It’s Ha-Ha-Halloween in These Classic TV Sitcom Episodes

The show: The Addams Family

The episode: “Halloween With the Addams Family” (1964)

The plot: America's spookiest family — sorry, Munsters! — goes all in on the family festivities, including bobbing for live crabs and dressing up in “much too startling” costumes: Wednesday (Lisa Loring) dons pigtail ribbons and a cute dress, Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax) a mustache and a business suit. Adding to the mischief are two bank robbers, one of whom is played by Don Rickles, who take refuge at the house when their car breaks down out front.

The treat: When Gomez (John Astin) carves the likeness of Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan) into a jack-o-lantern, you'll crave good ol’ candy pumpkins.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

The show: Happy Days

The episode: "Haunted” (1974)

The plot: In the only episode to ever be directed by series creator Garry Marshall, the gang throws its annual Halloween party, but instead of the usual spot, Arnold's, they opt for the abandoned old Simpson house. It may be haunted, but that's half the point: As Ralph (Donny Most) puts it, “When chicks get scared, they need comforting — I love comforting.” Richie (Ron Howard) thinks he sees a headless ghost, everyone dresses up, but the best part of an episode like this is simply reliving your own memories of teenage parties gone by.

The treat: Anything retro

Where to watch: CBS All Access

The show: The Jeffersons

The episode: “Now You See It, Now You Don't” (1979)

The plot: In this two-part episode, the Jeffersons and the Willises dress up as classic Hollywood movie stars for a costume contest. Louise (Isabel Sanford) makes for an especially glamorous Mae West, while George (Sherman Hemsley) dons a bowler as Charlie Chaplin. But the festivities are disrupted when Weezy sees a man dressed as a killer rabbit murdering someone outside...

The treat: Only a 100 Grand bar will do to honor the couple who moved on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky.

Where to watch: YouTube TV

The show: M*A*S*H

The episode: “Trick or Treatment” (1982)

The plot: The doctors of the 4077th trade ghost stories as a series of bizarre cases puts their makeshift party on pause. Charles (David Ogden Stiers) tends to a Marine with a billiard ball stuck in his mouth (played by Cheers’ George Wendt), while Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) discovers a shocking surprise as he delivers last rites to a dead soldier — he's not dead!

The treat: Jelly Belly Camo Beans — 25 cents from the sale of each bag is donated to U.S. veterans and their families.

Where to watch: Hulu

The show: Cheers

The episode: “Fairy Tales Can Come True” (1984)

The plot: Not all Halloween episodes have to be scary. In fact, this romantic half hour is as sweet as candy. Dressed as conquistador Ponce de León and donning a mask, Cliff (John Ratzenberger) has immediate chemistry with a woman in a Tinker Bell costume. But will they still hit it off, he wonders, when they're out of costume? Fun fact: Tinker Bell was played by Bernadette Birkett, now 74, the real-life wife of George Wendt and voice of Norm's never-seen wife, Vera.

The treat: Boston Baked Beans, of course.

Where to watch: Hulu, Peacock or CBS All Access

The show: The Simpsons

The episode: "Treehouse of Horror” (1990)

The plot: TV's longest-running prime time scripted series has aired a whopping 32 “Treehouse of Horror" episodes — an annual holiday special comprising three sci-fi, horror or supernatural shorts. You could make a marathon of those episodes alone, but if you're looking for a good starting point, you can't go wrong with the first outing, which includes a spoof of Edgar Allan Poe's “The Raven” narrated by James Earl Jones and the introduction of the octopus-like green aliens Kang and Kodos, who have since appeared in more than 50 episodes.

The treat: Butterfingers — remember that Bart used to be a spokes-cartoon for the brand.

Where to watch: Disney+

The show: Frasier

The episode: “Halloween” (1997)

The plot: You can always expect to learn something from this most erudite of sitcoms, and Halloween episodes are no different. In this fifth-season installment, everyone dresses as their favorite literary character: Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) as Geoffrey Chaucer, Daphne (Jane Leeves) as the Wife of Bath from The Canterbury Tales, Martin (John Mahoney) as Sherlock Holmes, Niles (David Hyde Pierce) as Cyrano de Bergerac, and Roz (Peri Gilpin) as O from the French erotic novel Story of O. Having trouble spotting Bulldog (Dan Butler) in the crowd? That might be because he's dressed as Waldo of Where's Waldo? fame.

The treat: Haribo gummy eggs make for a perfect substitute for the theme song's “Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs."

Where to watch: Hulu or CBS All Access