What Is Playing Thanksgiving Day 2020 on Freeform? (and Why You Probably Won’t Find the ‘Charlie Brown’ Thanksgiving Special Anywhere)

Looking for something to watch in between eating the early dinners and the leftovers? Here's our look at the Freeform Thanksgiving Day movie schedule.

by Julia Dzurillay

Published on November 11, 2020

2 min read

Freeform’s Thanksgiving schedule starts with a 7:00 a.m. viewing of ‘Christmas With the Kranks’

This holiday starts off with a family hoping for the perfect Christmas. Afterward, fans can watch an animated special with Linus, Lucy, Charlie Brown, and all of their friends. Bon Voyage Charlie Brown broadcasts on Freeform at 10:30 a.m.

After that, instead of watching the National Dog Show, fans can watch the animated film, Penguins of Madagascar. That movie plays on the television network on Thanksgiving Day at 12:00 p.m.

Some Disney Princess movies play during Thanksgiving afternoon

Spent the holiday with some of Disney’s most beloved characters. First, there’s Pocahontas, a girl with a free-spirit and a powerful connection to nature and her people. At 2:00 p.m., Disney’s animated movie, Pocahontas, broadcasts on Freeform.

If there’s one Disney princess you want at your Thanksgiving dinner, it’s Tiana. At 4:00 p.m., the Disney animated film, The Princess and the Frog, plays on Freeform, telling the story of one girl with a dream of opening her own restaurant. Her plans get derailed when she meets the Prince of Maldonia and turns into a frog herself.

Disney Junior’s ‘A Poem Is…’ Featuring the Character, Pocahontas | Disney Junior via Getty images

There’s a mini ‘Home Alone’ marathon on Freeform this Thanksgiving day

It may be Thanksgiving, but some families already have their sights set on the Christmas season. At 6:00 p.m. the original Home Alone plays on Freeform, followed by the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. These movies tell the story of one chaotic family and its creative and super resourceful son, Kevin.

The last movie of the day tells the story of one powerful child and an untimely chocolate cake. Matilda broadcasts on Freeform at 12:00 a.m., leading viewers right into Black Friday and the holiday season.

Freeform won’t play ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ this holiday season

This 25-minute long television special originally aired on Nov. 20, 1973. Thanks to a partnership with WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide, and Lee Mendelson Film Productions, Peanuts animated classics will be available on AppleTV+.

That means this year, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving won’t be available on television networks like ABC or Freeform. Additionally, this animated production sparked controversy in recent years when fans noticed the Black character, Franklin Armstrong, sitting alone on one side of the Thanksgiving table, while his friends all sat together on the other side.

Snopes has since deemed this particular moment not racist because the cartoon was created during a time of desegregation in the United States. However, some viewers still boycott the cartoon for its outdated and offensive depiction of this character.

During December 2020, this television network will, presumably, have their annual “25 Days of Christmas” movie schedule. For more information on Freeform’s “Kickoff to Christmas,” including their full movie list, visit their website.