It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown

Directed by: Phil Roman Written by: Charles M. Schulz Release date: February 1, 1974 Running time: 24 minutes Preceded by: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Followed by: It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown Availability: Peanuts Specials Vol. 1 iTunes, Peanuts 1970's Collection, Vol. 1 DVD, Snoopy Collection: Volume 3 DVD (Region 4: Australia/New Zealand) It's a Mystery, Charlie Brown is the eleventh animated television special based on Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip. It was originally aired on the CBS network on February 1, 1974.

The special begins with Woodstock trying to build his nest, but every time, the nest falls apart. Eventually, he decides to tie the straw for the nest in a fancy way, and that time it works.

Meanwhile, Sally Brown is panicked and laments to Charlie Brown, her brother, that she needs to bring a new science exhibit to school, befitting the class topic: nature. She then declares that she will find one, no matter what it takes.

Later that afternoon, after having a most unusual birdbath, Woodstock finds that nest has disappeared and immediately goes to ask Snoopy for help. Snoopy agrees to help solve the mystery, but first he goes into his doghouse, and comes out in a Sherlock Holmes costume, complete with cloak, deerstalker cap, magnifying glass, and bubble pipe. Then, the two friends set off to find the missing nest.

They first go to Charlie Brown's house, where they wake him up and give him the third degree. He naturally denies having anything to do with taking the nest.

The two then go to Lucy and Linus' house, using an excessive amount of dust to check for fingerprints. Snoopy eventually finds a broom straw, and believes this is enough evidence to make Lucy a suspect. He tries to handcuff her, but she ends up throwing him out of the house.

Next, they go to Marcie's house where Snoopy pulls out his notepad and questions her on the whereabouts of the nest. She is unable to understand Snoopy's dog language so she slams the door on his face.

Then, the two visit "Pig-Pen", whom Snoopy immediately dismisses as a suspect once he answers the door and gives off his trademark dust making it hard for Snoopy to breathe. As Snoopy and Woodstock run off "Pig-Pen" tells them to come back anytime because he does not get many visitors.

Finally, they go Peppermint Patty's house, who thinks Snoopy is playing Cops and Robbers, so she dons a burglar mask and chases him through her house. Frightened, Snoopy and Woodstock escape and keep running until they get tired. After that they go back to the scene of the crime.

When Snoopy and Woodstock get back to the tree, where they notice footprints leading away from it. The two of them follow the footprints straight to the elementary school. Upon finding a way inside through an open window and after struggling with some obscure science exhibits, they ultimately find Woodstock's nest under glass in a display case, with a title, "Prehistoric Bird's Nest". The two grab the nest and run back to Woodstock's tree, where Snoopy places it back on the branch and Woodstock then settles happily to sleep.

The next day, Sally complains to her that her brother science exhibit has been stolen. She claims that she found a "prehistoric bird's nest", as it looked so crude. Charlie Brown puts two and two together and realizes that Snoopy and Woodstock were looking for Woodstock's nest, which Sally stole.

Charlie Brown tries to explain that it was Woodstock's nest, but Sally insists that it belongs to her now. When she encounters Snoopy and Woodstock, she demands that they return "her" nest. The three start fighting for it, Charlie Brown suggests they settle their dilemma at Lucy's psychiatry booth, which she temporarily converts to a courtroom, tacking on an additional two cents to her nickel fee to cover court costs. Lucy dresses up as a judge, and asks Linus to be her stenographer.

The two sides state their cases, with Sally as the plaintiff and Woodstock as the defendant with Snoopy serving as his attorney. Snoopy presents to Lucy documents that vaguely state Woodstock is the true owner of the nest through a bunch of legal jargon, while Sally's testimony is simply "Finders keepers, losers weepers". Stenographer Linus, unfortunately, can only remember a few syllables said when the session began.

However, after giving much thought, Lucy declares Snoopy and Woodstock the case winners. An angry Sally vows that she will take her case the way to the Supreme Court if necessary, but Judge Lucy threatens to clear the court if there are more outbursts, and dismisses the case.

While Snoopy and Woodstock are celebrating, Sally is frustrated that she now does not have any experiment for her class, but Charlie Brown and Snoopy come up with an idea. Snoopy volunteers to be her exhibit in a re-creation of Pavlov's salivating dog experiment. Although Sally refuses at first, she decides to go along with it, and ultimately gets an "A" on her science project.

As the end credits roll, Woodstock lies on his new nest, the bottom finally gives way, resulting in Woodstock falling out of his tree.