The Best Quote in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Still Resonates After 60 Years

Without a doubt, the most iconic Peanuts special is A Charlie Brown Christmas. Every holiday season, viewers treat the special as appointment viewing, and just about everything in it is memorable, from Charlie Brown’s pathetic Christmas tree to the goofy dances the kids do. The soundtrack by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi also rules. While that special holds the top spot without challenge, the second most iconic Peanuts special is It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. As the season approaches where the Great Pumpkin graces the most sincere pumpkin patch, it is a good time to determine the most iconic quote from this heartwarming TV special.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown aired on CBS in 1966. Animation legend Bill Melendez directed the project, and Peanuts creator Charles Schulz wrote it. After the success of the 1965 holiday special A Charlie Brown Christmas, CBS greenlit two more Peanuts specials for television. First came Charlie Brown’s All Stars! in June 1966. A few months later, viewers received It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown just days before Halloween.

Why It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a classic

The beloved Halloween special tells of the goings-on around Halloween for the Peanuts gang, especially Linus. While most of the kids go out trick-or-treating, Linus sits in a nearby pumpkin patch, awaiting a Santa Claus-like figure named the Great Pumpkin to arrive with presents. According to Linus, “Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere.” Convinced he has the most sincere pumpkin patch, Linus waits patiently all night while his friends spend Halloween gathering candy.

Like the Christmas special, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is both funny and heartwarming. It was the first-ever Halloween TV special because the holiday only truly took off after World War II. That is why the Peanuts kids say “tricks or treats” instead of “trick or treat,” as that was a popular variant of the phrase before “trick or treat” became standard.

The special’s most iconic quote

“Tricks or treats” is merely a quirk of history and language development rather than the most iconic turn of phrase in the film. Because it is a Halloween special and Charlie Brown’s name is in the title, “I got a rock” feels like a strong candidate for the best line. When Charlie Brown goes trick-or-treating with his friends, they all receive candy while he only receives rocks. It is a funny running gag that highlights the character’s bad luck and returns every Halloween for fans of the special. The situation feels relatable because while others seem to get candy, life gives people rocks.

Despite how much “I got a rock” resonates with a cynical view on life, the best quote comes from the true star of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Linus van Pelt. Linus carries the most memorable story, and his faith in the Great Pumpkin made the special iconic.

“There are three things that I’ve learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin” is a funny quote, showcasing the classic Charles Schulz style where it is amusing to hear a child talk like an adult. Still, the best quote should lean toward sincerity, as the sincerity of the special resonates more than its comedy.

For sincerity, “Oh, Great Pumpkin, where are you?!” works well, but it appears near the end of the special when Linus starts to lose hope in the Great Pumpkin’s arrival. While that marks an important part of Linus’ arc, his unwavering optimism in the earlier scenes sticks most with people, making another line the most iconic in the special.

“Tonight the Great Pumpkin will rise out of the pumpkin patch. He flies through the air and brings toys to all the children of the world.”

Linus delivers this line in the special. It carries a touch of humor because the Great Pumpkin sounds like a ridiculous legend that raises many questions, such as whether the Great Pumpkin has a face or is simply a large pumpkin. Above all, the quote captures Linus’ belief in the Great Pumpkin, a belief as sincere as the most sincere pumpkin patch.

Source: Polygon