’ve as a result of they introduced up loads of references not possible with out a deep data of the strip.

There’s no higher instance than Charlie Brown’s New Years decision to look at Citizen Kane. That’s not a random alternative — Charles Schulz was apparently fascinated with the film and talked about it repeatedly in his strip over time.

And Snoopy’s brothers and sister who come for a go to within the new particular had been all within the strip too. Particularly Spike and his life in Needles, California, which appeared repeatedly in Peanuts after I was younger.

I consider these as one thing like Easter eggs for long-time followers.

The brand new particular holds onto the quirks of the strip, too. If you consider it, it’s distinctly odd that Lucy and her buddies placed on a giant New Yr’s Eve social gathering utterly with out grownup supervision — with tuxedos and social gathering attire — however that’s how Peanuts has at all times been.

Give Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne an opportunity

I like this new particular. I’m not saying that Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne will instantly change into a beloved vacation basic. You’re not immediately going to really feel the identical method about it that you simply do about A Charlie Brown Christmas for those who’ve watched that present yearly because you had been a tiny tot. However give it an opportunity. It’s candy with out being schmaltzy. It lives as much as the basic specials, and is one thing you may take pleasure in tonight with your loved ones, even when all of your children find out about Peanuts is The Snoopy Present.

Simply don’t make the error of assuming it may well’t probably be nearly as good as basic Peanuts specials. As a result of a few of these are fairly unhealthy. Should you don’t imagine me, watch Joyful New Yr, Charlie Brown , the 1986 present that Apple and WildBrain’s new creation is changing. That “basic” is extra like an outdated junker — the brand new particular is way extra pleasing. Generally new actually is healthier than outdated.