It almost certainly did not escape the notice of Charles Schultz, Bill Melendez, Lee Mendelson, and United Features Syndicate that, while CBS would show the non-holiday Peanuts specials two or three times, the network would trot out A Charlie Brown Christmas and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown every year. It almost certainly did not escape the notice of CBS that the two specials brought in millions of viewers each year, either. That's probably why, from 1973 to 1975, the three out of new four specials were tied to specific holidays.
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown was not only the middle of the three holiday specials of that era, it was also the last of three that premiered within a five-month period (after A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown). After that burst, Peanuts fans would have to wait 10 months for the next new special.
Unlike most of the prior Peanuts specials, which generally followed one major story (and maybe one subplot), Easter Beagle has three loosely connected plots. One involved Woodstock and Snoopy, with the former having grown tired of being exposed to the elements in his next, and the latter trying to secure a birdhouse for him. Another followed Peppermint Patty as she attempted to teach Marcie how to color eggs. The third storyline was about Linus trying to convince everyone that the titular character was real.
To say all these stories are thin is an understatement. The least consequential is the Snoopy/Woodstock one, which largely exists so Snoopy has to make two trips to a department store, after he destroys the first birdhouse he buys by getting his nose stuck in the entrance hole. Before that, we see that Woodstock has decked out his new place in 70s bachelor pad style.
The Marcie/Peppermint Patty story is just plain weird. Despite her habit of calling her female best friend "Sir", Marcie is usually the most level-headed and intelligent of the gang. Here, however, she acts like she has never even heard of the concept of eggs, let alone Easter eggs. It's possible that Marcie's family doesn't celebrate Easter, and would be unfamiliar with the customs and traditions, but even then, you'd think she'd figure out not to crack eggs that needed to be dyed into a pan, or put into the oven, or stuck in a toaster. And of course she would know not to eat a hard-boiled egg shell and all.
The Linus story is basically a rehash of Great Pumpkin, something that even Sally points out when she reminds Linus of their night in a pumpkin patch. Even if it isn't a rehash, it seems odd that everyone is incredulous about the concept of an animal bringing Easter eggs. In this case, Linus just got the species wrong (though, at least in this special, he doesn't), which is a much smaller mistake than mixing up the holidays themselves.
Even with three subplots, the special still needs filler, such as a scene in which Snoopy imagines himself frolicking in a field with a bunch of bunnies, or where Sally and Snoopy try on a bunch of hats in the department store, leaving a huge mess for some poor clerk to clean up, or a scene where Snoopy dances with Marcie and Peppermint Patty. It felt like everyone was really straining to get to the 25-minute mark.
As mediocre as I find the special overall, it does contain my single favorite gag from any Peanuts special. As Charlie Brown, Sally, Linus, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Woodstock enter the department store, they stop and stare in confusion at the place, which is already decked out for Christmas, complete with a "Only 246 days to Xmas!" sign. After a few comments by the cast wondering why Christmas decorations are up in April, they don't comment on it again, while Christmas decorations continue to be seen in the background of the store scenes. I like the idea that someone turning on the special late would be utterly confused.
But as much as I like that gag, the special also shows how the concept of no characters other than kids or animals appearing onscreen is rather limiting. Why is Charlie Brown taking Sally shoe shopping instead of one of their parents? Why is that entire giant department store (which seems to consist of at least four levels and also seems to sell groceries) seemingly devoid of life other than the gang? There's at least one clerk on duty, as Snoopy hands his money for the birdhouse to someone, but said clerk stays off camera, and if there are any other customers in the store, we sure don't see them.
One very notable aspect of the special is the complete lack of religious content. Schultz et al. pushed to get Linus's monologue reciting the Book of Luke in A Charlie Brown Christmas in over the objections of CBS. 8 1/2 years later, during a special celebrating an even more important Christian holiday (in terms of religious significance), there's nothing. Over that time, Schultz had gotten divorced and remarried, and wasn't attending religious services as frequently, so that might explain the discrepancy. But still, I find it odd.
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown did air for a few years on CBS, but like most of the non-holiday specials, it eventually fell off the schedule. When ABC got the rights, they aired it a few times, usually teaming it with Charlie Brown's All-Stars. Apple TV+ is currently streaming the specials, along with most of the holiday specials, though no attempt was made to air it over PBS this spring.
I wished I like the special better, but it's so odd that, despite the great Christmas decoration gag, I just can't warm to it. I wish that the powers that be had, instead of churning out three new Christmas specials in the 90s and aughts, maybe tackled Easter again.
Next week: It's another holiday special, as the gang celebrates the day of (unrequited) love in Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown.
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