5 Classic Halloween Specials (That Aren’t ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’)

Today is October 1st or, as we call it in my house, the 1st of Halloween. For many families like mine, this marks the true arrival of autumn and a solid 31 nights of decorations, costumes, seasonal music, and monster media.

For those with smaller children, though, this can be a tricky endeavor. Is, for example, your kid’s monster tolerance up to any of the recognized benchmarks?

If your answers are no, no, no, and hell no, then the order of the day for your timid tots is likely of the classic Halloween television special variety. While the gold standard for these is clearly the iconic 1966 animated masterwork It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, know that this old chestnut is not the be-all and end-all of family-friendly frights.

To that end, I have taken the liberty of spotlighting five of my very favorite old-school Halloween TV specials, including some brief background information, links for where to purchase or stream them, and a little preview of some of their most memorable moments.

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure

Originally aired: October 30, 1985 on CBS

Starring: Lorenzo Music and Gregg Berger (the only true Garfield and Odie)