The Simpsons has been a fixture of Halloween for over 30 years now, ever since the everlasting animated series served up its first “Treehouse of Horror” anthology episode in its second season back in 1990. Since then, fans have revisited those extra-special episodes over and over again as each October has come and gone, with another being added to the tradition each year. Sure enough, 2022 sees the debut of Treehouse of Horror XXXIII, plus an additional bonus episode.
But if you’ve already exhausted your “Treehouse of Horror” rewatch ahead of the big day, you might be looking for some fresh spooky animated content to watch. In that case, let’s climb outside of that much-visited treehouse and shine a light on some of the other great Halloween episodes in animated TV history, which sadly don’t receive as much love as they deserve due to The Simpsons‘ stranglehold on the subgenre. As an added treat (not trick), we’ll even tell you where you can stream them.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Apple TV Plus)
Let’s kick things off with the most definitive animated Halloween special outside of the Treehouse of Horrors. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, with its charming tale of Linus being the only one of his friends to believe in the titular Halloween mascot, has been an October fixture for generations, ever since it first premiered in 1966. And, yes, The Simpsons got around to parodying this one, too, with Milhouse in the Linus role and the twist that the Great Pumpkin actually is real.
Marvel’s What If…?: “What If… Zombies?” (Disney Plus)
Before Werewolf by Night landed this October, the zombie-themed episode of What If…? was the closest thing the MCU had to a Halloween special. As based on the Marvel Zombies comic series, this episode of the anthology series is set in a universe where only a few of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes survive in an undead-dominated world. Marvel wins the competition for most OP-ed zombies ever, thanks to the appearances of Zombie Scarlet Witch, Zombie Doctor Strange, and more.
Bob’s Burgers: “Full Bars” (Hulu)
In season 3’s “Full Bars.” Louise, Tina, and Gene’s night promises to be the best Halloween ever when they’re allowed to go trick-or-treating unsupervised for the first time at King’s Head Island, a swanky neighborhood where the locals give out full-size candy bars. But things take a turn when the trio finds themselves in the middle of the fabled Hell Hunt, an annual custom where the mean teens target the younger kids. Can the Belcher siblings escape without being pelted by pee-filled water balloons?
BoJack Horseman: “Mr. Peanutbutter’s Boos” (Netflix)
As the title suggests, this season five episode focuses on BoJack’s rival and friend Mr. Peanutbutter, as the golden Labrador attends BoJack’s latest Halloween party with his new girlfriend and ends up reminiscing on parties past, from the 1990s to the present day. In typical BH style, the episode is full of big laughs but also some poignant themes as Peanutbutter reflects on the same mistakes he continually keeps making in his relationships.
Spectacular Spider-Man: “The Uncertainty Principal” (Netflix)
There have been many Spidey animated series, but fans widely agree that the sadly short-lived Spectacular Spider-Man is the best. And this high-stakes Halloween episode is a great example of why. Peter Parker’s attempts to attend a street party with his friends are thwarted when he engages in one final battle with the Green Goblin, finally learning his arch-enemy’s true identity in the process — and it’s a reveal that will surprise even hardcore fans.
Toy Story of Terror (Disney Plus)
Toy Story is not the first franchise you think of when it comes to Halloween, but Disney nevertheless gave us this fun TV special in 2013. Set after Toy Story 3, Toy Story of Terror sees the gang forced to spend the night at a creepy motel. When the toys start going missing, it’s up to Woody, Buzz, and Jessie (yes, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack reprise their roles) to get to the bottom of the dark secret at work in the motel. While not exactly scary, this is an underrated entry in the Toy Story saga.
Gravity Falls: “Summerween” (Disney Plus)
With its brilliant blend of sitcom laughs and supernatural shenanigans, Gravity Falls essentially serves up a “Treehouse of Horror” every week so naturally, its actual dedicated Halloween episode is a winner. While celebrating Summerween (the people of Gravity Falls love Halloween so much, they have it twice a year), Dipper and Mabel run afoul of the Summerween Trickster, easily one of the creepiest creatures from the series, thanks to its eerie grinning mask and child-eating tendencies.
SpongeBob SquarePants: “Scaredy Pants/I Was a Teenage Gary” (Paramount Plus)
SpongeBob has served up so many great Halloween episodes over the years, but its best is probably its very first which offers two of the most memorable SpongeBob segments in its history. “Scaredy Pants” sees SpongeBob and friends face off against the ghost of the Flying Dutchman, in his debut appearance, while “I Was a Teenage Gary” apes werewolf B-movies by seeing the sponge transform into a were-snail. A shout-out also has to go to season 3’s iconic “Graveyard Shift.”
Avatar: The Last Airbender: “The Puppetmaster” (Paramount Plus)
“The Puppetmaster” is a fan-favorite episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender thanks to it being easily one of the darkest offerings from the beloved series, essentially serving as a mini-horror movie. A Katara-focused episode, it sees Aang and his friends come upon a creepy village that’s been home to some mysterious disappearances. In terms of the show’s lore, “The Puppetmaster” is notable for introducing the concept of bloodbending, which would go on to become more important in The Legend of Korra.
Over the Garden Wall: “Into the Unknown” (Hulu)
Over the Garden Wall is one long (I say long, the entire show comprises about 100 minutes) Halloween special, but the miniseries’ penultimate episode genuinely is set on the night of October 31. Typically, most animated shows use their Halloween episodes as an excuse to get extra weird. But seeing as OtGW is always extra-weird this one actually goes more grounded as we finally learn about Wirt and Greg’s backstories. If you love Halloween-themed animation and somehow haven’t seen Over the Garden Wall yet, you need to rectify that right now.
