TopTen Disney Channel Halloween Episodes
To celebrate the impending arrival of Halloween, I decided to rank the top ten Halloween-themed sitcom episodes ever. While that was an important list, it is nothing compared to this one. Yes, that’s right - today I have decided to head on over to Disney Channel.
Ranking the top ten Disney Channel Halloween specials may have been a grueling process that left me feeling ashamed, but I have created a comprehensive guide that I hope you will enjoy. As a disclaimer, I should note that the only episodes that were considered are episodes that were from some previous iteration of Disney Channel. Or, more simply put, I have no idea what they put on air today and I did not think it worth it to find out.
Now, please excuse me while I go throw up the taste of Dog with a Blog from my mouth.
10) Girl Meets World - Season 1, Episode 11: Girl Meets World of Terror
This was a rough one to get through. Narrated by younger brother Augie, or, as I like to call him, the absolute worst, we are treated (no pun intended) to three separate, increasingly contrived Halloween stories about the main characters. The thing I never liked about Girl Meets World is that the middle school kids are given dialogue that makes them sounds like old, wise scholars. It’s sometimes a fun show with interesting drama, but often times just life lesson BS when there doesn’t need to be a life lesson.
To the adult actor who paraded himself around in a tutu screaming “Tu! Tu! Tu!” to accompany the ominous soundtrack, I hope they gave you a lot of money for your sacrifice.
9) Hannah Montana - Season 1, Episode 17: Torn Between Two Hannahs
This was a difficult episode to rank. I could have awarded it a good position for its entertaining plot or classic villain comeuppance, or, I could have taken away points for its number of cringe-inducing moments. In the end, I went with the latter.
Miley’s cousin LuAnn visits (played by Miley herself), and is just an offensive, caricature of a person with an absolutely ridiculous Southern-accent. For reference, here’s her first line: “Howdy, ‘cuz! Well, yee doggies, this is one hum-dinger of a shack!” This is coupled with a neighborhood man inviting a bunch of little kids over to his place to “ride his pony” (he does own an actual pony, but his over-the-top joyful tone should render that point moot).
8) Shake It Up - Season 3, Episode 25: Haunt It Up
This is a good episode of Shake It Up. It is. The problem, though, is that a good episode of Shake It Up does not necessarily mean that it’s a quality thirty minutes of television.
But let me sidebar for a moment if I may – CeCe’s younger brother Flynn remains an enigma to me. What exactly is his function in the show? He’s written as an immature little boy who likes baby-ish pranks and stuff, but, at the same time, he parades himself around in clothes straight out of GQ Magazine - leaving the apartment seemingly whenever he chooses - and is best friends with a couple of high schoolers. How old do the showrunners want this boy to be?!?
7) Wizards of Waverly Place - Season 3, Episode 2: Halloween
Look, let me preface this by saying that this episode’s flop-to-hit ratio is way out of whack. Ultimately, it’s a pedestrian episode compared to a lot of these other ones, but the characters themselves are - across the board - so much more interesting to watch for 30 minutes. In the end, it would be irresponsible for me to not give a show of this esteem the benefit of the doubt.
The premise here is solid, as Alex uses her wizard powers to make the Russo Family Haunted House the best on the block. Eventually she hires some ghost named “Mantooth”, whose name is probably funnier than anything he actually does. Some scene-stealing work here by David DeLuise makes him the episode’s MVP.
Speaking of which…
Bonus List: Best Disney Channel Dads
5) Jerry Russo - Wizards of Waverly Place
4) Cory Matthews - Girl Meets World
3) Robby Ray Stewart - Hannah Montana
2) Victor Baxter - That’s So Raven
1) Bob Duncan - Good Luck Charlie
6) That’s So Raven - Season 2, Episode 2: Don’t Have a Cow
Quite frankly, I think there were a lot of drugs involved in the creation of this episode premise and execution. Either way, it somehow works.
Raven and Chelsea’s transformation into cows is utterly insane, but they lean into the ridiculousness of it enough that it’s pretty hilarious to watch them moo at people. Elsewhere, Cory’s bodybuilder costume is quite funny as well. The biggest issue with this episode is that it takes too long to get to the payoff of the Halloween party scene; we’re stuck with too much useless cauldron magic exposition.
5) Dog With a Blog - Season 2, Episode 3: Howloween
Earlier, I said that I wanted to throw up the taste of Dog with a Blog from my mouth. Look, I’ll be honest with you - I only said that to sound cool. I love Dog with a Blog. It’s f*cking hilarious. Stan the Talking Dog will always be one of Disney Channel’s greatest creations.
In this episode, when Avery wants to throw a Halloween party to impress a boy from school (played by Lucas from Girl Meets World!), Stan takes the opportunity to disguise himself so that he can actually talk to people without them knowing he is a dog. He becomes a robot named “Jack O’Lanternberg”, claiming to be the son of a Jewish rabbi from Ireland. Oh Stan, so wacky as always.
4) Boy Meets World - Season 5, Episode 17: And Then There Was Shawn
Boy Meets World, a significantly better show than its successor, Girl Meets World, makes its foray into Halloween territory by spoofing Agatha Christie’s mystery novel And Then There Were None (a book that I am not ashamed to say gave me nightmares for most of 7th grade).
This episode - from the creepy janitor to Jennifer Love…Fefferman - is actually pretty funny. The gang mutually agreeing that Kenny will be the first to be killed because he isn’t part of the main cast is the type of meta-comedy that Disney Channel needs more of.
Unfortunately, I cannot reward it a position within the top 3 because it was all a dream.
3) Zack and Cody - Season 1, Episode 19: The Ghost in Suite 613
This is not only the scariest episode on the list by far, it’s so scary that I’m not really sure how Disney Channel allowed it to happen.
I mean, the part where Esteban becomes possessed by a ghost is straight out of a horror movie. I get that putting the laugh track in the background is supposed to alleviate my terror, but it only made the episode even creepier. Outside of that, this one is notable for allowing Cody to get the upper hand on Zack – a power dynamic that was quite rare during the show’s run.
2) Jessie - Season 2, Episode 1: The Whining
I was really close to giving this one first place. In terms of uniqueness and overall content, it is probably the best by a long shot.
Taking on the daunting task of spoofing “The Shining”, Jessie delivers one of their best episodes ever. Masterfully utilizing a number of elements from the movie – such as the blood in the elevator and the creepy twins – this episode succeeds on a number of levels. However, there is a horribly out of place Scooby-Doo chase sequence toward the end that just falls totally flat. Couple this with a rushed wrap-up leaving a lot of unanswered questions, and it became hard for me to give this one the top spot.
Look, I know I’m harsh, but it’s all for the sake of justice.
1) Good Luck Charlie - Season 2, Episode 25: Scary Had a Little Lamb
It should come as no surprise that the best show on this list (Wizards of Waverly Place may have something to say about that) would also have the best Halloween special.
PJ dresses up as a goth with a moustache, but it turns out that he truly became goth to impress his new girlfriend, and his costume was just the fake moustache. Amy and Bob dress up as each other, and Mrs. Dabney gets involved in a legal entanglement with Gabe after she egged her own house as a prank.
Overall, just a fantastic episode that is highly deserving of first place on this list. And remember, if you’re ever planning to go to go trick-or-treating more than once for double the candy, wear a lame second costume because “the second time around is all about volume”.