Halloween on the Small Screen
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31
Live With Regis and Kelly -- Syndicated (Check Local Listings for Time/Channel)
In their umpteenth Halloween Spooktacular episode, Regis and Kelly change costumes a whopping 14 times -- or roughly 18 percent of Regis’ age. Former Dancing with the Stars runner-up/current Extra host Mario Lopez stops by for the festivities.
100 Scariest Movie Moments – 6-11 ET on Bravo (R)
Bravo sure has gotten its money’s worth with this five-part special from 2004, and don’t expect it to stop re-airing any Halloween soon. To the network’s credit, big-name interviewees (Stephen King, Wes Craven, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, et al.) were delivered, and the list is pretty dead-on. It’s a Halloween must-watch for those who haven’t seen it -- or at least a must-Wikipedia to see the list.
Goosebumps – 8-11 ET on Cartoon Network (R)
You may have never heard of this series, but the little ones have -- and chances are you’ve unwittingly purchased a Goosebumps lunchbox or two at some point. It’s every bit as much a G-rated Halloween tradition for the single-digit set as scary movies are for the rest of us.
R.L. Stine’s Mostly Ghostly – 9/8c on Disney (R)
The kiddies will probably be torn between this and the aforementioned Goosebumps mini-marathon -- both of which come from the prolific R.L. Stine. Ali Lohan (Lindsay’s little sis) starred in this recently aired special, which could be more or less be dubbed A Harry Potter Halloween.
Doomed to Die? 13 Most Shocking Hollywood Curses – 8/7c on E!
E! naturally finds a way to sneak into the Halloween TV game with this new special on 13 allegedly “cursed” celebrities and actors -- like the casts of The Exorcist and the Superman projects. And if Doomed to Die was made recently enough, you’d think the Dark Knight cast would have to make the cut, too.
Ghost Hunters Live – 7p-2a ET on Sci-Fi
The Ghost Hunters ghost hunters invite you to spend almost one-third of a day watching a single Halloween special. I mean, the show is good, but is it really “seven hours” good? Those who embark on this marathon will witness Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson revisit a Civil War post in Delaware to search for ghosts (duh!), and since it’s being broadcast live, we get to hunt for ghosts too! I’d personally feel pretty robbed of my seven hours if not a single ghost popped in for a cameo.
Modern Marvels – 8/7c on History
If more straightforward fare is what you’re after on Halloween night, this is as good as it gets. History Channel’s longtime series Modern Marvels examines Halloween-related technology -- as in monster makeup, mask production, jack-o’-lantern carving, fake blood and more. Not exactly must-see TV, but it’s a welcome change from pretty much everything else on the tube tonight.
The Exorcist – 11/10c on Bravo
With all due respect to The Shining and just about any John Carpenter film, I consider The Exorcist to be the scariest movie of all time, and what is Halloween TV about if not scaring yourself paranoid? Of course, William Friedkin’s masterpiece (based on William Peter Blatty’s masterpiece) may cut deeper than the desired one-night fright, whether you’re an Exorcist virgin or veteran -- but it's so worth it.
The Blair Witch Project – 9:45/8:45c on Flix
For optimum fear, transport yourself back to the time (1999) when Blair Witch burst onto the scene as a phenomenon you half-thought was real footage of a camping trip gone hellish. If you can do that, you’re in for a scare refresher on Halloween night.
KEEP READING: Saturday...