The 13 Best Creepy Episodes From (Mostly) Not Creepy Shows
TV shows love to make a big change during the Halloween season, with shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine , Bob’s Burgers , How I Met Your Mother , The Goldbergs , Modern Family , The Office , etc. are all shows that have Halloween episodes featuring characters almost every year. dress up and take part in spooky seasonal pranks. Some series, however, go a little further, taking advantage of the opportunity to deviate sharply from the typical style: The Simpsons episodes “Treehouse of Horror” are among the most beloved, throwing out any logic the series has in favor of an anthology format in which what might happen anything, and most likely it will be bloody.
That’s what we’re celebrating here. I generally avoid the more typical Halloween episodes – the ones Roseanne has rightfully become famous for – in favor of shows that try to do something truly spooky. Sometimes these episodes throw logic out the window for a week; others suggest it was all a bad dream; while the boldest of them manage to barely squeeze horrifying events into the continuity of shows that aren’t known for their quirkiness (looking at you, The Waltons ). If you need to spice up your TV viewing with some horror in anticipation of the spooky season, these are all good options.
“And Then There Was Sean”, “Boy Meets World”
Season 5, Episode 17
One of the most memorable episodes of Boy Meets World , it definitely gave some ’90s kids nightmares. Recently separated, Corey (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) get into a fight that lands the entire gang in after-hours detention. The creepy janitor locks them all up, and the words “No one gets out alive” are scrawled in blood on the board. They leave the classroom only to find the building locked with chains and then begin to die. Pencil over head; back scissors; a stack of books to the head… as the suspects are eliminated one by one, the gang is forced to conclude that the killer must be one of them. It’s essentially a creepy parody of slasher films in general, as well as films like Scream , which were all the rage around 1998.
Where to watch: Disney+.
“The Empty Child”, Doctor Who
Season 1, Episode 9
Doctor Who , famous for making kids hide behind the sofa in the 70s, is no stranger to scary monsters. However, this standout character from the early days of the show’s revival is a creepy standout character of all time. The Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) is sent with his companion Rose (Billie Piper) into the midst of the London Blitz. The pervasive horror of the era provides an unnerving backdrop for the show’s creepiest creation: a child in a gas mask asking, “Are you my mother?” everyone he meets. Trust me: it’s scary. The story, the first of two parts, concludes with the equally spectacular “Doctor Dance.”
Where to stream: Max
“Seven Little Indians”, Facts from life
Season 8, Episode 12
It’s late night and the end of the series: Mrs. Garrett has left, replaced by Beverly Ann, played by Cloris Leachman, who runs a Spencer Gifts-style novelty and sundries store with the help of the girls and sometimes neighbor George Clooney. In this episode of The Twilight Zone, a killer stalks a gang on a dark and stormy night, using the latest dice and neon inflatables to serve as an effective murder weapon. As in the Agatha Christie book to which the title refers, they begin to fall one by one – even George Clooney, whose character probably had a name, is not safe. It’s more silly than scary and perfect for the faint of heart.
Where to watch: Tubi
“Bunny Ears”, “American Dad”
Season 14, Episode 4
After picking up an old TV from the trash, Stan finds himself obsessed with an old 1960s TV series – the only one in the box. The jazzy, boozy Playboy After Dark style show doesn’t show up in Google search results, and Stan discovers that only a very small group of people have ever heard of it. There is only one episode, but it changes slightly on repeat viewings. And that’s before Stan notices his missing friend in the background. This is American Dad , so there’s a lot of silliness, but it all has a real Black Mirror / Twilight Zone feel to it. This is a parody episode that takes the source material quite seriously and ends up being actually a little scary.
Where to watch: Hulu
“The Changeling”, The Waltons
Season 7, Episode 5
Whatever else you may remember about this regular country show, from time to time there was some really weird shit going down on Walton’s Mountain. In an earlier episode, the family dabbled in sessions, but this one absolutely nailed it. Walton’s youngest daughter Elizabeth is about to turn 13 and is struggling with the appeal of youthful femininity, but also with her reluctance to give up little girly things. That’s absolutely all you need to summon a poltergeist – wind out of nowhere ruffling everyone’s hair, vases breaking on the floor, radios not working and phones ringing for no reason. The “real” Enfield poltergeist had been in the news shortly before this episode aired, and Carrie was quite a success; it is not difficult to see the influence of both here. In many of the episodes on this list, horror elements in non-genre series turn out to be dreams, fantasies, or easily explainable misunderstandings. Not here! Everything the family experiences is 100% Walton canon.
Where to watch: Freevee
“Schisms”, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”
Season 6, Episode 5
You wouldn’t expect an alien abduction story to work on TNG, at least not as horror; after all, these people live and work (and sometimes fight) with aliens every day. Yet something strange is happening to First Officer Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and several other crew members. They show signs of sleep deprivation, are on edge, and all have strange reactions to everyday objects. A trip to the Holodeck helps them collectively recreate a room they can all only vaguely remember. Dr. Crusher is horrified to discover that Riker’s arm was recently cut off and then surgically reattached – you’d think he’d remember it. The atmosphere is actually mysterious and creepy, giving The X-Files a run for its money.
Where to watch: Paramount+
“Epidemiology”, Community
Season 2, Episode 6
Maybe don’t buy party snacks from a military store. Just a thought. The gang’s annual Halloween party includes the aforementioned snacks and a playlist consisting entirely of ABBA music, with a zombie-like infection spreading quickly through bites. The only solution is to lower the temperature in the building to stop the spread of infection, which can only be achieved by a scary trek through a damp basement inhabited by one completely deranged cat.
Where to stream: Peacock
Teddy Perkins, Atlanta
Season 2, episode 6
While we’re on the subject of Donald Glover concerts, Atlanta takes a wild detour when Lakeith Stanfield’s Darius answers an ad for a free piano owned by the famous musician. He ends up in a mansion, under the supervision of a very pale and very strange man (who, it must be said, looks a lot like Michael Jackson), who claims to be the brother of the owner of the piano. Darius really wants to get the piano, but he feels like he’s being held back, like he wasn’t going to leave. But he doesn’t. Comedy and horror can be a powerful mixture, and in this case, the funny moments only make things more disturbing. This single episode is a half-hour horror movie, period.
Where to watch: Hulu
“Just the Four of Us”, “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse”
Season 1, Episode 10
Donald and Daisy Duck are exhausted as hell, and it’s hard to blame them. Reminiscing about double dates and death-defying adventures with Mickey and Minnie, these two really just want to hang out at home and watch TV. When they turn down a date by telling their friends that they are sick, their mouse pals decide to come and take care of them. Play some very interesting horror music. The short sequence is a lot of fun thanks to its eerie horror-movie atmosphere as the Ducks hide in terror while their overprotective pals search for them. It’s a pretty clever parody of a horror movie, and it’s downright scary if you’ve ever just wanted to spend the night at home.
Where to watch: Disney+.
“Toys in the Attic”, Cowboy Bebop
Season 1, Episode 11
The anime epic Cowboy Bebop played in a variety of styles and tones throughout its fairly short (only 26 episodes) run. The episodes were alternately dark, emotional, or downright silly, and “Toys in the Attic” is one of the series’ most impressive tonal achievements, combining an impressively constructed and creepy homage to the Alien (a mysterious creature stalks the team, immobilizing them one by one). one) with a really stupid reveal in the final act. That chuckle at the end doesn’t take away from the creepiness that came before.
Where to watch: Hulu
“Boogeyman”, “Quantum Leap”
Season 3, Episode 5
Quantum Leap’s anthology-like format lends itself to a variety of tones and genres, although the show rarely ventured into horror territory. But here we have one of the creepiest episodes of the series, and also one of the strangest. Sam (Scott Bakula) dives into the life of horror writer Joshua Ray on Halloween in 1964, when Joshua was planning a local haunted house attraction with the help of his fiancée Mary and his assistant Stevie (a nod to Stephen King). . People around Sam/Joshua begin to die under mysterious circumstances, and his friendly hologram Al (Dean Stockwell) fails to act on his own. I’m just going to spoil this: it’s because Al isn’t Al, he’s been replaced by a real Devil that Sam must fight before he can jump into his next adventure.
Where to watch: digital rental.
“Village Murder”, Torchwood
Season 1, Episode 6
The Doctor Who spin-off primarily involved a major government agency dealing with strange mysteries involving aliens. Here’s how it goes: 17 people have gone missing from a small area in rural Wales, and locals are worried that an unexplained “they” may be coming for them. Sure looks like aliens, doesn’t it? The team finds themselves being hunted as they investigate increasingly brutal murders, before discovering in the most disturbing way imaginable that humans are capable of far worse acts than any alien invader.
Where to stream: Max
“Puppet”, “Fringe”
Season 3, Episode 9
I don’t think we talk enough about Fringe , a very smart sci-fi crime film that was a true successor to The X-Files (which had a more satisfying conclusion than that series ever had) but also handled it well with the problem of multiple universes. before Marvel started hitting us over the head with it. The show may have gotten creepy, but it certainly made an impression: the team hunts a man (played by Mark Ivanir) who runs around collecting organs (a heart, a pair of eyes, small ones) while seemingly trying to keep his victims alive. It seems like he was trying to revive a ballerina who died by suicide, creating a truly chilling plot that makes the episode’s title quite literal.