I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003)

TV Show Info

Well…if Spike is as good as you’ve got…

All Rerun wants for Christmas is a dog.  With his mother against it, Rerun is forced to borrow Snoopy from Charlie Brown, but still finds himself longing for his own dog for Christmas.  When Rerun learns about Snoopy’s brother Spike, it could be the match that Rerun’s dreamed about, and Spike could finally leave the desert behind.

Directed by Larry Leichliter and Bill Melendez, I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown was a holiday special that first aired on ABC on November 11, 2003 but was released on DVD on 2004.  The special followed Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown also from 2003.

I am not afraid to murder you, Lucy

I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown has a tough road to follow.  A Charlie Brown Christmas is a classic…it is follow-up It’s Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown isn’t.  I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown falls somewhere in between the two specials.

The show fortunately doesn’t try to recreate A Charlie Brown Christmas.  In fact, Charlie Brown is barely seen in the special.  The special focuses primarily on Linus and Lucy’s often forgotten brother Rerun who always looked too much like Linus for me.

Congrats Rerun…you’re dog is now a fat slob.

I like that it heavily involves Snoopy’s brothers, though I do feel bad about the ending.  Spike has always been such a sad sack, and the idea that he would finally get a home was a nice idea.  I don’t really know why they didn’t give Spike a home since the characters only now appear in specials…give the poor dog a chance.

I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown doesn’t try to build on A Charlie Brown Christmas and instead presents an all new story.  The story has its moments and I do like to see someone the focus of a Peanuts special other than Charlie Brown…though I’d kill for an odder supporting character like Shermie or Patty.  I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown was followed by He’s a Bully, Charlie Brown in 2006.