Hello friends! As I discussed on Monday, I wanted to take a little time to share the episode list for each week’s Hall-Who-ween showing. For more info on what I’m talking about, you can find a full write-up HERE!

For each episode shown, I’ll provide a little insight into why I picked it and why  ordered the episodes as I did.

Let’s go!

First Episode: Silence in the Library (Doctor Who Season 4, Episode 8)

For as long as we’ve been doing Hall-Who-ween, it’s started with this episode. A classic “monster of the week” story with a fantastic twist named River Song, this episode featues David Tennant late in his career as the Doctor. The episode’s creature–the Vashta Nerada–ticks all the boxes: creepy, built out of a normal thing we’re used to, and in possession of a killer (literally) catchphrase:

“Hey! Who turned out the lights?”

By all of these factors combined, it just starts Hall-Who-ween off on the right note, every time.

Second Episode: David S Pumpkins (Saturday Night Live)

Okay, this isn’t a full episode, but by the request of one attendee, I added it into the mix. Doing a full, intense, 1.5 hour anything during a showing event like this can really get people sleepy or bored. By rolling into something like this–changing up the tone and style of the shows being watched–you keep the audience fully engaged.

Also, this short is hilarious:

Third Episode: Epidemiology (Community Season 2, Episode 6)

In my opinion, this is one of the greatest Halloween episodes of all time. From the seamless integration (and inversion) of classic horror movie tropes to the pitch-perfect banter between characters, this episode is Community at its best. Sticking to comedic outings from here throughout the rest of the evening really kicks off Hall-Who-ween on a positive note that can convince people to come back…when you will surprise them with the reaaaaallly intense episodes.

MUAHAHAHA!

Third Episode: Greg Pikitis (Parks and Recreation Season 2, Episode 7)

A classic sitcom Halloween episode that graces almost every “best of” list you could read (trust me, I’ve read most of them). Not a ton to say here except that the pacing of this episode is top notch. It celebrates the weird and awkward of Halloween as effectively as the foibles of its characters without getting too bogged down in overarching plot points that won’t be touched again during the Hall-Who-ween event. That’s why, for example, the later Parks episode “Meet N’ Greet” isn’t a Hall-Who-ween feature.

Fourth Episode: Halloween (Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 1, Episode 6)

Plucky main character tries to outsmart his genius boss. It’s a classic trope, and rarely if ever executed as well as here. Given that the whole episode also lambastes the many poor choices lots of folk make on Halloween. As this is the first part of what has become an annual episode tradition in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, showing the first episode here ensures that later parts can be aired during later showings.

Make sure you remember your ‘stume on the day, just saying.

Conclusion

Ultimately, your Hall-Who-ween can be whatever you want it to be. I just hope that by sharing the first showing’s episodes for this year, you get some good ideas to get you started.

Best of luck with your celebrations, and see you next week for more Star Trek and Hall-Who-ween goodness!

For more content, check out the main page HERE.