It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown

The summer of 2008 was not short. It was, in fact, rather lengthy.

From late April to late July, I struggled through an initially mysterious weakness and pain that medication didn't make a dent in, and which four different doctors couldn't pinpoint precisely. The idea that I had everything from a tumor to MS to fibromyalgia ran through my mind, stretching the bright, hot days out to interminable length. Finally, a fifth physician was able to identify my condition as a mental and physical breakdown which could only be expected, as seeing I was not treating my mental disorder properly, and oh yeah, I have a neurological disorder too. I'm still on meds, still going to therapy, and still looking over my shoulder to see if that bulldozer is coming back on the road again. And there you have the Charlie Browniest moment of my life.

AIRDATE: 9/27/69

STORY: It's back to school, and back to work. The teacher wants the kids to write a 500-word "theme" on what they did over the summer. Through interspersed sequences of the Van Pelts scribbling at their desks, the scenes play out.

Lucy signs all the kids up for summer camp. ("I feel like I've been drafted", Linus moans.) While the girls (including the rarely-spotted Sophie and proto-Marcie Clara) are eager and focused, the boys (including the homie Shermy) are a hot mess. The prospect of challenging the girls in various athletic events cheers them up, however, and Charlie Brown acts as de facto coach, pepping up his comrades while snickeringly beseeching them to not beat up on those poor, weak girls too badly.

Swimming, softball and a nature hunt all end the same way, with the females victorious. The boys are desperate. Upon noticing Snoopy challenging (and beating) the rest of the fellas in arm wrestling, Charlie Brown's light bulb cracks. As the "Masked Marvel", Snoopy will challenge the girl representative in an arm wrestling duel. The girls pick Lucy, who pushes the Marvel to the sweaty, agonizing brink, until he reaches back into his reserves and plants a kiss on the horrified Lucy, leading her to pull her arm away, and the boys to claim a rather specious victory.

It's basically a strip idea stretched to the absolute limit...8.

ANIMATION: Jerky in spots, with some real baffling moments, such as Chuck's hangdog expression in this scene.

The arm wrestling scenes, however, are impeccably drawn and animated. In the special Happy Birthday, Charlie Brown, Schulz claimed it to be "the best animated scene in all the shows." Let's break it down.


The combatants locked in struggle.


Faces showing surprise and strain.


A superb close-up drawing, a new perspective in the short history of the Peanuts shows up to this point.


The sweat beads now virtually part of the air. The tension is unbearable!


Mwah!


Victory!

That is some good stuff, Bill Melendez. 8

MUSIC: The main theme is like some minor variation on "Peppermint Patty". That's not a complaint. The highlight comes when the bus rambles the kids to camp. The horn blasts that had been dominating the soundtrack fall off to be replaced by a pirouette of piano and flute when the site is reached. 9

VOICES: In his last appearance, Peter Robbins scores another 10 as Charlie Brown. Here he is by turns sarcastic, resigned, snarly...the perfect blockhead. Pamelyn Ferdin gets an 8 for her strangely cutesy Lucy, while an 8 is also in order for Glenn Gilger as brother Linus. Hilary Momberger makes a short but sweet Sally, scoring a perfect 10 for nailing all the preciousness, precociousness, petulance and peeved impatience that the character is known for ("I won't learn nuttin'!"). Christopher DeFaria continues the cavalcade of perfection with a faultless turn as that ineffably cool tomboy Peppermint Patty.

(Although they are animated and given voice, no credit is given to whomever did Schroeder and Shermy. No real loss, however; the Schroeder is unbearably high-pitched, and Shermy...well, who cares about Shermy.)

ALL SUMMER LONG

--Snoopy's one flight of fantasy here is as a bus driver. Here we get a glimpse into what Snoopy's ideal world would be. And it is? Everyone, man and animal, with Snoopy heads.





All of which makes me rethink that whole Snoopy as Unquestioned Lord and Master of the Universe thing.

--Stretchy legs!



--Check the names.



--After handing the boys their butts in softball, the glowing girls endeavor to cheer them up with a rousing rendition of "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag" (which appeared, sans vocals, in Great Pumpkin). Seated around the campfire, faces creased with dread, the boys eventually, joylessly join in.

CRUEL SUMMER

--The girls also break into a sort of sing-song when Charlie Brown presents the arm wrestling challenge. "Hey amateur. Are you the boys cham-peen? You better be better at wrist wrestling then you are at swimming, or ball-playing, or canoeing...." and it just continues until a red-faced Chuck paddles away in abject humiliation.

--"Team! Come on! Come on, team!" The pitiful way Charlie Brown tries to rally the troops sounds a lot like me watching the Minnesota Vikings this year.

--When the kids are gathered at the bus stop, and Linus says his hellos to Chuck and Sally, Charlie Brown says hi back. Why is that odd? 'Cause, he just talks over Linus! Poor blanket boy can barely get "Hi, Charlie Brown" out before blockhead's all "Hi Linus". How exceedingly rude. No wonder you lose as a rule.

--
Charlie Brown is proud of the great job he did pinning the map of Earth up on the wall.