One thing I love to do in October is watch all of my favorite Halloween-themed tv episodes. I’ve always looked forward to Halloween specials, ever since watching the spooky episodes from Lizzie McGuire, That’s So Raven, and Even Stevens back in the day. So, for Day 9, I wanted to talk about my favorite Halloween-themed episodes that I’ve seen (probably) way too many times!

Too Old To Trick Or Treat, Too Young To Die – That ‘70s Show

I have to watch this episode every year around Halloween. It doesn’t seem like Halloween to me if I don’t watch it at least once. The whole episode was a 30-minute dedication to Alfred Hitchcock and his films. I love seeing all of the clever references to his classics, like Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, and The Birds. Plus, everyone’s comments on Fez dressed up as Dr. Frank-N-Furter are hilarious!

 

Halloween On Spooner Street – Family Guy

This whole episode brought a combination of controversy and hilarity. It’s Stewie’s first Halloween, but he never heard of trick-or-treating, so he assumes all of the dressed-up kids outside are real monsters and I love how his first instinct is to shoot at all of them with his machine gun. Then as some teenagers steal his candy, he and Brian have to devise a plan to get it back. Then Meg attends a Halloween party and keeps her mask on to get a better chance of hooking up with a guy. It works and she gets to make out with a boy in an Optimus Prime costume – only to find out it was her own brother, Chris. It’s so messed up, but when it comes to Family Guy, it’s really not that surprising. Then after a night of cruel pranks, Quagmire gets revenge on Peter and Joe in an epic way.

 

The One With The Halloween Party – Friends

I believe this is the only Friends episode centered around Halloween (No, I’m not including Phoebe’s birthday in season 9). I love the creative costumes our main characters come up with, including: Ross’s “Spudnik” costume, Joey’s “Chandler” costume, and Chandler’s “Pink Velveteen Rabbit” costume. We’re treated with an anti-climactic arm-wrestling match, a random Sean Penn cameo, and a pregnant Rachel trying (unsuccessfully) to bond with trick-or-treaters.

 

A Nightmare On Face Time – South Park

I just love South Park’s sense of humor! It’s always brilliant and far from subtle. In this Halloween special, Randy dimwittedly purchased a Blockbuster Video store, thinking it was the deal of a lifetime. We’re then suddenly plunged into a parody of The Shining as Randy, Sharon, Shelly, and Stan are trapped in the store on Halloween and Randy starts to go insane, Jack Torrence style. With Stan trapped at the store, he has to trick-or-treat with the gang through Face Time and I love how everyone confuses Cartman’s Hulk costume with Honey Boo Boo or Chaz Bono. It’s one of the best Shining parodies I’ve ever seen.

 

The Hauntening – Bob’s Burgers

Bob’s Burgers makes some pretty awesome Halloween episodes, but this one tops the others for me. When Louise is having a bad Halloween because nothing scares her, Bob and Linda are determined to give her her first scare. Their attempts are so funny, and I love how the episode ends! It’s not only my favorite Bob’s Burgers Halloween episode, it’s my favorite episode in the entire show!

 

Treehouse of Horror: Episode V – The Simpsons

The Simpsons has created epic and memorable horror parodies over the years – from The Raven, to A Nightmare On Elm Street, to Strangers On A Train. It was difficult choosing which episode I loved the most, but I finally decided on episode V. The first segment parodies The Shining perfectly. I guess I’m just a sucker for The Shining parodies. Then, in the second segment, Homer unintentionally creates a time machine out of a toaster and constantly messes up the future. For the final segment, the school staff starts to eat all of the students. The episode concludes with a very catchy song, which includes the Simpsons family getting turned inside out.