Everybody loves watching their favourite sitcom characters costume up for an evening of mischief — however the most effective Halloween episodes are those that dare to suppose exterior the field.
Boy Meets World’s “And Then There Was Shawn” suits that mildew. The season 5 episode, which aired in February 1998, was directed by Jeff McCracken and written by Jeff Menell and marked a artistic change in route for the sometimes formulated household comedy collection.
The story follows the aftermath of Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga’s (Danielle Fishel) breakup, which leaves their finest pal, Shawn (Rider Robust), reeling. When a spat a couple of pencil with classmate Kenny (Richard Lee Jackson) escalates, the trio — together with Angela (Trina McGee), Eric (Will Friedle), Jack (Matthew Lawrence) and Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) — discover themselves locked inside the college after a day of detention with a killer on the free.
With real bounce scares, bloody deaths and countless references to ‘90s horror flicks, “And Then There Was Shawn” took Boy Meets World to a spot no different community sitcom had gone earlier than.
“I keep in mind considering it was probably the most bonkers factor on the planet,” Robust informed Leisure Weekly in August 2022, noting that whereas the present had carried out a “few episodes that went form of loopy” — like their crossover with Sabrina the Teenage Witch — he was by no means a fan of “breaking the principles” of the present’s construction till studying the script for “And Then There Was Shawn.”
“I keep in mind loving this one from the get-go. We simply thought it was hysterical,” he stated. “I’m an enormous fan of horror movies. I used to be a fan of Scream and the revival of horror movies that was happening at that second. So I simply keep in mind loving it.”
One thing else the episode had these different sitcoms didn’t? A cameo by Friedle’s then-girlfriend, Jennifer Love Hewitt, who had just lately starred in horror blockbuster I Know What You Did Final Summer time.
“Love and I had been courting for some time by that time,” Friedle defined to EW about how her position took place. “I believe that was a yr and a half or two years into our relationship. I do know [cocreator] Michael Jacobs needed to have anyone from the horror franchises. … So he requested me if I’d ask her if she could be on the present. We had been very shut on the time, so she knew everyone on the forged, clearly, and everyone knew her properly, so it appeared like an excellent match.”
Whereas the precise killer seems to be (spoiler alert!) Shawn himself — a reveal the forged felt was barely too “tacky” of a proof to suit into the episode’s spookier narrative — Robust, Friedle and Fishel nonetheless keep in mind the expertise as their “finest” time on set throughout Boy Meets World’s run. McCracken, nevertheless, might have had a unique expertise as director.
“Directorially, this episode was a catastrophe for Jeff. He was so sad with us,” Robust quipped. “It’s very laborious to do single-camera jokes and results with a multi-camera crew. He clearly was attempting to do particular photographs and particular homages and bizarre little tilts, and I believe it was only a nightmare. We didn’t assist by continuously making one another snicker and never taking the job critically. I believe it was a very robust episode for Jeff.”
Maintain scrolling in your information to the most effective Halloween sitcoms of all time:
1 of 13
‘Parks and Recreation’: ‘Greg Pikitis’ (Season 2, Episode 7)
Setting the stage for what could be a stream of stellar Halloween installments, Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) tries to cease a highschool punk — sure, named Greg Pikitis — from his custom of vandalizing the city’s park each Halloween.
The episode’s pleasure comes from seeing Leslie — who’s normally at all times one step forward — get bested by an arch nemesis who simply occurs to be a young person. Pikitis (performed by Cody Klop) would proceed to make random cameos all through Parks and Rec’s seven seasons, making a hilarious runner for the collection.
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‘The Workplace’: ‘Halloween’ (Season 2, Episode 5)
The Workplace is understood for its vacation episodes, however season 2’s “Halloween” is what began all of it. Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is pressured by company to fireplace somebody by the top of the day, placing a damper on the workplace Halloween occasion. We don’t wish to give away the ending, however Michael’s procrastination — and indecision — leaves the workers in utter chaos.
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‘Brooklyn 99’: ‘Halloween’ (Season 1, Episode 6)
One other first Halloween-themed episode that may spark a pattern, Brooklyn 99’s sixth episode of season 1 would lay a basis for a practice of Halloween Heists.
Extra simplistic than the heists that observe, “Halloween” begins with Jake (Andy Samberg) trying to prank Holt (Andre Braugher) by taking his Medal of Valor from his workplace. Holt, as regular, is the unwilling participant in Jake’s antics, however there are nonetheless a number of plot twists that can depart you stunned and delighted.
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‘Boy Meets World’: ‘And Then There Was Shawn’ (Season 5, Episode 17)
The gang — who’re fractured after Cory and Topanga’s surprising breakup — discover themselves locked inside the highschool attempting to dodge a serial killer who’s taking them out one after the other.
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‘Neighborhood’: ‘Epidemiology’ (Season 2, Episode 6)
Greendale college students ingest a biohazardous substance at a Halloween occasion that turns them into zombies. The Military locks down the campus, leaving Jeff (Joel McHale) and his associates from the research group to search out an escape earlier than in addition they turn into contaminated. With references to Daybreak of the Useless, Alien and extra, the episode is the proper mix of hilarious and horrific.
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‘Fashionable Household’: ‘Halloween’ (Season 2, Episode 6)
A girl after our personal hearts, Claire (Julie Bowen) seems to be obsessive about all issues Halloween – and prepares to make the Dunphy home as spooktacular as doable with a terrifying haunted home. Whereas everybody else within the household is distracted by their very own private dramas, they finally band collectively to offer Claire an evening she’ll always remember.
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‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’: ‘A River of Sweet Corn Runs By means of It’ (Season 2, Episode 7)
After Sabrina and BFF Valerie (Lindsay Sloane) aren’t invited to Libby’s (Jenna Leigh Inexperienced) Halloween bash, they resolve to throw a celebration of their very own. Sabrina’s aunts (Caroline Rhea and Beth Broderick) are excited to assist deliver all of it to life, however their pleasure results in a magical catastrophe filled with speaking furnishings, an overflow of sweet corn and ghoulish figures come to life.
Sabrina at all times caught the touchdown on Halloween-inspired episodes, however “A River of Sweet Corn Runs By means of It” has the proper steadiness of nostalgic enjoyable and family-friendly scares.
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8 of 13
‘The Center’: ‘Halloween’ (Season 2, Episode 6)
Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is happy about being invited to a neighborhood Halloween occasion however her husband Mike (Neil Flynn) isn’t within the spooky spirit. Their opposing viewpoint on October festivities — which incorporates him refusing to decorate up as anybody however himself — results in a hilarious couple’s spat and heat reconciliation.
Axl (Charlie McDermott), in the meantime, formulates a plan to select up women at an unique haunted home whereas Sue (Eden Sher) events with the youth group and Brick (Atticus Shaffer) goes trick-or-treating in an uncommon costume.
It’s your excellent, quintessential, suburbian sitcom Halloween. And typically, that’s sufficient.
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9 of 13
‘How I Met Your Mom’: ‘The Slutty Pumpkin’ (Season 1, Episode 6)
Whereas the episode title is barely problematic, the episode itself stays a ton of enjoyable. Ted (Josh Radnor) and Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) attend their annual Halloween occasion on the roof of Ted’s condo constructing yearly in hopes that Ted will see a girl he met there as soon as earlier than, who he refers to because the “slutty pumpkin” after not studying her identify. Whereas there’s no thrilling meet-up this time, it units the stage for a enjoyable follow-up episode — and a Katie Holmes cameo — in season 7.
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10 of 13
‘Abbott Elementary’: ‘Sweet Zombies’ (Season 2, Episode 6)
When a pupil steals a bag of sweet meant to be given out to the youngsters on the finish of the day and begins distributing it throughout college hours, the employees band collectively to search out the offender — and defend themselves from the sugar-wired youngsters.
Janine (Quinta Brunson) additionally scores an invitation to a Halloween occasion thrown by an outdated pal and begins to rethink her love life. Actually, when does Abbott Elementary not hit a house run?
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‘Superstore: Halloween Theft’ (Season 2, Episode 7)
After an alleged theft, Dina (Lauren Ash) launches a storewide investigation that interrupts everybody’s Halloween plans. Elsewhere, Jonah (Ben Feldman) and Cheyenne (Nichole Sakura) bond whereas Garrett (Colton Dunn) defends himself in opposition to Dina’s questioning — and finds himself extra drawn to her than ever earlier than.
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‘Brooklyn 99’: ‘HalloVeen’ (Season 5, Episode 4)
“HalloVeen” could also be Brooklyn 99’s fifth Halloween episode, nevertheless it manages to maintain issues thrilling. What begins as a typical B99 heist rapidly turns into the most important plot twist of all — with somebody (and we received’t say who) getting down on one knee. It’s the proper quirky proposal for the quirkiest cop comedy on TV.
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‘Parks and Recreation’: ‘Meet ’N’ Greet’ (Season 4, Episode 5)
Leslie’s alternative to nab votes within the enterprise neighborhood is sabotaged by Tom (Aziz Ansari), who desires to advertise his new enterprise, Leisure 7Twenty. The Halloween enjoyable, nevertheless, is discovered at Andy (Chris Pratt) and April’s (Aubrey Plaza) occasion, which they throw with out giving roommate Ben (Adam Scott) any discover.
Episodes that revolve round April and Andy are at all times winners — and this one highlights simply why these two opposites are such an ideal match.
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