Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
69,419
40,481


Apple has today announced "Who Are You, Charlie Brown?," a new documentary that takes a look at the origins of Peanuts and its creator Charles M. Schulz.



Who Are You, Charlie Brown? celebrates Schulz and the global popularity of Peanuts using an interweaved animated story that follows Charlie Brown as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

Who Are You, Charlie Brown? comes from Imagine Documentaries and is narrated by Lupita Nyong'o. The special is set to feature interviews with friends, family, cartoonists, and notable fans of the iconic comic strip to create a portrait of the creator of Peanuts and his legacy. Jean Schulz, Drew Barrymore, Al Roker, Kevin Smith, Paul Feig, Noah Schnapp, and more will participate in the documentary.

Who Are You, Charlie Brown? debuts exclusively on Apple TV+ on June 25.

Article Link: 'Who Are You, Charlie Brown?' Coming to Apple TV+ on June 25
 
Last edited:
This is the 2nd title on Apple TV+ that’s genuinely got me excited (the 1st was Wolf Walkers). I always loved the Peanuts cartoons when I was younger. I hope Apple does more interesting things with the characters.
Snoopy In Space was the only thing that really had my interest. I managed to watch one episode during my free trial.
 
I’m more into “ Dilbert “ and “ Pearl before Swine “. Love Larry the Alligator..so funny😆
 
  • Love
Reactions: Pirate!
I had a friend that sat next to someone on a flight and when he asked the traditional "What do you do?" the guy answered "I draw pictures." Only after conversing a while did he realize he was speaking with Charles Schultz.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
A great comic strip when I was growing up in the 1960s. Contrast it to the comic strip BC with its characters Jane (aka the "Fat Broad") and Grace (aka the "Cute Chick") and you get an idea of how progressive Peanuts was for its day and time. Unfortunately the appeal of Peanuts diminished greatly as I grew beyond childhood because Shultz wrote it for an audience of young children. Too bad he never added a version written for grownups.
 
I’m more into “ Dilbert “ and “ Pearl before Swine “. Love Larry the Alligator..so funny😆
I love re-reading Pastis story of meeting Shultz. Pearl's, as we know it, exists because of Peanuts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ken88
At least they are including some friends and family. Even some cartoonist whom I expect will say he was an influence. What's with all the random celebrities? Is it just to gain views? Maybe, if they were a part of his life. If they're just random famous fans. I don't see how they'd add to the understanding of his life, how he developed his comic strip and turned it into a financial empire.

Just tried watching an Imagine Documentary. Don't care for the style. Short interview sound bytes, no introduction to interviewees and their relevance, constantly jumping imagery and flipping back and forth between interviewees. Basically everything I hate with many modern documentaries. Where they don't think the audience can focus on anything for more than three seconds. Giving no time to really think about what you're seeing nor allowing an interviewee to finish a thought.

If that's their style. I'll have no interest in this. A&E already did a Biography on him. Which I'm sure is excellent. It also looks like PBS has an American Masters documentary of him. So, the bar is set pretty high.
 
Shultz wrote it for an audience of young children. Too bad he never added a version written for grownups.
Actually he did dabble in that, at least a teenage version of it. It was advertised as "the Peanuts gang grows up". It came out as a paperback book, and was much the same as the original strip, except with older characters. AFAIK, he created only that one book. Even so, I never considered Peanuts to be a "kids" strip. I had every single Peanuts paperback when I was a kid, and read them over and over because there were so many of the strips that I simply didn't understand. It wasn't until I was "grown up" that I grasped many of Shultz's references.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ClevelandGuy
Actually he did dabble in that, at least a teenage version of it. It was advertised as "the Peanuts gang grows up". It came out as a paperback book, and was much the same as the original strip, except with older characters. AFAIK, he created only that one book. Even so, I never considered Peanuts to be a "kids" strip. I had every single Peanuts paperback when I was a kid, and read them over and over because there were so many of the strips that I simply didn't understand. It wasn't until I was "grown up" that I grasped many of Shultz's references.
Agreed. Like the best animation and cartoon strips, Peanuts worked on multiple levels. Little kids got one thing out of it, older kids and adults something entirely different.
 
A great comic strip when I was growing up in the 1960s. Contrast it to the comic strip BC with its characters Jane (aka the "Fat Broad") and Grace (aka the "Cute Chick") and you get an idea of how progressive Peanuts was for its day and time. Unfortunately the appeal of Peanuts diminished greatly as I grew beyond childhood because Shultz wrote it for an audience of young children. Too bad he never added a version written for grownups.

I would disagree. I began reading Peanuts in the early 70s when I was a 5 or 6 year old. By the time I was 10 I got the Peanuts Jubilee coffee table book, which I still have. Peanuts spoke to me one way when I was a kid but differently as an adult and then as a parent. I have never thought it didn't have a lesson, commentary or good joke that mattered.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Apple_Robert
A great comic strip when I was growing up in the 1960s. Contrast it to the comic strip BC with its characters Jane (aka the "Fat Broad") and Grace (aka the "Cute Chick") and you get an idea of how progressive Peanuts was for its day and time. Unfortunately the appeal of Peanuts diminished greatly as I grew beyond childhood because Shultz wrote it for an audience of young children. Too bad he never added a version written for grownups.

Actually, Shultz never considered it a children’s comic. According to an interview, he fought the pressure to aim it more at children. He wrote it for adults.

He also hated the name “Peanuts,” but that was forced on him.
 
Apple is coming for Netflix!! This is just more proof AAPL is not playing around anymore. When you get Charlie Brown, you know they mean business!!
 
As kids, my siblings and I would often skate at the ice hockey rink in Santa Rosa, California, owned by Schulz. He was there every day, and would often sit in the stands overlooking the rink. It wasn't until years later that I learned he would study the skaters for inspiration when coming up with ideas for Peanuts strips.
 
Can someone explain to me in 2 lines why is Charlie Brown and Snoopy is so significant? I thought it was just a kid's strip comic
 
This is the 2nd title on Apple TV+ that’s genuinely got me excited (the 1st was Wolf Walkers). I always loved the Peanuts cartoons when I was younger. I hope Apple does more interesting things with the characters.

Likewise - in loving Peanuts!

My oldest friend we called Charlie Brown as a nickname back in Gr 4 … only to realize by end of Gr 8 he was already going bald (genetics). In a strange way many of us - either by some physical features or by character traits loosely resembled a character in the show.

I also loved Spaceman Spiff and the rest of the Calvin & Hobbes cartoon strip as well every Saturday/Sunday morning newspapers. Gads! I actually just remembered I read newspapers!

I just watched a short about Mr Rogers speech accepting an Oscar before he passed made my shed a few tears - simply because of how insanely cynical this world, our lives has become. I recall first year in college feeling, actually hoping, there was something really dirty or wrong with Mr Rogers, cause nobody is that nice - and being happily disappointed in those thoughts.

This … is … a HUGE moment not just in history and the art of comic strips … but in humanit’s, human nature and how far we’ve fallen as a society in terms of kindness towards one another.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.