It’s spooky season! Or if you’re anything like me, it’s been spooky season since the beginning of September.
Halloween, combined with the fall foliage, is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s the perfect time to cuddle up with a blanket and watch some damn good movies and television with a nice hot cup of pumpkin spice coffee.
One of my favorite things to watch during the fall season are episodes of television solely dedicated to Halloween. All the best television shows usually have a Halloween themed episode and most of the time they’re great. They’re generally silly and fun to watch which makes for a good change of pace than watching scary movies all month long.
So if you’re looking for some spooky television to watch, here are the ten best Halloween-themed episodes of TV.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer S2E6: “Halloween”
Honestly, you can watch any episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a Halloween episode since every episode is filled with monsters. However, this episode takes it one step further. Instead of simply dressing in costumes, the Scooby Gang becomes their Halloween costumes. Xander becomes a GI Joe, Buffy turns from a slayer to a scared princess, and Willow turns a bit ghostly. This episode is definitely one of the best and most fun episodes of the series.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Hulu.
Pretty Little Liars S3E13: “This is a Dark Ride”
Marking the second Halloween-themed episode of Pretty Little Liars, this episode takes us on a wild train ride through Rosewood, leaving us with a dead body and one hell of a twist ending. With a performance by American Idol alum Adam Lambert, the girls wander the train all glammed up with the hopes of learning more about who “A” is and what happened to Allison. No one does creepy quite like Pretty Little Liars and this episode is no exception.
Pretty Little Liars is available to stream on HBO Max.
Malcolm in the Middle S7E4: “Halloween”
One of the most underrated sitcoms, Malcolm in the Middle has one of the funniest Halloween episodes out there. After finding out that their house was once the site to multiple murders, Hal spends the entire episode freaking out whenever he hears the slightest noise in his house. If you thought Bryan Cranston was good as Walter White in Breaking Bad, then you have got to check him out in this series. Easily one of his best roles to date.
Malcolm in the Middle is available to stream on Hulu.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine S5E4: “HalloVeen”
Brooklyn Nine-Nine does Halloween like no other. Each season they have a Halloween heist in which the precinct competes to see who can steal a certain object. While each one of these Halloween episodes are great, this particular episode tops the cake just because this episode also featured Jake’s proposal to Amy. Even though there was no technical winner that year, I think the real winner was Jake and Amy.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is available to stream on Hulu.
Chuck S4E6: “Chuck vs the Aisle of Terror”
This episode is definitely more subtle in its Halloween theme, but it still makes for a great episode to watch if you’re in the mood for some fun and comedy. With Halloween approaching, Lester and Jeff (aka the infamous Jeffster) take it upon themselves to create a Buy More aisle full of horror. However, their version of horror is a lot different than the average person. Instead of monsters, vampires, and ghosts, they decide to fill the aisle of terror with pictures of old people, public showers, and a baby in a snail costume. Surely, this is the most terrifying aisle out there.
Chuck is available to stream on Amazon Prime.
Stranger Things S2E2: “Trick or Treat, Freak”
Name me a more precious scene than the boys dressing up as Ghostbusters with their moms taking their photos. I’ll wait. But in all seriousness, this episode has the boys acting more normal than usual with them going trick-or-treating like regular kids. That’s not to say that there aren’t some strange things going on as well. Dustin discovers an unworldly creature, Will continues to suffer PTSD from his time in the upside-down, and Nancy is still reeling from Barb’s disappearance. Its a packed episode and one you don’t want to miss.
Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.
Dawson’s Creek S1E11: “The Scare”
What better series to have a Halloween episode than a show created by the man behind the Scream franchise. Not only is it Friday the 13th, but a serial killer also seems to be on the prowl in Capeside. So naturally, Dawson takes it upon himself to scare the living crap out of Jen to make her think she is the killer’s next victim. In all fairness, Jen did want to be a part of Dawson’s prank circle afterall. This episode is more cheesy than it is scary, but it’s still all in good fun.
Dawson’s Creek is available to stream on Hulu.
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody S1E19: “The Ghost of Suite 613”
Yes, I’m including a kid’s show on this list. That’s because this episode still stands as one of the funniest Halloween-themed episodes of television out there no matter your age. After learning that one of the suites in The Tipton is haunted, Zack, Cody, Maddie, and London make a bet to see who can last the longest staying in the suite. Honestly, Esteban being possessed is still one of the most iconic Disney Channel scenes.
This episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is available on Youtube.
The Office S2E5: “Halloween”
You know when an episode of The Office is good when Michael Scott is forced to be an actual boss for a change. In this episode, Michael has the unfortunate task of firing one of his employees. The best parts of the episode include Michael failing miserably in firing someone and also the costumes everyone is repping. There is the classic three-hole punch Jim, Dwight as the sith lord, and three cats. This is The Office at its peak.
The Office is available to stream on Netflix.
Boy Meets World S5E17: “And Then There Was Shawn”
If you’re looking for a goofy, throwback episode to watch then this is it. Even though this episode aired in February of 1998, it’s still a spooky episode to watch. When Cory, Topanga, Shawn, and Angela end up in Mr. Feeny’s detention, things begin to take a strange and dark turn. It appears a killer is on the loose, taking down people trapped in the school one by one. No one is safe — not even Mr. Feeny. Even though it was a dream in Shawn’s head, it sure felt creepy.
Boy Meets World is available to stream on Disney+.
