Brow Beat

Louie Really Is a Grown-up Peanuts

For all the cheer and warm moments that the Peanuts gang delivered over the years, part of the genius of Charles M. Schulz’s creations was always the surprisingly dark and occasionally satirical edge the strip often had. Which is why “A Charlie Brown Christmas Reunion,” the hilarious (and NSFW) video reimagining “Chuck” as an animated version of Louie, seems so fitting. Taller, older, but perhaps not much wiser, Charlie returns home for the holidays to discover that all of his friends lead depressing lives.

Lucy—who is essentially Pamela, Louie’s friend and the parent of his daughters’ classmate—is divorced and has diabetes, while Pig Pen is living in his car. And Charlie Brown is morose as ever, echoing both his childhood disappointment with the commercialization of Christmas and Louie’s somber reactions to divorce, death, and eccentric family members. He reacts to Lucy’s football gag differently this time around, but then he’s also old enough now to go for a joyride.

Previously:
Watch Louis C.K. as Abe Lincoln
The 10 Best Episodes of Louie So Far