The Best Halloween Episodes To Spook Yourself With
Looking for something to put on to get into the Halloween mood, or even have as background noise for your Halloween party? Fancy something genuinely a bit creepy- or more lighthearted? We’ve put together a list of a few of the best Halloween TV, from beloved classic sitcoms like Friends to modern hits like Wednesday. Here’s our pick of our fave Halloween-y episodes- and remember it’s probably not a good idea to stare at a screen while carving a pumpkin.
Friends: The One With The Halloween Party
Friends have an episode for pretty much every occasion- and the show’s Halloween story, The One with the Halloween Party, makes for lighthearted fun over scares. The setup: Monica and Chandler decide to throw a surprise Halloween party. It being Monica, everyone is asked to come in their best costumes and the rest of the loveable cast scramble to find their best outfit. Ross turns up as a giant satellite potato, Spud-nik, causing a relieved Chandler to be happy his pink rabbit outfit (that Monica wanted him to wear) isn’t the worst of the bunch. Monica starts handing out cash to trick-or-treaters, Rachel wears a normal outfit conscious about her pregnancy, and Joey dresses up as Chandler. Oh, and Ross and Chandler try to solve the question of who would win in a fight by having a giant potato vs giant rabbit arm wrestle.
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror
You can pick pretty much any Treehouse of Horror episode and find a few good spooky Simpsons stories. There’s enough of these October episodes by now that it could pretty much be treated as its own standalone series, showcasing different horror-themed anthology tales. Iconic moments include a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, narrated by the late James Earl Jones, a parody of The Shining where Homer spoofs Jack Nicholson, Groundskeeper Willie invading the dreams of school children, and of course, Ned Flanders as the Devil. Often, it’s as hilarious as the regular episodes, but the genius of Treehouse of Horror is that it can be at times actually a bit disturbing (in a Simpsons kind of way.) You can watch any of them on Disney+, from both the classic and modern seasons, or just flick on Channel 4 at 18:30- there’s bound to be one on at this time of year.
Buffy- Halloween
Being a show about a young vampire slayer, pretty much any of Buffy can be watched at this time of year to get into the mood for all things spooky, but the best pick is the one simply titled “Halloween.” This episode sees Buffy, Willow and Xander take kids out trick or treating, at the request of their principal. They’re not exactly enthused, particularly since Halloween is the one night of the year that vampires aren’t lurking (the day is considered distasteful), and Buffy would rather have a break. However, the group discovers a costume shop that has a rather unique ability: turning the wearer of the outfit into a real-life version of it. Willow becomes a ghost, and Buffy a girl from the 18th century. Supernatural hijinks ensue as Buffy also adjusts to her growing relationship with Angel.
Doctor Who- Blink
The TV show that became famous for being watched “behind the sofa”, Doctor Who has plenty of creepy and atmospheric episodes- without ever quite tipping into full-blown horror. There’s a big choice then- but for the purposes of this list, we’re going with the ever-popular Blink, which was part of the third rebooted series back in 2007. It might star David Tennant (currently onscreen in a rather different role in Disney+’s Rivals) as the much-loved Tenth Doctor, but the bulk of the story follows an early-career Carey Mulligan as Sally, a woman who discovers that she and her brother’s mate Larry are apparently being stalked by Weeping Angels- mysterious stone beings. With The Doctor and Martha (played by Freeman Agyman) trapped, she must learn to face her fears.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine- HalloVeen
In this Halloween episode (there are several in B99), the 99th precinct holds its annual Halloween Heist competition. Jake, Amy and Holt compete with each other in order to grab the top prize of the title “Amazing Human/Genius”. Others jump into the race including Terry, Boyle and Rosa, and everyone is on their toes as they scramble to win. As they aim to claim the belt (or cummerbund), it’s stolen, and suddenly friendships are tested, alliances are formed and no one knows who they can trust. There’s a Handmaid’s Tale spoof sequence as Jake brings in a group dressed in the iconic red and white Handmaid outfits- but after all the twists and comedic mayhem, there’s an emotional moment as Jake reveals the belt has a hidden inscription for Amy- asking her to marry him. Less “ahhh!”, and more “awww”.
Stranger Things- Trick Or Treat, Freak
The massively popular Stranger Things has its own Halloween episode, Trick of Treat, Freak. Coming in the show’s second season, it features the Stranger Things boys dressed up as the Ghostbusters, along with Max as Michael Myers, heading out trick or treating. Eleven also wants to go out trick or treating but is warned by Hopper that it’s simply too risky to her. Meanwhile, Will apparently experiences another episode and makes a drawing of a creature on his desk, prompting concern from Joyce and Hopper about his wellbeing. Alongside all the trick-or-treating and the series’ signature 80s throwbacks, there’s a creepy moment where Dustin hears weird noises coming from his rubbish bin- suggesting something’s inside…
Ghosts, Who Do You Think You Are?
BBC sitcom Ghosts is another show to watch this Halloween that’s on the funny side- and while it doesn’t really have a specific “Halloween” episode, why not just start at the very beginning, with the very first episode? Who Do You Think You Are? introduces us to the show’s protagonist, Alison (played by Charlotte Richie), a woman who is shocked to find that she’s inherited a large estate home called Button House. She and her husband Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) decide to move in, with the idea that they could fix it up and renovate, and eventually convert it into a hotel- despite being advised by a lawyer to sell it. Once there, they find that the house is inhabited and haunted by several ghosts from different eras. The main cast of Horrible Histories (Them There) alongside Lolly Adefope plays the eccentric ghosts, and after a near-death experience, Alison discovers that she can see and communicate with them.
Wednesday- Any of it
Wednesday is a perfect watch around Halloween, given its spooky supernatural themes and being produced and partly directed by Tim Burton. It became a smash hit when the first season arrived back in 2022, shooting Jenna Ortega to stardom, and given a second season is arriving in 2025, it’s a good time to revisit (or watch for the first time). Rebooting the iconic Addams Family, Wednesday focuses on the titular young Ms Adams as she enrols in a new school. Being, well, Wednesday Addams, she doesn’t exactly settle in easily, being uninterested in her roommate Enid’s attempts at friendship. When a murder takes place, Wednesday becomes drawn into a puzzling mystery. Maybe don’t attempt to recreate the viral Wednesday Dance at the Halloween party, in case you look a little behind the trend.
