BONUS POST: A Very Spooky Episode

Celebrating some of my favorite Halloween episodes of TV shows past

I certainly couldn’t let this Haunted, Hallowed Hallowe’ekend pass by without a little nostalgia trip to commemorate this, my favorite time of year. One thing I sorely miss from childhood is the abundance of Halloween-themed episodes of my favorite television shows. I lament it as something of the past, but for all I know this could still very much be a thing—I just don’t really watch TV anymore to know. That’s not some sort of flex, there just haven’t been any cable-network sitcoms that have caught my attention in the same way as those of the past.

But growing up, Halloween always felt so larger than life. It’s like everyone collectively decided to throw traditional norms out the window and get spooky. I’d eagerly await, sometimes with the VCR set to record, each Halloween episode of my favorite show. Sure, everyone remembers the way Roseanne went all out each spooky season, but it wasn’t the only show to get into the holiday spirit.

I’ve done some deep digging to find clips or full episodes of some of my favorite and most well-remembered Halloween episodes of TV shows from my youth. Some of them will probably be episodes you remember fondly, others may be a bit more obscure, forgotten weird, or even outright pretty bad, but they were special to me in some way. And away we go….

Brotherly Love, “Witchcraft” (1995)

See? I warned you that I would pull out some pretty bad obscure TV shows and episodes, and I’m kicking it off with just that. While other girls my age were ripping issues of 16 and TigerBeat out of each other’s hands and drooling over the pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio, Devon Sawa, and J.T.T. that they had carefully torn out of the magazines and pasted up in their lockers, I was preoccupied with an older man. As an avid watcher of Blossom, I found myself with strange feelings toward her dumb jock older brother Joey— could this be what “love” felt like? WHOA! My fascination with Joey propelled me into young adulthood, now finally experiencing those feelings that other girls my age had already perfected. I would grab any “teen” magazine I could find with the promise that there would be a picture of him in there. I’d flip through the magazine, scoffing at every photo of Brad Renfro and The Moffats, until I’d land upon the poster order form section. Did I want the open flannel shirt Joey Lawrence poster? Or the closed flannel shirt in an under-construction home Joey Lawrence? Ultimately, I never purchased either. 

I was ecstatic when Brotherly Love premiered. Joey AND his two younger Lawrence brothers in their own series? I was all in, and I faithfully watched from its inception until its end two years later (around which time I made a huge self-discovery: despite Joey’s damn fine haircut, I had moved on, with my feelings transferring instead to Matthew Lawrence.) If anything, I think this show suffered from bad scheduling and placement, airing on NBC and The WB, instead of in the coveted TGIF spot on ABC. 

Many times when we think back fondly on shows we loved in our youth, we’re looking at them through “nostalgia goggles,” which makes everything seem way better than it actually was. When we return to these shows now, we realize how crappy they really were. I gotta say, in all honesty, after re-watching this, that’s not really true for this show. Despite the over-abused laugh track (which was apparently “borrowed” from Boy Meets World), the jokes aren’t half bad, and the acting isn’t overdone. If it had landed itself on a better network/spot, it probably could have lasted longer. 

For those unfamiliar, Brotherly Love is about Joe Roman (Joey Lawrence), returning to his dad’s car customizing business after his passing. There he reunites with his stepmom, Claire, and half-brothers Matt and Andy. Claire lets him work there and move in with the family again, which takes some adjusting to, as Matt resents him and Andy desperately needs a father figure. 

Random thoughts about the episode:

• Holy hell that theme song was terrible. As much as I loved Joey Lawrence, I never quite thought he could cut it as a singer. 
• Wow, I forgot how cute Lou was. She’s got the almost-but-not-quite-alternative ‘90s girl look down.
• Andy Lawrence was actually really talented. His comedic timing is pretty spot-on for a kid. I remember him always being the annoying kid who would impersonate Jim Carrey as the Mask, but he’s genuinely funny here.
• Matthew Lawrence was also a pretty great actor for his age, he does the neurotic Woody Allen-meets-George Costanza type well. I think both of them were better than their older sibling but were clearly living in his shadow at the time. 
• Franklin Delano Romanowski! 
• I’m totally baffled by that mall setup. 
• Melanie Hutsell! 
• Do you think Lloyd’s killed a guy?

Teen Angel, “I Love Nitzke”

It would be remiss of me to have a TV nostalgia extravaganza and not include anything from my beloved TGIF lineup. And I figured the best way to kick off the first of many TGIF shows to be presented here is with one of the more bizarre and forgotten ones. Teen Angel is one of those shows I’ve had to confirm its existence with other people just to make sure it wasn’t some weird, months-long fever dream I had as a child. 

But, no. Teen Angel was a thing, and it’s even weirder than I remember. 

The series ran from 1997 - 1998 and was about a high school kid, Steve, and his best friend, Marty, who recently died after eating a six-month-old burger from under Steve’s bed on a dare (I shit you not, that’s what happens in the first episode). Marty is sent back to be Steve’s guardian angel and reports to a large, orange disembodied head named Rod (God’s cousin, of course). 

Wow. This show, just... wow. And I remember watching this show with my mom and enjoying it. I mean, I guess it’s funny enough but... wow.

But anyway… onto the episode itself!

Random thoughts about the episode:

• Let’s start with the fact that this is a show entirely about a dead kid. Yet this Halloween episode is pretty sub-par, IMO. It’s like they didn’t realize this episode would land near Halloween and had to scramble to come up with something. In fact, it’s pretty much a Valentine’s episode for 75% of it before returning to Halloween. Speaking of which, didn’t it start out off on Halloween then go forward as if that part was over? I was totally baffled by this.
• They really phoned it in for the opening credits, didn’t they?
• This is another show where some of the best acting comes from the youngest cast member. The little sister is pretty hilarious. 
• For a teen “angel” Marty’s got a pretty morbid sense of humor.
• So, like, what’s the deal—people just can’t hear/see Steve when he’s talking to Marty? Are we to believe they’re whispering, or everyone just acknowledges that he’s losing it and goes on their merry way?
• How does no one get that he’s a scarecrow?? It’s really not that confusing of a costume. 
• Hell-oooo, Marcia Brady as Catwoman! 

All right, that was... entertaining. Fun fact: the episode that aired right after this one was actually a crossover episode with Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I was tempted to share that one instead, but Melissa Joan Hart’s pained acting was so uncomfortable that it was almost hard to watch. I can’t blame her, she was really carrying the TGIF lineup on her bewitching back at this point.

The Dick Van Dyke Show, “It May Look Like a Walnut”

Believe it or not, nostalgia is not strictly relegated to the ‘90s. Well, I mean, this was a part of the ‘'90s for me, but it was a show from the ‘60s. 

As a kid, if I had to narrow it down to my two idols it would have been Dick Van Dyke and (as previously stated) Elvira. Which I think summarizes my very essence pretty well.   This episode is barely one of the more Halloween-appropriate ones, but it's my favorite and the one I remember best. Laura with eyes in the back of her head? A WHOLE CLOSET FULL OF WALNUTS?!!  When I think of the horror masters from the past I think of Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Peter Lorre, and, because of this, Danny Thomas.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? “The Tale of the Vacant Lot”

Watch on Daily Motion.

Taking it back to ‘90s nostalgia with this episode of every ‘90s kid’s favorite show to talk relentlessly at people about: Are You Afraid of the Dark?

This is by no means the best or the most appropriate Halloween episode of a show that’s entirely meant to scare the living bejeezus out of kids, but it’s one that I remember fondly. 

“The Tale of the Vacant Lot” is about an awfully average girl named Kat who can never quite rise above her awkwardness. One day she loses this ugly ass bowler hat she wears all the time and finds it in a vacant lot... that’s not so vacant anymore. Instead, there’s a mysterious store (with curtains for doors) and a lady wearing a pseudo-burqa that covers her face trying to push goods on her (like any flea market).  The woman offers her a pair of shoes that will help her run fast and finally excel at her track practice, in exchange for her grandfather’s ring. Kat won’t make the trade, but the woman says she can have them for something else instead. Then she gives her the shoes and disappears. Turns out that “thing” in question is…

Well, I won’t spoil it for you. Just watch and see. 

There’s only one reason this episode sticks out so clearly in my mind: when this first aired, I watched it while eating dinner, which was sausage pizza. When the mysterious lady first revealed her face, I distinctly remember looking at the TV, then looking down at my pizza, noticing the similarities, and becoming instantly disgusted. (I mean, I still ate my pizza because, come on, it’s pizza).

So maybe it’s not the most well-known or best episode, but it’s the one that reminds me of pizza, and for that, it’s on my list. 

Archie’s Weird Mysteries, “I Was a Teenage Vampire”

I know I’m mixing business with pleasure here, but sometimes it’s gotta be done.

When I was a pre-teen, my biggest form of entertainment, aside from holing myself up in my room to watch TV, listen to music, or read a book, was to go shopping⸺usually for VHS tapes, CDs, and new books. On nights when my mom would take me out to the local mall, I’d spend hours loitering among the aisles of Waldenbooks, Sam Goody, and Suncoast. Around Halloween, I’d look for new items to add to my VHS collection. But, also, being a scaredy cat, I’d always shy away from anything horror-related.

It was a lucky night when I found this and another Halloween special at Suncoast.

I was a lifelong fan of Archie, grabbing a new double digest or Betty & Veronica comic book whenever I could at the grocery store checkout. But by the late ‘90s into the early ‘00s, I had grown out of them. I had no clue that this TV series even existed until I picked up this VHS.

Random thoughts about the episode:

• I’m sure the title is a riff on the ‘50s movie I Was a Teenage Werewolf, but I’d like to imagine it’s a riff on the Cramps song named for the aforementioned movie, which makes it pretty badass.
• I was totally expecting the bad dude to let that catfight happen (bat fight?) and was only mildly disappointed that it didn’t.
• Ok, a bit more mixing business and pleasure here: we just did an Archie Horror anthology one-shot paying tribute to this series, just for a slightly more mature audience, called Weirder Mysteries! It’s sold out pretty much everywhere, but if you’re lucky, maybe your local comic shop still has a copy in stock.

Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman

Ok, I won’t leave you in suspense much longer, this was the other VHS purchased from Suncoast on that fateful night many moons ago. I loved Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Theodore turning into an adorable wolfman was right up my alley (I also like the title nod to the classic Abbott & Costello “horror” flicks).

Alvin and the Chipmunks were so cute that they would occasionally bring me to tears. No, I don’t know why, that’s just how my brain processes things (I believe that’s now categorized as “cute aggression.”)

If you need me, I’ll be crying while watching and enjoying that music video... 

No online versions, but it looks like you can watch this on Vudu.

Arthur, “The Fright Stuff”

Watch on Dailymotion.

When I was a kid, there was nothing that made me happier than coming home from school, peeling off the layers of my uniform, putting on PJs, and plopping down on the TV to watch Arthur on PBS. (Except for coming home early on Wednesdays, eating pizza, and watching Kids in the Hall.)

Rewatching this, I realized there was nothing inherently interesting about Arthur—the character or the series. It was PBS Kids, so it was just a bunch of educational and moral lessons presented by anthropomorphic characters that looked nothing like the animals they were supposed to represent. Yet, I’d still watch every episode as if it were a gripping drama, luring me in every minute, only to be interrupted by those pesky breaks in between with real kids talking about whatever bullshit they were spewing.

As to be expected, a Halloween episode of Arthur is about as riveting as any other. In this one, all of the kids are pranking each other (because apparently, that’s a thing to do on Halloween—waitaminute, is that what the “trick” part of trick or treat is?? Huh. I guess Arthur is educational!) Muffy Crosswire (the resident rich snob monkey(?)-girl) is holding a scary costume party at her mansion, with a guest appearance by the author of the Scare-Your-Pants-Off-Books series (Arthur’s version of Goosebumps), E. A. DePoe. (Because nothing screams Halloween fun like a white woman reading to you—excuse me, a hippy-teacher-rabbit). Of course, the kids are all playing pranks on each other despite being warned not to, until what they think is part of an elaborate prank turns out to be something much spoooookier and—HOLY SHIT, THERE’S A DEAD FAMILY LIVING IN MUFFY’S MANSION.

Well, that took an unexpected turn. Sorry, Arthur, I take back what I said about you earlier. You pretty crazy! 

Angela Anaconda, “Boo Who?”

I don’t think there’s ever been a cartoon as divisive as Angela Anaconda—for those who actually remember it, that is. And that’s not just among different people, I myself still don’t know if I love it or absolutely despise it. I know as a kid, I sort of felt the same way. I watched it because it was... different. Not necessarily because it was by any means good. The photo-realistic-sort-of-puppet-like-claymotionish-stop-motion-esque-animation was intriguing. Also, I totally thought it was just a full-length Life with Loopy, which was apparently what most people who remember this also think (that was a *different* short from Kablam!). 

Ok, rewatching this... good Lord this is awful. Was the goal to make the main character as obnoxious and unlikeable as possible? Why does she (and everyone, for that matter) refer to each other by their first and last names? Was that a thing that kids were doing in the late ‘90s - early ‘00s? Let’s also talk about the weird one-dimensional characters: The nerdy kid gets picked on by his friends, the smart girl is defined only by her weight, and the Italian kid clearly has family ties to the mob. 

And oh my God, if I hear “on account of” one more time I’ll snap. Angela Anaconda’s like a prepubescent female version of Dr. Steve Brule, without any of the charm. 

Two of a Kind, “Nightmare on Carrie’s Street”

I’m not going to try and play it cool or act like I was above some trends from my youth, I’ll outright admit this: I was obsessed with anything and everything Mary Kate & Ashley. A hardcore Full House addict, an obsessive collector of The Adventures of Mary Kate & Ashley book AND VHS series, a You’re Invited to Mary Kate & Ashley’s... fiend. I had a hunger for the Olsen twins that couldn’t be satiated. I wanted to be friends with them. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to be them. I wanted a twin, goddammit. 

So suffice it to say, I was pretty stoked when Two of a Kind came around. It was around the time when their mystery and party series were winding down, and Full House had been off air long enough that even the Michelle book series was hard to come by. Two of a Kind was there to fill the gap in an almost Olsen-less world that I wouldn’t have wanted to live in. Two of a Kind was the reason. Two of a Kind was the answer.

Two of a Kind was pretty shitty.

It originally ran as part of the TGIF lineup (a fact I had actually forgotten), but I always caught the reruns on ABC Family, excuse me, FOX Family, right after S Club 7 in Miami.

Random thoughts about the episode: 

• Is the laugh track from this show the one that was also used by The Big Bang Theory? Clearly, the person in charge was just as trigger-happy about using it.
• The Olsen Twins are once again without a mother in a TV series. 
• The dude who played the dad looks way familiar. I looked him up on Wikipedia and he’s been in literally nothing else I’d recognize him from. Though he did apparently play Lord Farquaad in Shrek the Musical. 
• Carrie is a student of the dad’s, but she’s 26. I don’t know if there was supposed to be chemistry between her and him at some point. Like, isn’t that the only reason you have a single male and female interact in any sitcom?
• I remember watching this episode and being super stoked because I was also dressing up as a genie that year. (Except my costume was homemade by my grandma and WAY better, TBH.)
• Eddie is just like a random Italian friend. What was with kids’ TV in the early ‘00s and weird stereotypical Italians?
• Just once I’d like to see Ashley be the badass sister.
• So, the girls knew who Elvis was but not Cher?
• What kind of town are they living in where weird dudes hit on kids in costumes? I get why the dad wanted a chaperone...
• Babysitting must pay pretty well if a college girl can afford a big ass house of her own.
• Another late ‘90s - early ‘00s theme: not knowing what really obvious costumes are.
• Zorro kid clearly wins this episode.
• Blooper end credits ...a lost art.  

Pepper Ann, “A ‘Tween Halloween”

For me there’s nothing I miss more from my youth than going to my mom’s job at the racetrack on Saturday mornings to sit in the big chair in the boss’s office and watch One Saturday Morning on TV. Just hearing the theme song to Pepper Ann (albeit the abridged one included in this particular video) gives me all kinds of warm, fuzzy feelings. I’ve instantly transported to that time of my youth again, glued to the television, munching away at my McDonald’s breakfast sandwich, the scent of horse manure wafting up my nostrils. 

While I can hardly remember the specifics of any episodes of Pepper Ann, I just distinctly remember enjoying it. Watching this reminds me why episodes weren’t particularly memorable: the voice acting is not over the top, the plotlines are very low-key, and the humor is extremely quick-witted. And, for that, it makes for an excellent all-around show. After the cringe-worthy voice acting from Angela Anaconda, this is definitely a breath of fresh air. Pepper Ann was the quintessential “every” girl—a preteen I could relate to. Sure, this episode isn’t really great by Halloween special standards—it’s hardly spooky—but it’s funny, and it makes me hella nostalgic, and isn’t that what this whole project is all about? 

The Adventures of Pete and Pete, “Halloweenie”

There’s nothing that just screams autumn quite like The Adventures of Pete and Pete; a show in which the setting seemed to perpetually fall—perfect. I’ll admit that, while I did watch and enjoy this show as a kid, it's nowhere near the level of enjoyment I get from watching it now as an adult. This show doesn’t just withstand the tests of time, it completely demolishes them and rebuilds them, proving to be even funnier and more clever now. So, kudos to everyone behind this show—THIS is the best representation of all the good things about the ‘90s. 

But enough gushing about the show itself, let’s get to the HALLOWEEN episode, shall we? 

Random thoughts about the episode:

• Michelle Trachtenberg was super adorable. I love the way she pronounces certain words. I even enjoyed that in Harriet the Spy. 
• Best line: “It’s not a holiday for him, it’s a holy day. The gutted gourd is a gift to the gods.”
• Fuckin’ Iggy Pop. Good God, this show was great.
• Of all the “kids” programming I’ve watched so far, this one takes the “too old for trick-or-treating/Halloween” idea and does it right. There’s an actual fear there—and one of the worst kind for kids/teens—a fear of being mocked. 
• Young Danny Tamberelli vs. young Andy Lawrence—who was the better child actor?
• So, so many pumpkins were sacrificed in the making of this episode. It’s like Big Pete’s nightmare come true. 

Salute Your Shorts, “Zeke the Plumber”

Watch on DailyMotion.

Whenever ‘90s kids talk about ‘90s kid shows (and ‘90s kids will ALWAYS inevitably talk about ‘90s kid shows), I feel like I’m the only one who consistently brings up Salute Your Shorts. It was my favorite Nickelodeon live-action series. I liked that it didn’t pander to the lowest common denominator by forcing a laugh track, it assume that kids needed to be told when to laugh and find things funny. I liked that it took place at a summer camp, so no matter what time of year I watched it, I always got that taste of summer and the hopes and joys summer vacation would bring. It was much more entertaining than the bland shitshow that was Hey Dude!. And there was fart humor in it. A lot of it. No, rewatching it as an adult, it is not particularly funny or entertaining. But as a kid? Man, this slapped.

So, without further ado, I present the episode all ‘90s kids reference when Salute Your Shorts is brought up: Zeke the Plumber!

Random thoughts about the episode:

• Do you think Ug has ever killed a kid?
• I know Mikey was supposed to be the “cute” one, but I always preferred Pinksy from season 2. He was just a better character. 
• No, seriously, do you think Ug has ever killed a kid?
• I forgot just how much casual fart humor there was in this show.
• I like how there’s no sort of forced lesson or friendship, the bully gets his in the end and then gets abandoned in the woods with his greatest fear and his shit stolen. 
• Ok, I’m pretty sure Ug has definitely killed a kid.
• Oh, Camp Anawanna, I’ll always hold you in my heart. 

Boy Meets World, “The Witches of Pennbrooke”

Watch on DailyMotion.

Sure, everyone references the “And Then There Was Shawn” episode when discussing Boy Meets World Halloween specials, but that was hardly my favorite. Ok, it was actually a pretty great episode, but Shawn’s melodramatic “Boohoo, I blame myself for Cory and Topanga’s breakup, and I need them to be together” bullshit at the end always completely ruined the episode for me. In fact, if I’m being completely honest, I was never that big a fan of Boy Meets World BECAUSE of Shawn’s melodramatic bullshit that always bummed me out.

I liked when they made Eric a full-blown idiot, though.

That being said: I present The Witches of Pennbrooke, my preferred Halloween BMW ep. It focuses on the Eric-Jack relationship (this takes place during the time my attention shifted to Matthew Lawrence instead of his older brother), Shawn actually plays a humorous part (and ends up tied to a balcony by himself), and Cory and Topanga’s side plot is short/barely even there. Also, DJ Tanner plays a psychotic seductress witch (and OMG the fab ‘90s witchy velvet dresses), and it all ends with a cameo by Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Perfection. 

Roseanne, “Boo!”  

How do you choose just one Roseanne Halloween episode when the Queen of Halloween had a good one every season? Roseanne did it right, going all out every year for Halloween, alternating between suspend-disbelief-fantasy episodes to just funny ones about the family doing their best to uphold their wacky Halloween traditions. 

Tiny Toon Adventures, “Night Ghoulery”

Watch on DailyMotion.

It’s no shock that Tiny Toon Adventures did some of the best stuff for Halloween. There’s so much awesomeness here I’ll just have to make a list of my thoughts! 

Random thoughts about the episode:

• The ending of “The Tell-Tale Vacuum” was pretty damn dark. Where are those attachments going to go??
• Church Lady reference!
• Nice Jacoby and Meyers plug! 
• Another staple of Tiny Toon Adventures: excellent fourth-wall breaking. 
• How bout that Shannon Doherty dig? Me-ow!  
• I was almost expecting a video for “Hell” by the Squirrel Nut Zippers a la They Might Be Giants.
• A reference to my favorite Abbott and Costello movie? Good Lord this cartoon just keeps getting better. Good on you, WB.
• Elmira was my favorite annoying character. 
• Halloween-themed END credits too? As far as kids’ Halloween specials go, Tiny Toon Adventures wins in my book. 

3rd Rock from the Sun, “Scaredy Dick”

Watch on DailyMotion.

"Where are your buccaneers?"

“Under my bucking hat.”

Bonus Entry: Under Wraps

Sure, Halloweentown is the reigning king of Disney Channel Original Halloween Movies, but there will always be a soft spot in my heart for the earlier Under Wraps (that “All By Myself” scene, tho).

It seems like the O.G. may have been lost to the sands of time, but there is a newly-released remake on Disney+ that I, admittedly, have not watched. But that might just change tonight.

Alright! Thanks for walking down Memory Lane with me! I hope these were all the treats you’re looking for this Halloween weekend. Be safe, have fun, and stay spooky!