15 Spooky Frames From The Simpsons’ Halloween Specials To Help You Choose Which Episode To Rewatch This Season

Olivia Arocena • Writer and Editor

Oct 31, 2026 9:15 AM EDT

There was a time when T.V. knew how to celebrate Halloween

Do you remember when Google changed for every special occasion? There was something so cozy about seeing something so familiar change just for the occasion.

Every year, on Halloween, Google and The Simpsons (and every show that aired at the time) changed something for the season. I used to love the special episodes because they were usually longer, and I don't know, something about them felt special.

You feel different when you're watching something created for a specific day of a specific year. It's almost like watching something live. I miss watching Springfield become UNCANNY in real time.

I have to confess I waited for the openings to see what they had come up with this year. Imagine working as an illustrator or animator on The Simpsons at the time: that used to be my ULTIMATE FANTASY. It's like the peak of creativity for me: working with amazing, sarcastic, top-of-the-class artsy people, and having to come up with new jokes and thematic stuff all the time that literally everyone would see.

After all, a holiday is about transforming the familiar; without that, a holiday wouldn't mean anything. Houses become haunted, we eat different things, watch different films, and put costumes on! We should have more times in which everything changes around the year.

I think coming up with small things that change something ordinary in a quirky, creative way is way harder than coming up with something new entirely.

I've already said it, but I'm only going to watch animation specials this Halloween, with only one exception: The Clueless episode that had two parts, and I never caught part two when I was a kid on T.V. I'll also be watching a few Simpsons Halloween Specials and the Hey Arnold! ones.

I don't know if it's because I'm old or something, but I don't feel social media changes that much with holidays. Instagram could change the logo, right?

I miss seeing something familiar change with the seasons. They still have time to do it for Christmas. It doesn't have to be big or monumental; just a small gesture is fine. Otherwise, we will still be going back to vintage T.V. shows. Could you imagine an Euphoria Halloween special if it were airing right now? Amazing.

What am I going to do when I've watched all the Simpsons Halloween specials? Seriously, new T.V. shows have to come up with more creative episodes ASAP. How can we say this loudly enough for creatives out there to know it?

I want to wake up tomorrow and see the Instagram logo with some bats around it, and the TikTok one with claws! Could somebody get me the phone numbers of the owners?

The usual world has to become a little stranger; it's mandatory. Then, after a few days, it all goes back to normal.

You can do so many different things; I remember a few Simpsons openings were little movies in themselves, and they referenced iconic horror films.

Where did all the creative people go?

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via criminalsimpsons
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via criminalsimpsons
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via criminalsimpsons
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via surrealsimpsons
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via moonriversabrina
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via ultra_rare_2.0
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15 Spooky Frames From The Simpsons’ Halloween Specials To Help You Choose Which Episode To Rewatch This Season

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