Daily Debate: Which 2017 Animated Halloween Special Was the Best?

Halloween is almost upon us, which means it’s time to decide which of this year’s animated Halloween specials was the best!

While The Simpsons doesn’t pull the massive ratings it once did for FOX, the annual “Treehouse of Horror” episodes are a must-see. This year’s “Treehouse of Horror XXVIII” utilized different styles of animation and paid homage to films like Coraline. CBS and NBC offered up their own Halloween fare this year with Michael Jackson’s Halloween and The David S. Pumpkin Halloween Special — I wouldn’t expect either of those to join the ranks of “Treehouse of Horror” or something like It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, but you never know.

On Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants celebrated Halloween this year with a stop-motion animated special, SpongeBob Squarepants: The Legend of Boo-kini Bottom, while over at Disney, Mickey Mouse starred in his own half-hour Halloween special, A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular. (Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network also aired Halloween-centric episodes of their regular animated programming throughout the month of October as they do every year.)

Alright, Rotoscopers! It’s time for you to separate the tricks from the treats (or the candy corn from the good candy), and let us know which animated Halloween special wins 2017!

Are you a sucker for “Treehouse of Horror?” Were you oddly entertained by Michael Jackson’s Halloween? Do you actually like candy corn?

Sound off in the comments below or on our Facebook page… if you dare.

Michael Clemente

You didn’t mention The Loud House Halloween special, “Tricked.” That premiered this year and featured all the principal characters with their own Halloween spin. Yes, they didn’t get exposed as much as the Lincoln and Clyde plot where they deal with annoying one-dimensional bullies bent on wrecking everyone’s Halloween, but that led to an exciting finale of Halloween goodness. Basically, “Tricked” should’ve been considered as an option.
As for what I think is the best 2017 animated Halloween special is, out of the one’s I’ve seen, I’m going with the Mickey Mouse one. It has the best atmosphere suited for the holiday and Mickey has a great arc with the stories he tells the kids (including an animated form of Mortie and Ferdie) which keep getting scarier, with the final story about the boys and the pies serving as a perfect concluding point in terms of fright.
Josiah Mielke

You forgot to mention Toy Story of Terror! That’s my personal favorite. All your favorite characters are back, same animation, same voice cast, and it introduces kids to the horror film genre, but still plays it down to be family-friendly. What’s not to love?
- Angelo Thomas
  
  This was just for the animated Halloween specials that were new this year. Toy Story of Terror is a good one, but it’s from 2013.
Chelsea Warner

I loved the David S. Pumpkins special. It was so absurd it was funny. I also was surprised how family friendly it was, considering it was based on an SNL sketch and premiered late at night.
- Mack
  
  Same. I’ve read a lot of harsh reactions to the special, but I found it enjoyable. I think it has to do with expectations: If you’re expecting a Rankin/Bass-esque holiday classic, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re expecting an edgy cartoon special for adults, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re expecting a silly animated sketch geared toward the older set but suitable for the whole family, it gets the job done.