Happiness Is... Peanuts Team Snoopy

HAPPINESS IS ...PEANUTS: TEAM SNOOPY features the "Peanuts" special, LUCY MUST BE TRADED, CHARLIE BROWN and Episode #15 of THE CHARLIE BROWN AND SNOOPY SHOW.

LUCY MUST BE TRADED, CHARLIE BROWN is one of the "Peanuts" specials that first aired after the death of Charles Schulz. The basic plot is that Charlie Brown is both excited and anxious about the upcoming baseball season. He loves the game, but what he really would like is to actually win a game. He becomes convinced that if he can trade Lucy, he can improve the chances of winning a game during the season. He attempt to work out a deal with Peppermint Patty and the usual chaos ensues.

Episode #15 of THE CHARLIE BROWN AND SNOOPY SHOW is entitled "Snoopy's Brother Spike." It includes three shorts:

"The Pelican" - Peppermint Patty recruits Charlie Brown to sell popcorn and be the mascot for her baseball team.

"Great Pumpkin" - while the rest of the kids spend Halloween night at a local bowling alley, Linus (and Sally) await the arrival of the Great Pumpkin in a local pumpkin patch.

"Spike" - everyone gets excited when Snoopy's brother Spike comes for a visit. Charlie Brown and the rest of the kids think Spike will be able to tackle the cat next door and set him straight even though they've never seen Spike.

As far as "Peanuts" specials go, LUCY MUST BE TRADED, CHARLIE BROWN is average. Other than being "Peanuts," there's nothing special or extraordinary about it. The episode of THE CHARLIE BROWN AND SNOOPY SHOW found on TEAM SNOOPY is just as good or not better than the tv special included.

I'm not really sure why Warner Brothers decided to call this release TEAM SNOOPY. Snoopy plays a role in LUCY MUST BE TRADED, CHARLIE BROWN, but Lucy is the main focus. Also, Snoopy is hardly even around in "The Pelican" the one segment on Episode #15 that deals with baseball. Personally, I wish Warner would just release the rest of the decades sets and release the entire volume of THE CHARLIE BROWN AND SNOOPY SHOW on DVD and be done with it. Instead, they continue to piecemeal things out, pairing up episodes of the tv show with tv specials that have already been released on DVD. That's not being a very good team player.

First in Lucy Must Be Traded, Charlie Brown, it's not easy managing a baseball teamm... especially when your team has lost 999 games in a row. But when the wishy-washy baseball manager, Charlie Brown finds an opportunity to trade his worst and crabbiest player, Lucy, he thinks his fortunes might finally change. Unfortunately, Lucy's replacement, Marcie, who is from Peppermint Patty"s team, always end up on the pitcher's mound with Charlie Brown. Lucy on Peppermint Patty's, being in her fuss-budget business by failing Peppermint Patty by doing something stupid. When she re-exchanges Lucy for Marcie back, Charlie Brown begins to suffer more ball game loses. Then in The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show episode, Snoopy's Brother Spike, let the battle begin: Spike vs. the Mean Ol' Cat Next Door! Plus: Peppermint Patty's baseball team has a new mascot: Charlie Brown! More Happiness Is Peanuts DVD's will be announced soon.

While the holiday specials seem to take center stage for Peanuts, the lesser known TV specials and TV episodes pack a wonderful punch as well. This DVD collection has delighted my younger boys as they join their mom in enjoying Peanuts, especially the antics of Snoopy.

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