halloween done right - television edition duh

Growing up it was about the sitcom. TGIF on Friday's (obviously), reruns of basically everything from 1992 and before after school and endless hours of The Simspsons, me not appreciating Seinfeld and being upset that Frasier pushed back The Golden Girls back an hour on Lifetime. Sitcoms knew how to rock the Halloween special. Now most television bothers too much with "story lines" and "avoiding plot holes" so it's hard to make a good Halloween or even Christmas episode lately. There are some classics that can't be touched, and a few newer shows that have carried on the tradition.


From youtube.

We always start with the King. The Jaguar of Halloween television, Home Improvement. There are too many to narrow down, I feel that all of these episodes should be individually celebrated but really, who has the time? SEVEN Halloween specials. SEVEN out of EIGHT seasons had one (shame on you season 1). So to rattle off, the quintessential Haunting of Taylor House. Brad as Raggedy Andy only to be ditched by Jennifer and Rider Strong. Jill as a freaking CARROT, the atom boy and Al's head in a toolbox. Yes.

And the rest in order of best to worst, because obviously Haunting of Taylor House is the best: A Night To Dismember (gothic Mark), Crazy For You (crazy stalker lady), Betwitched (Wilson's witchy date), I Was a Teenage Taylor (mainly for the Buzz/Simba reference), Let Them Eat Cake (pumpkin Wilson, and the honestly pretty boring Borland Ambiton (golf attire).


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Frasier was a big fan of THEME PARTIES. First, in Halloween, Niles hosted a party and asked everyone to come dressed as a character from literature. In Room Full Of Heroes, Frasier has everyone dress up as their, well, heroes. And then in Tales From The Crypt, they just all play some pranks. Not your best, Frasier.


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Now Roseanne does have one more Halloween special than Home Improvement so I'm fine with dubbing her the queen. Trick or Treat messed with gender roles, Halloween IV was probably my favorite with a sort of Christmas Carol vibe (they did it before Tim Burton. Or did they? Someone look that up) and I cannot leave out The Final Chapter because hello, she names her baby after Jerry Garcia.


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One show that usually nailed it on the Halloween front was The Office. Let's take the time to admire Jim Halpert's amazing costume choices. Jim successfully pulled off Bookface, three-hole-punch Jim, Dave and Popeye (once he became married and boring). I can also commend Michael Scott's paper mache twin head, the multiple Joker costumes (RIP Heath) and that one time Ryan went as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. Though Kelly Kapoor pulling off Carrie Bradshaw was also very astonishing.


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There have been a few great costumes and recurring story lines revolving around Halloween in How I Met Your Mother but really the ones worth mentioning are The Slutty Pumpkin in season 1 and The Slutty Pumpkin Returns in season 7 (and she returned again briefly LAST WEEK). Ted met a slutty pumpkin in 2001 and every Halloween he waits for her at the rooftop party. She doesn't show up again until 2007 (good job losing her phone number there buddy). That's a long time to wait and go figure she isn't even the mother, but she's Katie Holmes and she loves Barenaked Ladies. Deal breaker.

Now just wait until Christmas.