What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown!

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What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown! is one of many prime-time animated TV specials based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired Thursday, February 23, 1978, at 8:00 P.M. on the CBS network and is generally considered to be one of the most popular Peanuts Specials.

1 Plot
2 Critical Reaction
3 Voice Cast
4 Trivia
5 External links

[edit] Plot

Charlie Brown is upset that Snoopy is adjusting too well to home life, reminding Snoopy of facts that Arctic dogs are only fed once a day and coming to the conclusion Snoopy is overly civilized. After making and eating a large dinner and dessert, Snoopy has a nightmare in which he is a sled dog in Alaska, presumably during the Yukon Gold Rush. Cruelly abused by his owner and his fellow dogs, Snoopy is warped into a rather vicious sled dog over the course of the episode in order to survive in his new life. One scene which breaks the snow scenes is where Snoopy's owner stops at a honky tonk and Snoopy sneaks inside. He finds himself onstage with a painted backdrop of Paris and is cheered for his dancing, except when the music changes and Snoopy impersonates a can can dancer, to which the men riot. Snoopy then runs out and is back with the sled dogs. Ultimately Snoopy becomes the "Alpha Male" of the sled dog pack and leads his owner over an ice-covered lake when the ice cracks and causes all the sled dogs and the owner to be swallowed into the water. Snoopy finds himself falling into the hole. As he falls, Snoopy wakes up and is relieved that he was just having a nightmare. Snoopy then wakes Charlie Brown and recounts his nightmare in pantomime, to which Charlie Brown allows Snoopy to spend the night inside with him, but not before Snoopy helps himself to some pizzas, reminding himself his Arctic experience was indeed just a nightmare.

[edit] Critical Reaction

"What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown!" is generally considered to be one of the more popular Peanuts TV Specials due to its experimental format. Since Snoopy doesn't talk in the TV specials, the special is largely without spoken dialogue, which critics have argued adds towards the surreal dreamlike nature of the special.

In addition, the majority of the Peanuts cast is not present, since it revolves entirely around Snoopy and Charlie Brown.

[edit] Voice Cast

Bill Melendez: Snoopy

Liam Martin: Charlie Brown

[edit] Trivia

The Charles M Schultz Museum and Research Center organized a showing for a reading festival on the subject of Jack London's novel The Call of the Wild, which has a similar storyline.[1]
This is the only "PEANUTS" special, to date, that has less than 4 main characters.