Unpacking Peanuts

By Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz

What's Unpacking Peanuts about?

The show where three cartoonists take an in-depth look at the greatest comic strip of all time-- Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.

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Unpacking Peanuts episodes:

06.25.2024
1985 Part 3 - Snoopy is a Punk Rocker
It’s been a year of Sally’s anxieties, worm attacks, and hanging out at the mall. Some old favorites make some cameo appearances, Woodstock is bad at football, and the Sousaphone makes it’s long awaited debut (look it’s not easy to...
06.18.2024
1985 Part 2 - Go Back to the Future, Snoopy!
In this episode, Sally introduces us to “The Glamorous World of Punctuation,” Snoopy and Woodstock go fishing, and Schulz goes deep “Into the Weird.” Also, the guys take a hard look at Schulz’s evolving line work and talk about Old...
06.11.2024
1985 Part 1 - Peppermint Patty Gets a Win
We start our new format episodes by answering a listener question about art versus content… for half an hour! Then we get into the strips (27:46) where Peppermint Patty wins an essay contest, Snoopy is terrorized by an Ent, and...
06.04.2024
1950 Re-Mastered (Parts 1 and 2)
As you know, Unpacking Peanuts began when podcasting was just in its infancy and people had yet to discover things like “microphones” and “earpieces.” But now, using only the latest in modern technology (and by that I mean the hard...
05.21.2024
It’s a Clip Show, Charlie Brown!
Unpacking Peanuts has been blessed with a plethora (a plethora, I say!) of amazing guests. Hop into the Unpacking Peanuts Time Machine as we revisit our time with Jeannie Schulz, William Pepper, Joel Hodgson, Benjamin Clark, Alexis Fajardo, Ivan Brunetti,...
05.07.2024
Special Episode: She’s a Pretty “Sharp” Mother
Happy Mother’s Day, moms! This one's for you. The gang strolls through Mother’s Day strips from the 60s to the 80s. Spoiler alert… a lot of them are sad! But don’t worry, Peppermint Patty pulls out a win in the...
04.23.2024
Wrap-up Season 8 - 1980-1984 - Snoopy v. Garfield: Dawn of Plush Stuff
We wrap up the early 80s and then take a look at some of the strips sharing space in the paper with Peanuts this decade including Calvin and Hobbes, Cathy, Doonesbury and others. Then, it’s a deep dive into the...
04.16.2024
1984 Part 2 - Peppermint Paris
Peppermint Patty flunks big time. What’s her punishment? A trip to Europe of course! Back home, Linus and Charlie Brown fail to notice a sea monster. Also, the Unpacking Peanuts crew declare which character they each most relate to. Can...
04.09.2024
1984 Part 1 - Big Brother is Watching You, Charlie Brown
It’s 1984. A time for rumpled expressions, tall grapes, and spotting black. It’s also another year highlighting sports, exercise, and corduroy pants. Plus: Michael disses Toth. Harold plays the oboe. Jimmy paints a cow. And Liz acts like a duck. We...
04.02.2024
1983 Part 2 - Would You Like To Push Me Into the Lake, Sir?
Charlie Brown finds himself in the midst of a love triangle. Of course he has no idea what to do about it, but maybe Sally can help him out. Elsewhere in the neighborhood… Rerun is branching out. Lucy is Crabby....
04.01.2024
Bonus Episode: April Fools!
Is it a bonus mini episode or a cruel prank played on you by the heartless hosts of Unpacking Peanuts? Only by listening will you know for sure! Plus: There’s a spider on your shoulder! Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley,...
03.26.2024
1983 Part 1 - I See You Have a Security Blanket…
In this episode, the guys ask what it is that sparks a burst of creativity? And how does the calendar affect a daily cartoonist. Linus kicks the blanket habit (briefly) and is trying to help others do the same. Peppermint...
03.19.2024
1982 Part 2 - Kiss Her, You Blockhead!
Marcie makes her move and shows Charlie Brown how she feels. Charlie Brown blows it, leaving Peppermint Patty to pick up the pieces. Elsewhere… Marbles shows up, Rerun returns, and Woodstock enters his David Foster Wallace period. Plus: An MVP...
03.12.2024
1982 Part 1 - Woodstock Versus the Ugly Giant!
Happy any day, everybody! In this episode, Peppermint Patty is in a greeting card quandary. Woodstock is a knight in shining armor. And there are more unnecessary “quotation marks” than you can “shake” a “tennis racket” at. Plus: ginkgo biloba? Transcript...
03.05.2024
100th Episode “Spectacular”: The Wheel of Comic Strip Destiny!
The gang has a lot of fun answering the mail, and celebrates by taking a look at a totally random selection of Peanuts strips from the early 50’s through the 70s. Plus: the Bechdel-WALLACE test. The organization we mention where Liz...
02.27.2024
1981 Part 2 - If There’s a Foul Ball Behind 3rd Base, It’s the Shortstop’s Play
Marcie accidentally tricks Peppermint Patty into thinking she experienced a miracle, sending Patty off on a quest to better the world. Elsewhere, Lucy’s prices are skyrocketing, but Violet is her same old self. In our world, Schulz faces a health...
02.20.2024
1981 Part 1- A Picture Is Worth 810 Words
Schulz is bringing back some classics and balancing them with wild new directions. Lucy is at her crabby best. Linus is toting the blanket again. And Snoopy learns a harsh truth about his owners! Plus: Where is Capistrano? Transcript available at...
02.13.2024
Special Episode - Love in the Time of Wishy-Washiness
It’s that time of year again and the guys are revisiting the best Valentine's Day strips from the late 60s through the 70s. From Snoopy’s avalanche of love notes to Lucy’s eternal quest for Schroeder’ attention, we cover it all. ...
02.06.2024
With Gary Groth of Fantagraphics, Publisher of the Complete Peanuts
Gary Groth is here! The Fantagraphics founder, and editor and publisher of the Complete Peanuts, tells us of his evolving relationship with Schulz’s work, how he prepared to interview Sparky, and how the epic project of reprinting Peanuts in its...
01.30.2024
1980 Part 2 - The End of the World as We Know It
The whole gang goes to a new camp that’s predicting the end of days, and Michael, Harold, and Jimmy are there for it. Elsewhere, the Beagle Scouts rumble, and even Woodstock “gets into it!” Plus: If pigs are so smart,...
01.23.2024
1980 Part 1 - Exclusive Rights to Your Shovel
We get back into the strips and a new decade of Peanuts after considering the whole concept of decades and our strange practice of breaking down culture and pop culture into 10-year chunks. PLUS: Talking fairway bushes! Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking...
01.16.2024
With Benjamin Clark, curator of the Schulz Museum
The fabulous curator of the Charles M. Schulz Museum returns for a fun conversation about what’s coming up at the museum, the success of Peanuts across the world, and the joy of sharing a Pig-Pen hot chocolate at The Warm...
01.09.2024
Special Episode: Happiness is Talking With Jeannie Schulz!
We are thrilled to have as our special guest, Jeannie Schulz! Joining her is Schulz Museum Curator Benjamin Clark. Mrs. Schulz shares with us memories of her husband including the origin of “Sweet Babboo,” and we read some strips that...
12.26.2023
Season 7 Wrap up - So Long Seventies
We arrive at the end of another decade and give our final thoughts on a sweet, surreal, hilarious run of comics. Then we check the mailbox and have a long talk about art and whatnot. Plus: Iron-Man is put on...
12.19.2023
Special Episode - A Charlie Brown Christmas! Remastered
As much a part of the holidays as Rudolph and mistletoe, the legendary first Peanuts special has lived in the hearts of millions since its debut in 1965. In this special episode Jimmy, Harold, and Michael examine the strips that...
12.16.2023
Bonus Episode - Happy Birthday Beethoven
Cut the cake and fire up the hi-fi! The gang is talking music and reviewing some classic strips as we celebrate the birth of Schroeder’s hero, and Lucy’s bane, Good Ol’ Ludwig Van B.. Plus: Color Me Badd?! Transcript available at...
12.12.2023
1979 Part 2 - I Love Chuck. I Think He’s Real Neat.
The guys have a deep discussion about one of the most famous storylines in Peanuts history. Is it a peak or does the strip turn too dark? Either way, it's a fascinating run of comics as Schulz closes off the...
12.05.2023
1979 Part 1 - Don’t You Want to Go to Happy Piggy Land?
Charles Schulz has his Band on the Run moment… and if you understand that, then you’ve listened to too many episodes of this podcast. The guys love this year of the strip and contemplate Schulz coming to terms with aging...
11.28.2023
1978 Part 2 - Whatever I Was Saying, I’m Not Saying It Anymore
The enduring friendship of Woodstock and Snoopy is warming hearts and sharing the spotlight with classics like Lucy and Schroeder at the piano. Elsewhere, the guys discuss Manga, imagination, and Michael Golden’s ‘Nam comic. Plus: Schrucy? Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts...
11.21.2023
1978 Part 1 - Linus Versus The Power of Darkness
Schulz is honing his knuckleball and settling in for the end of the seventies, while Snoopy the Scoutmaster is heading for the edges of civilization itself. Elsewhere, Sally is in need of a protector or at least a new ruler....
11.14.2023
1977 Part 2 - He’s Just Drawing Snoopy, Right?
The gang ponders characters with weird foreheads, characters without mouths, and the unspeakable horror of “Henry.” Meanwhile, back in Peanuts: Linus mansplains, Woodstock can’t shave, and Spike is a player. Plus: No more logo in the top left corner! Transcript available...
11.07.2023
1977 Part 1 - May the Force Be With You, Sweet Babboo!
The seventies are skywalking and it’s a time of beginnings and endings, as our old pal Shermy comes to bat for the last time and the greatest term of endearment in pop culture ever is exclaimed by Sally for the...
10.31.2023
Special Episode - The Great Pumpkin - Remastered
This episode was originally released on October 15, 2022. Spooky Season is upon us, and Harold, Michael, and Jimmy are taking a special episode long look at the Great Pumpkin, both in the strip and the animated special. They highlight the...
10.24.2023
1976 Part 2 - Goodnight, Noodleneck
Marcie is the object of some unwanted affection, Woodstock gets a makeover, Jimmy explains Pennsylvania sales tax, and Peppermint Patty becomes an ace student…at obedience school. Plus: Joni James Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, and...
10.17.2023
1976 Part 1 - May I Pose a Different Way of Looking at It?
Beagles, Bummers, and the Bicentennial It’s a year of surreal surprises, and sad sequences as we say goodbye to Sally’s sentient school. But there’s always pleasure to be pulled from Peanuts… and even more in perusing its panels with one's...
10.10.2023
1975 Part 2 - Eggs Benedict for My Brother Spike!
It’s a red letter day in the strip, as Snoopy’s brother Spike makes his first appearance. But it’s not all new stuff, as Charlie Brown, Linus, Sally, and Lucy all make strong appearances. Schulz is engaging with the culture, and...
10.03.2023
1975 Part 1 - The Neighbors Hate Me
Snoopy gets enlisted as Peppermint Patty’s watchdog but gets foiled by a waterbed. Linus falls in love with someone named Truffles but can’t find her house, and Lucy gets what she wants simply by being Lucy. Plus: Harold goes to...
09.26.2023
You Have Dissociative Identity Disorder, Snoopy!
Everyone loves Snoopy. But which Snoopy is your favorite Snoopy? Does the Flying Ace send your heart soaring? Or is the vulture your fearsome fave? Well this week, we are hanging out with them and more as we do a...
09.19.2023
Peanut Butter and Unrequited Love
The guys look at a selection of lonely heart strips that get to the lonely heart of the strip. Because, if there is one constant in the Peanuts strip, it’s unrequited love. From Sally and Linus to Lucy and Schroeder,...
09.12.2023
It Takes Two, Snoopy!
Our special focus season continues as the guys take a look at some of the best comedic duos in Peanuts. From Linus and Lucy, to Snoopy and Woodstock we read and discuss some of the greatest character comedy ever done...
09.05.2023
Go Back to School, Charlie Brown!
It’s the launch of a special season where we look at some of the themes that made Peanuts a success. And since fall is here, we are hitting the books! The guys look at a sampling of strips featuring Charlie...
08.15.2023
With Ivan Brunetti - Author of Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice
This week, we chat with acclaimed cartoonist Ivan Brunetti. Ivan’s work has been seen in the New Yorker and he is currently writing children’s comics for TOON Books including the upcoming Shapes and Shapes. His brilliant nonfiction book Cartooning: Philosophy...
08.08.2023
Season 5 Wrap Up 1970-1974 - Peanuts Jubilee
It’s a fond look back at the early 70’s, as the guys talk about the highlights of the decade so far. Then they take an in-depth look at PEANUTS JUBILEE, a fantastic book published at the halfway mark of Schulz’s...
08.01.2023
1974 Part 2 - Let’s Hang Around the House and Deteriorate
Sally is talking to buildings. Woodstock’s got a bike. Lucy has some pitching advice, and someone called Loretta is selling Girl Scout cookies. Plus: Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, and Harold...
07.25.2023
1974 Part 1 - Give Em the Ol’ Knuckle Shoe
Peppermint Patty drops out of society to beep ol’ Snoop on the nose. Can Marcie bring her back to reality? Also…what IS reality in Peanuts? Elsewhere, Sally really doesn’t want to watch someone throw up, and Snoopy lets it all...
07.18.2023
Special Episode - Schulz’s Favorite Story
This week we take a long look at the famous “Mister Sack” storyline; a sequence of strips from 1973 that Schulz picked as his personal favorite. Charlie Brown wears a paper bag on his head to hide the weird baseball...
07.11.2023
1973 Part 2 - That’s Not a Grade, It’s Sarcasm
Is Linus a genius, or… not? Thibault the bully is back, but Marcie is having none of it! Miss Othmar is back too, with no fanfare at all. Is it because Schulz is now reckoning with the success of the...
07.04.2023
1973 Part 1 - Goodnight Mister Shlabotnik
Charlie Brown almost gets honored but then doesn’t. Peppermint Patty takes on the notion of Truth itself, and Snoopy achieves the Alpha State. Meanwhile, in the real world, it’s wedding bells for Charles Schulz! Plus: Who are the Beaker People? Transcript...
06.27.2023
Special Episode - The Six Bunny Wunnies Get Banned!
In this special edition of Unpacking Peanuts, the guys take a close look at three of Schulz’s classic 1972 stories… Snoopy Versus The Cat Next Door, Thompson Is In Trouble, and The Six Bunny Wunnies Freak Out. Plus: Fear and...
06.20.2023
1972 Part 2 - Toodle-oo Caribou!
Charlie Brown is the talk of the girl’s camp as Peppermint Patty meets the legendary Little Red Haired Girl, and Linus makes a bold move. Back at home Charlie Brown tries his hand at football, and Snoopy almost pens an...

What's Unpacking Peanuts about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Unpacking Peanuts episodes:

1985 Part 3 - Snoopy is a Punk Rocker

1985 Part 2 - Go Back to the Future, Snoopy!

1985 Part 1 - Peppermint Patty Gets a Win

1950 Re-Mastered (Parts 1 and 2)

It’s a Clip Show, Charlie Brown!

Special Episode: She’s a Pretty “Sharp” Mother

Wrap-up Season 8 - 1980-1984 - Snoopy v. Garfield: Dawn of Plush Stuff

1984 Part 2 - Peppermint Paris

1984 Part 1 - Big Brother is Watching You, Charlie Brown

1983 Part 2 - Would You Like To Push Me Into the Lake, Sir?

Bonus Episode: April Fools!

1983 Part 1 - I See You Have a Security Blanket…

1982 Part 2 - Kiss Her, You Blockhead!

1982 Part 1 - Woodstock Versus the Ugly Giant!

100th Episode “Spectacular”: The Wheel of Comic Strip Destiny!

1981 Part 2 - If There’s a Foul Ball Behind 3rd Base, It’s the Shortstop’s Play

1981 Part 1- A Picture Is Worth 810 Words

Special Episode - Love in the Time of Wishy-Washiness

With Gary Groth of Fantagraphics, Publisher of the Complete Peanuts

1980 Part 2 - The End of the World as We Know It

1980 Part 1 - Exclusive Rights to Your Shovel

With Benjamin Clark, curator of the Schulz Museum

Special Episode: Happiness is Talking With Jeannie Schulz!

Season 7 Wrap up - So Long Seventies

Special Episode - A Charlie Brown Christmas! Remastered

Bonus Episode - Happy Birthday Beethoven

1979 Part 2 - I Love Chuck. I Think He’s Real Neat.

1979 Part 1 - Don’t You Want to Go to Happy Piggy Land?

1978 Part 2 - Whatever I Was Saying, I’m Not Saying It Anymore

1978 Part 1 - Linus Versus The Power of Darkness

1977 Part 2 - He’s Just Drawing Snoopy, Right?

1977 Part 1 - May the Force Be With You, Sweet Babboo!

Special Episode - The Great Pumpkin - Remastered

1976 Part 2 - Goodnight, Noodleneck

1976 Part 1 - May I Pose a Different Way of Looking at It?

1975 Part 2 - Eggs Benedict for My Brother Spike!

1975 Part 1 - The Neighbors Hate Me

You Have Dissociative Identity Disorder, Snoopy!

Peanut Butter and Unrequited Love

It Takes Two, Snoopy!

Go Back to School, Charlie Brown!

With Ivan Brunetti - Author of Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice

Season 5 Wrap Up 1970-1974 - Peanuts Jubilee

1974 Part 2 - Let’s Hang Around the House and Deteriorate

1974 Part 1 - Give Em the Ol’ Knuckle Shoe

Special Episode - Schulz’s Favorite Story

1973 Part 2 - That’s Not a Grade, It’s Sarcasm

1973 Part 1 - Goodnight Mister Shlabotnik

Special Episode - The Six Bunny Wunnies Get Banned!

1972 Part 2 - Toodle-oo Caribou!

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