For those looking for appropriately spooky television programming to help them prepare for Halloween, TheWrap is here to help.
From the latest installment in the annual “Treehouse of Horror” series from “The Simpsons” to the first-ever live television exorcism, next week has something for all tastes. Whether you need something to watch while putting the finishing touches on your costume, or you’re just looking for some last-minute inspiration, TheWrap’s guide to the week’s best Halloween viewing will point you in the right direction.
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” / “The Simpsons” (Fox)
Sunday, Oct. 25 at 8:30 p.m.
Kick off your Halloween week on Sunday with the annual Halloween episodes of a pair of Fox comedies. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” will cap off it’s “Heistening” trilogy with the final showdown between Andy Samberg‘s Detective Jake Peralta and Andre Braugher‘s Captain Ray Holt. “The Simpsons” will continue it’s long-running “Treehouse of Horror” series with the 26th installment, promising that the menacing Sideshow Bob will finally succeed in his mission to kill Bart.
“Fresh off the Boat” (ABC)
Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 8:30 p.m.
Nearly every ABC comedy will air a Halloween special in the week leading up to the holiday, and the festivities begin with “Fresh off the Boat” on Tuesday. The episode, titled “Miracle on Dead Street,” will see the Huangs spending their first Halloween in the Florida suburbs. While the rest of the family goes all-out on their costumes, Jessica’s (Constance Wu) only goal is to protect her home from teenage pranksters.
“The Middle,” “The Goldbergs,” “Modern Family,” “black-ish” (ABC)
Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m.
ABC’s four Wednesday comedies will air a back-to-back-to-back-to-back Halloween block, beginning with the return of Brooke Shields in “The Middle’s” “Halloween VI: Tick Tock Death” at 8 p.m., followed by “The Goldbergs’” “Couple’s Costume” at 8:30. Ty Burrell‘s Phil will take the reins of the Dunphy’s haunted house in “Modern Family’s” “Halloween 3: AwesomeLand” at 9 and Michael Strahan will make a surprise visit to “black-ish” in “Jacked o’ Lantern” at 9:30.
“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (ABC)
Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m.
Ahead of the premiere of “The Peanuts Movie” on Nov. 6, ABC will air the classic cartoon’s Halloween special, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” The airing will include the bonus cartoon, “You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown,” which also features the Great Pumpkin in the storyline.
“Bones” / “Sleepy Hollow” crossover (Fox)
Thursday, Oct. 29 8 p.m.
The highly anticipated crossover between Fox’s two Thursday night shows, crime procedural “Bones” and genre series “Sleepy Hollow,” will finally air on Thursday. In the “Bones” episode airing at 8 p.m., Booth and Brennan get some help from Ichabod Crane and Abby Mills in solving a murder. Then in the “Sleepy Hollow” half at 9 p.m., Ichabod and Abby get some forensic help from the Jeffersonian team to combat an old nemisis returned from the dead.
“Saw,” “Ghostbusters,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween” (IFC)
Friday, Oct. 30 3:15 a.m.
IFC will air a marathon of some of horror’s most famous film franchises. Beginning Friday and running through the weekend, the network will air every installment in the “Saw,” “Ghostbusters,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Halloween” series of films.
“Twilight Saga” marathon (FX)
Friday, Oct. 30 at 5 p.m.
While prepping your vampire costume for trick-or-treating on Saturday, find some inspiration in FX’s “Twilight” movie marathon. The network will air the final three movies in the series, beginning with “Eclipse” at 5 p.m., and ending with “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2” at 10:30. Dedicated fans can also catch the second installment, “New Moon” airing immediately after at 1 a.m.
“Last Man Standing,” “Dr Ken” (ABC)
Friday, Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.
ABC’s pair of Friday comedies, “Last Man Standing” and “Dr. Ken” will air their respective Halloween-themed episodes one day ahead of the holiday on Friday. On “Last Man Standing,” Mike and Chuck find themselves in an all-out prank war with their wives, and “Dr. Ken” will celebrate the 20th Halloween anniversary of Ken’s marriage proposal to Allison.
“Exorcism: Live!” (Destination America)
Friday, Oct. 30 at 9 p.m.
Destination America is making history this weekend by airing the first-ever televised exorcism in the TV special “Exorcism: Live!” The event will take place at the original Exorcist House in the suburbs of St. Louis where the infamous ritual was performed on Roland Doe in 1949, and which inspired the film “The Exorcist.”
“Grimm” Season Premiere (NBC)
Friday, Oct. 30 at 9 p.m.
A modern twist on the fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, NBC’s Friday drama starring David Giuntoli returns for Season 5 on Friday. In the episode, titled “The Grimm Identity,” Nick will have to decide what kind of person he wants to be in the wake of his mother’s beheading and Juliette’s death.
Halloween-themed movie marathon (ABC Family)
Saturday, Oct. 31 at 7 a.m.
ABC Family will conclude its 17th annual “13 Nights of Halloween” celebration with a marathon of Halloween-themed movies. Beginning at 7 a.m. with 1989’s “Batman,” the marathon will continue all day and into the night with “Batman Returns,” “Poltergeist,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Hocus Pocus.”
“Evil Dead” marathon / “Ash vs. Evil Dead” (Starz)
Saturday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m.
Starz’s TV follow-up to the “Evil Dead” franchise, “Ash vs. Evil Dead” will make its long-awaited premiere on Halloween. And as a primer for the uninitiated, the network will air the entire Bruce Campbell film franchise before the episode.