Halloween specials used to be as much of a TV normality as live sports, local news and Thanksgiving parades, but that's no longer the case in an era where a wide variety of shows aren't even airing during the spookiest month of the year. Thankfully, The Simpsons abides and provides, and 2024 marks another year of excellent scary movie parodies with two different "Treehouse of Horror" specials. And while we’re definitely hoping for another uniquely themed Bob’s Burgers romp, Family Guy confirmed its own Halloween special is on the way…to streaming. [Cue the horrified screams.]
Let’s take a deeper dive into both animated hits’ holiday plans, and what kind of treats Family Guy and Simpsons fans can expect alongside the requisite tricks in the upcoming TV schedule. Let’s kick things off with Twisters star Glen Powell’s first trip to Quahog.
Family Guy's Halloween Special, Guest-Starring Glen Powell
As touched upon during Family Guy’s Season 23 panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Family Guy has two different holiday specials on the way, with the first set to drop on Monday, October 14. As mentioned above, this won’t be televised alongside other episodes, but will be streaming exclusively for fans with Hulu subscriptions. There’s no word just yet on whether the special will eventually air on Fox, but for now, it’ll be online only.
In the special, Glen Powell will enter the mix as a character named Patrick McCloskey, who just so happens to be Quahog’s reigning champion of the annual Pumpkin Contest. This time around, though, Peter and his buddies are on a mission to dethrone Patrick as the champion no matter what they need to do to make it happen. (I’m both amused and confused by “Pumpkin Contest” offering zero context for what it would entail, be it carving, tossing or cooking.)
That’s not all, though. Gladiator and Harry Potter franchise vet Derek Jacobi will lend his Tony- and Emmy-winning chops to Family Guy for an all-too familiar character. The English thesp will be voicing “Rupert,” which is presumably in reference to Stewie’s beloved teddy bear. And if the first look at the episode above is any indication, it’s possible Jacobi will be playing a particularly astute version of Frankenstein’s Monster, though it’s just as possible he’ll voice a human named Rupert whose body is incorporated into the show’s take on Mary Shelley’s classic tale.
The Simpsons' Two Treehouse Of Horror Specials
From Quahog to Springfield we go, as The Simpsons is set to conquer Halloween TV with two horror-laden episodes, which is easily the best trend the 30+-year-old series could have adhered to after breaking the mold with Season 34’s Stephen King-inspired “Treehouse of Horror: Not IT” addition. This time around, fans will get a traditional anthology as well as a more specifically themed trio of stories.
More election-fueled scares are on the way in “Treehouse of Horror XXXV,” with one tale pitting Springfield residents against giant monsters brought into existence via political rage. Next up is a segment focusing on a Victorian-era Mr. Burns whose Thanksgiving is turned upside-down by the ghosts of his abused employees. Shaking things up animation-wise will be the third entry, “Denim,” an “unforgettable stop-motion adventure” (per Fox) in which Homer becomes a little too attached to a pair of extraterrestrial pants.
Next up will be “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,” an obvious riff on Ray Bradbury’s 1962 novel with a less-punny name. In this ep, Lisa joins a tattooed man from a spooky night circus for three jaunts through time: one set in the 1950s, one set in the “chilling retro-present,” and a harsh future where society is ruled by prestige TV.
I can’t wait! And even though this next tidbit doesn’t have anything to do with the Halloween episodes, I think it’s also worth noting that both The Simpsons and Family Guy’s new seasons will feature episodes sending up HBO’s hit mystery-dramedy The White Lotus.
Family Guy’s Halloween special will debut on Hulu on Monday, October 14, with Season 23 being pushed to midseason instead of its usual fall debut. Meanwhile The Simpsons hasn’t yet specified exactly which weekends will feature its “Treehouse of Horror” specials. But Season 36 will kick off on Sunday, September 29, at 8:00 p.m. ET, at which point Season 35 will be available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.
