The 25 Best Halloween TV Episodes of All Time
Including cartoons and specials from your favorite shows.
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When it comes to Halloween, there are certain traditions people do. We trick-or-treat. We dress up as our favorite characters. We view a ton of scary films and classic Halloween moviesand wonder if we've gotten enough of a fright. Yes, these are all great. But there's truly nothing like watching a good, old-fashioned Halloween TV episode.
The beauty of Halloween and TV is that the subject doesn't just span one genre. You can find someone being truly spooked in a sitcom, just as much as you'll find ridiculously-crafted homemade costumes in a drama. Just as the holiday sort of implies, there's always a new way of scaring, and these TV episodes truly capture the essence of the holiday in a way that only the small screen knows how to do.
Here is our collection of the best Halloween TV episodes that are perfect for giving you a fright:
"Halloween," Brooklyn 99
While it's nearly impossible to pick the perfect Brooklyn 99 Halloween episode, we need to acknowledge the first for one major thing: the start of the famous halloween heist. In between odd patrol match-ups and Jake (Andy Samberg) betting he can steal Captain Holt's Medal of Honor, it's just an episode full of hijinks and spooks — exactly what we look for on Halloween.
"Halloween," The Office
Please ignore Michael Scott (Steve Carell)'s idea of wearing a bust of his face as the perfect Halloween costume. Though it's definitely a highlight of this Office episode, it's the premise of someone needing to be booted from Dunder Mifflin that really shakes things up. But possibly the best part? Watching Dwight (Rainn Wilson) give an interview while dressed as Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars.
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"The One with the Halloween Party," Friends
Chandler (Matthew Perry) is dressed as a pink bunny. Ross (David Schwimmer) tries to be punny with his "Spud-nik" costume. Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) can't deal with trick-or-treaters. Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) evil twin makes an appearance. So much happens in 30 minutes.
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"And Then There Was Shawn," Boy Meets World
Right out of the gate, we'll tell you that this isn't necessarily a Halloween-centric episode. But given how the 90's loved a good slasher moment, we had to to add this to the list. In between a Breakfast Club-esque trope and Shawn (Rider Strong) trying to get his best friends back together, the best part of all comes in the form of 9-1-1's Jennifer Love Hewitt, fresh from her role in I Know What You Did Last Summer.
"Trick or Treat, Freak," Stranger Things
Honestly, the entire show should be on this list, given the scary nature of its premise. But this episode is nothing short of everything you'd want from the holiday, right down to the kids all wearing costumes from Ghostbusters. Now if they only had Ecto-1 to help them run away from the Mind Flayer ...
"Fear Itself," Buffy the Vampire Slayer
With a show that lives in the undead and mystical, you know that Buffy featured a few episodes surrounding Halloween. But this one takes the candy. Despite plans for having a normal night (as if Halloween is actually a normal holiday), a costume party takes a turn when a demon domes to try and take everyone's lives. Yeah, this would be something Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) would encounter ...
"The Rocky Horror Glee Show," Glee
Taking nods from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the episode features the New Directions singing their own versions of hits like "Time Warp" for a school musical. And, of course, it wouldn't be an episode of Glee if Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) wasn't trying to take down Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) in some shape or form. But the best part of this episode comes in the form of Barry Bostwick and Meat Loaf, who both starred in the original 1975 film.
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"Halloween," Frasier
This episode of Frasier is a case of Murphy's Law — what can go wrong, will go wrong. While the episode initially involves Roz (Peri Gilpin) telling Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) she may be pregnant, with enough versions of broken telephone, Frasier is somehow dueling Niles (David Hyde Pierce) for Daphne (Jane Leeves)'s hand. Plus, seeing the two doctors dressed up is just hilarious.
"Halloween," Modern Family
Some people are really into Halloween. But Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) in Modern Family takes the cake for her love of the holiday, turning her entire house into a full-blown horror scene. While the episode does present its own set of challenges for the characters— some not wanting to participate being one — it makes for a pretty unique take on how Halloween can affect families.
"Too Old to Trick or Treat, Too Young to Die," That 70's Show
Things just always seem to go wrong for the teens in this show. From Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) getting hurt and needing a wheelchair to Donna (Laura Prepon) thinking Eric (Topher Grace) isn't into her anymore, nothing can be deemed normal. But throw in some bizarre costumes and a nod to Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, something wicked this way comes ...
"The Prank King," Black-ish
Black-ish never fails in giving great comedy and even greater costumes. This episode seamlessly blends both together when the Johnson family competes in an annual Halloween staple of who can pull off the greatest prank of all time.
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"A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It," Sabrina the Teenage Witch
With a show surrounded by witches, talking animals and spooky elements, it's natural for the 90's hit to have a Halloween special. But when Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart) struggles to hide magic while hosting a teen All Hallow's Eve party, something's bound to go wrong ... right?
"Full Bars," Bob's Burgers
Everyone loves candy — even cartoon kids! And when you have the Belchers trying to get some by trick-or-treating in the wealthy neighborhood of King's Island, you bet they will find themselves in some sort of trouble. Only this time, it could be the spooky kind.
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"Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps," Community
What happens when a group of adult college students find themselves trapped in a room before a Halloween party? Hijinks, that's for sure ... and the possibility that someone could have failed a psychological mental exam. So who is it? Well, with the help of scary stories, there may be an answer ...
"Halloween," New Girl
Again, this episode isn't necessarily a Halloween-themed episode. But on this particular Halloween, the gang are forced to face their ultimate fear: committing to serious relationships. And everyone is feeling it, from Jess (Zooey Deschanel) figuring out if she truly loves someone to Schmidt (Max Greenfield) realizing he needs to move on from Cece (Hannah Simone).
"Treehouse of Horror IV," The Simpsons
You can't have a best Halloween TV episodes list without an iconic Simpsons episode. With references to the Twilight Zone, Dracula and Peanuts, fans will definitely see why we made sure to include at least one episode on the list.
"Greg Pikitis," Parks and Recreation
Ann (Rashida Jones) has high hopes for a Halloween party, but she didn't anticipate her friends trying to track down the town's resident prankster and convincing him to not defame a town landmark. Typical Halloween night for Pawnee, Indiana.
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"Tricks and Treats," Freaks and Geeks
Sometimes, Halloween just doesn't go anybody's way. Such is the case for this holiday-themed episode, where neither kid nor parent can get it together in time for the costume-themed day.
"Mr. Peanutbutter's Boos," BoJack Horseman
Four Halloween celebrations, all happening between 1993 and 2018. While this episode of BoJack Horseman may revolve around Mr. Peanutbutter's annual party, its true focus deals with mistakes and regrets from years past. After all, what's any holiday without deep feelings being stirred up at some point?
"Stone Mountain," 30 Rock
With the cast and crew of TGS with Tracy Jordan getting ready to celebrate Halloween, Liz (Tina Fey) and Jack (Alec Baldwin) decide to visit Kenneth's (Jack McBrayer) hometown, due to Jack's obsession with finding a new cast member in "real America." Does anything go to plan? You guessed it — nope.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
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