I’ve been entertaining myself this past week with the Halloween episodes of some of my favorite shows. Here are a few of the things that make for my perfect Halloween show:

• Fun costumes that reveal the hidden ego, desires, or emotional state of the characters.
• Wacky hijinks. 
• Dash of romance. Duh.
• Bonus if there’s a theme of female empowerment.

~Shriek!~ I’m in.

My Five Fave Halloween TV Episodes (This Year Anyway)

Rutherford Falls, Season 2, Episode 6, “Halloween”

“For me, Halloween is about celebrating our trickster side. Besides, pumpkins are Indigenous.”

Fun costumes: Reagan thinks she and her new boyfriend have the perfect couples costume as hot dog and ketchup. Yeah, it totally backfires.

Wacky hijinks: An escalating competition at the Halloween house party doesn’t end well for everyone.

Dash of romance: Lovable doofus Nathan’s trying to win back the affections of the high-powered woman he’s having a baby with. Reagan and her boyfriend have to confront and overcome their insecurities about their new relationship. 

Bonus: The independent, non-“tradish” woman is successful in her romantic relationships.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4, Episode 4, “Fear, Itself”

“What you got in the basket, little girl?“
“Weapons.”

Fun costumes: Buffy’s dressed totally against type as Little Red Riding Hood. She’s going through a romantic heartache, so she’s also returning to simpler innocent times with the hand made costume her mother sewed for her when she was a kid. 

Wacky hijinks: Giles with a chainsaw. That alone says it all.

Dash of romance: This is the episode where Xander and ex-demon Anya make their relationship status official. There’s also the hint that there’s something better on the horizon for Buffy in the wake of the jerk who ditched her. 

Bonus: Buffy totally kicks ass in her dress and sneakers, emerging from her funk over the aforementioned jerk.

Valeria, Season 2, Episode 5, “Melt Down”

“Can I be alone? Maybe I’ll think about it tonight. It’s Halloween.”

Fun costumes: Valeria dresses as Edgar Allan Poe which is appropriate because she’s a writer. Only problem is, no one gets who she’s dressed as. Her friend Lola, who reminds me of my main character in my Revealing Me series, shows up as a she-devil. Her outfit is a bad ass power suit, integrating both masculine and feminine aspects of herself.

Wacky hijinks: Two of the four friends don’t want to go out. The other two friends venture out together, looking for action. They get it. Just not necessarily in the form they were hoping for.

Dash of romance: Remember the above mentioned costume nobody could name? Well, the on-again-off-again suitor nails it. Talk about the perfect romantic beat. 

Bonus: All four women come to realize what they truly want.

Charmed (the reboot), Season 1, Episode 3, “Sweet Tooth”

“‘Glamours. Spells to alter the appearance of people and objects.’ Yes, please.”

Fun costumes: There’s this cool subplot where sister Macy reveals she doesn’t like to dress sexy because of the boxes Black women get put in. Maggie gives her a little inspiration and transforms her into a glorious Persephone.

Wacky hijinks: The glamour spell, baby. The glamour spell. 

Dash of romance: Maggie reconnects with the cute student who defended her against a rude customer.

Bonus: An updated, sex positive, feminist take on the virginity trope. 

Sabrina the Teenage Witch (90s version), Season 2, Episode 7, “A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It”

“I can’t have a party at my house.”
“Why not? Your house is cool. It’s old, gothic . . . kinda spooky.”
“Right. It’s all wrong for a Halloween party.”

Fun costumes: Well, there is a duck. 

Wacky hijinks: The episode title is one clue. Sabrina is worried the kids at school are going to see all the witchy things that happen at her house. Her aunts assure her it’ll be fine. Then the furniture starts talking. 

Dash of romance: There’s the chance that Sabrina’s dorky, eager-to-fit-in friend Valerie won’t have to dance all alone after all. 

Bonus: For one night of the year, Sabrina gets to be her true witchy self.

What are your favorite TV Halloween episodes? Let me know in the comments or social media.