Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical

 

AIRDATE: 8/15/2025

STORY:  Charlie Brown's final year of summer camp is here, and in classic Chuck Biz fashion, he can't have too much fun before the worry warts pop up. Decreasing attendance means his beloved Cloverhill Ranch will soon make way for the marvels of progress, and his little sister Sally won't know the joys of bonding with nature. The solution? A music festival. 8

MUSIC: Is the thing. This is the third Peanuts musical, and first in 37 years. The five songs here shine bright and sweet, even Sally's hilariously Schulzian protest "A Place Like This." Although that song, and the opener "Best Time Ever," are the tunes that hung around my mind after watch #1, the other three offerings (written by Ben Folds) only improved upon subsequent listening/viewing. 8.5

ANIMATION: Nature's beautiful bounty (bountiful beauty?) is rendered gorgeously throughout. "When We Were Light"--arguably the slowest grower on the soundtrack--is enhanced by the visuals, including a captivating night sky over the lake waters that rates among the finest animation ever seen in a Peanuts special. 10

VOICES: Salute to Etienne Kellici, who is now narrating Mutual of Omaha's Wild Puberty, and probably won't be called back for another go as Charlie Brown. (Additional hand-on-head to Jayd Deroche, who provided CB's singing voice.) Isabella Leo is a fine Lucy as always, but Hattie Kragten's Sally steals the show. If the mind is a playground, Sally's is nothing but swing sets. Grumpy forth, despairing back. Smitten forth, indignant back. 9's all around. 

 

 

 

WE ARE FANS OF PROGRESS 

--Snoopy's side-shenanigans actually affect the main plot! 

--The flashbacks of Charlie Brown's earlier camp excursions feature animated versions of OG Chuck and puppy Snoopy (although not for the first time).

--So, Sally hates camp so bad she'll sing about how much she hates camp, but she runs into a horse and then all of a sudden camp's great? Uh, yeah. 

 

 

I WAS JUSTIFIED IN BEING WARY 

--The plot does feel rushed, and an extra five to ten minutes would've helped quite a bit. 

--No human voice for Snoopy! Third time truly is the charm.

--The eco-friendly messaging may strike some viewers as heavy-handed and borderline insulting to audience intelligence. I call these viewers, "offline."

--The Snoopy siblings make an appearance, and that's wonderful, but Olaf on drums? Schulz would not allow this Andy disrespect, and Homer Simpson would not allow this jug disrespect.  

 

 

Although pacing issues keep A Summer Musical from joining the likes of One-of-a-Kind Marcie and Welcome Home, Franklin, it's still a cute way to pass forty minutes. The earnestness and hope on display may cause some more cynical observers to bristle, to which I say, real life is giving us enough crap. Don't be afraid to smile, laugh, sing, or give a damn.