Unpacking Peanuts

Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, Liz Sumner

The show where three cartoonists take an in-depth look at the greatest comic strip of all time-- Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.

  • 1 hour 13 minutes
    The Family Van Pelt Episode 4 - Old People Who Happen To Like You

    Lucy torments Linus with a call to their blanket-hating grandma. She explains that to be a good brother he has to work at it, and he succeeds with a bowl of ice cream. A new segment is revealed, “Hangin’ Out at the Thinkin’ Wall.” This week the guys discuss Snoopy before resuming the season-long look at the Van Pelt Family. 

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Jimmy’s, Michael’s, and Harold’s books are available at UnpackingPeanuts.com/store.

    Listener Joshua Stauffer's new podcast https://joshuastauffer1.substack.com/

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    3 March 2026, 5:00 am
  • 59 minutes 21 seconds
    The Family Van Pelt Episode 3 - The Goofy Dynamics Between Siblings or Why Linus’s Head is Dented

    Linus’s original struggle for security is with Lucy… and was it her blanket originally?! Plus Linus learns the difference between tv and reality in language he can understand.

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Jimmy’s, Michael’s, and Harold’s books are available at UnpackingPeanuts.com/store.

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    17 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    The Family Van Pelt Episode 2 - Big Kids Drive Me Crazy

    Linus is bringing out Lucy’s inner Lucy, yet somehow his head remains undented. In this episode, the Van Pelt kids’ personalities are slowly coming into focus… No wonder Linus needs that blanket!

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Jimmy’s, Michael’s, and Harold’s books are available at UnpackingPeanuts.com/store.

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    3 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    The Family Van Pelt Episode 1 - Schulz Tackles a Baby!

    It’s a new season on Unpacking Peanuts, as the gang begins a long look at everyone’s favorite venerable grade schoolers: Linus, Lucy, and Rerun Van Pelt. In this first episode, we review the earliest episodes featuring two of Charles Schulz' beloved characters, and the seeds of greatness have already been sown.

    Harold interviewed by Ted Koppel: https://youtu.be/DwsY4agO2qs?si=4Gf05kzociyR2cuI

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Jimmy’s, Michael’s, and Harold’s books are available at UnpackingPeanuts.com/store.

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    20 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 29 minutes
    With Patrick McDonnell, Creator of MUTTS

    The Legendary cartoonist of MUTTS, the comic strip Charles Schulz once said was “the last great strip of the 20th Century,” stops by to talk about Charles Schulz, the craft of cartooning, comics history and more in this fun conversation. Don’t miss it!

    For more about Patrick visit MUTTS.com

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    6 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 9 minutes 29 seconds
    Unpacking Peanuts Fun-Sized - Happy New Year!

    Happy New Year and welcome to all our new listeners! Here is a little intro to the show along with a look at one of our favorite strips of all time - July 11, 1954.

    Sample some of our early interviews in It's A Clip Show Charlie Brown - https://shorturl.at/kOX0f

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    1 January 2026, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 21 minutes
    Understanding Snoopy Episode 5 - When Woodstock Is Happy, I'm Happy

    Everyone’s favorite abstract bird doodle takes center stage for this episode-long look at Snoopy’s relationship with his “friend of friends” Woodstock. 

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    23 December 2025, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    Understanding Snoopy Episode 4 - As You See Him, You Will Draw Him

    The gang takes on the epic task of discussing Snoopy’s many visual changes and go on a few cartooning-related side quests as well… discussing Leonard Starr, Stan Drake, Hal Foster, Harold Gray and more.

    Link to Snoopy image:

    https://peanuts.fandom.com/wiki/Snoopy?file=Image_2022-06-02_120907435.png

    Link to Scott McCloud's pyramid:

    https://www.scottmccloud.com/4-inventions/triangle/index.html

    Preorder 25th Anniversary Amelia Rules:
    https://bookshop.org/shop/Gville

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    9 December 2025, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 28 minutes
    With Mark Evanier - Co-Author of The Essential Peanuts

    Comics legend Mark Evanier stops by to discuss his work on the amazing new book The Essential Peanuts. We discuss Mark’s life in comics including his relationships with icons like Jack Kirby, Jim Davis, and of course, Charles Schulz. 

    Mark's Blog https://www.newsfromme.com/

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    25 November 2025, 5:00 am
  • 57 minutes 13 seconds
    Understanding Snoopy Episode 3 - It’s Kind of Magical

    The gang takes a closer look at Michael’s favorite era of Snoopy. Fourth wall breaks, funny punchlines, and a healthy dollop of Beagle violence are all discussed. Then we answer the question…. Who is the GOAT-- Linus or Snoopy?

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

     

    11 November 2025, 5:00 am
  • 1 hour 10 minutes
    With Andrew Farago: Author of Snoopy: The Story of My Life

    Today, the gang welcomes Andrew Farago: Curator of the Cartoon Art Museum, and author of several books on comics and two on Peanuts in particular. We discuss Andrew’s approach to crafting Snoopy’s “autobiography,” his love of comics in general, and his work on properties from Dune to the Ninja Turtles.

    Andrew's book and other museum events are available here:
    https://www.cartoonart.org/store/snoopy-the-story-of-my-life-the-myth-the-legend-the-beagle

    Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com

    Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 

    For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  

    Thanks for listening.

    28 October 2025, 4:00 am
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