Daniel Tiger and Charlie Brown

Daniel Tiger and Charlie Brown is a 2020 American-Canadian Made-for-TV Musical Comedy Film based on the Comic Strip Peanuts By Charles M. Schulz, and the PBS Kids TV Series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. The Special was Released on PBS Kids by Warner Bros. Television on December 21st 2020, to promote the film Margaret goes missing being released in Theaters across the United States and Canada in June the following year. (The Teaser Trailer was released during the broadcast of the film.) It was created by Angela C. Santomero. The Special follows Charlie Brown (Voiced by Jack Fisher) (Screaming voice by Peter Robbins) (Robbins also provided the screaming voices for Daniel Tiger, Katerina Kittycat, and Miss Elaina) befriending Daniel Tiger and his friends and family. This film is also a Prequel to The Peanuts Movie. It was released on DVD and Amazon Prime Video on January 3rd, 2021 by Warner Bros. Entertainment. The film also commemorates the 70th anniversary of Peanuts. The special also takes place during the 5th season of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. The special was then followed by 5 new episodes focusing on Daniel and his friends finding out more about Charlie Brown and the gang.

# Plot:

The film opens with a Curtain opening and Daniel Tiger introduces the Audience to the film and it cuts to Charlie Brown and his entire gang are in the neighborhood of make-believe. Not knowing where they are, Lucy wants to practice with him for football. Enticed, Charlie Brown does it but yet again Lucy pulls the ball away and he lays flat on his back once again. Daniel Tiger, Miss Elaina, and Katerina Kittycat had seen everything and felt sorry for him. They are a little upset with Lucy. Lucy says that she always did it, and this makes Daniel, Katerina, and Miss Elaina very mad and they attempt to kick the football, but like Charlie Brown before, they go flying through the air landing flat on their backs. Teacher Harriet hears their screams and comes running to help, but to her surprise they are not badly hurt, but surprised. The kids tell her about what happened and what Lucy did but Charlie Brown says that he can’t fly a kite. Teacher Harriet decides to teach him but Lucy thinks he’ll never learn. Katerina takes the football away from Lucy and tells Charlie Brown to trust her. He does and this time he really kicks it. An outraged Lucy then kicks Katerina in the leg, and this makes everyone mad. Later Charlie Brown with the help of Teacher Harriet, he can fly a kite. This makes Lucy even MORE Mad. Later it is time for Daniel and his friends to come into the school again, and they say goodbye, but Charlie Brown is worried about Lucy bullying him again. Charlie Brown goes to the schoolhouse and meets Teacher Harriet again, where she welcomes him in. He meets all of the class, and when he meets Crissie, a girl who has trouble walking and needs leg braces, this reminds him of the time Linus defended Janice in Why Charlie Brown? Why? So he tells them about it. (to which the audience's POV goes to that clip and Charlie Brown narrates what happened.) Shortly after he tells the story, school is out and he sees Trolley for the first time. He admires how unique Trolley looks and decides to ride to Daniel’s where he meets his family. Soon Lucy comes in and yells at Charlie Brown telling him that his animal friends are stupid and throws a football at Margaret’s head, making her cry. This makes Daniel mad, and Snoopy attacks Lucy with kisses and she leaves. Margaret then wanted to hold the football for Charlie Brown, but like Lucy, she pulls it away and Charlie Brown lays flat on his back, but he thinks it’s funny that a little baby could pull away a football. They then go to fly kites at the park and Charlie Brown can actually fly it. Daniel Tiger takes the audience into a make-believe segment where he is Charlie Brown’s kite. Then once again they meet Lucy who had a signed document saying that she would not pull it away. Charlie Brown agrees but once again Lucy pulls the football away and he lands flat on his back. He is very mad but Daniel tells him not to worry and they decide to leave. Later they run into Sally, Charlie Brown’s sister. She gives Daniel a big hug, and then Daniel says that it was time to teach Lucy a lesson. Lucy then walks by and Daniel asks why she does it. She replied saying that it was what he did. Daniel, Sally, and Charlie Brown then yell out the classic Peanuts yell and Daniel tells Lucy not to pull the ball away and Lucy severely promises not to do it again. Charlie Brown thanks her and gives her a hug and everyone joins in. A curtain closes across the screen and Daniel says goodbye and “Ugga-Mugga”.

# Cast:

Peanuts Cast

Jack Fisher, as Charlie Brown (Screaming Voice by Peter Robbins)

Molly Jackson, as Peppermint Patty

Bill Melendez, as Snoopy and woodstock (Archival Recordings)

Isabella Leo, as Lucy Van Pelt

Wyatt White, as Linus Van Pelt

Charlie Townsend, as Sally Brown

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Cast (Main)

Keegan Hadley, as Daniel Tiger (Screaming voice also provided by Peter Robbins) (Archival Recordings)

Jenna Weir, as Katerina Kittycat (Screaming voice by Peter Robbins)

Shawne Jackson, as Teacher Harriet

Addison Holly, as Miss Elaina (Screaming Voice by Peter Robbins)

Laaibah Alvi, as Jodi Platypus

Heather Bambrick, as Mom Tiger

Kira Gelineau, as Margaret Tiger

Ted Dykstra as Dad Tiger

Jaxon Mercey as Prince Wednesday

# Production:

On February 20th, 2020, Fred Rogers Productions announced a Crossover between the Peanuts gang and one of their other shows, initially they were going to do *Odd Squad*, but many people (Mostly Children) decided Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood would be best.

# Broadcast:

The film was broadcast on PBS Kids on December 21st, 2020 and on Family TV in Canada after a 4-hour Marathon of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Episodes that started at 3:00 PM EDT that Afternoon and ended off with the film, (Which started at 7:00 PM EDT) and received 10.6 Million viewers on its first broadcast. There was a Limited Theatrical Release in selected theaters across the United States and Canada on December 1st and 2nd only. Episodes in the Marathon were

1. *Daniel’s Birthday/Daniel’s Picnic*
2. *Daniel Shares His Tiger-tastic car/Katerina Shares her tutu*
3. *Daniel Gets Mad/Katerina Gets Mad*
4. *Jodi’s first school day/Daniel plays at Jodi’s*
5. *Daniel’s babysitter/Daniel goes to school*
6. *Snowflake Day/Tutu all the time*
7. *Safety Patrol/Safety at the beach*
8. *Mad at the lemonade stand/Mad at the beach*

All 8 episodes were featured on the DVD release of the film as a special bonus feature including the Teaser Trailer for Margaret Goes Missing.

# Reception:

The film received generally possitive reviews from critics worldwide calling it “The best and funniest crossover ever,” by film critics worldwide. The film won the Daytime and Nighttime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Animation and Great Education.” The film was well received by young children for its humor and Classic moments from the original Peanuts comic strip and specials.

# Soundtrack:

The soundtrack was released on December 12th, 1 week before its first broadcast

1. It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Theme song)
2. Linus and Lucy                                                                        Vince Guaraldi Trio
3. Stomp, Stomp, Stomp the madness out                                 Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
4. That’s What I Like                                                                   Flo Rida
5. Better When I’m Dancing                                                        Meghan Trainor
6. It’s ok to be mad, but it’s not ok to hurt someone                   Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
7. Daniel The Kite                                                                       Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
8. It’s Such A Good Feeling                                                        Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
9. Linus and Lucy (Shorter Version)                                           Vince Guaraldi Trio