More than four decades after it first aired, Peanuts executives are amending an iconic scene depicting segregation when a black character sits apart from the others in the famous comic.
A new Apple TV special, called ‘Welcome Home, Franklin,’ began airing on the streaming platform on Friday. It gives Franklin, the first black character introduced in the late 1960s, a spotlight when he befriends Charlie Brown.
The new show comes after the controversial 1973 Thanksgiving special that featured a scene in which Franklin sat alone, on the opposite side of the dining room table, from the other characters, including Snoopy, who are white.
Many viewers have suggested that the fact that Franklin sat alone in front of his white counterparts was discriminatory, along with the fact that he was placed in a lawn chair instead of a dining room chair like the others.
In the most recent special, the dinner scene was recreated as a way to “rectify” the original shot when Franklin was finally sitting on the same side of the table with the other characters.
‘We use the comic strip as our Bible and build on that. This story was one we all really wanted to tell. Everyone loves Franklin. We just felt like he deserved a lot of respect,” said Craig Schulz, executive producer of the new special.
In the most recent Apple TV special, Franklin is seen interacting with the other characters on the same side of the table.
The controversial dinner scene from the 1973 Thanksgiving special that airs every year on ABC. Franklin is seen alone on one side of the table.
“This is our chance to rectify the whole matter.”
Craig, who is also the son of original creator Charles M. Schulz, said The daily beast that he hadn’t realized the backlash that came with the scene until his son Bryan informed him.
The most recent special featured Franklin as he moves to a new city in search of friends. He soon found the Peanuts gang, but had a hard time fitting in with them.
Franklin then discovered the Soap Box Derby race and connected with Charlie Brown as the two built a car together and became best friends.
Raymond S. Persi, the director of the special, admitted that he was excited to have the opportunity to spotlight Franklin and make him the main character.
“Franklin is a confident kid, but he’s never had the chance to show anyone who he really is,” Persi said.
“A special like this serves the same purpose as Franklin’s first performance.”
“Hopefully, it’s a reminder to people that we have a lot more in common than we have different, and if we see each other on a personal level, we will connect and be friends.”
Persi was also the one who suggested recreating the dining room seen in the new special, saying it was added to “make people immediately connect with that moment.”
In the scene, Franklin sat alone before Linus told him that the group had reserved a seat for him on their side of the table.
The most recent special featured Franklin as he moved to a new city in search of friends. He and Charlie Brown soon become close as they build a car together for the Soap Box Derby race.
In the new special, Franklin is first seen across the table just before Linus tells him that they have reserved a seat for him on the other side.
Charles, who died in February 2000, introduced Franklin to the comic in July 1968, following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
School teacher Harriet Glickman approached the creator and asked him to introduce the first black character, something that had not yet been done.
Craig recalled that his father was “cursed” for adding Franklin and the response “really enlightened him about the anger that was in the world.”
‘The newspapers refused to publish those comics with Franklin in them in those days. And my dad said, “If you’re not going to publish it, that’s fine with me. I’m just not going to write it,” Craig said.
The Thanksgiving episode, which airs every year on ABC, featured a shared Christmas meal between the characters, after Peppermint Patty invites herself and others to Charlie Brown and Sally’s house.
Many viewers attacked the creators for their decision and even refused to watch the hit special again because of the scene.
Craig said he tends to think about what his father would have done to try to correct the problem.
“So when the idea of derby cars came up, it can be a lot of fun, because it gives you the opportunity to have [Charlie Brown and Franklin] build something together and then capture the essence of two kids’ conversation,” Craig said.
The team also made sure to focus the character’s friendship as much as possible to emphasize the importance of their relationship.
Raymond S. Persi, the director of the special, admitted that he was excited to have the opportunity to spotlight Franklin and make him the main character.
Persi revealed that Franklin and Charlie Brown’s animated car was designed to have a distinctive sound, so those not paying attention would have a “mental clue” about the race.
Although the creators and animation team have tried to amend the controversial scene from more than four decades ago, they are still aware that this will not completely solve the problem.
“The era of 1968 is similar to what we have now,” Craig said.
He added that the relationship between Franklin and Charlie Brown in the new special is “a powerful way to show that two people can come together if you take it to a basic level.”
“There is a lot of division and a lot of anger in the world,” he said, adding that his hope is that families and children will tune in and understand the message they have tried to convey.
‘It’s part of being a child. You just don’t care about all those external things,” Persi said.