Best Halloween TV Episodes of All Time: ‘Modern Family, ‘Black-ish’ and More

Credit: ABC (2); FX; Netflix

Best Halloween TV Episodes of All Time: 'Modern Family, 'Black-ish' and More

Fall is filled with traditions such as apple picking, carving pumpkins and sipping cider, but it's also the perfect time to watch Halloween hijinks from our favorite shows. Friends mastered the genre when it aired "The One With the Halloween Party" in 2001. The episode had the sitcom's trademark jokes with the added fun of the group in costumes. Boy Meets World's 1998 episode "And Then There Was Shawn" is another Halloween TV classic. Although the episode originally aired in February, it gained a cult following after airing in October for years after its premiere. The episode was an homage to the teen slasher film genre, which were wildly popular in the late '90s due to films such as Scream (1996). Jennifer Love Hewitt also made a cameo appearance in the episode after skyrocketing to stardom in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997). Scroll down for some of the best Halloween episodes to watch this season.  

Credit: ABC (2); FX; Netflix

Best Halloween TV Episodes of All Time: 'Modern Family, 'Black-ish' and More

Fall is filled with traditions such as apple picking, carving pumpkins and sipping cider, but it's also the perfect time to watch Halloween hijinks from our favorite shows. Friends mastered the genre when it aired "The One With the Halloween Party" in 2001. The episode had the sitcom's trademark jokes with the added fun of the group in costumes. Boy Meets World's 1998 episode "And Then There Was Shawn" is another Halloween TV classic. Although the episode originally aired in February, it gained a cult following after airing in October for years after its premiere. The episode was an homage to the teen slasher film genre, which were wildly popular in the late '90s due to films such as Scream (1996). Jennifer Love Hewitt also made a cameo appearance in the episode after skyrocketing to stardom in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997). Scroll down for some of the best Halloween episodes to watch this season.  

Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

How I Met Your Mother — "The Slutty Pumpkin Returns"

Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) hits it off with a girl in a pumpkin costume at a Halloween party but loses her number. He goes to the same party every year looking for the girl, who he knows only as the "Slutty Pumpkin." Years later, Ted finds her and learns her name is Naomi (Katie Holmes). The pair briefly date but eventually discover they're incompatible.

Credit: Giphy

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

The Peanuts Halloween special has been a staple on TV since it first aired in 1966. Every year, Linus camps out in hopes of seeing the Great Pumpkin while Charlie Brown only gets rocks when he goes trick-or-treating. In 2020, the special moved to Apple TV+ marking the first year it wouldn't air on network TV.

Credit: Giphy

Friends — "The One With the Halloween Party"

Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica (Courteney Cox) decide to throw a last-minute Halloween party in one of the most memorable episodes from the sitcom. Chandler wears a pink bunny costume but Ross (David Schwimmer) steals the show in his “Spudnick” attire — a potato with a satellite on his head. Meanwhile, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) realizes she's not cut out for motherhood as she hands out candy to kids. Phoebe has her own adventure when she runs into her twin sister, Ursula, and meets her fiancé (Penn).

Credit: ABC/KAREN NEAL

Modern Family — "Halloween"

Claire (Julie Bowen) wants to have an epic Halloween celebration with her family at their house. The holiday brings up painful memories for Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) while Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) has a hard day at work. Gloria (Sofia Vergara) also struggles after Jay (Ed O'Neill) and Manny (Rico Rodriguez) tease her about her accent.

Credit: Netflix

Stranger Things — "Trick or Treat, Freak"

The kids go trick-or-treating dressed as Ghostbusters when Will (Noah Schnapp) sees something suspicious. Meanwhile, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) misses Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), and Nancy (Natalia Dyer) comes to grips with the death of her friend Barb (Shannon Purser).

Credit: YouTube

Boy Meets World — "And Then There Was Shawn"

The episode parodies the teen slasher genre with Cory (Ben Savage), Shawn (Rider Strong), Topanga (Danielle Fishel) and Angela (Trina McGee) getting trapped in the school with a killer. Scream queen Hewitt also makes a guest appearance as Jennifer Love Fefferman.

Credit: Chris Haston/NBC

The Office — "Costume Contest"

The employees celebrate Halloween with a costume contest at the office. Michael (Steve Carell) gets upset when Darryl (Craig Robinson) goes over his head to pitch an idea to corporate. Pam (Jenna Fischer) tries to find out why Danny (Timothy Olyphant) didn't call her back when they dated four years ago.

Credit: YouTube

Brooklyn 99 — "Halloween III"

The group compete in their annual Halloween heist to decide who is Ultimate Human/Genius and Jake (Andy Samberg) tries to steal Holt's (Andre Braugher) Medal of Valor.

Credit: Justin Lubin/NBC

Community — "Epidemiology"

The Dean (Jim Rash) throws a Halloween party on campus where guests become sick after accidentally eating a hazardous substance. The sickness turns those affected into violent zombies and the study group must try to escape.

Credit: YouTube

Freaks and Geeks — "Tricks and Treats"

Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) is forced to hand out candy to kids while Sam (John Francis Daley) is determined to have one last Halloween trick-or-treating before he gets too old.

Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless

Black-ish — "The Purge"

Junior (Marcus Scribner) embarrasses Dre (Anthony Anderson) during a basketball game, which causes Dre to devise a master prank. The neighborhood later takes part in mischief night, where petty crimes are legal.

Credit: Ray Mickshaw/FX

American Horror Story — "Halloween" Parts 1 and 2

Secrets from the past resurface when Vivien (Connie Britton) and Ben (Dylan McDermott) are visited by the former owners of their house. Tate (Evan Peters) and Violet (Taissa Farmiga) are harassed by bloody teens while on a date.

Credit: YouTube

Buffy the Vampire Slayer — "Fear Itself"

Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) attends a Halloween party with Willow (Alyson Hannigan), Oz (Seth Green) and Xander (Nicholas Brendon), which turns into a night of terror.