7. Dawson’s Creek – “The Scare”
Dawson convinces the gang to participate in a seance on Friday the 13th. While preparing for the evening, they meet a mysterious young woman and extend to her an invitation to contact the dead. During the seance, the group is spooked by Dawson’s pranks and ghost stories in addition to news reports of a serial killer on the loose. The spoof of “Scream” is one of the drama’s best known eps. –MH (COURTESY OF THE WB)
8. Modern Family – “Halloween”
Claire wants the family to come together on Halloween, which she’s officially dubbed her holiday. Cam is not-so tight-lipped about his childhood trauma while trick-or-treating and Gloria takes criticism of her accent to heart (“You put egg on my house, I kill what you love,” she yells to a pack of kids at one point). –MH (COURTESY OF ABC)
9. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – “Fear, Itself”
Buffy and her friends are trapped in a haunted frat house battling bats and zombies on Halloween. All hell breaks loose (literally) when he party’s host inadvertently summons the fear demon Gachnar. Fun fact: The house featured in this episode also starred as Murder House on the first season of “American Horror Story.” –JB (COURTESY OF THE WB)
10. The Simpsons – “Treehouse of Horror”
Probably the most famous Halloween special goes to “The Simpsons’” “Treehouse of Horror” episodes that have aired since 1990. This year marked the 26th “Treehouse” episode from the long-running cartoon’s 27 seasons. The regular characters take on different roles in the specials, which have parodied “The Shining,” “The Twilight Zone” and “28 Days Later.” –MH (COURTESY OF FOX)
11. M*A*S*H – “Trick or Treatment”
The staff dons costumes for the annual 4077th Halloween party with Hawkeye as Superman, B.J. as a clown, Margaret as a geisha, Colonel Potter as a cowboy and Klinger as Al Capone. In the operating room, Winchester is being bogged down by incoming patients, including one who is presumed dead, while the surgeons trade ghost stories. –JB (COURTESY OF CBS)
12. Glee – “The Rocky Horror Glee Show”
The episode covered seven selections from the 1975 cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The Glee Club attempts to adapt the film as its annual school musical after Will learns that Emma recently became a fan of the cult favorite. –MH (COURTESY OF FOX)
13. Gilmore Girls – “Twenty-One is the Loneliest Number”
Lorelei and Rory’s estrangement keeps the mother and daughter from celebrating on Rory’s 21st birthday. Instead, Emily takes it upon herself to throw her granddaughter a party, but she has no interest in attending the bash. –MH (COURTESY OF THE CW)
14. Cheers – “House of Horrors With Formal Dining and Used Brick”
Carla buys a new house and learns that it was built on a 17th century prison graveyard. Hilarity (and horror) ensue when Cliff agrees to spend the first night with her in the haunted house. –MH (COURTESY OF NBC)
15. Freaks and Geeks – “Tricks and Treats”
Halloween falls apart for Sam, Lindsay and their parents. Sam and his friends are humiliated for trick-or-treating at their age and Lindsay goes too far with her destructive tricks. What could be better? Bill dresses up as the Bionic Woman (“No, these are not bionic. These are all me,” he says about his stuffed bra.) –JB (COURTESY OF NBC)
