Everyone loves a good seasonal episode. In numerous beloved sitcoms, they provide a break from any ongoing storylines and give fans a glimpse into characters’ quirkier sides.
With the season’s spookiest holiday right around the corner, fans are returning to old favorites to dredge up the very best Halloween episodes they can find. Fans of Community are in luck⏤four seasons of this irreverent comedy sport their own stellar Halloween episodes, complete with inside jokes, delightful costumes, and plenty of hijinks.
Community fans will argue that every episode of the six-season-long sitcom has merit, but some simply shine brighter than others. Such is also the case with the show’s Halloween episodes. While all four Halloween episodes are a delight to watch, a few are simply spectacular. Here are all four Community Halloween episodes, ranked from worst to best.
4. “Paranormal Parentage” (Season 4, Episode 2)
It’s not overly surprising that the least-liked Community Halloween episode comes from its fourth season. The season saw Dan Harmon removed as showrunner, a change that many viewers feel was reflected in the quality of the episodes. Despite this fact, the season received relatively good reviews and several of its episodes are fondly remembered by fans. The Halloween episode is among this season’s better entries, thanks to its fun twist on typical Halloween comedy fare. Rather than simply focusing on the study group enjoying a Halloween party or arguing over costumes, this episode sees the group attempting to save Pierce from his own panic room, which he finds himself locked inside.
3. “Introduction to Statistics” (Season 1, Episode 7)
Community’s very first Halloween episode laid the groundwork for numerous longstanding jokes and character traits that would last for years. Fans weren’t as familiar with the study group’s individual quirks and charming traits this early in the series, so it makes sense that this early episode falls lower on many fans’ lists than other spooky entries. Despite this, the episode is fondly remembered by Community fans thanks to its careful balance of heart and comedy. Introduction to Statistics sees Annie attempting to plan a Dia de Los Muertos party, which Jeff⏤her VIP guest⏤predictably attempts to avoid. Several standout lines keep this episode memorable, despite an overall clunkiness in its execution.
2. “Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps” (Season 3, Episode 5)
By the time season 3 of Community came around, fans had learned to expect its episodes to occasionally veer into non-traditional storytelling methods. It’s one of the things that makes the show such a phenomenon and helps the third season’s Halloween episode to stand out among its peers. The episode takes an anthology-style approach to its storytelling, allowing each character to share his or her own spooky tales with predictably hilarious results.
1. “Epidemiology” (Season 2, Episode 6)
Season 2’s Halloween entry is arguably one of Community’s best overall episodes. It borrows heavily from the immensely popular zombie genre, littering the episode with humorous and genuinely thrilling action sequences and homages to flesh-eating favorites. References to horror classics, including Dawn of the Dead and Alien, are littered throughout, and the general mix of parody and classic Community humor lands flawlessly. It was one of the series’ early attempts to really push the bounds of what viewers expected and it helped critics and fans alike to realize all the potential this oddball comedy had to offer.
