I recently had the pleasure of attending the press day for Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin and watching an advance screener of the special, which comes to Apple TV+ on February 16th. The Peanuts Gang have been a part of so many of our childhoods, and watching any of their specials feels like a cozy blanket, a warm embrace of sweetness and nostalgia that transcends time. This latest installment in Snoopy lore is an animated re-telling of how Franklin came to be a part of the gang.
Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin Synopsis:
The origin story for one of Peanuts’ most beloved characters, the special follows Franklin as he moves to a new town and navigates new friendships. Franklin’s family is always on the move with his dad’s military job, and everywhere he goes Franklin finds support in a notebook filled with his grandfather’s advice on friendship. But when Franklin tries his usual strategies with the Peanuts gang, he has trouble fitting in. That’s until he learns about the neighborhood Soap Box Derby race – according to his grandfather, everyone loves a winner! He’s sure that winning the race will also mean winning over some new friends. All he needs is a partner, which he finds in Charlie Brown. Franklin and Charlie Brown work together to build a car and in the process become good buddies. But as the race nears, the pressure mounts – can their car and their newfound friendship make it to the finish line?
This special is a wonderful homage to the original comic strips that inspired it, and it’s clear that they paid close attention to detail to remain faithful to the source material. For example, when Franklin first meets Charlie Brown in the special, he retrieves Charlie Brown’s beach ball for him, just like the very first comic strip that Franklin debuted in.
The character of Franklin was introduced in 1968, after a teacher named Harriet Glickman wrote to Charles Schulz and asked him to consider adding a black character to Peanuts. Schultz wrote that first comic of Franklin meeting Charlie Brown on the beach, and when he submitted it to the newspaper, they refused to publish it. Schultz said that he would quit before he would allow them to segregate Peanuts, and the strip was published. Years later, Robb Armstrong, the creator of Jump Start and a Co-Writer on Welcome Home, Franklin said that Franklin’s addition to his favorite comic when he was 6 years old inspired him to become a cartoonist when he grew up. It’s such an amazing and tangible example of why representation is so important, and an inspiring reminder of how people can use their platforms for good, even by taking small actions.
Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin is sweet, educational and wholesome. At the end of the special when all the kids are carefree and celebrating at a pizza party and welcome Franklin in to the group with open arms, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face; it was just such a pleasure to watch.
Watch Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin on Apple TV+ on February 16th, 2024.
I love the message of this entry into the Peanuts! I love the progression from feeling like an outside to being part of the group. That’s a struggle so many kids have.
I love the synopsis, that is sooooo sooo cool!!! I can’t wait to watch it. I am actually very excited about it.
This looks so cute. I love Peanuts
I’ll definitely be tuning in with my little ones when it premieres on February 16th.
I can remember watching Snoopy when I was much younger/ Welcome Home Franklin really does sound very wholesome and I love how you have said it is kept close to the original comic strips.
What a delightful trip down memory lane! The Peanuts Gang holds a special place in so many hearts, and Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin promises to deliver that same cozy warmth and nostalgia we all know and love. I can’t wait to experience this animated re-telling and revisit the magic of childhood with Franklin and the gang.
Aww I think so many of us remember peanuts when we were growing up! Such a fun show…this looks like a good one!
Ooh! I want to share this Welcome Home, Franklin to my nephew. I’m sure he will love this.
We need to get Apple+ back so I can watch lessons in Chemistry, so I’ll add this to the list to watch as well. I love the familiarity and the feeling of my childhood I get when I think of Snoopy x