MANILA, Philippines - One of the most celebrated holidays in television is Halloween. It’s got the natural elements that make for great TV: temporary spookage, candy, and awesome costumes. As someone who grew up in a no-pagan holiday household, I lived vicariously through Halloween specials and TV episodes.
Here are some of my favorite gems. Some are scary, and some are just fun — just like Halloween itself:
1. “Halloween,†Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Part of the charm and appeal of dressing up for Halloween is getting to change back to who you are after one night of pretending. In “Halloween,†a spell causes the Scoobies to assume their costumes — an 18th century maiden, a soldier, and a slutty ghost —starring in a Vonnegutian cautionary tale: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.â€
2. “Halloween,†My So-Called Life
In this episode, teen angst champion of the world, Angela Chase, and her friends wander around the abandoned school after hours on Halloween night. Haunted by the ghost of Nicky Driscoll, a troubled student who died in the 1960s, Angela sees parallels between his life and that of her one and only love, Jordan Catalano, which moves her to keep him from going down that same doomed path.
In the first half of this episode, Louis C.K. takes his two daughters out to go trick-or-treating in the city. Everything is fun and pleasant, until nightfall, when things get a little spooky. On their way home, they are accosted and scared by two losers in costumes, until one of them stands up for themselves — and for the true meaning of Halloween.
4. “Tricks and Treats,†Freaks and Geeks
In one of the best episodes of this short-lived series, Sam and his friends, all high school freshmen, went trick-or-treating only to be met by neighborhood disapproval and distaste for being too old. Add to that the taunts of Alan, the school bully. Meanwhile, his sister Lindsay ditches her mother to go on a joyride with her new Freak friends, and in a swift turn of events, things get a little bit out of hand.
In “Greg Piktis,†Leslie Knope is seen at her most manic and obsessed — all in the name of justice and childhood revenge, of course. Ann commits the biggest Halloween crime by throwing the most boring Halloween party, only to be saved by Tom Haverford. Bonus: Louis C.K. guest stars!
6. “Epidemiology,†Community
A regular episode of Community is already funny and smart. A Halloween-themed one is regular Community on steroids. Set in the annual Greendale Halloween party, “Epidemiology†plays with several Halloween and scary-movie tropes, including a zombie outbreak, an end-of-the-world hookup, and the attempt to be the “first black man to make it to the end.â€
7. “Spooky Endings,†Happy Endings
8. “Halloween,†The Office
The Office has a knack for creating great Halloween specials, and it’s due in part to the cast’s costumes. In this first Halloween special, we see Michael with a papier mache bust of himself stuck to his shoulder, three single women as cats, Dwight as a scarily realistic Emperor Palpatine, and Jim as “three hole punch Jim.†“Halloween†is a great classic episode of The Office.
Of course, when all is said and done, cap your Halloween night off with the tried and true classic, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Let Linus wash you with fuzzy feelings of hope, though perhaps tinged with a little delusion, as you send October off with a cackle and some pop.
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