Free on Apple TV: Nov. 25–27
Run-time: 30 minutes
Director: Bill Melendez, Phil Roman
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Original release date: Nov. 20, 1973
Trying to figure out how to A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving online? Well, even though it's not on TV anymore — you missed the window by a few days — you can still catch it for free.
Yes, after the news broke that Apple was taking the Charlie Brown holiday specials and making them Apple TV Plus exclusives, the company decided to save some face by making these specials available without paying for them. That began on November 22, when PBS broadcast the Thanksgiving special, and it continues on December 13, when A Charlie Brown Christmas airs again on the Public Broadcast Station.
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But, yes, Apple won't make you pay to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving began streaming on Apple TV Plus behind the paywall on Nov. 18, and it will be free to watch between Wednesday (Nov. 25) and Friday (Nov. 27). Similarly, A Charlie Brown Christmas will be free between Dec. 11 to 13.
This is a welcome change of plan, as the specials feel as ritualistic and important to the holidays as some of our favorite side dishes. In A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Charlie's got a traditional sitcom problem: having to bring himself to two Thanksgiving tables — back and forth.
There's even some good old fashioned football, or rather the traditional game of Lucy playing spoiler for Charlie's aspirational punting goals.
Want a taste? Here's a snippet from the special:
And here's everything you need to know to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving for free:
How to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving with a VPN
If you're stuck abroad — in one of the few countries where Apple TV Plus is not available — you will likely run into geo-fenced restrictions on the platforms and services you can use. But with the help of a virtual private network (VPN), you can watch On The Rocks and all the other services you already pay for no matter where you are.
Based on our testing, the best VPN is ExpressVPN, which is easy to use and delivers fast internet speeds, making it simple to set up for streaming in no time at all. It also works on practically any device, starting with iOS and Android and including streaming devices such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Apple TV. Plus, game consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
How to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on streaming
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is already on Apple TV Plus, and it's free to watch between Nov. 25 and 27.
