The Best Sitcom Halloween Specials Of All Time
NBC By Brianna Thomas/Oct. 21, 2021 2:15 pm EST
When the spooky season rolls around, you must pick out the perfect costume, stock up on all the candy, put up some decorations, and get ready to watch horror movies and TV shows’ Halloween specials! It’s quite common for series to have episodes dedicated to holidays, and these can sometimes be the best ones of all as they feature beloved characters in a whole new way — all while celebrating a festive time of the year. Halloween episodes, in particular, seem to draw in fans more than usual: We get to see an array of costumes; we may get a fun setting like a haunted house, a themed party, or a pumpkin patch; and we could just get a scare or two, due to the tricks and treats on the screen.
That being said, be sure to add these Halloween specials — the best ones of all time — to your watchlist this year.
Roseanne: The one with the tunnel of terror
ABC
A list of the best Halloween TV episodes wouldn’t be complete without a mention of “Roseanne,” whose titular character was the self-proclaimed Queen of Halloween. The Conner family went all out on this holiday, and it was a thrill to watch — and still is, as it’s currently available to watch on Vudu (via TV Guide)!
Remember when Becky was a bloody prom queen and Darlene pretended she was having a demon baby in Season 3’s seventh episode, “Trick or Treat”? Remember when Roseanne was visited by the ghosts of past, present, and future Halloweens in “Halloween IV,” which was the seventh episode of Season 5? Yes, there were some great ones, but the best of the best had to be the first of these holiday specials. The seventh episode of the second season, with “BOO!” as a title, showed Roseanne trying over and over to scare Dan and showed, right off the bat, how much this time of the year meant to the characters, as they turned their house into the Tunnel of Terror (via TVLine). So get cuddled up and flick on the TV, because these sitcom Halloween specials are calling!
The Best Sitcom Halloween Specials Of All Time
NBC
By Brianna Thomas/Oct. 21, 2021 2:15 pm EST
When the spooky season rolls around, you must pick out the perfect costume, stock up on all the candy, put up some decorations, and get ready to watch horror movies and TV shows’ Halloween specials! It’s quite common for series to have episodes dedicated to holidays, and these can sometimes be the best ones of all as they feature beloved characters in a whole new way — all while celebrating a festive time of the year. Halloween episodes, in particular, seem to draw in fans more than usual: We get to see an array of costumes; we may get a fun setting like a haunted house, a themed party, or a pumpkin patch; and we could just get a scare or two, due to the tricks and treats on the screen.
That being said, be sure to add these Halloween specials — the best ones of all time — to your watchlist this year.
It’s quite common for series to have episodes dedicated to holidays, and these can sometimes be the best ones of all as they feature beloved characters in a whole new way — all while celebrating a festive time of the year. Halloween episodes, in particular, seem to draw in fans more than usual: We get to see an array of costumes; we may get a fun setting like a haunted house, a themed party, or a pumpkin patch; and we could just get a scare or two, due to the tricks and treats on the screen.
That being said, be sure to add these Halloween specials — the best ones of all time — to your watchlist this year.
Community: The one where everyone gets sick
Bob’s Burgers: The one with the candy bars
Season 3 Episode 2 of “Bob’s Burgers” focuses on the Belcher kids going trick-or-treating while the parents go to a Halloween party. As usual, things don’t go as planned for either group. Tina, Gene, and Louise head to the ritzy King’s Head Island in order to get some full-sized candy bars (hence the name of the episode, “Full Bars”), but they run into a problem. Hell Hunt is starting soon, meaning teenagers will come out at night and attack kids. Meanwhile, at Teddy’s party, a murder mystery unfolds.
No Halloween celebration is complete without candy and a party, and if Bob’s family is involved, one can be sure it will be entertaining. That’s why this specific episode of the animated series — which is available to watch on Hulu Plus and for free on FOX (via TV Guide) — was also named one of the best by Town & Country.
Tina, Gene, and Louise head to the ritzy King’s Head Island in order to get some full-sized candy bars (hence the name of the episode, “Full Bars”), but they run into a problem. Hell Hunt is starting soon, meaning teenagers will come out at night and attack kids. Meanwhile, at Teddy’s party, a murder mystery unfolds.
No Halloween celebration is complete without candy and a party, and if Bob’s family is involved, one can be sure it will be entertaining. That’s why this specific episode of the animated series — which is available to watch on Hulu Plus and for free on FOX (via TV Guide) — was also named one of the best by Town & Country.
The Office: The one with the costume contest
The top pick has to go to “Costume Contest,” though, and TIME agrees. As the sixth episode of the seventh season, it put the following costumes on display: Michael as MacGruber, Ryan as Justin Bieber, Kevin as Michael Moore, Kelly as Snooki (and then a wardrobe change to Katy Perry), Gabe as Lady Gaga, and the Halpert family as Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Swee’Pea, to name a few.
The Simpsons: The one with the Stephen King parody
“The Simpsons” is known and praised for its Halloween episodes, but there’s one, in particular, that seems to stand out above all the rest: Season 6 Episode 6, which is called “Treehouse of Horror V.” Earlier this year, “The Simpsons” aired its 700th episode, as reported by Variety, and through the years, there have been over 30 Halloween-themed specials (via It’s A Stampede!). This one is full of iconic portions like “Time and Punishment” about a time-traveling toaster, “Nightmare Cafeteria” about misbehaving children being turned into cafeteria meals, and “The Shinning” about Homer losing it and trying to murder his family, just like Jack Torrance in “The Shining.”
We aren’t alone in naming this as one of the best ever, as Parade, Complex, and TIME are just a few of the publications that have done the same! Some more good news is that those with Hulu Plus and/or Disney+ can stream this successful show now (via TV Guide).
Earlier this year, “The Simpsons” aired its 700th episode, as reported by Variety, and through the years, there have been over 30 Halloween-themed specials (via It’s A Stampede!). This one is full of iconic portions like “Time and Punishment” about a time-traveling toaster, “Nightmare Cafeteria” about misbehaving children being turned into cafeteria meals, and “The Shinning” about Homer losing it and trying to murder his family, just like Jack Torrance in “The Shining.”
We aren’t alone in naming this as one of the best ever, as Parade, Complex, and TIME are just a few of the publications that have done the same! Some more good news is that those with Hulu Plus and/or Disney+ can stream this successful show now (via TV Guide).
Roseanne: The one with the tunnel of terror
ABC
A list of the best Halloween TV episodes wouldn’t be complete without a mention of “Roseanne,” whose titular character was the self-proclaimed Queen of Halloween. The Conner family went all out on this holiday, and it was a thrill to watch — and still is, as it’s currently available to watch on Vudu (via TV Guide)!
Remember when Becky was a bloody prom queen and Darlene pretended she was having a demon baby in Season 3’s seventh episode, “Trick or Treat”? Remember when Roseanne was visited by the ghosts of past, present, and future Halloweens in “Halloween IV,” which was the seventh episode of Season 5? Yes, there were some great ones, but the best of the best had to be the first of these holiday specials. The seventh episode of the second season, with “BOO!” as a title, showed Roseanne trying over and over to scare Dan and showed, right off the bat, how much this time of the year meant to the characters, as they turned their house into the Tunnel of Terror (via TVLine). So get cuddled up and flick on the TV, because these sitcom Halloween specials are calling!
Remember when Becky was a bloody prom queen and Darlene pretended she was having a demon baby in Season 3’s seventh episode, “Trick or Treat”? Remember when Roseanne was visited by the ghosts of past, present, and future Halloweens in “Halloween IV,” which was the seventh episode of Season 5? Yes, there were some great ones, but the best of the best had to be the first of these holiday specials.
The seventh episode of the second season, with “BOO!” as a title, showed Roseanne trying over and over to scare Dan and showed, right off the bat, how much this time of the year meant to the characters, as they turned their house into the Tunnel of Terror (via TVLine).
So get cuddled up and flick on the TV, because these sitcom Halloween specials are calling!
