A Charlie Brown Valentine

The first Charlie Brown special produced after the death of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, this 2002 animated TV offering preserves much of the spirit of the earlier shows, thanks to the dedication of longtime series producer/director Bill Melendez. Charlie Brown still moons over the nameless little red-haired girl while Peppermint Patty and Marcie hopelessly try to gain his attention, Sally proclaims her love for her reluctant "sweet baboo" Linus, and Lucy fails to rouse any glimmer of affection from Schroeder. In other words, just another usual Valentine's Day for the gang. While not as iconic as the Christmas or Halloween entries, the dialogue and gags here are culled almost directly from Schulz's original daily strips (he's given screenwriting credit in tribute) and Melendez maintains the familiar vibe with the same animation and production team, coupled with a score that evokes the classic Vince Guaraldi themes. Also included is the 1981 special Someday You'll Find Her, Charlie Brown, an original story in which our hero obsessively searches for a girl he's too shy to even talk to. Although written by Schulz, the script leaves most of the Peanuts characters out, resulting in an ultimately unmemorable story. Both specials were previously released on a 2004 Paramount DVD (with a third TV special added), so this extra-less Warner edition will be unnecessary for those who own the earlier disc. For others, this is a strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)