The first Peanuts strip was published 70 years ago today. In it, Charlie Brown walks by two other young children, Patty and Shermy, who seems like he’s happy to see his good ol’ pal. He’s not. In the panel, after Charlie Brown (I almost called Charlie Brown just “Charlie,” which sounds weird) has passed them by, Shermy says to his friend, “How I hate him!” What a jerk. It’s a hostile start to one of the most beloved comic strips ever, but over the years, creator Charles M. Schulz’s edge softened slightly, especially in the second half of Peanuts‘ five-decade long run when Snoopy became the dominant character. Here he is dancing with bunnies; here he is being adorable with his siblings; and above, you’ll find the trailer for his own show, coming next year to Apple TV+.
The Snoopy Show follows the adventure of the blimp icon and his pal Woodstock as they go on adventures, including flying an airplane as the World War I Flying Ace, climbing a mountain, and the greatest adventure of all, making a pizza. Here’s more:
Snoopy is a dog like no other. He may seem a happy-dancin’, bone-lovin’, doghouse-sittin’ beagle but he’s much more than that. He’s also Joe Cool, hippest kid in school, an awesome Surfer King and famed arm-wrestler, the Masked Marvel. When he indulges in his fantasies, he can be a World War One Flying Ace battling the Red Baron or an intrepid astronaut landing on the moon. The point is… Snoopy is a beagle with an active imagination full of comic personas. And they’re all on display — both real and fantastic — in a brand-new animated comedy, THE SNOOPY SHOW.
This is the calming cuteness we all need on a stressful day. The Snoopy Show premieres in February.