Clash of Tv Episodes/Specials where the Title Character is put in charge of a Winter Play-A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS vs. DOUG DIRECTS.

On December 05 2025,

My Mother and I watched the 1965 CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Tv Special on Apple TV+ via the 4K ROKU Box I bought for her back in 2024.

The special is about CHARLIE BROWN not feeling the Christmas Spirit due to what he perceives it to be a SOUL-LESS COMERCIALIZATION of the Holiday.

I'm not making this up.

This was the character's mentality towards Modern Christmas...

In 1965 of all years!!!

Specifically December 9 1965 to be exact.

Anyway, 

During the special, Charlie Brown's friend LUCY VAN PELT recommends that he should direct the School's Christmas play not only to clear his conscience but also to regain his lost CHRISTMAS Spirit.

And things start to fall apart on him due to his friends not taking him seriously.

Ever been in one of those situations where you are saddled with the responsibilities of a play director?

GOOD GRIEF!!! HAVE WE ALL BEEN!

Eventually, CHARLIE BROWN snaps and decides that his problem with Directorial duties is due to the lack of a proper CHRISTMAS SPIRIT...

Which he somewhat deduces is the lack of a CHRISTMAS TREE in his School House

however, given the kind of guy CHARLIE BROWN is, 

You pretty much can guess what's gonna happen.

"I killed it...."

Don't worry.

The Tree eventually gets better.

Fast-Forward 31 years later, on November 9 1996,  

JIM JINKINS, creator of DOUG, decided to build upon a similar concept based on that one scene and told his writers to make an episode about the title CHARACTER himself being saddled with Responsibilities of Directing a School Play.

All because his older sister JUDY FUNNIE backed out of directorial duties.

"How could you be busy with other things JUDY?"

The thing is that the episode is not a Christmas episode despite taking place during Early December 1996 because this show already had a CHRISTMAS '96 Episode on the way....

Granted, this was during the Disney era after VIACOM's infamous Budget freeze of 1994....

But  sometimes you've got build from an existing concept set by the PEANUTS.

And it's been confirmed that JIM was inspired by CHARLES M SCHLUZ during production of the entirety of DOUG.

Anyway, where was I?

Oh yes.

The episode.

DOUG is being told to direct a play about the founding of BLUFFINGTON, VIRGINIA

but he's saddled with ideas that conflict with the Historical Accuracy of the founding.

Ranging from things like a CONANESQUE Caveman named KLOTZ THE BARBARIAN,

to THADDEUS BLUFF's Wife JINXIE BLUFF saving THADDUES from trouble, 

to COWS!!!

DOUG's Cows are lame, regardless of Home Networks, even when plastic.

So instead, I'm using the Launched Cow from EARTHWORM JIM.

DOUG's frustrated with the changes in the School Play....

I can relate...

And then the kids get locked inside the School....

And that's because.....

YOU CAN'T HAVE A SCHOOL WINTER PLAY EPISODE WITHOUT A FREAKING BLIZZARD TO PROVIDE TENSIONS IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

Thankfully, the BLUFFINGTON BLIZZARD OF 1996 is less hair-raising than the infamous BRITISH COLUMBIA BLIZZARD OF 1996...

Nobody in VANCOUVER & VICTORIA likes the BC Blizzard of 1996

So that's that.

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS,

& 

DOUG DIRECTS from DISNEY'S DOUG....

They both have a school play that falls apart due to two title characters being saddled with Directorial Responsibilities that they're both totally unprepared for...

Though DOUG probably has better luck with Directing nowadays since he's a Graduate of VOLE UNIVERSITY.

And yes, I purposely made this blogpost for DECEMBER 9 2025 since it's the 60th Anniversary of the CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Special.

So to those who have an APPLE TV+ Account, I encourage you to watch the special on this special day and throughout December.

Otherwise, just look for the special on ARCHIVE.ORG.

On an off-tangent but still related topic,

COCA-COLA did sponsor the CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

but subsequent airings on CBS removed the COCA-COLA References out of the Special due to the Fellas at the freaking FCC mandating the separation of Commercial material from actual programming material, amongst other changes.

Doesn't matter to me since I'm more of a PEPSI type of guy.

DOUG on the other hand, regardless if it's PARAMOUNT, MTV, Nickelodeon, or DISNEY, avoids using real-life brands....

So that means no MTV, BEAVIS & BUTTHEAD, or ANAHEIM DUCKS references on either series...

I guess.