Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons, but in those seasons, there were only three Halloween episodes. This might seem surprising from a show geared toward horror, but with every episode delivering the scares, the Halloween season has less meaning. It is also humorous because, in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe, the monsters choose to stay in and not bother anyone, since everyone is dressing up and it is more trouble than it is worth. That said, in the three Buffy the Vampire Slayer Halloween episodes, there are lots of supernatural hijinks, even with the main vampires lying low for the spooky night.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Interestingly, these Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes only aired in even-numbered seasons, with episodes in the second, fourth, and sixth seasons. Here are the three Halloween episodes ranked from worst to best.
3) “All the Way” – Season 6, Episode 6
The lesser of the three Buffy the Vampire Slayer Halloween episodes was the last one in Season 6, “All the Way.” The one thing that holds this episode back is that it’s Dawn-centric, and she was one of the most hated additions to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast when she arrived. However, even with Dawn as the focal point of this Halloween episode, there are things to like about it.
The plot of this episode sees Buffy parenting Dawn, but the younger sister sneaks off and ends up hanging out with some guys from school, who turn out to be vampires. When it is time to fight vampires, the Scooby Gang has to stop Buffy and Dawn from arguing so they can help out. Another good part was watching Xander and Anya plan their wedding, which created more stress than it needed to. However, the best part of the episode was watching Willow as she continued down the road to her dark turn.
2) “Fear Itself” – Season 4, Episode 4
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer fourth-season episode was a good one and the scariest of the three, though it wasn’t the best overall. The Scooby Gang is in college by this part of the series, and they end up invited to a frat party with a haunted house theme. However, when someone accidentally opens a summoning portal, Oz’s blood tentialzies a demon trapped inside. This makes everyone’s fears come true, which empowers the demon.
For long-time Buffy fans, there is a running joke that starts here and becomes one of the show’s funniest. Xander asks Anya to dress up as something scary, and she dresses like a giant rabbit, revealing her irrational fear of bunnies. The episode is scary with the haunted house morphing and changing, and the victim’s fears on display are also terrifying. However, it all ends with a hilarious twist when the demon escapes and turns out to be a tiny creature. It is a perfect punchline to the Buffy Halloween episode.
1) “Halloween” – Season 2, Episode 6
The best Buffy the Vampire Slayer Halloween episode came with the first, which aired in the second season. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was hitting on every level in this season, and this specific episode showed how great it was becoming. This was the episode where Buffy and the Scooby Gang learned that vamps stayed indoors on Halloween, but they also discovered there were other problems.
They encountered Ethan Rayne for the first time. The Chaos-worshipping warlock and long-time enemy of Giles opened up a costume shop and performed a curse on the costumes to make anyone who wears them turn into the character they are dressed as. Buffy is an 18th-century woman and, as a result, can’t fight when Spike attacks her. Xander is a soldier, and he has a chance to actually be the hero for a change. This was not only the best Buffy the Vampire Slayer Halloween episode, but one of the best scary episodes, period.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
