Touched by An Angle: All the Christmas Episodes (Series Review)

 Back when I was just a kid in the 90’s and early 2000’s, my mother and I didn’t watch too many programs together, as I mostly just watched animated programs, or whatever my dad was viewing. Because of this, the 90’s Drama/Fantasy series “Touched by an Angel” has always stuck with me as that rare program that my mother and I bonded over while watching together. 

The series revolved around a group of angels who take on human form, and visit individual people on Earth, who are going through very human trials and hardships, which frequently puts their faith into question. Roma Downey stared as a younger Irish angel named Monica, who studied under an older mentor angel named Tess, played by the late Della Reese. 

Later, the two were joined by a third member named Andrew, also known as “The Angel of Death”, played by the late John Dye. Naturally, with a premise revolving around these three Angels visiting people in need, it made the show ideal for annual Christmas centered episodes. For its nine-season run, there wasn’t a single year without a special Christmas offering from this series, and for this post, I’m going to go through each one in order of release and see just how well they hold-up all these years later.  

 

“Fear Not!” (Season 1: Ep. 9)

For the very first Christmas outing of this show, we see Monica and Tess helping at a small-town church, who are putting on a Christmas pageant. One little girl named Serena wants to be the pageant angel more than anything, but tragically, a viral heart condition is taking its toll on her. This development is especially alarming to her best friend named Joey, who’s pathologically afraid of the dark, and doesn’t know how to face his fears without her. Joey’s older brother Wayne, played by Randy Travis, is emotionally distant from his brother, and has been struggling with his faith sense the passing of his parents. 

However, with Serena’s immanent passing, and some words of encouragement from Monica, Wayne needs to find his faith, and be the guiding light for his little brother Joey, as he faces his fears of losing someone he loves once again. Everything comes together in a beautiful finale on Christmas Eve, and subsequently one of the most memorable moments of the show’s holiday offerings. As the little girl Serena quietly passes away, everyone in attendance at the pageant receives a special Christmas gift.

Monica reveals her angelic presence to everyone in a vision, the manger scene comes to life, and everyone is filled with the hope and good tidings that come with the holiday. All around, this was a solid first Christmas instalment for this series, with a thoughtful message, uplifting sequence, and some of the most memorable guest appearances in the show. This actually marked the first of three Christmas outings to feature Randy Travis as the older brother Wayne, and naturally, he provided some music for the show too.        

 

“The Feather” (Season 2: Ep. 11)

An immediate follow-up to the previous Christmas Episode, we see Randy Travis character Wayne, and his little Brother Joey have been changed by their experience. The rest of the community has no clue how to feel about their special shared vision, and their joined confusion devolves into mass concern. This gets the attention of a crooked preacher named Charles (played by William R. Moses), who also doubles as a con man, and after snatching a dove’s feather left behind from the night, he begins to manipulate the locals, and gradually takes over the church. 

Our guest lead Wayne recognizes him for the con artist he is, as the two used to run scams together, but exposing him will also reveal his past sins, hence his conflict … oh, and of course they’re both long lost brothers too. This would have been enough for one instalment, but unfortunately, things get even more complicated for this episode’s own good. 

Little brother Joey discovers an abandoned baby, who’s also a crack-baby, and Joey appoints himself soul guardian, no matter what anyone else says. While everything comes together in another decent moment of Monica revealing herself to the whole community, it’s still not as strong as in the previous episode. Certainly not a bad follow-up, but there’s just a little too much to be focusing on, to the point where a well-intended message gets lost in the shuffle.          

 

“The Violin Lesson” (Season 3: Ep. 13)

The son of a violin maker comes home to spend Christmas with his family, but unfortunately … it’ll be his last, as he’s tragically dying of AIDS. Now our visiting Angels help the elder violin player, and his family accept the devastating revelation. Peter Michael Goetz and Millie Perkins guest star in this episode, and the performances all around are very good. The dramatic moments earn their poignant effects, there’s a great message about acceptance, and everything closes on a strong note. All around, a perfectly good episode of the show, but probably the Christmas episode I like the least. The holiday is more of a backdrop, and isn’t woven into the story as nicely as their other Christmas outings. 

Once in a while we'll get a scene in a Christmas tree lot or by a Snow Man, but the events of the episode could have easily played out at any given time of the year. That, and it also covers similar ground as previous installments, including a family member accepting someone for who they are, and someone’s imminent death landing on the holiday, just like in the previously mentioned “Fear Not!”. Still, not a bad episode at all … I’d say it’s just the least best in feeling like Christmas.     

 

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” (Season 4: Ep. 12)

Randy Travis returns as Wayne, who along with his brother Joey, are about to receive another Heavenly visit for the holiday season. When Wayne goes out for a little late-night shopping, he suddenly disappears in a massive snowstorm. Meanwhile, back at home, Monica visits Joey, who’s falling into despair at the thought of his brother never coming home for Christmas. Amidst a power outage, and other visitors, Monica recalls an experience from the early 1900’s, in which she first met famed author Mark Twain, and how he too faced the loss of loved one during the holiday season. Whether it be “Star Trek: The Next Generation” or “The Rifleman”, I feel the best classic shows need to include Mark Twain in some form. 

For this outing, John Cullum portrays the legendary author, and is fantastic all around. Everything from his home life, to how he laments loved ones lost, to how he views his faith are all just as engaging as any contemporary story from this show, if not more so. Setting this outing mostly in the 1900’s certainly gives this episode a unique identity and feel, and the ensemble cast is my favorite by far. It’s great to get one last holiday outing with Randy Travis, and the returning cast from the episode "Fear Not!". 

John Cullum’s Mark Twain speaks for himself, but the last big guest star to highlight is the late great Paul Winfield, who made everything better by his presence. While his appearance in this episode as a visiting angel is brief, he still manages to leave an impression. Personally, this is my favorite of what I like to call “the Randy Travis collection”, and it’s one of my favorites of the shows Christmas offerings by far.   

 

“An Angle on the Roof” (Season 5: Ep. 11)

Set in a small Texas town, near the border line of Mexico, we see a special Christmas Eve, in which the angels visit individuals who feel they have nothing to live for, including a bitter old motel owner on the brink of suicide, and three lonely truck drivers who feel like they’ve seen it all. Meanwhile, a young Mexican couple have illegally crossed the border, and seek refuge before the wife delivers her new baby. 

As all these players converge on the old man’s inn, it becomes very clear they all represent characters from the Christmas Pageant. As such, this episode probably has the strongest ties to the holiday over any other episode of the show. Everything about this episode is bathed in a warm Christmas atmosphere, from the lit-up decorations, to the mysterious weather, and of course all the memorable imagery on display … Monica illuminated on the roof being the most obvious. While it’s admittedly corny and on the nose at times with its Pageant presentation, it’s still thoughtful, and is also a clever idea for a Christmas themed outing for this series. 

Guest star Alexis Cruz gives this outing its dramatic backbone, while also providing the right amount of good cheer. It’s all around another one of my absolute favorites of the shows Christmas offerings, and is simply the most comforting episode to watch around the season, especially on Christmas Eve.      

 

“The Christmas Gift” (Season 6: Ep. 10)

Following after an episode set entirely on Christmas Eve, the next holiday instalment takes place over a passage of time, beginning on Thanksgiving, and concluding on Christmas. A small-town trumpet player named Robert is sadly killed during a carjacking, leaving his wife LaBelle strained for money, and only one logical option left … move in with her mother-in-law. We see how grading the new living situation is for both woman, as they hadn’t always seen eye to eye, but now, both blame each other for Roberts death. 

Naturally, our Angels are on hand to help them come together through the hardships and learn to forgive one another. All through the episode, we’ve seen these characters in the company of a homeless man named Gabe, who at the end reveals himself to be the Archangel Gabriel, and announces on Christmas Eve that LaBelle is with child. The episode closes with Gabe playing “Away in a Manger” on Robert's rescued trumpet, and while this sequence can be viewed as corny, I’m a sucker for sentimental, holiday moments like this. 

Personally, I would have liked more from our main Angels in this episode, but they have their moments, and guest stars Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee certainly help carry this outing. Along with the trumpet, there’s some decent musical moments in this episode. Aside from Gabriel’s appearance at the end, this admittedly isn’t one of the show’s most memorable Christmas offerings, but it’s certainly a good watch, with a decent message to be shared.      

 

“An Angel on my Tree” (Season 7: Ep. 10)

Just like a Christmas morning … there’s a lot to unpack with this episode, but I mean that in the best way, unlike with my earlier mentioned episode “The Feather”. The best place to start is the backstory. One year ago on Christmas Eve, a broken Tree topper sets off a chain of events, culminating in an enraged father named Joe unleashing his anger on a local boy, who was teasing his son Cody, on account of his Tourette Syndrome. The local boy tragically dies in the event, and the son Cody blames himself for the whole incident, and worse … his father blames him for it too. Leading-up to the one-year Eve of the event, which happens to be Christmas Eve, Joe is serving time in prison, and Cody views himself as a mistake who should have never been born. 

Thus, our visiting Angels try to bring this shattered family back together, and a special Christmas gift exchange might just be the thing to heal these broken hearts. While this show naturally deals with dramatic events, even during the holiday season … this is the one that most brought out the tears in me. Something about family ties, facing unforgivable events, and accepting oneself as a great individual, even with a handicap, are all themes and content that resonate with me. 

Guest star Christopher Marquette delivers an emotionally shattering performance in the role of the older son Cody. There’s also original holiday music by Kenny Rogers. All around, this isn’t the easiest Christmas episode to watch, but it absolutely delivers in hitting an emotional home run.   

 

“A Winter Carol” (Season 8: Ep. 11)

Hear we go, of all the memorable Christmas outings from this show, none left a bigger impact on me then this episode, which aired on December 2001 … a mere three months after 911. The episode begins with a boy lamenting the disappearance of his drum teacher on September 11, 2001. The boy's mother is the mayor of the town, and she refuses to grieve, as she has too many responsibilities. The boy's elder brother has all but lost his Christmas spirit, and decides to enlist in the army to beat back as many terrorists as possible. In short, this episode is all about coping with a tragedy, and finding some humane way to move on with your life. 

I was only a young 4th grader during the disaster of 911, but I still remember what it was like, with this empty feeling hanging over everyone’s head … and hearts … which carried over into Christmas for many of us. This episode was a much-needed reminder of why it’s important to grieve, except the reality of a horrible disaster, and try to rekindle the joy one would associate with the Christmas season. It was a much-needed cleanser after a global changing event, and it was just the message we needed to make Christmas joyful again. 

On a side note, this marked the first Christmas episode to feature a new lead angel character named Gloria, who was played by Valerie Bertinelli. She’s a little clumsier and more childlike than the others, and in this episode has a bad habit of announcing “it’s her first Christmas”. Special guest stars for this episode include Blair Brown as the Mayor, Steven Curtis Chapman as the elder son, and the episode closes with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”, which is definitely a highlight. While this episode was late into the show, it’s still personally my favorite of this series Christmas themed episodes.

 

“The Christmas Watch” (Season 9: Ep. 10)

For the very last Christmas themed episode of the show, we get something wholesome and very simple in both presentation and narrative. 18 months after 911, a local New York clock shop faces permanent closure on Christmas Eve, leaving the staff on the unemployment line. Thanks to our visiting angels, a busted watch is brought to them, which belonged to a fellow employe, who sadly passed away during the tragedy of September 11^th. 

Thus, for one final task, the store members elect to construct a new watch for his family, to both honor the memory of their lost friend, and to give the shop one last task before it closes. This episode did a number of things different from the show’s formula, and while not one of the absolute best, it’s certainly one of the most unique. Everything is set in this one location, and it’s all spent with these characters reflecting on their time, and where they might go from here. The clock shop is a very warm and comforting setting, and the members give it some personality. 

Also, while morals are still conveyed, our team of Angels never reveal themselves as such to any of the human characters, which is another rarity for this series. The guest stars this time around include Austin Pendleton, Matt Malloy, Eddie Mills, Christie Lynn Smith, Jodi Thelen, and Jose Zuniga. While it doesn’t reach the same emotional highs of the previously mentioned “Winter Carol”, it still succeeded as a warm and cozy little Christmas episode to close out their nine-year holiday run.   

 

That concludes my run-down through all the Christmas themed episodes of “Touched by An Angel”, and if I was to quickly rank them on my own personal scale of most favorite to least favorite, it would go like this …

1. “A Winter Carol”

2. “An Angel on the Roof”

3. “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”

4. “An Angel on my Tree”

5. “Fear Not!”

6. “The Christmas Watch”

7. “The Feather”

8. “The Christmas Gift”

9. “The Violin Lesson”

It's certainly been a welcome trip down 90’s memory lane, and for anyone who also watched this series back in the day, I hope it was special to look back on it. If you’re someone just looking for any random Christmas special to watch, maybe this list will give you something pleasant to view for this Holiday season.

Thanks for reading my episode run-down of "Touched by an Angel" … and continue to enjoy the shows you love.

Prey (2022) (Movie Review)

 When it comes to iconic movie monsters, the Predator alien has consistently remained one of my all-time favorites. Less consistent however is the Predator’s movie franchise, which contains instalments I enjoy, and entry’s that have disappointed me. Thankfully for today’s review … we have one of the great ones. After several sequels and spin-offs tried to go big with the iconic Predator creature, the 2022 prequel simply titled “Prey” wisely scaled things back to basics, and delivered one of the sharpest instalments of the whole dang franchise. To get right to the point, while there have been Predator sequels that I’ve liked, “Prey” is the only one that I feel can be debated as “just as great” or “maybe even better” than the classic 1980’s original.

  Looking back at the 1991 sequel “Predator 2” for a moment, a battle with the titular space hunter ended with a prized gun from the early 1700’s. This suggested they’ve been hunting on earth for centuries, and the thought of Predators hunting in different time periods was an intriguing idea. It certainly took a while, but we finally got a film that took the franchise back in time, to the early 1700’s, and focusing on one of the very first Predators landing on Earth. 

The year is 1719, the setting is the Great Plains of North America, and a small Comanche Indian tribe tries to maintain a sense of peace in a savage and wild environment, full of snakes, wolves, lions, bears, and a ruthless band of French fur traders. One young female Comanche Indian named Naru is eager to prove herself a capable warrior who can both provide for and protect her tribe from the many dangers out there. Thus, she sets out on her own solo rite-of-passage to prove her worth. Her lone hunt however turns into a deadly game of hunted, as she finds herself battling the newly arrived Predator creature, and a thrilling battle for both survival and supremacy ensues.

  Just like with the classic 1979 movie “Alien”, the strength of this film comes from its straightforward simplicity, which makes the most with very little. It’s simply this terrific lead character as she fights to survive in this suspenseful game of cat and mouse, while also proving herself just as capable as her fellow hunters from her home tribe. 

The premise of a female lead proving her strength is one that could have backfired into repetition or gotten too preachy, but thankfully, everything is handled just right. Naru is brave and resourceful, but she also has faults she needs to overcome, mistakes to learn from, and goes through the ringer quite a few times. She has a signature weapon which comes in the form of a hatchet on a rope, and I love her dog sidekick … any lone warrior is instantly more likable with a dog companion. There’s also a good deal of visual storytelling on display, as the character speaks through both actions and raw emotions. Actress Amber Midthunder absolutely shines in one role, and secures Naru’s position as one of the franchises best leading characters.   

  Of course, the other main character to highlight is our new Feral Predator, played by Dane DiLiegro. Like many of the previous sequels, this is an original take on the Predator, with a unique look, and even personality different from the others. This predator observes the food chain on Earth, and gradually discovers what our planet’s mightiest beast is. Seeing a Predator battle a bear is a treat I didn’t know I wanted, but I’m glad I got it. Also, his weapons are naturally more advanced than the hunters on Earth, but low-grade when compared to the space hunters seen in the previous films, and it’s cool to compare the weaponry on display. Even with his low-grade weapons, he still packs some heat, with floating explosives, metal arrows, and a really awesome shield. 

  Another noteworthy difference between this film and the others is that it doesn’t focus on a large cast of characters that get killed off one at a time. While there are certainly casualties from both the Indians and the fur traders who get caught in the hunting grounds, it’s not the same formula, and the only other character really of note is Naru’s brother Taabe, played by Dakota Beavers, who’s just good enough. 

Also, for an R-ratted movie, I was very pleased that the swearing for once has been scaled down, whereas I felt the previous movies went overboard with their distasteful remarks. One minor annoyance is that once in a while, the young tribe hunters speak with modern slang, but for the most part, the dialogue feels timeless. Speaking of out-of-place lines, this film continues the bad habit of quoting lines from the first "Predator" film, and while a little cringe, there thankfully aren’t too many annoying callbacks. A better call-back is seeing the origin of the same 1700 gun seen back at the ending of “Predator 2”. One last detail for fans to speculate over is the Native American tracker named Billy Sole, from the original 1987 “Predator”, who may either be a reincarnation or great descendant from this Comanche tribe.  

  It should also be noted that, between Disney’s purchase of 20^th Century Fox, and the aftermath of COVID-19, this is the only film in the series that didn’t get a wide theatrical release, and went straight to streaming platforms. It’s unfortunate, because for the most part, this film absolutely feels like something that should have been experienced on the big screen. I’d say the only exception are some noticeable CGI effects on the animals, but if you’re willing to look past those hiccups, the rest of the film is a great quality production. It’s also a beautifully shot picture, with gorgeous landscape, and it's not often a monster movie expresses clear love for nature in its imagery, but this film conveys it wonderfully.

  There’s also a good deal of respect for the time and culture on display. While the movie never goes in-depth about the Comanche, a look behind the scenes reveals a commendable effort in getting all the details down. In fact, while the film was initially shot in English, a second release of the movie had the cast re-dubbe the whole film in the Comanche language, which is a first. Director Dan Trachtenberg really went that extra mile in making this movie feel like a great period piece picture on its own … and it just happens to have an alien hunter in it. The same applied to the original 1987 “Predator”, as that movie too had a set-up for a decent war movie on its own … it just happed to have a monster from space, which gave the film it’s identity. Also, the music score by Sarah Schachner is fantastic, both in elevating the suspense, and giving the setting a lot of atmosphere.

  Lastly, there are some memorable set-pieces on display, which will absolutely rank as some of the best in the series. It is some of the grittiest and most white knuckled action of any Predator movie to date, with one of the main highlights being a battle in a burnt forest littered with ash. One very memorable visual is when our characters run through a field of tall grass, while pursued by the Predator in his invisible form. The final showdown between Naru and the Feral Predator is outstanding, and makes great use of the surrounding environment. As is tradition with these films, our lone hero discovers a new way to hide from the monsters heat vision … this time it cleverly comes in the form of a small herb called the Orange Totsiyaa, which lowers an individual’s body heat, and is a very clever concept for the film.

  All around, this is a rock-solid entry for the series, and a refreshing change-up to go back in time, with primitive weapons on display … and it some-how just works better than any of the contemporary films from this series. In comparison, the previous 2017 movie “The Predator”, just felt like any other disposable, crowd-pleasing comic-book style flick, and while it provided surface level fun, it was also very underwhelming. This 2022 prequal didn’t feel like a product of our times in the slightest, and just felt like a good film that could have come from any decade. Beyond that, it was just a solid action, suspense film, with very few gimmicks, a fantastic lead character, mature presentation, and while one can debate if it’s actually better than the original “Predator” classic or not … I have no problem saying it’s the absolute best sense the original.   

Thanks for reading my review of the 2022 prequel “Prey” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!  

My Top 10 Favorite Trick R’ Treat Specials

Ever sense I was a kid, I always viewed Halloween as a mini-adventure, a time when kids face their fears, journey out into the night, and share an exciting experience with friends. In a nutshell, Trick or Treat was the event that made Halloween my childhood favorite holiday. Beyond simply collecting candy, it was also the theatrics of dressing in costume, and the excitement of going out into the night that made it so captivating. 

By extent, I feel the best Halloween specials are the ones that revolve around the experience of Trick or Treat itself, seeing recognizable characters dress-up, and how their experiences can be viewed as an overnight adventure. Thus, I felt I was long overdue to countdown a list of my own personal Top 10 favorite Trick or Treat specials. As a side note, I won’t be including any movies on this list … so don’t expect any “Hocus Pocus”, “The Halloween Tree” or even the 2007 “Trick R’ Treat” film, this is just a countdown of specials and episodes, which put the focus on Trick or Treat and not just the holiday.  

 

#10 “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Halloween” 

As her title suggests, Buffy is no stranger to fighting off dark creatures of the night. However, Halloween night has a distinct power all on its own, and can twist the bravest of vampire slayers into cowards. A mysterious costume shop opens just in time for trick r’ treat, and everyone, including Buffy and her friends all get new costumes. Buffy, feeling a disconnect to her femininity wants to go out as a fair maiden from mid-evil times, while her timed boyfriend goes as a soldier. 

In an exciting twist, the costume shop was a trap set by the villains, and now a curse is unleashed, transforming everyone into what they dressed as for trick r’ treat. Kids dressed as little monsters become monsters, Buffy’s closest friend becomes a real ghost, while her boyfriend gets to be a heroic trooper, and Buffy herself is now a frightened damsel ... making her easy prey for the real vampires. The concept of becoming what you wear for Halloween has been done before in “The Simpsons” and “Halloweentown” movies, but it’s pulled off with great skill here, and turns out a very fun Halloween venture with our titular vampire slayer.

 

#9 “Winnie the Pooh: Boo to You Too!” 

Way back when I was just a little boy, this Winnie the Pooh special marked one of my very first Halloween special experiences, and highlighted Trick or Treat as an adventure in concurring one’s fears. While nothing supernatural happens, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and friends still made this an exciting night out, as their imaginations run wild, and bring about all kinds of spooky fun. From the opening title sequence, this animated special captures a magical sense of the holiday, as it’s both eerie and ominous, yet still enticing and engaging. It may be slight stuff, but for me, this was a special animated trick or treating experience from my childhood, and I just had to include it.

 

#8 “Hotel Transylvania: The Legend of Pumpkin Guts” 

2017 marked the premier of a 2D animated “Hotel Transylvania” TV series, which focuses on Dracula’s daughter Mavis during her younger teenage years at the hotel. The franchise already had a heavy lean on Halloween … but “The Legend of Pumpkin Guts” is the special one to bring Trick or Treat into the mix. In a clever twist, Halloween night is a dangerous time for monsters, but Mavis and company are eager to venture out, and discover the joy of trick or treating. 

Participating in a human pass time for Halloween is where all the trouble comes in, as it unleashes a giant pumpkin creature hellbent on transforming all other monsters into Jack O’ Lanterns. It’s about as crazy as it sounds, but still kind of clever, and bursting with decorative Halloween animation. Beyond that, it’s the novelty of monster characters dressing up for Trick or Treat that makes this stand out with its own unique spin and personality.

 

#7 “Wishbone: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” 

Another childhood staple of mine, Wishbone was a dog who introduced kids to classic literature, as he imagined himself taking on the likeness of characters from the source material. Halloween brings on thoughts of Legend of Sleepy Hollow, in which Wishbone takes on the likeness of Ichabod Crane. For a kid’s program, it doesn’t change too much of the tale, including the dark ending in which the lead character mysteriously disappears, and even the image of the Headless Horsman is quiet striking.  

Meanwhile, as Wishbone relays the story, his owners are naturally out in costume, and trick or treat takes on a new twist as a scavenger hunt, leading to an exciting venture into a spooky house. It’s shot and lit like any great spooky outing, and there’s even some effective creepy imagers for a program of its target audience. Naturally it’s still on the level of a kid’s program, but still a very fun trick or treat venture to experience at a young age, and to look back on as an adult with great fondness.

 

#6 “DuckTales: The Trickening” 

Scrooge McDucks four kids Huey, Dewey, Webby, and Louie set-off to go trick r’ treating, only for Louie to lead the group into a haunted house, where he thinks he’ll find mountains of candy left behind by frightened kids. Naturally, the house is haunted, and the kids find themselves trapped, with a number of horrific obstacles threatening to scare them … to death. 

The premise of combining trick or treat with a haunted house venture is a winning formula, and this special manages to transcend its premise, by giving it more twists and turns, and with a slightly dark edge. Turns out the haunts were all staged by the classic monsters in the vein of the Wereduck, Witch Hazel, Nosferatu, and Frankenstein, who’ve lost the ability to scare kids, and thus are resorting to contemporary scares. 

It becomes a fun game of “name that horror movie”, with visual references to “Poltergeist”, “The Ring”, Steven Kings “IT”, “Dead Silence”, and especially “The Shining” … which is utilized brilliantly in the final shot. This is also a gorgeous looking episode, with phenomenal details, atmospheric lighting, twisted angels, and elaborate backdrops. It’s a solid, spooky Halloween adventure that packs all the wright chills, visuals, and laughs in one tight package.         

 

#5 “Garfield’s Halloween Adventure” 

Garfield’s never-ending love for sweets entices him and his buddy Odie to go out Trick or Treating on Halloween night, and as the title suggests … the night turns into quiet the adventure. They discover monster costumes are real monsters in disguise, they get lost on the river, venture into a spooky house, discover pirate gold, and get chased by ghost pirates. This completes a special animated Halloween trilogy of sorts for me, with Charlie Browns “Great Pumpkin” being my first, then Winnie the Pooh’s “Boo to you Too!” being my second, and finally, “Garfield’s Halloween Adventure” was the third big trick or treating special from my childhood. 

It had the same laid-back charm, and warm holiday atmosphere of the previous two, but this time, the adventure raised the stakes, with characters getting lost, and having supernatural encounters. It’s great stuff, with Garfield’s pirate costume feeling as iconic as any holiday mascot, and the special is a fitting example of Trick or Treat taking on a life of its own as an all-night Halloween adventure.

 

#4 “Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask” 

Back when I was a kid, “Goosebumps” was hands down my favorite “Spooky Themed” TV program, and featured a number of episodes that became personal staples for Halloween. The big one being “The Haunted Mask”, which put a new spin on Trick or Treat, and the dangers that come with putting on a new face. Young Carly Beth can’t go anywhere without being picked on by either bullies or family members, and now she’s out for revenge. Desperate, she steals a Halloween mask from a new Spirit Store, against the storekeeper's warnings. However, the mask begins to change her personality and melds with her body when she wears it. 

Clearly, she got more than she bargained for, as she’s now taking on the appearance of a living monster, leading into an internal battle to see if the real person can break free from this monstrous new form. There’s just something about the look and feel of this episode that’s always stuck with me as eerie, yet exciting, and even thoughtful in its resolution. It’s just a classic “Goosebumps” venture, with a memorable center villain, and it has a great premise to go along with Trick or Treat.

 

#3 Donald Duck: “Trick Or Treat!” 

Our favorite Disney Ducks are back for another Halloween treat, and for me, it’s just as much a classic as Charlie Browns “Great Pumpkin” special. When Donald Duck cruelly mistreats his nephews, a kind old Witch named Hazel comes to their aid, and gives them a healthy dose of ... Trick or Treat! Old Witch Hazel is one of the most memorable guest characters from the Disney cartoon roster, and her hex casting antics lead to some bouncy animation highlights. 

The catchy “Trick or Treat” theme song alone makes this one of the best of these specials. The animation, like I said, is just bursting with memorable holiday visuals. It's neither the darkest, nor spookiest of Disney shorts ... but it's the one that I love watching the most around this time of year. A lot of people say that 1968’s “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” is what really started the notion of classic animated Halloween specials, but look at this short, which came out almost a decade before it, and is just swimming with holiday delights.

 

#2 “Gravity Falls: Summerween” 

While the show is set during the summertime, the people of Gravity Falls love the holiday so much that they celebrate it twice, and one of the events is during the summer, in which it’s lovingly called “Summerween”. That premise alone is ingenious and makes me wish I could have grown up in that town. As the episode continues, we see that one of the shows lead child hero’s named Dipper is ready to grow up, and spend the holiday with the older guys as opposed to Trick or Treating with his sister Mable. 

This causes a rift between the two as Mable wants to savor every Trick or Treat she can with her brother before they become teenagers. To make matters worse, the kids are soon chased by a deadly entity called The Trickster, who threatens to harm all who don’t keep the holiday spirit alive. The details in this episode are great as it creates a perfect Halloween atmosphere, as well as the personality of any special I’d watch yearly around the season. 

Naturally, it puts trick r’ treating front in center, and makes it feel like more of an adventure than the majority of the specials I’ve mentioned. It’s a special that just seems to combine everything I love in one perfect package, including nostalgic childhood ties to the season, a mythos surrounding a mysterious creature, a sweet sibling story, thrilling monster action and no shortage of funny jokes.

 

Before I reveal my number one favorite, here are some quick Honorable Mentions …

“Ed, Edd N’ Eddy: Boo-Haw Haw”

“Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space”

“The Simpsons: I've Grown a Costume on Your Face”

“A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: Ghost who's Coming to Dinner”

“Season’s Greetings” (1996)

 

#1 “It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” 

As Far back as I can remember, this was the very first Halloween special I ever saw, and naturally, whenever I think of Trick or Treat, it’s Charlie Brown and the gang in their costumes that always seems to spring to mind first. For this outing, things are as simple as they get, with a group of kids going out Trick or Treating, followed by a party … and that’s it. There are no stakes, no supernatural oddities, not even a real sense of excitement, and I think that’s why it’s made such a lasting connection with viewers over the years. 

Without question, it’s the most grounded and relatable Halloween special, and just seems to capture something special that many of us can either relate to or identify with. It’s hard to describe what makes a special a classic, but it’s also easy to just watch this group of kids doing everything we associate with October, from carving a Jack’ O’ Lanterns, to trick or treating, to making individual costumes, to Halloween parties, and it’s all so genuine, nostalgic, memorable, and for me has a secure spot as my favorite Trick or Treat special.

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the holiday specials you Love!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!