Oh, the Horror!: Must-See Halloween Episodes

As if the excitement of costume parties, horror movie marathons and trick-or-treating weren't enough, Halloween is also the best time of year for television. Not only do commercials get a little bit creepier (and thereby considerably more interesting), TV shows and networks of all kinds step up to celebrate in endlessly entertaining ways. While I could easily spend an entire day listing fantastic Halloween-themed TV episodes, here are a couple of my top picks.

Halloween, My So-Called Life
High school sophomore Angela Chase finds herself communicating with the ghost of a former student whose death is something of a legend among her classmates. Even more haunting than her trips into the past are the parallels between that restless spirit and the boy she loves. This beautifully eerie Halloween special gets additional kudos for featuring a vamped-out A.J. Langer.

Fear, Itself, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy and friends attend a widely reputed Halloween party at a frat house only to find themselves trapped as each of their fears come to life. Ever poignant and as playfully spooky as it is clever, this is my personal favorite from the BTVS holiday vault. Of course, that's largely because it's the one and only chance fans ever had to see Emma Caulfield waddling around in a bunny costume.

Honorable mention: Horror Fiction in 7 Easy Steps, Community

Photo courtesy of radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com.