I loved this 2024 short. First off, the animation is beautiful while remaining faithful to the original drawings. Putting the spotlight on Franklin, the first and still only black Peanuts character, really made Charlie Brown's status as an outsider resonate even more. As an army brat, Franklin finds himself constantly searching for new friends every time his dad gets reassigned. When he encounters the Peanuts gang, he doesn't mesh with any of them until he partners with Charlie Brown in the local Soap Box Derby. I particularly appreciated how the creators didn't shy away from confrontations or feelings of loneliness. Franklin is my new favorite kid on the block. I found myself weeping at the end.
