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With Halloween right around the corner, everyone seems to be buzzing about the scary movies and television shows they’re streaming. While horror and scares are always welcome during this time, it’s important to remember that some comedic relief is always necessary. And speaking as someone who doesn’t particularly love the jaw-dropping, eye-covering, sleep-with-the-lights-on stories, I have been watching some of my favorite Halloween television episodes that aren’t scary, instead of the requisite screamfests.
It’s worth mentioning that many of the episodes I’ve picked for this list come from shows that, as a whole, are definitely worth the watch anyway. Any time a television show has a holiday-themed episode I’m automatically intrigued, but part of the beauty of these episodes is that you don’t necessarily need all that much background knowledge of the shows themselves to understand the plot and comedic value.
From Friends, to Modern Family, to How I Met Your Mother, here are five iconic Halloween sitcom episodes to watch on the spookiest weekend of the year.
'Friends' Season 8, Episode 6 "The One With The Halloween Party"
I’m sure this one was expected, but it is truly an iconic episode. In Season 8, our favorite friend group comes together to celebrate the holiday with “The One With The Halloween Party” (Episode 6). Monica goes all out by planning a spooktacular Halloween party for the group with just one rule: everyone must come in a costume. The group shows up and shows out with costumes including Catwoman, a pink bunny, Supergirl, Spud-Nik and a ball gown. While all this is going on, Rachel runs around trying to keep up with the trick-or-treaters and Phoebe runs into an unexpected guest.
'Modern Family' Season 2, Episode 6 "Halloween"
If there’s one holiday the Modern Family bunch knows how to do well, it’s Halloween. For seven consecutive seasons, audiences have enjoyed some of the funniest Halloween episodes on TV. That being said, I would argue that one of the funniest episodes is in Season 2. Episode 6, “Halloween”, features Claire’s undaunted dedication to the holiday as she tirelessly works to make her dreams of scaring people come true. After turning the Dunphy residence into a haunted house with incredible detail, Claire bestows every Dunphy family member a unique role, and costume, to bring her vision to life. When the house doesn’t exactly meet Claire’s high Halloween standards, the Dunphys rally together to make it work and deliver a heart-warming family moment that captures the true essence of the show.
'The Office' Season 7, Episode 6 "Costume Contest"
Think about your work Halloween party… Mediocre, right? Your colleagues get together for a small happy hour, some wearing basic cat ears or a funny mask, and call it a day. Not in Scranton. While every season of The Office has a delightful Halloween episode, one of the best is in Season 7. In “Costume Contest”, the beloved employees embark on yet another high-stakes costume contest with one goal in mind: win Pam’s Scranton-area coupon book. Aside from the hilariously confounding and differing ideas about what the prize actually entails, the episode follows the coworkers as they second guess their initial costumes, change their outfits mid-day, and enter into a suspenseful debate over who the true winner is.
'New Girl' Season 2, Episode 6 "Halloween"
We all know the popular roommates in New Girl are well-versed in sly, sneaky tricks; so naturally, they pull out all the stops on Halloween. In Season 2, Episode 6 titled “Halloween”, the group tries to enjoy the spooky festivities with show-stopping costumes, while they navigate their complicated relationship statuses. As Jess tries to figure out her feelings with her casual fling, Nick accidentally finds himself in a serious relationship with an old flame. Winston worries that his relationship is on the rocks, and Shmidt is forced to face a frightening realization: Cece isn’t single anymore so he must move on. These disastrous situations hit a breaking point when the group enters a haunted house. Let’s just say, you’ll be screaming with laughter as they scream in fear—and at each other.
'How I Met Your Mother' Season 7, Episode 6 "Slutty Pumpkin"
On our Halloween journey, we’re bringing it back to the very first season of How I Met Your Mother with Episode 6 entitled “Slutty Pumpkin,” complete with costume quick changes and hilarious relationship obstacles. This episode sets some roots for important discoveries later on in the series, which makes it a must-watch. As Ted declares he will be waiting for the “Slutty Pumpkin” as he does every year, Lily and Marshall are excited to show off their highly anticipated costumes. While Barney opines on the importance of “slutty” costumes, Robin and Mike have a bit of a miscommunication in their costume planning. Even though their plans are hilariously different, the group sets out to have an enjoyable night… or so they hope.
