Over the years,Peanutsdepicted storylines that ranged from silly to downright absurd, but perhaps the greatest plot in the comic’s history took place in 1980. Charles Schulz chronicles the unlikely tale ofSnoopy’s Beagle Scoutsgang getting involved in a bar brawl in this month-long saga, which has gone on to become a beloved classic that warrants closer examination.
As far-fetched as the premise of a bar fight may sound for a comic as family-friendly asPeanuts, it’s stood the test of time as one of the series' greatest sagas. In this story,Harriet - one of Snoopy’s Beagle Scouts - gets arrested after initiating a bar fight.Charlie Brownand various other fan-favorite characters are roped into this conflict to help bail her out.
Charlie Brown’s involvement elevates this shocking plot into an unforgettable adventure, as he ventures into the wilderness on an expedition from which he may not return - unless his friends can band together and rescue him.
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One of Snoopy’s Beagle Scouts Faces Jail Time After Starting a Bar Fight
Running from October 24th through November 26th, this entertaining saga begins withSnoopy taking the Beagle Scouts on a camping trip. However, much to his dismay, the scouts inform him that they would rather have root beer at the disco. While they aren’t describing a literal bar,drinking root beer at the disco - referred to as “The Birdbath” by Snoopy - is clearly meant to be a comical stand-in for drinking beer at a bar.As their leader, Snoopy is frustrated by this request, but he ultimately letsWoodstock and the other birdsdo as they please.
Snoopy’s Beagle Scouts - a clever play on the real-life Eagle Scouts - were first introduced in June 1974.
When the Beagle Scouts return, Snoopy is stunned to see them all looking worse for wear. They all sport various injuries on their little bodies, and even Woodstock is missing a tooth.The scouts confess that they got caught in a brawl against antagonistic blue jays, and that Harriet was arrested after initiating it.A character facing jail time is a surprising tonal departure from usualPeanutsplot points, considering Schulz' comics usually explore more kid-friendly endeavors as opposed to a situation as mature as a bar fight. Thankfully, Snoopy has Charlie Brown to rely on afterHarriet commits her crime.
Charlie Brown Helps Snoopy Out, Only to Get Lost in the Woods
As Charlie Brown Goes Missing, Peppermint Patty Sets Out to Find Him
AsSnoopy’s owner,Charlie Brown takes on the responsibility of bailing Harriet out of her jail stint. Of course, he then finds out that Harriet isn’t actually in jail. Instead, she’s been taken in by the Humane Society, which he frees her from. This joke shows that the Humane Society is perceived as a prison by the birds in Snoopy’s group, even though humans like Charlie Brown know better. Either way, now that Charlie Brown has found Harriet, he must take her home. However, there’s one snag that stops him in his tracks: he has no clue how to get there.
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Charlie Brown ends up lost in the wilderness in need of rescue, wandering aimlessly through the woods with Harriet in tow - who he doesn’t understand the way Snoopy and the other birds can. This unlikely duo sparks plenty of laughs, as Harriet demonstrates that she’s much less worried about their status than Charlie Brown. Luckily, he isn’t the onlyPeanutscharacterwith concerns. Back home, though,Peppermint Patty enlists Marcie’s helpto track him down once she learns that he’s gone missing. Their efforts turn out to be in vain as they also get lost, and Snoopy makes it home before any of them.
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While Peppermint Patty and Marcie look for Charlie Brown to no avail,Sally chastises Snoopyfor sitting around instead of searching for his owner. After all, Charlie Brown is only lost in the first place because he’d wanted to help afriend of Snoopy’s, so the least he can do is aid the search. In typicalPeanutsfashion, Snoopy’s quest goes about as poorly as Peppermint Patty’s when he consistently gets distracted.In the end, no one really rescues Charlie Brown, as he finds everyone himself - even though they’re the ones who are meant to be finding him out in the snow.
ThisPeanutssaga was eventually adapted as “Charlie Brown Lost!”, featured in a 1983 episode ofThe Charlie Brown and Snoopy Showentitled “Snoopy: Man’s Best Friend”.
OnceCharlie Brown and friendsmake it home, this story closes with a few jokes that tie everything together. First, Peppermint Patty calls Charlie and mentions a kiss they’d shared during their reunion, but he doesn’t remember the kiss. As it turns out, Snoopy was the one to kiss her,stealing Peppermint Patty’s momentwith Charlie Brown that she’d been seeking throughout the entire story. Then, Sally welcomes her big brother home, only to reveal that she’d moved her belongings into his room and he’ll have to transfer them back out. Even upon his return, Charlie Brown can’t catch a break.
This Classic Peanuts Tale Reflects the Series' Evolution Into Long-Form Storytelling
Charles Schulz Channels His Animation Experience Into This Adventure
By 1980, Charles Schulz had already written variousTV specials based on hisPeanutscomics. These specials include holiday classics like 1965’sA Charlie Brown Christmas, which catapulted the franchise to newfound levels of popularity. Through employing long-form storytelling through these and other animated adaptations,Schulz learned about the importance of defining characters strongly so that they can sustain stories that span longer than a single comic strip. In time, he began to apply this idea to the comics by penning stories that spanned multiple strips, fromLinus running for school presidenttoLucy destroying Schroeder’s piano.
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The story of the Beagle Scouts' fight at the disco is a notable example of Schulz applying these lessons, since much of the story’s comedy stems from the characters' fleshed-out quirks.For instance, Peppermint Patty’s love for comics slows her down on her hunt for Charlie Brown, whileSnoopy’s imaginative naturecauses him to lose sight of his goal entirely. Through telling long-form tales with these characters, Schulz inspires readers to become more invested in what they’re up to. The misadventures of Snoopy and his gang culminate in one ofPeanuts' best stories, and it’s a testament to how much the series evolved during its run.
Peanuts
Created by Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts is a multimedia franchise that began as a comic strip in the 1950s and eventually expanded to include films and a television series. Peanuts follows the daily adventures of the Peanuts gang, with Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy at the center of them. Aside from the film released in 2015, the franchise also has several Holiday specials that air regularly on U.S. Television during their appropriate seasons.
