8 Fantastic Halloween-Themed TV Episodes From The 90s
As a professional creepy bitch and child of the 90s, few things spark greater joy for me than Halloween episodes of 90s shows. Most of these shows geared towards kids and teens knew their audience would love these holiday episodes. Because we are still talking about them, they were right. Because I am a working creepy bitch, I figured this might be a cool streaming guide idea. So, I rounded up some iconic Halloween episodes of some of the most 90s shows of the 90s. Grab your hair scrunchie, your Bop It, and your Gameboy Color. We are off to see Mr. Feeny and remember a simpler time.
Boy Meets World
And Then There Was Shawn (Season 5, Episode 17)
Where You Can Watch: Disney+
Cory and Topanga have broken up, and things have escalated to the point where their whole group gets sentenced to detention. Things go off the rails when people start dying, and the gang finds themselves locked inside the school. This list would feel incomplete without this parody of late 90s slashers. It is equal parts laughs and nostalgia and demands your attention right now.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Fear, Itself (Season 4, Episode 4)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu and The Roku Channel
The Scooby Gang talks Buffy into going to a frat party for Halloween, where they get terrorized by a demonic force. Before Joss Whedon needed us to know that he was the actual villain, Buffy was the show to watch. While they kept it creepy all year, their Halloween episodes always stood out. This one gives me the warm and fuzzies because it is the first one with my fave, Anya!
Dawson’s Creek
The Scare (Season 1, Episode 11)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu and HBOMax
Dawson holds a seance on Friday the 13th as Jen receives disturbing phone calls while a killer is loose in Capeside. Technically, it’s a Friday the 13th episode, but the show was a midseason replacement, and they wore sweaters. Also, the show was created by Kevin Williamson, so it dipped its toes into the scary waters a few times over. Plus this is my list, so it stays, and you are welcome.
Doug
Doug’s Halloween Adventure (Season 4, Episode 4)
Where You Can Watch: Paramount+,
Doug and Skeeter find themselves locked in Funkytown with Roger Klotz. What was a simple errand to ride the “Threshold of Death” becomes a scare-off with their nemesis. Doug was THE cartoon of the 90s, and they stepped up Funkytown for what is still one of my favorite Nickelodeon Halloween episodes. Put on your best sweater vest and hum along to the theme song with me.
Family Matters
Stevil (Season 8, Episode 7)
Where You Can Watch: HBOMax
Steve has a ventriloquist doll that comes to life and decides to terrorize the Winslows. This episode is disturbing for many reasons. First, why would anyone give Urkel a ventriloquist doll? Second, he was putting this family through enough without a smaller evil version of himself trying to cause chaos. This is too many Urkels and might be the scariest episode on the list.
Freaks And Geeks
Tricks And Treats (Season 1, Episode 3)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu, Paramount+, and Pluto TV
Halloween sucks at the Weir’s home. Sam and Lindsay end up drifting further apart as she plays a harsh prank on her brother before realizing who he is. It’s a sad and funny episode that was normal for this beloved series. This show was canceled too soon, and this episode is specifically the moment when I knew I had a crush on Martin Starr. His Bill Haverchuck dressed as the Bionic Woman is the only Bionic Woman I know, and I will not be taking questions at this time!
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Hex and The Single Guy (Season 4, Episode 7)
Where You Can Watch: HBOMax
Hilary decides to contact her dead ex-fiancé via a Halloween seance. However, the psychic gets annoyed with Will and hexes him as a bonus. As much as I loved the Bel-Air shenanigans, having them remember Halloween felt extra special. It was also funny to see someone put Will in his place in real time and teach him a lesson. It had fallen on various exes and Uncle Phil for far too long.
Hey Arnold!
Arnold’s Halloween (Season 2, Episode 7)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu and Paramount+
Arnold and the gang decide to go big for a Halloween prank and fake a news broadcast of an alien invasion. Nods to Orson Welles that we didn’t fully get as children abound in this beloved episode. It also holds a special place in my heart because the episodes with the full ensemble are always golden.
Let me know if your favorite 90s Halloween episode didn’t make the list at @misssharai.
