TV’s Spookiest Halloween Episodes (Part 1)

As the season of Pumpkin Spice, cooler weather and ghosts falls upon us and the veil between this world and the world where horror fans such as myself (and you) think is much cooler becomes virtually see through, we look to our DVD collections to put us in the proper mood.

Sure, TV will have its moments.  Some shows will have Halloween themed episodes that will range from passable to one storyline that might be kind of odd for one of the characters.  Most shows will ignore our favorite holiday all together.  Screw those shows!  Those shows are for grown ups.  Anyone who actually wants to be a grown up is way more screwed in the head than those that person looks down upon.

Within the next couple of weeks, you and your friends will break out It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Hocus Pocus or some other movie that you have given the title of “puts me in a Halloween mood.”  TV Guide has tried to help us with this by giving us a “TV Guide Spotlight DVD on the subject.

 

 

The TV Guide Spotlight series of DVDs “spotlights” a particular subject and then gives us a number of sitcom episodes about said subject.  Of course Halloween and Christmas make the cut, but there are also TV Guide Spotlight DVDs for the likes of Animal Stars, Kid Stars. Moms…the list is numerous.  These DVDs can be purchased for anywhere from $4-$8.

Today, I will look at the first half of the TV Guide Spotlight on Halloween: TV’s Spookiest Halloween Episodes.  The cover promises 13 very spooky episodes. We all know 13 is a magic number — only behind 666 when it comes to spookiness. However, a quick perusal of episodes tells me there are actually 14 episodes in the set representing 13 sitcoms (a two parter from The Jeffersons is the culprit for the confusion).

Let’s look at the first seven episodes today…and we’ll get to the last seven at a later date, shall we?

 

Bewitched

“A Safe and Sane Halloween”

Original Airdate: October 26, 1967

The story in this episode revolves around Tabitha (whom I will take the time to mention grew up rather well) and her first time trick-or-treating.  Samantha reads her a Halloween themed story that Tabitha doesn’t want to end so she does her baby witchcraft for her spook friends to come to life.  Seeing as a jack-o-lantern ghost shares the exact same look as the nosy Kravitz’z nephew from across the street, confusion and hilarity ensue.

Not a banner episode of the show, but entertaining and a good look at Halloween in the late 60s. Apparently it was a time when a slice of homemade chocolate pie was an acceptable treat and seeing a spook disappear right before your eyes can be attributed to a couple of martinis.

Highlight: The Goblin playing various Halloween tricks on unsuspecting people such as giving women goatees, donkey ears and horse tails.  What better Halloween trick is there?

Halloween ambience: 2/5 Fun to see the trick or treaters with their various costumes and the spook being a ghostly jack-o-lantern certainly helps. They must have not had Halloween decorations in the 1960s.

Overall: 3/5  It’s a fun little episode, but nowhere near the many great episodes that Bewitched had.

 

 

I Dream of Jeannie

“My Master, The Ghostbreaker”

Original Airdate: February 20, 1968

As you can tell by the airdate, this isn’t exactly a Halloween episode.  That’s two lies I have caught this set telling!

The story of this episode is that Master Nelson has inherited an estate from a long lost uncle in the Mother Country, England.  The house is over 300 years old and looks hella haunted.  Or at least Major Nelson, Major Healy and Jeannie think so — until someone else shows up claiming to own the house.   Something fishy is going on here and Major Nelson doesn’t think it’s a ghost!

I didn’t watch very much I Dream of Jeannie and was disappointed not to see Barbara Eden in her traditional genie get up.  In fact, she was pretty much a non-factor in the entire episode only using her magic to get in and out of her bottle. There are a couple of sight gags and to break down the episode completely would do an injustice to it.

Highlight: When running from the house, Jeannie bangs on a door as the other door falls down and the two Generals exit, Jeannie is still stuck in the house banging on the same door,  Oh, that Jeannie.

Halloween ambience: 1/5 There is something to be said for a creepy old house that creaks and moans in the night.  However, since this wasn’t meant to be a Halloween episode, that’s as Halloween-like as it gets.

Overall: 2/5 While the episode didn’t focus on Halloween, there were a few funny gags.  Jeannie didn’t get to do her thing, but a surprise ending bumps up the rating a bit!

 

 

The Jeffersons

“Now You See It, Now You Don’t” (Parts 1 & 2)

Original Airdate: October 21 and 28, 1979

You are doing yourself a disservice if you’ve never seen The Jeffersons. This Halloween two-parter takes our favorite Upper East Side Chicagoans on a costumed adventure that includes Louise seeing an attempted murder through a telescope on their balcony.  When the potential killer shows up to the Halloween party at the local bar, things get a bit testy.

This episode does a good job of mixing Halloween with a more serious storyline, but still managing to keep things light hearted.  Some of George Jefferson’s comedy (such as calling a mixed couple a “zebra”) probably wouldn’t play in today’s PC world, but feel at home within the context of the character. I laughed out loud a handful of times watching this 37 years after the fact.

Highlight: Florence’s unmerciful ribbing of George is amazing.  When Louise bemoans the fact that they have no Jack-o-Lantern, Florence offers to hollow out George’s head and put a candle in it to watch his eyes light up.

Halloween Ambience: 4/5 Every character is in costume, there are several trick-or-treaters and a completely decorated bar for a Halloween party.  The only reason I didn’t go Full Monty on the ambience is because it was missing that creepy Halloween night feel.

Overall: 5/5  This is still really funny!  Even when having their lives threatened, our costumed characters bring the laughs. There’s a lot of Halloween and a lot of good writing for all to see.  Moving on up, baby!

 

 

 

Square Pegs

“Halloween XII”

Original Airdate: November 1, 1982

This is the infamous vehicle for Sarah Jessica Parker that stalled after one season.  It has gained a cult following over the last several years, but it did manage to have a Halloween episode. This was my first exposure to the show, so I am not familiar with the characters, but I can see why it was cancelled after one season. It’s very Gilmore Girl-like in that the shows’ fans love it, but to anyone else it may be the worse thing on TV.

The story of the show revolves around two outcasts trying to gain social acceptance from some New Wavers and a pre-vampire Jami Gertz. This episode is no different as all of the characters end up at their teacher’s house on Halloween night and try every Halloween cliche possible until spooky stuff starts to happen.  As with the case with most sitcom Halloween episodes, the reveal turns out to be somewhat less spooky than the one dimensional characters and stilted dialogue.

Highlight: The two male sidekicks of the group crash the party in costume.  One as both Bob and Doug McKenzie and the other as the ghost version of Michael Myers, but with all his regular paraphernalia on over the ghost costume.

Halloween Ambience: 3/5 For all it’s faults, Square Pegs does bring the Halloween — mostly because they use every Halloween tradition at their disposal; decorations, apple bobbing, costumes, ouija board, horror movies, pranks and even the killer POV made so popular by slasher films of the time period.

Overall: 2/5  It’s not the worse thing ever, but Square Pegs is pretty grating and does not age well. It is definitely a product of it’s time in sitcom history. It does try it’s darnedest to bring the Halloween.  I’m guessing this is the most enjoyable episode of the twenty that exist.

 

 

The Facts of Life

“The Halloween Show”

Original Airdate: October 26, 1983

Like Square Pegs, The Facts of Life was a product of it’s time, but unlike Square Pegs, The Facts of Life found it’s voice and by the fifth season was running on all cylinders. The Halloween episode was no exception.

This murder mystery episode has clever writing and great performances from everyone involved — as much as there can be in a 1982 sitcom. The viewer knows in the end everything is going to work out, but there are moments in this episode where one asks the question, “How are they going to get themselves out of this one?”  They do, but it makes for a fun episode.

Highlight: The girls trying to protect themselves when they believe Mrs. Garrett is going to turn them into bratwurst. It would live in infamy in the opening credits for years afterwards.

Halloween Ambience: 5/5 Jack-o-Lanterns, a murder mystery, trick-or-treaters, Halloween decorations in an old town meat shop — it doesn’t get a whole lot more Halloween than that without Snoopy righting the Red Baron.

Overall: 4/5 Let’s remember that this is a sitcom from 1982.  It may be well written, but sometimes the writers just can’t help themselves from corny lines.  Other than that, it’s a very enjoyable episode — especially if you were a fan of the show.

 

 

Married…With Children

“Take My Wife, Please”

Original Airdate: October 24, 1993

I am a big Married…With Children fan.  The show that saved FOX from early extinction put the typically middle class sitcom family on their ear.  With the longevity of the show, several holiday themed episodes stood out.  This was not one of them.

A flimsy excuse to get The Village People on the show, Halloween is barely present in the episode. There is a storyline where Death is going to take Al if his family doesn’t claim they need him at some point in the episode and I get it, in the sitcom world, Death = Halloween, but on Married…With Children that’s the sort of stoyline that happens on a random March episode.

Highlight: There are a lot of decent jokes in here.  You can’t get through a Married…With Children episode without a few.  It’s still the same writing team.

Halloween Ambience: 1/5 Trick-or-treating is mentioned, pranks are mentioned, Al is dressed in an dinosaur costume, and the rest are dressed as the Village People, but that’s barely Halloween.  They could have done a lot better.

Overall: 1/5 I do love me some Married…With Children, but this is one of the worst episodes in the entire series, let alone Halloween episodes.  It’s tough for me to say this about this sitcom, but this is easily skippable.