With Halloween quickly coming up, you may find yourself wanting to get into a frightening mood. During the Halloween season, plenty of TV shows come out with a special episode that is tailored to the spooky holiday. Many different Halloween specials can either fill you with laughter or give you a scare. Here are some Halloween TV specials to binge-watch for a little trick and a lot of treats.
“Brooklyn 99” Season 1 Episode 6 “Halloween”
In this comedic sitcom, based in a New York City fictional 99th precinct, the squad of detectives and their captain go through their everyday lives on the job. The show’s Halloween episodes follow an intriguing tradition that keeps the audience entertained and guessing. The Halloween Heist is the precinct’s tradition in which the officers play a game in which one of them has to retrieve an object by midnight to determine the winner as the “greatest human/genius.” Each Halloween episode is filled with Halloween fun and comedic moments as the squad shows the competitive side of themselves. The best of these Halloween specials is season one’s “Halloween.” “Halloween” marks the beginning of the tradition, setting the intensity and excitement for future Halloween episodes. Honorable Halloween heist episodes include season three’s “Halloween, Part III” and season five’s “HalloVeen.” The show is currently available to stream on Hulu.
“Bob’s Burgers” Season 6 Episode 3 “The Hauntening”
“Bob’s Burgers” is an animated series that is no stranger to Halloween specials. With an array of Halloween specials to choose from, season six’s “The Hauntening” is among one the best specials from the show. “Bob’s Burgers” is about a third-generation burger joint owner, Bob, his wife Linda, and three children, Tina, Gene and Louise. In the episode, it is Halloween and Louise complains about never having been scared, as the scares are “too predictable.” To get Louise scared, Bob and Linda set up a haunted house for their children. The episode has all of the typical themes of the show such as family values, puns and running gags, while also highlighting a frightening tone. The show is available to stream on Hulu.
“Suite Life of Zack and Cody” Season 1 Episode 19 “Ghost of 613”
There are plenty of 2000s Disney Channel shows that have memorable Halloween episodes. However, “Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” a show about preteen twins, Zack and Cody, living and creating chaos in the fictional Tipton Hotel, takes the cake. Their Halloween special in season one, “Ghost of 613,” is both frightening and comedic. The twins along with their friends at the hotel hear about a suite that is rumored to be haunted by ghosts. The crew decides to investigate the suite and along the way, they learn about the story behind the room and experience strange things. The show is currently available to stream on Disney+.
“Stranger Things” Season 2 Episode 2 “Chapter Two: Trick or Treat”
Netflix’s “Stranger Things” is a series that is worthy enough in it to be watched for the spooky season. However, season two’s “Chapter Two: Trick or Treat, Freak” highlights the holiday itself while maintaining the theme of the show. The episode focuses on the rare moments of childhood for the boys, Mike, Will, Dustin and Lucas, as they dress up and trick-or-treat for Halloween. Although the audience sees the boys living their childhood, they realize that since the events of the last season with the Demogorgon, they are growing up and things are changing. They cannot seem to escape the aftermath effects of the last season after having their lives and the world around them changing. The show is currently available to stream on Netflix.
“Boy Meets World” Season 5 Episode 17 “And Then There Was Shawn”
“Boy Meets World” is a coming-of-age sitcom as the main character, Cory Matthews, goes through his life from childhood to adulthood alongside his romantic interest Topanga and best friend Shawn. The show is filled with humor and deals with themes of family, love and identity. Although this particular episode was not aired during the Halloween season, it still presents a thrilling atmosphere that is perfect for audiences to enjoy at this time of year. Struggling to deal with his close friends’ breakup, Shawn’s actions get him and his friends stuck in detention. The rest of the episode follows a slasher parody, bringing both comedic and horror film elements that are sure to captivate the audience’s attention. Besides the comedic and horror elements, the episode also reaches a deeper meaning for Shawn’s character, adding to the brilliance of the episode. The show is currently available to stream on Disney+.
