The Halloween season wouldn’t be complete for many without traditional movies like “Hocus Pocus” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
But how about celebrating the holiday by watching some classic Halloween TV specials? Here are 10 episodes to consider:
‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’
No list of classic Halloween TV specials would be complete without the Peanuts, who celebrate the holiday while Linus awaits the Great Pumpkin in this episode. As the Deseret News previously reported, Apple TV Plus now has exclusive rights to all “Peanuts” film content, making 2020 the first year since 1965 that the “Peanuts” holiday specials won’t air on network TV.
Where to watch: “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” can be watched on Apple TV Plus.
‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ — ‘A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It’
Season 2, Episode 7 (TV-G)
Watching just about any episode of a show about a witch would be a fun way to celebrate the season, but this is one of six Halloween specials in the series. Sabrina throws an impromptu Halloween party while trying to manage some magical mishaps in this episode. The band 10,000 Maniacs also makes an appearance with a performance at Sabrina’s party.
Where to watch: “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” is available on Hulu.
‘Boy Meets World’ — ‘And Then There Was Shawn’
Season 5, Episode 17 (TV-PG)
Cory, Shawn, Topanga, Angela and Kenny are in for a slew of scares after they find themselves locked in their school alone during detention. This spooky special is perfect for Halloween.
Where to watch: “Boy Meets World” is available on Disney Plus.
‘Friends’ — ‘The One with the Halloween Party’
Season 8, Episode 6 (TV-PG)
This is a must to include when listing classic Halloween TV episodes. Monica and Chandler throw a Halloween costume party, where Phoebe confronts her twin, Ursula, and Ursula’s fiance, Eric. The costumes are a highlight of this episode — Monica as Catwoman, Chandler as a pink bunny, Ross as “Spud-nik” (a cross between Sputnik and a potato), Phoebe as Supergirl, Joey as Chandler, and Rachel in an expensive dress that soon won’t fit due to her pregnancy.
Where to watch: “Friends” is available on HBO Max.
‘Monk’ — ‘Mr. Monk Goes Home Again’
Season 4, Episode 2 (TV-14)
OCD detective Adrian Monk reunites with his brother, Ambrose, in their childhood home on Halloween to await the return of their long lost father in this special. But the night goes differently than planned following repeated encounters with a suspicious trick-or-treater.
Where to watch: “Monk” is available on Amazon Prime Video.
‘The Office’ — ‘Halloween’
Season 2, Episode 5 (TV-14)
Michael Scott, Scranton regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, has procrastinated the task of firing an employee by the end of the month until Halloween in this classic episode. Salesman Jim Halpert and receptionist Pam Beesly also prank salesman Dwight Schrute by putting his resume, complete with martial arts, on the internet.
Where to watch: “The Office” is available on Netflix.
‘Parks and Recreation’ — ‘Greg Pikitis’
Season 2, Episode 7 (TV-PG)
Leslie Knope, deputy director of Parks and Recreation in Pawnee, Indiana, spends Halloween trying to catch teenage trickster Greg Pikitis in this special. Meanwhile, Parks and Recreation employee Tom Haverford saves nurse Ann Perkins’ boring Halloween party.
Where to watch: “Parks and Recreation” is available on Peacock.
‘Community’ — ‘Epidemiology’
Season 2, Episode 6 (TV-PG)
The show’s study group attends a Greendale Community College Halloween party in this episode, where students start turning into zombies after eating biohazardous taco meat. The uninfected partiers must then fend for themselves after being locked in with the zombies to quarantine.
Where to watch: “Community” is available on Netflix.
‘New Girl’ — ‘Halloween’
Season 2, Episode 6 (TV-14)
This is the Halloween when Jess works at a haunted house, where she plans to tell Sam she wants to be his girlfriend. A highlight of this special is when Jess’ roommate Nick punches her after she startles him at the haunted house.
Where to watch: “New Girl” is available on Netflix.
‘Stranger Things’ — ‘Chapter Two: Trick or Treat, Freak’
Season 2, Episode 2 (TV-14)
Mike, Will, Dustin and Lucas go trick-or-treating dressed as Ghostbusters in this Halloween episode, but Will sees a scary vision in the Upside Down while they are out. Meanwhile, Nancy and Steve attend a Halloween party, and Eleven waits for a movie night with Hopper as a compromise for not being allowed to go trick-or-treating.
Where to watch: “Stranger Things” is available on Netflix.