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Inspired by the Pretty Little Liars “Halloween Event,” which revealed the origins of the lesbian character Emily’s girl/girl attraction, we took a walk down memory lane and found a few of our favorite Halloween themed episodes of favorite shows from throughout the years.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
While it's not technically an episode since there was no weekly series, The Peanuts Halloween special is a must-see. The special follows unlucky Charlie Brown and blankie-toting Linus, who hold out belief in the Great Pumpkin, despite their friends' ridicule. Filled with political and cultural innuendo that you may have missed as a kid, nothing says Halloween spirit like some candy corn and a screening of this annual classic. Lucy's the boss as usual, and keep your eyes peeled for gay-fave Peppermint Patty.
The Cosby Show
In a cute rather than creepy Halloween episode, Vanessa matures with a boy/girl Halloween party but the real showstopper: the gorgeous Phylicia Rashad dressed as Tina Turner! Yes, please!
The Facts of Life
In a horror themed “Seven Little Indians” Halloween episode a Rod Serling look-alike narrates as the girls are killed off one-by-one and Tootie is left to face the killer. With the chiller effects and usually bright girls gone gory this one was a very different episode for the sitcom that often offered up a sunny moral of the week.
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My So-Called Life
The short-lived but groundbreaking series managed to get in a Halloween episode before cancellation. And it was a good one! The best disaffected teen ever, Angela (Claire Danes), dressed as the hottest vintage nerd ever, breaks into the school in search of the ghost of Nicky Driscoll, a greaser student who died in the 1960s and reminds her ominously of her own Jordan Catalano. Little sister Danielle does a killer Angela impression with her hyper-colored hair, look of disdain, and flannel costume, the parents get frisky playing dress up as pirates and Rayanne gets locked in the basement with Brian Krakow -- much to her dismay.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy and the Scooby Gang really came into their own in the series first Halloween special episode in Season 2. When a spell causes the gang to become their costumed personas, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is left a helpless damsel in distress and it’s up to Willow (Alyson Hannigan), dressed as a sexy revealing ghost, to take the lead. The stakes are never higher than when Buffy was incapacitated and seeing the female leads switch their usual roles of savior and victim was a kick for lady fans.
Roseanne
Before The Simpsons, it was Roseanne that provided our annual TV scare. The favorite holiday of the Connor family, in season 2’s episode “Boo,” they host a gory Haunted House in their home and Rosanne and Dan try to one-up each other with frightful surprises all night long.
The Simpsons
“The Treehouse of Horror” yearly installments of the long running animated series are a Halloween institution. From How To Cook Humans, alien invasions, to The Shining-like Homer meltdowns, vampire Bart, and millions more memorable moments, it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t have a favorite.
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Friends
In season 8’s The One With the Halloween Party, most people probably remember that Sean Penn was the guest star. But for us, it was the showdown between Courtney Cox and Lisa Kudrow for the cutest costume that was our treat that year. Pheobe is one sexy Super Girl (cape to match!) while Monica made with the skin-tight catsuit and ears to become a frisky Catwoman.
That 70s Show
The group ventures out of Foreman’s basement in this Hitchcock-heavy tribute Halloween episode, “Too Old To Trick Or Treat, To Young To Die.” Fez (dressed as Frank‘N’Furter from Rocky Horror) hurts his ankle and lives a Rear Window experience while in his wheelchair. Eric has frightening Vertigo, Kitty has a scary Birds run-in while feeding a neighbors pets, Kelso runs from a toy flyer plane a la North By Northwest, and then has a Physcho shower. It’s a cinephiles dream Halloween show. Plus, Donna (Laura Prepon) plays a mysterious trench-coated blond.
Glee
It’s only right for the gayest show on television to cover the gayest Halloween movie with a special "Time-Warp" tribute episode, “The Rocky Horror Glee Show.” Mercedes (Amber Riley) made a terrific Frank-n- Furter and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), Quinn (Dianna Agron), and Santana (Naya Rivera) looked to die for in their Rocky costumes and the talented young cast successfully recaptured the mad energy of the original.
Pretty Little Liars
The Halloween Event, essentially a stand-alone prequel –- or origin story -- flashes back to a time when Alison was still alive and tormenting everyone at school, when “A” began his / her reign as the ultimate blackmailer via technology, when Jenna (Tammin Sursok) still had her sight, and when Emily (Shay Mitchell) began checking out other girls!
