Be My Valentine Charlie Brown on ABC

By Ally Matteodo

The Peanuts Gang wins out as Be My Valentine Charlie Brown was named the Best TV Show of the Week.  This special aired on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 10^th back-to-back with another Peanuts gang adventure, A Charlie Brown Valentine.  As Valentine Day approaches all of the gang’s expectations are revealed:  Lucy persistently hopes that Schroeder will give her a valentine; Sally anticipates attention from Linus; Linus wants to be noticed by his teacher Miss Othmar; and Charlie Brown simply hopes for a valentine from somebody.  Sally witnesses Linus buying a box of chocolates from a candy store and believes they are meant for her. Unfortunately, Linus bought them for Miss Othmar; Linus thought that being asked to clap erasers was a sign of his teacher’s endearment and misread the situation.  He is disappointed when he sees Miss Othmar with her boyfriend. Lucy is disappointed when she realizes she is not the intended recipient of the chocolate.  Charlie Brown doesn’t receive any valentines at all and is crushed.  However, Violet and the others feel terrible, and offer him some valentines the following day. 

This program explores familiar territory- -- the exchange of valentines in school.  The special effectively captures all the anticipation, sentiment, and excitement revolving around valentines.  There are several comical and endearing moments.  Charlie Brown tries to show his sister how to cut a heart from red construction paper, and Sally can’t seem to get it right, making a diamond and a clover, but not a heart.  The lovable Snoopy then appears and with a few flourishes of the scissors creates an intricate and enchanting music box valentine display.  After Linus realizes his teacher, Miss Othmar, has a boyfriend he proceeds to throw the chocolates from his heart off a bridge, exclaiming after each piece is thrown:  “This one is for love!  And this one is for valentines!  This one is for romance!  This one is for Elizabeth Barrett Browning!  This is for ‘How do I love thee!’ “ After he throws each piece we see Snoopy and Woodstock catching the chocolates in their mouths and eating them.  Ultimately, Charlie Brown does receive a valentine, although Schroeder eloquently points out to Violet her thoughtlessness of giving it to Charlie Brown a day late.  Charlie Brown, however, is the eternal optimist, and doesn’t care. He happily takes the valentine without a second thought.  And that is why we love you Charlie Brown.  In reality, Charlie Brown received much more than just one valentine — after the episode first aired, children from all across the United States made and sent valentines to Charlie Brown, thus demonstrating the touching charm that the Peanuts gang had, and still have, over us all.