As the day progresses, anticipation of the delights of Easter morning increases for all the children. Just when it seems like all hope is lost ("Never trust a man with a blanket!"), the Easter Beagle arrives in the form of Snoopy, who distributes decorated eggs to everyone. Unfortunately, he runs out of them by the time he gets to Charlie Brown, an event that had already been depicted in the comic strip and fits with the over-all un-luck of Charlie Brown.
The comparisons to the Halloween special, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, are fairly obvious. Once again, we have Linus proclaiming his faith in something that none of the other children believe, for which he is ridiculed. However, this time his faith is rewarded, and in the end, the children learn something about having faith even when it seems improbable.
Part of what makes the Peanuts specials so timeless is their pacing and humor. There are many interludes that do not exist to further the plot, but frequently create a sense of joy through their simplicity. Viewers who are used to fast-paced action thrillers may find it difficult to slow down and appreciate the pacing of the special, but since most of them have likely already seen it or another of the Peanuts specials in their childhood, the nostalgia will likely be enough to hold their attention.
The remastered DVD of It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown looks and sounds much better than what one might expect of an animated television show from 1974, despite the occasional scenes where the lines and colors are not as crisp as they could be. The feature is shown in the same aspect ratio as the original television broadcast, as are the two special features, It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown and the aforementioned "In Full Bloom: Peanuts at Easter" featurette.
The featurette is an edited collection of interviews with members of Schulz's family, friends, and other cartoonists. They talk about Schulz, his inspiration for Peanuts, and the process of creating It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown. I wouldn't recommend playing this for the kids, as they will likely be bored by it, but mature viewers will appreciate the insight and behind-the-scenes aspect provided by the featurette.
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