7 Halloween sitcom specials to watch

Like spooky marathons, this is the best time of the year to indulge in fun and entertaining Halloween sitcom specials. Many long-running sitcoms tend to make special episodes for Halloween, which is also the case for Christmas. Fans welcome these episodes because they get to see their favorite characters dress up and get into crazy shenanigans that match the mood of the celebration.

October, in general, tends to witness a considerable amount of scary releases, which is enjoyable for horror fans, but there is such a thing as too many jump scares. And so, Halloween sitcom specials help break the monotony by infusing clever lines and funny moments. Given that Halloween comes around every year, there are quite a few Halloween sitcom specials that viewers can choose from.

In this list, we look at the most memorable Halloween sitcom specials that viewers can rewatch repeatedly, without getting bored.

Disclaimer: This list contains information from various sources. It reflects the writer’s opinion, and individual opinions may vary.

Trick-or-Treat, Meet ‘N’ Greet, and five other Halloween sitcom specials that are spookily addictive

1) Good Will Haunting: Sabrina the Teenage Witch (season 3, episode 6)

Before Sabrina Spellman appeared in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018), the character appeared in another TV adaptation titled Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996). This sitcom, starring Melissa Joan Hart in the lead, ran for 7 seasons and 163 episodes. It wasn’t as dark as Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, but it still featured some horror-themed storylines, including this Halloween sitcom special.

In this episode, Caroline Rhea’s Hilda and Beth Broderick’s Zelda have to attend Aunt Beulah’s dreaded Halloween party. Sabrina is able to opt out thanks to a double date. However, Beulah sends her a magical talking doll, Molly Dolly, who starts to wreak havoc on her guests as soon as Hilda and Zelda leave the house.

This spooky factor of this Halloween sitcom special may not be scary enough for ardent horror fans, but viewers looking for exciting twists and funny lines will find it engaging.

Where to watch: Sabrina the Teenage Witch is available on Paramount+, Apple TV+, and Prime Video.

2) The One with the Halloween Party: Friends (season 8, episode 6)

Even though Friends ran for 10 seasons and 236 episodes, it didn’t have a dedicated Halloween sitcom special each season. In fact, this is one of the rare episodes wherein fans got to see the gang dress up in fun costumes.

A lot is happening in this Halloween sitcom special. Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel tries to work on her communication skills with young children, which ends in a disaster. Phoebe, portrayed by Lisa Kudrow, realizes that her twin sister has been lying to her fiancé. Ross (David Schwimmer) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) have an arm-wrestling match that lasts forever.

Episodes with guest appearances tend to make a bigger impact on fans. This Halloween sitcom special features Sean Penn, who portrays Eric, Ursula’s fiancé.

Where to watch: Friends can be streamed on HBO Max, Netflix, and Prime Video.

3) Halloween: The Office (season 2, episode 5)

Who needs ghosts and goblins when the threat of layoffs can strike terror in people’s hearts? This Halloween sitcom special from The Office makes this unconventional story arc work.

Across 9 seasons and 201 episodes, this award-winning show witnessed several Halloween episodes, but as the first themed episode, this Halloween sitcom special helped set the bar for all the others that came after.

In this Halloween sitcom special, Steve Carell’s Michael is asked to fire someone, but given his aversion to confrontation, he puts it off till the last moment, which dampens Halloween celebrations. In addition to the premise, the episode also features several creative costumes, including Michael’s paper mâché version of himself perched on his shoulder and Dwight’s (Rainn Wilson) Sith Lord costume.

Where to watch: The Office is available for streaming on Disney+, Peacock, Netflix, and Prime Video.

4) Halloween: Modern Family (season 2, episode 6)

Across 11 seasons and 250 episodes, the characters of Modern Family find themselves involved in many absurd situations, and this Halloween sitcom special is no different.

Julie Bowen’s Claire is invested in turning the Dunphy residence into a haunted house, but Phil (Ty Burrell) mistakes her preoccupation as a sign of marital unhappiness. Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Mitchell tries to hide his costume at work while Eric Stonestreet’s Cameron fixates on a childhood trauma. At the same time, Sofía Vergara’s Gloria corrects her accent to avoid teasing from her family.

This Halloween sitcom special ensures that all the subplots merge well with the theme so that they feel plausible and relatable. The characters’ eccentricities play a central role in establishing the episode’s tone.

Where to watch: Modern Family can be streamed on Hulu, Disney+, and Prime Video.

5) Meet ‘N’ Greet: Parks and Recreation (season 4, episode 5)

Containing 7 seasons and 126 episodes, Parks and Recreation is one show that keeps the viewer guessing because it is nearly impossible to predict where the plot is headed at any given point. This Halloween sitcom special is the perfect example of the same.

Chris Pratt’s Andy and Aubrey Plaza’s April throw a Halloween party, but their roommate, Ben (Adam Scott), doesn’t get an invite, leading to many passive-aggressive interactions. Amy Poehler’s Leslie takes help from Aziz Ansari’s Tom to organize an important meet and greet, which backfires. Nick Offerman’s Ron spends the party fixing things around the house with Ann’s (Rashida Jones) help.

Like everything else in town, Pawnee’s Halloween celebrations have a distinctive charm that comes through in this Halloween sitcom special.

Where to watch: Parks and Recreation is available on Peacock, Apple TV+, and Prime Video.

6) Trick-or-Treat: Superstore (season 5, episode 6)

Fans of Superstore are well aware that the employees working at Cloud 9 are extremely talented when it comes to putting together impressive costumes. Containing six seasons and 113 episodes, Superstore has several themed episodes, but this Halloween sitcom special is particularly memorable for fans because it features several exciting subplots.

America Ferrera’s Amy has to distract the new District manager so that their attempt to unionize isn’t hampered. At the same time, there is a serial killer loose in town. Nico Santos’ Mateo and Nichole Sakura’s Cheyenne deliberate on whether one of the employees could be the killer, hiding in plain sight. Mark McKinney’s Glenn is forced to confront his fears.

Even though different characters are focused on different things, this Halloween sitcom special never loses its focus and presents a cohesive narrative that leads to a satisfying ending.

Where to watch: Superstore can be streamed on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Prime Video.

7) The Last Day: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Season 8, Episodes 9 and 10)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, containing 8 seasons and 153 episodes, introduced an exciting Halloween heist ritual that fans would eagerly await each season. Even though the challenge was first issued between Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta and Andre Braugher’s Captain Raymond Holt in season one, the whole squad became increasingly involved as time passed.

This Halloween sitcom special, encompassing two back-to-back episodes, is particularly memorable because it marks the precinct’s last “heist” before Holt and Amy (Melissa Fumero) leave the precinct. It also features a shocking revelation involving Jake’s decision to leave the precinct to focus on parenting.

It is always sad to say goodbye to beloved characters, but Brooklyn Nine-Nine cleverly used the heist angle to end things on a fun note with this series finale.

Where to watch: Brooklyn Nine-Nine is available for streaming on Apple TV+, Peacock, Prime Video, and Netflix.

Halloween fans should make a point to watch these Halloween sitcom specials because they are humorous, engaging, and entertaining.