Married with a dog blog
This spooky season truly resonates with my soul. The bleak, macabre decoration. The dying trees shedding their leaves for the winter months. I’ve discovered if I wear a witch’s hat as I go through my daily lamentation (staring out the window with the dog on my lap) children scream as they walk by. It fills me with no small amount of joy to watch their terror.
I might have overspent on Campari and Sweet Vermouth since I last blogged. The negroni sbagliato has had me in a choke hold this last month, but I think today might be the day I finally reach the bottom of these bottles. The dog certainly thinks so as she has settled in for a nap that may last several hours. Even my current husband has made himself scarce.
But I digress, today I would like to commemorate this hallowed season with a list of my top 5 television episodes that I like to revisit this time of year. The esteemed standalone ‘Halloween episode’ was promoted to popularity by the notoriety of The Simpsons. Though I don’t usually enjoy those yellow people running around (where is the realism?) or the americanism of this pastime, I have been known to dip into an occasional Treehouse of Horror. With this set as the quality standard of all Halloween-related television, I with proceed with my selection:
5. Community - Epidemiology - Season 2, Episode 6
Released back in 2010, Epidemiology feels like a creepy insight into the woes of the world a decade later. It offers well needed insight into the mentality of man when suffering the impact of a viral epidemic. Though covid was not spread (usually) by one person biting and attempting to devour another, I feel this episode asks the important questions. How would you react in this situation? Would you do the right thing and isolate yourself if you become infected? Or would you throw a wine and cheese party?
4. Community - Epidemiology - Season 2, Episode 6
This episode makes the list for one reason and one reason only. The soundtrack. Not only did they blow the budget on legendary voice actor and star wars person, George Takei - they went all out on a ABBA heavy soundtrack. We get Waterloo, we get Mamma Mia. Hell, they even throw in Dancing Queen for all the girls, gays and theys. Name a single episode of TV that is able to compete with that? You can’t.
3. Community - Epidemiology - Season 2, Episode 6
Dean Pelton. Need I say more?
2. Community - Epidemiology - Season 2, Episode 6
The problem about a lot of Halloween related television shows is that the costume designers tend to take a holiday. Far too often we see shows that look like they’ve raided the local Smiffys for some bat wings and a couple pairs of coloured contacts. What I love about Epidemiology, unlike the other shows on this list, is that clearly they’ve spent a lot of time tailoring each costume to the character. They perfectly showcase the emotional and physical character arcs of each member of the gang while maintaining the witty tone the show so easily sets.
1. Community - Epidemiology - Season 2, Episode 6
Finally, the top episode of television you should be watching this Halloween season is Community’s Epidemiology. Why you ask? I think for me, the main reason I want to recommend it to you is the message. It’s not often you find television brave enough to explore the real issues and Epidemiology, like any fable worth its salt, comes with its own moral of the story. Don’t eat expired military rations.