It’s hard to say whether one era of Peanuts stands out as the best of Charles Schulz’s entire series. However, as a child of the 1990s, I will always have a natural affinity for the comic strips that I grew up reading in the newspaper. By that point in Schulz’s career, he had perfected his craft and truly cemented each character as the versions we all know today, including Linus, Lucy, and even their youngest brother, Rerun.
Unfortunately, the later eras of the strip have often been overlooked in the grand scheme of Peanuts history, but after 40 years of publication, it’s hard to deny the series’ final decade had its moments. Schulz incorporated quieter humor and smart character beats that rewarded longtime readers, with a sense of maturity that made the last few years stand the test of time. Here are the 10 greatest Peanuts comic strips of the 1990s, ranked according to the strip’s brilliant comedy, which was frequently character-driven.
10
Charlie Brown Lies Awake At Night And Thinks To Himself…
Charlie Brown might be the most relatable character in pop culture— and who can’t relate to lying awake in bed late at night? In the darkness of his room, he thinks about how he should be happy just because he has a dog. His restless inner monologue is an accurate representation of an experience we’ve all had at some point. The strip distills Charlie Brown’s personality into just a few panels as he reflects on his life, and it’s a surprisingly understated entry to the series. However, there’s real emotional resonance as one of the most introspective Peanuts strips of the 1990s. When he was at his strongest, Schulz combined those two factors, making this strip rank as one of the top 10 of its era.
9
Rerun Asks Charlie Brown If Snoopy Can Play
Peanuts was funniest whenever its cast of kids faced grown-up responsibilities. When Rerun admitted he didn’t know his own social security number, it was a hilarious unprompted response to Snoopy. Why would a dog require such personal information? The strip also captures Rerun’s relationship with Charlie Brown, as the younger sibling of his best friend, Linus. And on top of that, it also reveals Rerun’s deepest desire: to own a dog. Schulz always knew how to use character moments for humor, and this strip is a prime example of that, placing it at the 9th slot.
8
Lucy Suggests Snoopy Should Write A Biblical Novel
One of the strip’s most popular ongoing gags was Snoopy’s career as a novelist, sitting atop his dog house with a typewriter. When Lucy suggested he should write a Biblical novel, he had a quick response, renaming John the Baptist as “John the Beagle.” It’s obviously a genre that a dog is unqualified for, so his immediate attempt is hilarious in its own way. But it’s also the perfect example of Schulz’s sense of humor, with another character‑driven and slightly absurd strip. While Lucy plays it straight at her request, Snoopy lacks the self-awareness to know how ridiculous it is. That contrast alone places it in the 8th spot.
7
Charlie Brown and Snoopy Go To Jury Duty
When Charlie Brown had to attend jury duty, Snoopy accompanied him while dressed as a World War II pilot. The gag lasted a few strips, but this entry stood out as the funniest one. It’s already a hysterical premise for a child, let alone a dog, to go to jury duty. Of course, Charlie Brown approached the situation with anxiety, but Snoopy treated it like a fun occasion to dress up. It’s a strip that captures all the best things about ’90s Peanuts with its character‑centric comedy and the absurdity of grown-up responsibilities like jury duty.
6
Rerun Wishes He Got A Dog For Christmas
The close dynamic between Rerun and Snoopy is one of my favorite things about Peanuts. The youngest member of the Van Pelt family became one of Schulz’s go-to characters in the ’90s, and this strip gives him the spotlight. Rerun’s desire to be a dog owner was only met through Snoopy, as his parents didn’t let him have a dog of his own. We can all relate to that scenario in one way or another. Although Rerun wants companionship, Snoopy is a bit more picky with who he spends his time with. Snoopy is already stretched thin as Charlie Brown’s dog, making Rerun’s greatest wish doomed from the start. For once, instead of Charlie Brown being disappointed, it’s Rerun, while Snoopy remains just as indifferent as ever.
5
Snoopy Steals Linus’ Blanket
There are a few key things we all know about Linus, and his attachment to his security blanket is at the top of the list. When Snoopy takes his prized possession away, Linus has a rare outburst. It’s a simple but classic gag, and it works because Schulz had spent decades shaping both of their characters, only to subvert the personalities we expect from them. For that reason, the strip earns a spot right in the middle of the top 10 of the ’90s.
4
Snoopy Types A Christmas Card
Whenever December came around, it was Schulz’s time to shine, as Peanuts famously thrived around Christmastime. Combine that with Snoopy’s long-running career as a writer, and it makes for the perfect seasonal strip as he wrote a Christmas card on his typewriter. However, he just couldn’t remember the name of who he was writing to, opting to simply refer to her as “sweetheart.” Lucy immediately called it out, questioning the dog’s way with words. It’s the perfect encapsulation of how Schulz used Snoopy’s writer persona to poke fun while delivering genuine warmth.
3
Lucy Assigns Jobs To Her Siblings
Leave it to Peanuts’ most bossy character, Lucy, to hand out tasks to her younger siblings. When she tells Rerun that each member of their family has a specific role, he only has one job on his mind: watching TV. It’s a hilarious strip that showcases authentic child-like thinking. As the youngest sibling, Rerun has no idea what kind of job he should have, so he picks a passive hobby like sitting in front of their TV. Not only does the strip expertly use character dynamics as a punchline, but it also showcases the series’ comedic rhythm.
2
Sally Can’t Sleep And Goes To Charlie Brown For Advice
When Sally paid a visit to Charlie Brown in the middle of the night because she couldn’t sleep, he offered the only kind of advice he could as an older brother. In any other comic strip, the moment between a brother and sister may have led to a sweet moment. However, Charlie Brown can only provide insight from his lived experience, and as someone who routinely deals with anxiety, he recommends worrying about “everything that’s ever happened and everything you think might happen…” Sally innocently attempts it, and returns to her brother to ask, “Then what?” Their interaction is a prime example of why the 1990s may just be Peanuts’ most underrated era.
1
Charlie Brown Attends Lucy’s Therapy Session
Lucy’s psychiatric booth is just as iconic as Snoopy’s red dog house, where he spends much of his time sitting on the roof. When Charlie Brown approaches her for advice as a patient, they discuss loneliness, and she questions how he could be lonely while owning a dog. Schulz often used Charlie Brown to explore the strip’s sense of melancholy, and while he was looking for guidance in a vulnerable moment, he was interrupted by Snoopy’s presence. It’s one of the series’ sharpest strips, as Snoopy suddenly appears from behind Lucy’s booth to eavesdrop on the conversation about him. The combination of character-centric humor and the use of movement from panel to panel puts the strip at the top of the list.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
