While everyone has their favorite Halloween movies, some of our favorite TV shows also have thematic episodes. These are easy watches to have on in the background while decorating, passing out treats or just setting the mood.
From iconic costume reveals and chaotic office rivalries to spooktacular Halloween heists, the best comedy series know how to turn autumn nostalgia into pure entertainment.
To save you from endlessly scrolling through streaming menus trying to remember which season had that one costume or plot twist, I’ve mapped out a streamable guide to the absolute best Halloween episodes across our favorite shows. Grab some corn candy and Butterfingers quickly navigate to your favorite shows and let the terrors and hilarity roll!
Ghosts (US) - Paramount (or purchased on Amazon Prime)
- Season 1, Episode 5: "Halloween" - Sam and Jay try to protect Woodstone Mansion from neighborhood teens who vandalize the property every Halloween. Meanwhile, the ghosts panic when Thor accidentally sets fire to the freshly renovated gazebo while trying to turn off the lights.
Season 2, Episode 5: "Halloween 2: The Ghost of Trevor's Past" – The Woodstone spirits throw a Halloween party, and Sam and Jay try to impress some snobby neighborhood friends.
Season 3, Episode 4: "Halloween 3: The Guest Who Wouldn't Leave" – Sam and Jay try to get rid of a persistent ghost/guest at the house.
Season 4, Episode 4: "Halloween 4: The Body" - Sam hosts a Halloween yard sale to sell old mansion odds and ends, but chaos ensues when Patience puts Sam on trial for witchcraft.
The Big Bang Theory - HBO Max
- Season 1, Episode 6: "The Middle Earth Paradigm" – Penny throws a Halloween costume party, where the guys all show up as different variations of The Flash (and things get wonderfully awkward).
- Season 4, Episode 11: "The Justice League Recombination" – (Bonus costume episode - New Year's, not Halloween): The guys dress as the Justice League for a New Year's Eve contest at the comic book store with Penny and Zack.
- Season 5, Episode 7: "The Good Guy Fluctuation" - Sheldon attempts to scare the guys for Halloween
- Season 6, Episode 5: "The Holographic Excitation" – Howard and Bernadette host a Halloween party at the apartment.
- Season 12, Episode 6: "The Imitation Perturbation" - Howard dresses as Sheldon; Halloween tension
Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Peacock / Netflix
Season 1, Episode 6: "Halloween" – The original bet between Jake and Holt that started the iconic Halloween Heist tradition.
Season 2, Episode 4: "Halloween II" – Holt tries to get revenge after losing the first heist.
Season 3, Episode 5: "Halloween III" – Amy takes on both Jake and Holt to prove herself.
Season 4, Episode 5: "Halloween IV" – The precinct scrambles to win ultimate bragging rights.
Season 5, Episode 4: "HalloVeen" – A heist full of surprises, including a life-changing proposal.
Season 6, Episode 16: "Cinco de Mayo" – (Note: The precinct holds the heist in May since Halloween was canceled, but it keeps the true Halloween spirit!)
Season 7, Episode 11: "Valloweaster" – A triple-holiday heist spanning Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Easter.
Season 8, Episode 9 & 10: "The The Last Day (Parts 1 & 2)" - The final series finale heist
Friends - HBO Max
Season 8, Episode 6: "The One with the Halloween Party" – Monica and Chandler throw a costume party where Phoebe dresses as Supergirl, Ross as "Spud-nik" (a potato satellite), and Chandler as a pink bunny.
Scrubs - Hulu
Season 2, Episode 6: "My Big Brother" – The canonical Halloween episode where the hospital staff dresses in costumes, Dr. Kelso pulls a gorilla suit trick, and J.D.and Turk spend Halloween night at a bar wearing pig heads.
Family Guy - Hulu
Season 4, Episode 26: "Petergeist" – Peter accidentally disturbs an ancient Indian burial ground in his backyard, unleashing terrifying paranormal hauntings upon the Griffin home.
Season 9, Episode 4: "Halloween on Spooner Street" – Brian takes Stewie trick-or-treating, Meg attends a costume party, and Peter and the guys wage a prank war.
Season 14, Episode 4: "Peternormal Activity" – Peter and the guys try to write a horror movie at an abandoned asylum, but panic when they accidentally kill a security guard.
Season 20, Episode 3: "Must Love Dogs" – Quagmire meets a woman who loves dogs, forcing him to pretend he owns one while trick-or-treating with Stewie and Brian.
The Simpsons - Disney+ / Hulu
No list of Halloween episodes would be complete without the longest running animated sitcom's storied history of horror hilarity. Nearly every season features a Treehouse of Horror Special. A few absolute standouts include:
Season 2, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror" - The very first classic: the haunted house and "The Raven".
Season 5, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror IV" - "Bart Simpson's Dracula" and Homer selling his soul for a donut.
Season 6, Episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror V" - The legendary The Shining parody: "No TV and no beer make Homer go crazy".
Season 27, Episode 4: "Halloween of Horror" - Rare canonical, non-Treehouse Halloween story
Here is the full listing:
- Season 2, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror" – A haunted house turns deadly, Kang and Kodos arrive to fatten the family, and Lisa recites "The Raven"
- Season 3, Episode 7: "Treehouse of Horror II" – A cursed monkey's paw grants disastrous wishes, Bart gains telepathic powers, and Burns builds a robot with Homer's brain
- Season 4, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror III" – An evil Krusty doll attacks Homer, King Homer falls for Marge, and zombies invade Springfield
- Season 5, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror IV" – Homer sells his soul for a donut, Bart spots a gremlin on the bus, and Mr. Burns is a vampire
- Season 6, Episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror V" – Homer goes crazy at an isolated hotel, a broken toaster travels through time, and teachers eat the students
- Season 7, Episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror VI" – Giant advertising mascots come to life, Groundskeeper Willie stalks dreams, and Homer enters a 3D dimension
- Season 8, Episode 7: "Treehouse of Horror VII" – Bart discovers his evil twin Hugo, Lisa creates a tiny civilization, and Kang and Kodos run for president
- Season 9, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror VIII" – Homer survives a nuclear bomb, Bart merges with a fly, and Marge is accused of witchcraft
- Season 10, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror IX" – A killer toupee possesses Homer, Bart and Lisa enter an Itchy & Scratchy cartoon, and Maggie turns out to be an alien
- Season 11, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror X" – The family covers up Flanders' death, Bart and Lisa get superpowers, and Y2K brings apocalypse
- Season 12, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XI" – Homer tries to perform a good deed for Heaven, fairy tales get dark twists, and dolphins conquer the land
- Season 13, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XII" – A gypsy curses the family, an ultra-smart home falls in love with Marge, and Bart attends wizard school
- Season 14, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XIII" – Homer uses a magical hammock to clone himself, gun-control ghosts attack, and Dr. Hibbert turns people into animals
- Season 15, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XIV" – Homer becomes the Grim Reaper, Frink reanimates his dad, and Bart and Milhouse stop time
- Season 16, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XV" – Flanders predicts deaths, Victorian Eliza Simpson hunts Jack the Ripper, and the family explores Mr. Burns' body
- Season 17, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XVI" – A robot boy replaces Bart, Mr. Burns hunts humans for sport, and a costume party curse turns adults into real monsters
- Season 18, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XVII" – Homer becomes a giant gluttonous blob, a Golem terrorizes town, and Orson Welles' alien hoax comes true
- Season 19, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror XVIII" – Bart and Lisa harbor a stranded alien, Homer becomes a celebrity hitman, and Flanders hosts "Heck House"
- Season 20, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XIX" – Homer kills celebrities for advertising rights, Milhouse awaits the Grand Pumpkin, and giant transformers battle
- Season 21, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XX" – Classic movie monsters clash, tainted burgers turn Springfield into zombies, and Moe brews a theater-themed musical beer
- Season 22, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXI" – Board games come to life, Homer and Marge rescue a strange passenger, and Lisa falls for a young vampire
- Season 22, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXI" – Board games come to life, Homer and Marge rescue a strange passenger, and Lisa falls for a young vampire
- Season 23, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror XXII" – Paralyzed Homer communicates via gas, Flanders turns into a Dexter-style vigilante, and Bart enters an alien avatar world
- Season 24, Episode 2: "Treehouse of Horror XXIII" – A black hole swallows Springfield, a demon stalks the house, and Bart time-travels to 1974
- Season 25, Episode 2: "Treehouse of Horror XXIV" – Homer goes on a Dr. Seuss rampage, Bart's head is sewn to Lisa's body, and a 1930s circus hides dark secrets
- Season 26, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXV" – Bart and Lisa visit Hell school, Stanley Kubrick films get parodied, and the modern Simpsons meet their 1987 Ullman-era selves
- Season 27, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror XXVI" – Sideshow Bob finally kills Bart repeatedly, Homer becomes a giant Godzilla-style monster, and three kids gain superpowers
- Season 28, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXVII" – Kids fight in a battle royale, Sarah Wiggum turns out to be an undercover agent, and Lisa's imaginary friend kills people
- Season 29, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII" – A possessed book controls Maggie, Lisa enters a Coraline-style world, and Homer turns into a cannibal
- Season 30, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXIX" – Plant aliens invade Springfield, Lisa suffers from multiple personalities, and senior citizens turn into dinosaurs
- Season 31, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXX" – Milhouse gets trapped in an upside-down dimension, dead Homer shifts into new bodies, and Selma marries a sea creature
- Season 32, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXXI" – Homer sleeps through Election Day with terrible consequences, a toy world turns dark, and Homer gets trapped in a time loop
- Season 33, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror XXXII" – Trees seek vengeance, Homer retells a dark Bambi story, and a creepy book haunts Marge
- Season 34, Episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII" – Marge fights a demonic picture book monster, Lisa uses a death notebook to target criminals, and a Westworld-style park collapses
- Season 35, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror XXXIV" – Bart gets turned into an NFT, adult Lisa consults Sideshow Bob to track a killer, and infected beer creates zombies
- Season 36, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror XXXV" – Political rage spawns giant kaiju monsters, Victorian Mr. Burns is haunted by ghosts, and Homer is possessed by alien jeans
- Season 37, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror XXXVI" – The town is menaced by a mysterious, murdering monster from out of the sewers
Bonus Standalone Horror Specials:
Season 27, Episode 4: "Halloween of Horror" – Homer and Lisa defend the house from angry Halloween pop-up store employees
Season 31, Episode 8: "Thanksgiving of Horror" – A holiday trilogy featuring turkey massacres, an AI Marge, and a cranberry sauce space monster
Season 34, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror Presents: Not It" – A full-length Stephen King parody where Krusto the Clown terrorizes young Homer and friends
South Park - HBO Max / Paramount+
- Season 1, Episode 7: "Pinkeye" – A space station crash causes a zombie outbreak that the town doctor mistakes for pinkeye.
- Season 2, Episode 15: "Spookyfish" – Aunt Flo buys Stan a killer goldfish while Cartman's polite, goatee-wearing evil twin appears from a parallel universe.
- Season 3, Episode 10:"Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery" – The rock band Korn helps the boys solve a Scooby-Doo-style mystery involving pirate ghosts haunting the docks.
- Season 10, Episode 11:"Hell on Earth 2006" – Satan throws a lavish MTV My Super Sweet 16-style Halloween party in Los Angeles while the boys summon Biggie Smalls.
- Season 16, Episode 12: "A Nightmare on Face Time" – Randy buys a deserted Blockbuster Video and slowly loses his mind Shining-style while Stan tricks-or-treats via iPad.
- Season 21, Episode 6: "Sons a Witches" – The men of South Park hold their annual drinking ritual in the woods dressed as witches until a real witch attacks the town.
- Season 22, Episode 5: "The Scoots" – E-scooters invade South Park on Halloween night, threatening to wipe out the town's entire candy supply.
- Season 23, Episode 5: "Tegridy Farms Halloween Special" – Randy brews a special Halloween strain of weed while Butters falls victim to a haunted museum exhibit.
Bonus/Borderline Halloween-Adjacent Episodes
Season 17, Episode 4: "Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Posers" – The Goth kids fight back when Emo kids start turning everyone in school into "posers".
Season 24, Episode 1: "The Pandemic Special" – Randy hosts a special "Special" event with Halloween-themed decorations and antics throughout the town.
Modern Family - Hulu
Season 2, Episode 6: "Halloween" – Claire turns the Dunphy home into a haunted house, but everyone's personal chaos threatens her elaborate plans.
Season 4, Episode 6: "Open House of Horrors" – Claire is forced to tone down her terrifying pranks while Phil tries to host a Halloween open house.
Season 6, Episode 6: "Halloween 3: AwesomeLand" – Phil takes over decorating duties with an "AwesomeLand" theme, while Jay wants to dress up as Prince Charming.
Season 8, Episode 5: "Halloween 4: The Revenge of Rod Skyhook" – Luke throws a Halloween party that falls flat until the family steps in to save it.
Season 9, Episode 5: "It's the Great Pumpkin, Phil Dunphy" – Phil and Claire realize their kids are outgrowing their obsessive love for Halloween.
Season 10, Episode 5: "Good Grief" – The family navigates Halloween night after receiving unexpected, bittersweet family news.
Season 11, Episode 5: "The Last Halloween" – Phil plans a terrifying scare for Claire, and the family celebrates their final official Halloween together.
Community - Hulu
Season 1, Episode 7: "Introduction to Statistics" – Annie throws a Halloween party for extra credit, where Jeff tries to romance his professor while dressed as Batman.
Season 2, Episode 6: "Epidemiology" – Tainted military surplus taco meat turns Greendale's Halloween party into a full-blown zombie outbreak set to ABBA's greatest hits.
Season 3, Episode 5: "Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps" – Britta gives the study group psychological evaluations, prompting everyone to tell their own personalized campfire horror story.
Season 4, Episode 2: "Paranormal Parentage" – The study group visits Pierce's eerie mansion on Halloween to find his emergency panic room code.
The Office (US) - Peacock / Netflix
Season 2, Episode 5: "Halloween" РMichael has to fire someone by the end of the day while wearing a two-headed paper-m̢ch̩ costume.
Season 5, Episode 6: "Employee Transfer" – Pam is the only one in costume (Charlie Chaplin) at the corporate office.
Season 6, Episode 8: "Koi Pond" - Includes the famous deleted cold open where Michael hosts a haunted house in the warehouse
Season 7, Episode 6: "Costume Contest" – The office competes aggressively for a coupon book.
Season 8, Episode 5: "Spooked" – Erin tries to throw an adult Halloween party for Andy.
Season 9, Episode 5: "Here Comes Treble" – Andy's old acapella group visits, leading to tension with Dwight in a pumpkin head.
Parks and Recreation - Peacock
Season 2, Episode 7: "Greg Pikitis" – Leslie wages war against her teenage prankster nemesis on Halloween night.
Season 4, Episode 5: "Meet 'n' Greet" – April and Andy host a chaotic Halloween house party.
Season 5, Episode 5: "Halloween Surprise" – Features Ben's iconic proposal to Leslie.
Season 6, Episode 7: "Recall Vote" – Leslie tries to distract herself from local politics with a haunted house
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