New ‘Peanuts’ Holiday Special in the Works, But It Won’t Air on TV

The first new Peanuts television special since 2011 is finally in the works. In December, Apple TV+ will debut For Auld Lang Syne, a new special for New Year’s Eve. The special will not air on traditional television, and will be exclusive to Apple TV+.

For Auld Lang Syne will feature the Peanuts gang working together to throw the best New Years party ever. According to the announcement, Lucy is the organizer of the party, since she wants to make up for her grandmother notbeing around. Since this party will also likely involve Charlie Brown, we suspect something will go wrong.

Notably, this is the first Peanuts special without Snoopy or Charlie Brown’s names in the title. It is the first new special since Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown, which aired on Fox in October 2011. However, it is not the first Peanuts special about New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown also covered the same holiday, and aired on Jan. 1, 1986. For Auld Lang Syne will debut on Dec. 10.

Back in December 2018, Apple won the rights to become the exclusive home of new Peanuts content through a partnership with DHX Media, now called WildBrain. In October 2020, Apple reached another deal with WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film Productions to become the exclusive home of past specials as well. The first original Peanuts series produced by WildBrain for Apple TV+ is Snoopy in Space, which debuted in November 2019. That was followed by The Snoopy Show, which debuted in February.

The second season of Snoopy in Space will finally debut on Nov. 12. The series offers young fans a look at NASA’s recent projects and teaches them about the solar system using the beloved Peanuts characters. The show’s first season was nominated for the Outstanding Short Format Children’s Program award at the 2020 Daytime Emmys.

Due to the Apple deal, For Auld Lang Syne will also be the first Peanuts special produced only for a streaming platform. While Apple has made a deal with PBS to allow them to air It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and A Charlie Brown Christmas, no such deal for the new special was announced. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown was only available on Apple TV+ for Halloween 2020, but it will air on PBS stations Sunday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT.