A relic of a television world that has long since passed, there was nothing like waiting for the holiday episodes of your favorite television shows. In the days of cable television and 22-episode seasons, shows would air their holiday episodes according to the corresponding time of year. Now, with streaming and seasons that last only 6 episodes at a time and oftentimes released all at once, such frivolity is no longer allowed.
No more Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) fighting unrested souls on Thanksgiving, or Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) skating at Rockefeller Center on Christmas. Instead, we must relive days gone by in old television episodes still streaming on your platform of choice. And there is nothing more fun than revisiting the Halloween episodes of the best sitcoms to get you in the spooky spirit.
1. Friends — “The One With the Halloween Party”
The tight-knit circle of privileged New Yorkers in the late ‘90s and early aughts were wont to celebrate the holidays in certain episodes, mostly Christmas. But Friends broke the mold in their single Halloween episode, The One With the Halloween Party. A good 8 years into the run of the series, the episode shows Monica (Courteney Cox) as Catwoman, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) as Supergirl, and of course, Chandler (Matthew Perry) and a pink bunny costume.
In the last appearance of Ursula (Kudrow) in the series, Phoebe’s identical twin causes hijinks when the gang meets her and her fiance Eric (Sean Penn), to learn that she has not been truthful to the man she intends to marry. As with any good Halloween episode, the masks come off as Pheobe once and for all has to reveal her sister’s duplicity.
2. That ’70s Show — “Too Old To Trick or Treat, Too Young To Die”
Nothing captures the universal struggles of teenage ennui that the trials of Eric Foreman (Topher Grace) in his parents’ basement. Whether it be the ‘70s, ‘90s, or current day, many teenagers go through the same coming of age as in That ‘70s Show best Halloween episode. The Wisconsin-based sitcom has many themed episodes, but season 3’s Too Old To Trick or Treat, Too Young To Die takes it to another level.
Skillfully parodying the favorite horror films of the era, each character goes through their own trials. After a fall off a roof, Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) is relegated to a wheelchair like in Rear Window. Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) gets equal parts North by Northwest and Psycho while Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) is constantly plagued by the winged avians as in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. This was when the show was at its best, leaning into the gimmicks and pop culture knowledge prevalent at the time.
3. Community — “Epidemiology”
The series that coined the phrase, “6 seasons and a movie,” Dan Harmon’s education-based comedy is known for its pop culture homages, which are used in particular fashion in the Halloween episode. After Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) feeds the students contaminated food at a Halloween party, everyone starts exhibiting zombie-like symptoms.
A love letter to one of the most prolific genres of horror, everyone gets infected by the disease until the government steps in to clean up the mess – including taking everyone’s memory. Community exists somewhere between reality and the bizarre, made no more apparent than in the closing segment voiced by George Takei.
4. How I Met Your Mother — “The Slutty Pumpkin”
Just as there was the mystery of the yellow umbrella and the pineapple, one of How I Met Your Mother’s longest-running gags was the identity of the Slutty Pumpkin. Occurring early before the cursed relationship of Ted (Josh Radnor) and Robin (Cobie Smulders) could truly take shape, the former continues to look for the one that got away.
4 years previous Ted found someone who could have been the love of his life dressed in a slutty pumpkin costume. Through a twist of fate, the two never met again. This episode would go on to be a classic, despite Ted realizing in later years that the woman behind the costume wasn’t all that great.
5. Happy Endings — “Spooky Endings”
Of the many sitcoms featuring friends living in the big city, Happy Endings is one of the few that takes place in the Midwest. Following the events of Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) leaving Dave (Zachary Knighton) at the altar in the first episode, the group sticks together as they live their lives in Chicago. Sadly shortlived, Happy Endings was the rare show that portrayed friends who actually enjoyed each other’s company, even among the strife of a broken engagement.
In the Halloween episode, Spooky Endings, everyone wants to attend the Monster Mash Pumpkin Bash, a local costume contest. Jane (Eliza Coupe) orders Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.) to the suburbs where they can test drive what it will be like to have a family while the rest get into the typical shenanigans of a party in the city. Misunderstandings are aplenty, and Brad realizes the true meaning of Halloween – chasing down the neighbor kids.
6. You’re the Worst — “Spooky Sunday Funday”
The answer to the question of how many romantic comedies can there be, FXX’s You’re the Worst turns the genre on its head. After blunt narcissist Jimmy Shive-Overly (Chris Geere) and compulsive liar, Gretchen Cutler (Aya Cash) meet at a wedding, it is lust at first sight. The two are emotionally ill-equipped and dead-set against any exclusive relationship, but despite themselves, they fall for each other.
The series watches 2 selfish people become the best versions of themselves as they try to make the relationship work. This experiment is put to the test in season 2 after Gretchen admits that she is clinically depressed. During a particularly rough patch, Jimmy tries to cheer her up on Gretchen’s favorite holiday. Of course, following a Sunday Funday brunch and one of the scariest haunted houses known to man, this goes sideways in the only way a Jimmy plan can. But on the way down we see a fantastic assortment of costumes and laughs.
7. 30 Rock — “Stone Mountain”
Heavily informed by Tina Fey’s time at SNL, she stars in 30 Rock as Liz Lemon, a head writer at a similar live variety show. As Liz deals with high-maintenance actors and demanding boss Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), there is no shortage of shenanigans that the TGS boss has to deal with.
On one Halloween episode entitled, Stone Mountain, Liz is tasked with finding a new cast member in what Jack deems “real America.” Meanwhile, back at the studio, the writers try to get invited to Jenna’s (Jane Krakowski) gay Halloween party while she tries not to be overshadowed by the new cast member. As usual, when Liz is away, the rest of the show will get into all manner of tomfoolery.
8. Parks and Recreation — “Halloween Surprise”
In the many Halloween-themed episodes of Parks and Recreation, the season 5 episode Halloween Surprise has the bonus of seeing Ron (Nick Offerman) struggle to act like a father. Newly dating single mom, Diane (Lucy Lawless), Ron finds himself tasked with escorting her 2 daughters for a night of trick-or-treating.
As expected, disaster strikes, and the girls start to fight over a tiara. Unable to put himself in the mind of a preteen girl, Ron solves the problem by breaking it in half. This miscalculation is one of his big missteps in his relationship with Diane, which is thankfully resolved by the end of the episode. It’s a Halloween miracle.
9. Abbott Elementary — “Candy Zombies”
It is the case of the candy thief in the season 2 Halloween episode of Abbott Elementary. As Gregory (Tyler James Williams) struggles to get anyone to recognize his costume, Janine (Quinta Brunson) and the rest of the teachers try to wrangle a hoard of sugar-rushed children after they are told to have no candy until the end of the day. As they scramble to find the culprit, it should come as no surprise that it was the kid dressed as Thanos that did it. The episode is full of charming Marvel references and yet still more tension between Gregory and Janine.
10. Parks and Recreation — “Meet n Greet”
With so many Halloween episodes in Parks and Recreation, one is not enough. One of the most memorable depicts Andy (Chris Pratt) and April’s (Aubrey Plaza) Halloween party. While Leslie (Amy Poehler) endures Tom’s (Aziz Ansari) antics at the titular meet and greet, the rest of the characters have their own brand of fun at the party.
Ben (Adam Scott) refuses to admit his resentful feelings about his roommates throwing the party, while Ron and Ann (Rashida Jones) spend the majority of the party fixing things around the house. Regrettably, there are no blood orphans, but heartfelt emotions are shared by all.