Halloween: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Trick or Treason

Halloween  

            We're dipping back into "Alvin and the Chipmunks" with a look at a Halloween special. (Yay were looking at them meeting Frankenstein!) That's right we are looking at a special that aired on USA Network in 1994 called "Trick or Treason" (nooooooooo)  That other one is probably on the long list of things to get to. 

            Did you want to hear the Chimpunks do a cover of "The Monster Mash"? sure you did. The trio are getting ready for Halloween.   Alvin talks about trying to impress a group called the Monster Club, a group that Alvin thinks is cool and Simon thinks is a group of bullies. Alvin wants to join their club. To get into the group someone must do three different things. The group also mentions that's a new kid who is part pumpkin and can do a lot of horrible things, like with one look makes your hair fall out. (He probably just ate that sundae from Spongebob) 

They should be asking if he's actually a time traveler

            Simon really doesn't Alvin to join this group, but has decided to help. Meanwhile the Pumpkin head kid shows up and finds Theodore and says he's taking Theodore to his lab. Really he just helps Theodore from his fall. Theodore finds out the kid helps animals and his name is Michael. Michael knows about the things people said about him because of his deformed face. He tells Theodore not to tell people they're friends or he fears they'll be mean to Theodore.  

The Chipmunk world is like Goofy and Pluto, don't ask how it works

         Super early 90's montage music. I like that Simon made Alvin do a bunch of things for him to help with his prank for Halloween.  Michael uses his power to stop bully kids and stuff. Also there's not much Dave talking in this, he just kind of shows up. (not even an Alivinnnnnnn)  Michael likes Halloween and being able to go as hisself since people can see him as not strange.  Oh wait, David does say something, good. Theodore comes home and messes up Alvin's Halloween trick. 

That being a mask of a kid makes it darker and messed up

            The club isn't happy, so Alvin's new plan is to chase Pumpkinhead out of town. (The one from the 1988 movie?  no.. oh he wants to chase a child out of town, that's mean) Did this special pay to use "Help I've Fallen and I can't get Up" or was this before it was trademarked or something?  Anyway, he finds out that Theodore has been with Pumpkinhead and Theodore tells him that he's his friend. Alvin, after meeting him, is conflicted and tries to tell the monster club to call off the idea.  But the club is too into their whatever to continue and Alvin decides to join them. 

Alvin learned that in monster club, the real monsters are them 

            Theodore and Simon go to Michael's house to make sure he'll be alright before something stupid happens.  The monster club is making my recipe for pumpkin soup, I see.  I don't like the scene where  Michael is happy with friendly animals, saying he doesn't want to go with his mom because he's fine and has friends now.  I've seen this trick, then they kill off people, don't play with me. (I'm scared too) 

Honestly, could have gone either way of killing him or killing the mom. this has happened.

             Alvin and the leader of the Monster Club, uh who has no name; they didn't say it and I don't care, commit breaking and entering a house. (arrest them!) They get the boy to run out of his house and pour the whatever that liquid is on on him.  Alvin actually decides that this is too far and tells the others to stop. Simon and Theodore call Alvin the right things. Wait, there's a twist! That's right, Michael is fine. Alvin actually did have an earlier turn of heart and made a Pumpkinhead mask and put it on a boy from the monster club named Butch.  Michael doesn't even know what's going on.  (Ha ha Butch is dead now) 

Butch was never seen again

            I like how there's a boy that's meeting Michael and is sad that the boy won't kill off his sister. They used real children voices for this special it seems.  There we go  special is over.  The moral of the story is don't be mean.  

            

            This one is very simple, a very clear moral that one shouldn't judge some body by how they look.  It's not a bad message, but it's clear that this a very young person special, though adults need that message sometimes too. Though, don't question this world where people accept talking humanoid chipmunks, but are like woah that kid is freaky. 

          The special itself, looks alright, standard television Chipmunks stuff, but fun 90's cartoon animation look. I also liked how it really had a nice Halloween feel to it. It actually doesn't feel too sugary sweet either and that's good.  Yeah, it's a fun little special. 

          That's it for now, tune in next time, when Butch sues everyone. 

            

        

            

        

DCOM Goes to Boogie Wonderland (Don't Look Under the Bed)

Disney  Halloween 

              Don't Look Under the Bed  is another older Disney Channel original movie. It premiered on Disney Channel on October 9, 1999. There's a fun note of this being a TV-PG original movie, instead of the typical TV-G on Disney Channel, because it was scary. This is also when PG meant something.   

         The movie was directed by Kenneth Johnson who also created "The Bionic Woman", "The Incredible Hulk" TV show , produced shows like the TV version of "Alien Nation"  and worked in films, he also directed the first "Zenon" movie. 

            The movie starts with narration by main character Frances Bacon McCausland (someone was having fun, right Ferdinand Magellan Jones?) she lives in a town called  Middleberg which is supposed to be like a normal boring town you see in movies and think of with America. But guess what? It's not! (I hope nothing spooky happens) 

             Frances is the middle child of her family and everyone seems to waking up early because the clocks for some reason say it's 7:23am, but it's 4:23am.   In fact everyone's clocks were wrong, which is strange. There are dogs on the roof. Frances is starting high school a year early, that's important.  Anyway, she sees a guy sitting on a rock, one of those  other people can't see people things going on.  The missing eggs thing comes into play as eggs are being dropped on one car.  The guy also shows up a few times make us wonder who he is.

When Disney Channel chose to rerun the movie 3am/ Copyright Disney 

            Frances is able to see him and he's surprised.  I like how this movie uses it's camera angles to really make you feel confused and disoriented. It's also holding the tension well as we don't see much of the creature that's doing the strange things around the town. There's also the mystery of the other guy who it is.  I don't know why the dad looks one step from murdering his family, the town, and then taking out himself, it's kind of strange. Then there seems to be things that make it look like Frances is behind the strangeness. 

I don't know why you screenshotted this. There's no one there, Frances! / Copyright Disney 

        The story is forcing Frances' character who is grounded in science and in logic to have to accept strangeness and the lack of logic. It's taking its time well to build up the tension and does it well. Finally, Frances is able to talk to the guy that's been hanging around.  His name is Larry Houdini.  He's played by Ty Hodges who would later play Larry Beale on Even Stevens.  [Strange he played a guy named Larry in two different Disney things] He's a good contrast to Frances as he's wild and silly, and says he's an imaginary friend. He says the one that's doing all the strange things is the Boogieman, which she finds really outlandish. 

        The real horror of this movie is people accusing her for stuff she didn't do and thinking she's losing her sanity. It does bug me when a character figured out that no one can see someone still tries to show people, try a new strategy. Larry says he's sent there to help her.  Odd Barry Manilow joke. Her mother was called in and they just drop a line that her younger brother, Darwin, had cancer but is in remission. (He got off lucky, in other Disney movies he'd be dead or their mom would be dead, or everyone is dead) 

         

Would be more interesting if the kids were actually the adults imginary friends/ Copyright Disney

        

            I love how this movie feels like a horror film in theory.   The mom thinking that mind control is a reason why strange things are happening is not something you'd expect.   Darwin mentions something about the boogieman and says a guy named Larry told some kids.  There's a lot of jump scares in this too as we get monster build up.   It's also interesting that young children can  see him, but Darwin can't. (hmm, I wonder)  I also like that Larry acts like a kid at times since he is a childhood imaginary friend. 

 

       Also, I'm once again asking Frances that if no one can see and hear him then stop thinking people will hear him. There's also a parallel of a the young children listening to the Peter Pan story and talking about believing in something.  That's right movie, I see what you are doing.  I don't know the librarian is mad, she doesn't know that the library put on a story for kids that also has interaction in it? 

I don't know why these kids are so happy, there's no one there/ Copyright Disney

        In this movie called "Don't Look Under the Bed" Frances goes to look under her bed. I think the creepy doll moving her head is a bad sign.  Larry jump scare.  Darwin comes into the room to for the movie to do a lost your marbles misdirection statement joke.  This is where Larry and Frances figure out that, that younger boy can't see him.  Frances says he doesn't believe in things like imaginary friends, then Larry turns scary after she says that she's the reason Darwin doesn't believe in him.  Frances says that she was helping him.  Then Larry asks why didn't she give Darwin some of her bone marrow , as earlier it was said that the older brother, and Larry leaves. Like, I said the cancer thing came up. 

         The movie was doing a good job of doing the "Jaws" thing of making sure we don't see the monster.   The boogieman is putting Christmas lights up?  This is a Christmas movie. (Change the labels)   Then we see him, he's dressed in Victorian style. I like his design, I can see how this is movie is seen as scary by kids or people who were kids when they saw it.  

Let us thou boogie/ Copyright Disney 

    Boogie makes the power go out  except at the house here where he turns on the Christmas lights because uhhhhhh reasons?   The house has ended up on the newspaper. It's funny because somehow the paper had the time to do this story as their front page news, the TV news is there too, and the story is about the house being the only one with power, so who's watching that?  Also, the dad is one step from snapping and killing everyone on Earth and then himself.   

This is  Christmas movie then/ Copyright Disney 

          Larry was Darwin's old imaginary friend and Larry says that Darwin still needed him. Interesting. Keep that note.  The movie shifts to back and white for a Frankenstein homage. Larry's nails are getting long  like a boogie man. (hmmm)  There's also a misdirection bust joke, I see what you are doing movie. The school phycologist is over at the house for a family dinner and probably because the dad thinks his daughter is losing her mind.  Larry is making boogie goo at the wrong time because of course he is. The mother finds out and explains she's concerned about Frances.  Frances wonders if there's something wrong with Larry.  He's turning into a boogieman.

I don't feel so un boogie/ copyright Disney 

            Frances finds out that if a child stops believing in an imaginary friend too early then they turn into a boogieman.  He's looking very boogie. (I'm scared)  There are shots in the movie that are one step removed from being a slasher film.  Under the bed in Frances' room is glowing as something grabs Darwin.  One step from being a slasher film, indeed.  Darwin is under the bed, he's in the boogie world, which is different than boogie wonderland. (and way different than Funky Town) 

            I do like how Larry is concerned about Darwin even as he changes is amazing, I love that touch.  I think it's ironic that this movie was actually not liked by some parents groups for being too scary, when one of the messages of the movie is that people get scared and that fear should be confronted. She tries to go Boogie World, but we get a father jump scare and thankfully her story made him leave to give her time to go the the world. 

            She ends up what would be a cool screen saver on Windows 95.   I like how it looks it's kind of like a dreamscape with a sense no logic and random assortments of whatever. It's good contrast to the more normal world of Frances, though her world isn't that much normal, and her sense of wanting logic. She is able to find her bother and oh it's the boogie man.  Larry is turning into one even more. I love their designs.  Frances convinces Darwin to believe in Larry the movie does some of that Peter Pan stuff and gets Larry to turn back to normal.  He's missing most of this fun though. 

                Larry and the boogieman fight each other and fight is kind of silly, there's a man with pointy nails fighting a man with a big pen for a moment.   Frances uses jumper cables attached to the boogie man's nails and we get a fake out of him being defeated. She tells him she's not afraid of him anymore.  Then we get a twist that this boggieman was also her imaginary friend named Zoey.  They make it back home and the boogie man is back to her woman non scary form. 

We boogied too hard/ copyright Disney 

             The parents apologize to  Frances for thinking she was doing the strange things and there's apparently a town called Centerville. (I'm not moving there)  Frances explains that she gave up on Zoey when Darwin got sick and that's why Zoey was turning.  Larry and Zoey both go to Centerville to help fix the problem there, which would be a good spinoff series. Where's that?  Frances finds out that she won't see Larry and Zoey anymore because it's not her time anymore.  Also a kiss, they really went hard on the Peter Pan allegory.  It ends with a nice scene with Darwin and Frances.  

             This is the only Disney Channel movie to end with Boogie Wonderland.  

            I can see why this movie would be scary to children  and it has some feelings of the real TV PG and rated PG movies when that meant something. I'm not sure if I would have been scared of it, but I can see how.  This movie has some good layers to it. The main idea I saw was that it was about letting fear not be in control.  Frances, rightfully, felt fear for her little brother when he had cancer and her best way to push aside her fear was  to help her brother not be in fear. There's also a slight message of letting time hit right, not try to grow up too fast.  There was the idea that she and Darwin tried to push away childhood things too early. 

           The movie has interesting shots and a look to it, I liked how it made everything feel a little off kilter.  It's also a movie that doesn't seem to waste anything that it brings up, though you could say if there's one thing it doesn't use much is Frances being moved a grade up. I think the only thing that fits with that into the story is the concept of Frances trying to be mature or more disconnected from childhood things in awkward times, but that's only tangential.  

              I do like how the movie knew to use quiet moments as effective and it was used.  The other parts of the movie is that it's mostly Frances point of view, so we don't really know much about how Darwin was effected by having cancer and he's well and seems to be alright by the time this movie happens. I think there was way too much Frances doesn't believe that Larry is real or that other people can't see him, where even if she's trying logic it, there's a point and point earlier that she would accepted it more.  I'm also a little lost on the whole thing about Frances feeling bad about not being able to give marrow but her older brother was, it's brought up twice and it's kind of random. They slightly try to tie it to her fears at the time, but yeah. 

                 It's a good movie, but it does have some pieces that kind of feel a little lost or had good ideas not explored. I did enjoy it, there was some fun charm to it and some moments felt almost slasher and horror like.  

         That it's for now, tune in next time when we come up from the bed to scare you. 

Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2025 schedule

hALLOWEEN    Freeform 

    It's finally September and we're running through the last months of the year. Halloween is around the corner and it's become a month long affair in October. Freeform is ready for their annual 31 Nights of Halloween.  

            The network will be airing, per tradition,  31 days of programming for Halloween themed fun.  Starting October 1 all the way through October 31.   This year is light on  the network premieres they only have one and that's "Disturbia".  They've added a couple Roald Dahl based films, these are both re-additions with "Matilda", a longtime ABC Family/ Freeform staple, and  "The Witches".   

             October 13 is Tim Burton day where they air films made or directed by Burton.  Interestingly, they are only airing the film "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween" and not the first film.   The Disney Channel films "HalloweenTown", "HalloweenTown 2" , "Twitches" and "Twitches Too" do get runs this year, but they are mostly airing in the early daytime hours.  

            Here's the full line up all time ET/PT, subject to change 

Wednesday, October 1

12:00 PM ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

2:25 PM ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

4:25 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

6:50 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

8:55 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Thursday, October 2

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"

1:00 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

3:20 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

5:20 PM ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

6:55 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

9:00 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

Friday, October 3

10:30 AM ET/PT – "The Witches" (1990)

12:30 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

2:30 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

4:30 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

6:30 PM ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

8:35 PM ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

12:00 AM ET/PT – "Beastly"

Saturday, October 4

7:00 AM ET/PT – "The Witches" (1990)

9:00 AM ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"

12:05 PM ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

2:05 PM ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

4:35 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

6:45 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

9:15 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

11:20 PM ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

Sunday, October 5

7:00 AM ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

9:00 AM ET/PT – "Twitches"

11:05 AM ET/PT – "Twitches Too"

1:05 PM ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

2:45 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

5:15 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

7:20 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

9:30 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2"

12:00 AM ET/PT – "Matilda"

Monday, October 6

12:00 PM ET/PT – "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) (Live Action)

2:30 PM ET/PT – "Alice Through the Looking Glass"

5:00 PM ET/PT – "Matilda"

7:00 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

9:00 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

Tuesday, October 7

12:00 PM ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

2:25 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

4:25 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

6:30 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:35 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2"

Wednesday, October 8

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"

1:30 PM ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"

4:30 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

6:30 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

8:30 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

Thursday, October 9

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

12:30 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

2:30 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

4:30 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

6:30 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

8:55 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

Friday, October 10

11:00 AM ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

1:30 PM ET/PT – "Disturbia" – Freeform Premiere

4:00 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

6:00 PM ET/PT – "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

8:35 PM ET/PT – "Sleepy Hollow" (1999)

12:00 AM ET/PT – "Matilda"

Saturday, October 11

7:00 AM ET/PT – "Mrs. Doubtfire"

10:00 AM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

12:05 PM ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

2:45 PM ET/PT – "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

3:15 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

5:20 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

7:25 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

9:30 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

11:35 PM ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

Sunday, October 12

7:00 AM ET/PT – "The Black Cauldron" (Disney Animated)

9:00 AM ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

11:05 AM ET/PT – "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

11:35 AM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

1:40 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

3:40 PM ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

5:40 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

7:45 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

9:50 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

12:00 AM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

Monday, October 13 – Tim Burton Day!

12:00 PM ET/PT – "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

2:35 PM ET/PT – "Sleepy Hollow" (1999)

5:00 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

7:00 PM ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

9:25 PM ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

Tuesday, October 14

12:00 PM ET/PT – "Aladdin" (1992) (Disney Animated)

2:00 PM ET/PT – "Encanto" (Disney Animated)

4:05 PM ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

6:45 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice" – Pop N' Knowledge

8:50 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus" – Pop N' Knowledge

Wednesday, October 15

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"

1:00 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

3:00 PM ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

5:00 PM ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

7:00 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

9:00 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

Thursday, October 16

11:00 AM ET/PT – "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

11:30 AM ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

1:30 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

3:35 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

5:40 PM ET/PT – "The Incredibles" (Disney-Pixar)

8:20 PM ET/PT – "Incredibles 2" (Disney-Pixar)

Friday, October 17

10:30 AM ET/PT – "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (2010)

1:00 PM ET/PT – "101 Dalmatians" (1996) (Live Action)

3:25 PM ET/PT – "Cruella"

6:30 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:35 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2"

12:00 AM ET/PT – "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (1983)

Saturday, October 18

7:00 AM ET/PT – "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) (Live Action)

9:35 AM ET/PT – "Alice Through the Looking Glass"

12:10 PM ET/PT – "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"

2:50 PM ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

4:50 PM ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

6:55 PM ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

9:25 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

11:35 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

Sunday, October 19

7:00 AM ET/PT – "Halloweentown"

9:00 AM ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge"

11:00 AM ET/PT – "Beauty and the Beast" (1991) (Disney Animated)

1:00 PM ET/PT – "Aladdin" (1992) (Disney Animated)

3:05 PM ET/PT – "Matilda"

5:10 PM ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

6:50 PM ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

9:30 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

12:00 AM ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

Monday, October 20

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

2:10 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

4:15 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

6:20 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

8:50 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Tuesday, October 21

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

12:35 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

2:40 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

5:10 PM ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" – Pop N' Knowledge

6:50 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

8:55 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

Wednesday, October 22

10:30 AM ET/PT – "The Black Cauldron" (Disney Animated)

12:30 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

2:30 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

4:30 PM ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

6:30 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:35 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2"

Thursday, October 23

11:00 AM ET/PT – "Disturbia"

1:30 PM ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

3:30 PM ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

6:00 PM ET/PT – "Sleepy Hollow" (1999)

8:25 PM ET/PT – "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

Friday, October 24

12:00 PM ET/PT – "Sleepy Hollow" (1999)

2:25 PM ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

5:00 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

7:00 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

9:00 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus" – Pop N' Knowledge

12:00 AM ET/PT – "Twitches"

Saturday, October 25

7:00 AM ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

9:05 AM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

11:30 AM ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

1:05 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

3:10 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

5:15 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

7:45 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

9:50 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

11:55 PM ET/PT – "The Witches" (1990)

Sunday, October 26

7:00 AM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

9:05 AM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

11:10 AM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

1:15 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

3:15 PM ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

5:20 PM ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

7:50 PM ET/PT – "The Addams Family" (1991)

9:55 PM ET/PT – "Addams Family Values"

12:00 AM ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

Monday, October 27

12:00 PM ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales"

3:00 PM ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

5:00 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

7:00 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

9:00 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

Tuesday, October 28

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

12:30 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

3:00 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania"

5:00 PM ET/PT – "Hotel Transylvania 2"

7:00 PM ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

9:00 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Wednesday, October 29

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

1:00 PM ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

3:30 PM ET/PT – "Aladdin" (2019) (Live Action)

6:30 PM ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

8:35 PM ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

Thursday, October 30

10:30 AM ET/PT – "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (2010)

1:00 PM ET/PT – "Matilda"

3:00 PM ET/PT – "Cruella"

6:00 PM ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

8:35 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

Friday October 31 – HALLOWEEN

10:30 AM ET/PT – "Matilda"

12:30 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

2:35 PM ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

4:10 PM ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

6:30 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:35 PM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2"

12:00 AM ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Full Press Release  after the jump

Halloween : King of the Hill : Hilloween

Halloween 

            King of the Hill  has at least two Halloween episodes, and I'm writing about the one that doesn't end up with a man going mad and being turned into sausages.  The very first Halloween episode is from the series' second season called "Hilloween" 

            I'm going to kind of assume that most here would be knowing the show "King of the Hill" are reading this post, but some might be very curious.  King of the Hill  was a FOX Network animated sitcom series, that probably the tamest in how it is, minus that one thing I mentioned, it's a show that most of it's episodes are TV-PG , minus like one that hit TV-14. It plays things to a more grounded sense, and is very much a tactical difference to shows like "The Simpsons"  or  "Family Guy".  

         This episode is about Hank wanting Bobby, his son, to have a good Halloween like he did as a kid. It has a flashback of him and his friends as kids, with copyright safe "That's not really Peanuts, don't use us" music.  At the store, Hank wants Bobby to have a scary costume and not a dalmatian. Bobby makes a good point that dogs can be scary. It's interesting how this episode will play into Hank's characterization of being very rigid on things, but also seems to be heavily focused on him wanting something you'd otherwise think he'd not be a fan of.  

         Next we meet the antagonist for the episode, Junie Harper. She's a very Christian woman who thinks witches are real and doesn't like Halloween because she feels it's a Satanic holiday.  (jokes on her, that would be New Year's Eve)  Luanne, Peggy and Hank's niece, is getting praised for being so smart when Junie asks baseline questions.  She brings the information she got from Junie and brings it Hank and Peggy to address her concern. Hank dismisses it. She runs to Junie Harper and by this point Junie gets info that she's really interested in. 

             She finds out that the middle school that Bobby goes to is holding a haunted house for Halloween, that Hank is putting together. She makes the case that it should be stopped because she decides to use separation of church and state as a reason, since she says some might consider Halloween a religious holiday.  It gets canceled, since Hank decides he's not going to change the whole thing. Bill's line is fun too.   

          There are some weak points to this episode.  Hank does seem a little overtly mean to Luanne in this episode. Though some of it could be showing more of Hank's frustration because he's doing this Halloween stuff because he wants to make sure Bobby has a good one like he did. He wants to pass it down and is pretty annoyed that Junie Harper messed up his plans.  Luanne from a point of view likes how Harper called her smart- having Hank caller her dumb is good contrast- that makes her feel good at passing information along. She also seems to be become more of someone who just ends up repeating things Harper said.  

        It's funny that Hank, normally heavily law abiding and orderly has decided to each Bobby how to egg and TP a house.  It ties back to his memory flashback, and it's funny to see Bobby say it's wrong to his dad.  The biggest mistake is that Hank decides to egg Junie Harper's house and she hears and decides to chase, running over and killing her cat too- and  I think this set her off.  "Get out of my house-- Exodus" is a funny line. (Good Kate Bush song too) 

                Bobby feels bad. Luanne talks to him and she gets to him as well.  Anyway, she's been set off by her cat being killed -by herself- and she's gotten the city council to pass a curfew to cancel Halloween trick or treating and stuff.  Bobby goes to Harper's Halleluiah house where she does stuff.  Peggy finds out and gets mad at Luanne because of her "coming between her son and husband".  

        Hank decides to put on a costume and decides to defy the whole curfew and start staying "Trick or Treat".   His friends, and even Luanne decide to join in. Also the club thing is trying to feel like they are joining a timeshare agreement, Bobby don't sign---noooo.

         Hank shows up to get Bobby and it works when he does a fake organ thing and some fake eye thing and Bobby decides he'd rather be with his father rather than anything else. 

               The full basic premise of the episode is really a story where Hank just wants to share Halloween with his son and doesn't want anything to get in the way of that. Yeah, that's my view. The episode isn't going for a debate over Halloween.  Hank (and Peggy) are Christians as well, so the show isn't going for that route of them being against Junie because of that. If anything, Junie is just a local agitator and even though she got the school thing canceled, she didn't go for the harder thing until she ran over cat after Hank and Bobby egged her house. If anything, that's Hank's fault on agitating her more.  The episode doesn't really say Hank is right or Junie is right,  because they both kind of do the wrong things in this episode. Luanne's part was kind of annoying, again Hank was kind of mean to her, but- at first she was more just saying stuff she got from Harper, Hank is free to celebrate Halloween -as Peggy said.  

         Bobby doesn't get to do much in this episode either. That's kind of a shame, he kind of drifts along with Luanne's plan and then decides he just wants to spend time with his father. I do find it interesting that he was going with a moral center, that ironically Hank and Peggy taught him, but Hank wants to nudge him out of it for Halloween.  There's not much fun Peggy moments either, she kind of exists to be between Hank and Luanne. She also gets mad at Luanne when she feels the latter got in-between son and father.    Luanne's turn around at the end was I don't know that was an ending. The episode goes out of the way to say that she's easily influenced and maybe Peggy yelling at her influenced her, but yeah that was a mess. 

             Sadly, not a overly strong story episode, but does have some funny moments and it's pretty interesting to see  Hank that invested in Halloween and really just wanting to spend time with his son.  There are some funny moments, Dale brings grade A funny in the small moments he's there, Peggy doesn't have much, neither does Bobby. Hank gets some funny liners in like "Get out of my House, Exodus" line.  Luanne has some funny lines too.  Bill doesn't show up much either, but liked his idea of making it a house of pancakes. (careful Bill) 

            That's it for now , tune in next time when someone tries to ban Thanksgiving because Turkey is evil. 

      

Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2024 schedule

  Halloween     fREEFORM 

        The unofficial end of summer is here and fall is coming, and that means Halloween is coming. Freeform is ready for it with the announcement of their annual 31 Nights of Halloween schedule.  

            The  network will once again run Halloween themed programming from October 1 through October 31.   Per tradition, the programming event will air movies like "Hocus Pocus", "Beetlejuice", "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "Edward Scissorhands", and more classics. 

         Adding to the line up this year, the 2023 version of "The Haunted Mansion" makes a premiere to the network on October 5.  "Hocus Pocus 2" will premiere October 6.  On October 13,  it's a Tim Burton Day, with the 2019 version of "Dumbo",  Frankenweenie, "Dark Shadows", "The Nightmare Before Christmas",  "Beetlejuice", amd"Edward Scissorhands" 

         Freeform also adds "Arachnophobia" to their rotation this year, along with the Disney animated film "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad"  The Disney Plus series "Goosebumps" season 1 will  air as a marathon on October 25. 

 Here's the full line up all times ET/PT, subject to change 

Tuesday, Oct. 1

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

3:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

5:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

6:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice" 

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Wednesday Oct. 2

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia" – Freeform Premiere

3:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

5:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

8:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

Thursday, Oct. 3

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

1:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

4:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

6:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

8:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

Friday, Oct. 4

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown"

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge"

2:30 p.m. ET/PT – "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney Animated) – Freeform Premiere

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

6:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Cruella"

9:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

Saturday, Oct. 5

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

9:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

9:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

11:35 a.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

2:05 p.m. ET/PT – "The House with a Clock in Its Walls"

4:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

6:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice" 

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023) – World Television Premiere

11:30 p.m ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

Sunday, Oct. 6

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Mrs. Doubtfire"

10:05 a.m. ET/PT – "The House with a Clock in Its Walls"

12:35 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

2:40 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

4:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

6:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

9:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2" – World Television Premiere

11:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"

Monday, Oct. 7

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Mrs. Doubtfire"

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

6:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

Tuesday, Oct. 8

12:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (2010)

2:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

4:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

6:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Wednesday, Oct. 9

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Mansion"

3:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

5:35 p.m. ET/PT – "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney Animated)

7:10 p.m. ET / PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Encanto" (Disney Animated)

Thursday, Oct. 10

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge" 

2:30 p.m. ET/PT – "The House with a Clock in Its Walls"

5:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

7:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus" - Pop N' Knowledge

9:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice" – Pop N' Knowledge

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Twitches"

Friday, Oct. 11

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "The House with a Clock in Its Walls"

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

3:00 p.m. ET/PT - "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

3:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

5:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

8:00 p.m. ET/PT  – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" 

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Twitches Too"

Saturday, Oct. 12

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Toy Story of TERROR!" (Disney-Pixar)

7:30 a.m. ET/PT – "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996) (Disney Animated)

9:35 a.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

11:40 a.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

2:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" 

5:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

7:15 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar) 

9:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

11:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Something Wicked This Way Comes" – Freeform Premiere

Sunday, Oct. 13 

8:00 a.m. ET/PT – "The Black Cauldron" (Disney Animated)

10:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Dumbo" (2019) (Live Action) – Tim Burton Marathon

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

2:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

5:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

6:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

11:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

Monday, Oct. 14

11:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

2:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

4:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Beetlejuice"

6:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

Tuesday, Oct. 15

11:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Twitches"

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

3:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

5:50 p.m. ET/PT – "The Incredibles" (Disney-Pixar)

8:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Incredibles 2" (Disney-Pixar)

Wednesday, Oct. 16

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

3:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

5:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" – Pop N' Knowledge

6:50 p.m. ET / PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Thursday, Oct. 17

11:00 am. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

3:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge" 

5:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Despicable Me"

7:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Despicable Me 2"

9:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Despicable Me 3"

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Muppets From Space" – Freeform Premiere

Friday, Oct. 18

12:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Despicable Me"

2:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar) 

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar) 

6:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2" 

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

Saturday, Oct. 19

7:30 a.m. ET / PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

10:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" 

1:15 p.m. ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" 

4:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" 

8:15 p.m. ET/PT – "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" 

11:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

Sunday, Oct. 20

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Mrs. Doubtfire"

9:40 a.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

11:50 a.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

2:25 p.m. ET/PT - "Dark Shadows" (2012)

5:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

7:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Cruella"

11:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

Monday, Oct. 21

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) (Live Action)

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Alice Through The Looking Glass"

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

6:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" 

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Tuesday, Oct. 22

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

3:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

5:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Spider-Man: Far From Home"

7:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Spider-Man: No Way Home" 

Wednesday, Oct. 23

12:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Spider-Man: Far From Home"

3:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Spider-Man: No Way Home" 

6:20 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

8:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

Thursday, Oct. 24

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Edward Scissorhands"

3:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Dark Shadows" (2012)

5:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Aladdin" (2019) (Live Action)

8:55 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus" – Pop N' Knowledge

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

Friday, Oct. 25

1:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps" (2023) – Season One Marathon

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge"

Saturday, Oct. 26

8:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown" 

10:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge"

12:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

2:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

5:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

7:15 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2"

9:45 p.m. ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

12:25 a.m. ET/PT – "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney Animated)

Sunday, Oct. 27

7:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween"

9:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Spooky Buddies"

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

3:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

5:40 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

7:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters, Inc." (Disney-Pixar)

9:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Monsters University" (Disney-Pixar)

11:55 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

Monday, Oct. 28

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Frankenweenie" (2012)

1:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Haunted Mansion" (2003)

3:00 p.m. ET/PT – "The Incredibles" (Disney-Pixar)

5:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Incredibles 2" (Disney-Pixar)

8:05 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

Tuesday, Oct. 29

11:00 a.m. ET/PT – "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney Animated)

12:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween" 

2:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

5:35 p.m. ET/PT – "Cruella"

8:50 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

Wednesday, Oct. 30

11:30 a.m. ET/PT – "Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween" 

1:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Arachnophobia"

4:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus" 

6:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

8:25 p.m. ET/PT – "Haunted Mansion" (2023)

Thursday, Oct. 31 - HALLOWEEN

12:00 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

2:10 p.m. ET/PT – "Casper" (1995)

4:40 p.m. ET/PT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"

6:20 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus"

8:30 p.m. ET/PT – "Hocus Pocus 2" 

12:00 a.m. ET/PT – "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

Full Press release after the jump