Retroist Podcast Episode 327 (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown)

Back in 2009, I recorded a podcast about It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. It was a childhood favorite and a podcast that many people have emailed me about over the years. So now that I am committed to revisiting some of my older episodes, this one went straight to the top of the list. It's a great subject to cover at this time of year, and I hope you enjoy it.

I start the episode by talking about a memorable time when I watched the show. If you've listened to the podcast or read the blog, you probably know that I like to make an event out of things. This story demonstrates the lengths I would go to. I wouldn’t recommend anyone try what I did, especially at the age I was, but in the end, it was rewarding.

Then I dive into the special itself. I discuss the people in front of and behind the camera, its production, music, and much more. I also reference some newspaper articles, and I will share my clippings over on Patreon tomorrow.

It really isn’t Halloween without watching the Peanuts special, and I make sure to watch it every year. Schulz was a brilliant cartoonist, and as I mention in the episode, it’s amazing how much of what appeared on the screen originated in his comic strip. He was a prolific creative genius who, for half a century, helped define and interpret American pop culture.