A watch-along podcast where host Matt Essner (a person who is totally normal about Halloween) watches Halloween Episodes of TV shows with his friends. Every episode Matt will be joined by a guest, who will bring with them their favorite spooky episode of a TV show , and together they will watch it and discuss it.
New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during October.
Join us... if you dare!
In this very special season finale of A Very Special Halloween Episode, Matt is joined by some special guests to celebrate his favorite holiday. This one's not to be missed!
As always, thanks to Purrple Cat for their song "Come One, Come All". You can check out their work at Purrplecat.com
30 Oct 2026
Episode 14: Stranger Things
Matt is joined by Josh Essner and his son Charlie to talk about Stranger Things Season 2 Episode 2; "Chapter 2 - Treat or Treat, Freak". Charlie has forgotten more about Stranger Things than Matt will ever know and is our guide through this spooky Netflix classic.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
28 Oct 2026
Episode 13: Friends (Cursed)
Buckle up, friends, this one is a bit of a journey. In this episode Matt tries to watch an episode of Friends with Allie Essner, a show they were both forbidden from watching when they were children, and a show that, at time of recording, Matt had never seen before (he loves to bring this up). While they were able to successfully watch the episode, when Matt listened back to the recording, it was mostly ok, until it got the part where they started watching the episode. Obviously because of a curse.
But fear not, Matt was able to salvage much of the episode and even record some extra stuff to make up for the parts he had to cut to uphold his (meager) quality standards. So enjoy this cursed episode of VSHE and as always, big thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme.
26 Oct 2026
Episode 12: GI Joe
This time, Matt is joined by Terrence Wells to discuss yet another toy advertisement disguised as a cartoon; GI Joe Season 2 Episode 24; "Nightmare Assault".
This episode asks the very provocative question 'If your overly critical father traumatizes you so much in your childhood that you don't sleep at night as an adult, but your insomnia and rage at your father allows you to save the lives of your comrades and thwart a terrorist organization, was your father right?'
A lot to unpack here, and thankfully Matt and Terrence are up to the task.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
23 Oct 2026
Episode 11: Quantum Leap
In this episode Matt is joined by Aaron Miller to discuss a show they both loved growing up: Quantum Leap Season 3 Episode 6; "The Bogeyman". Matt bravely, barely even mentions Scott Bakula's connection to St. Louis, Missouri, but you know he wanted to.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
21 Oct 2026
Episode 10: Superstore
Matt is joined by the elusive and mysterious Eli Egipciaco to talk about Superstore Season 2 Episode 6; "Halloween Theft". Fun fact; Superstore is set in St. Louis, Missouri, where Matt used to live. I'm sure he probably won't talk about it that much on this episode (Spoiler: He will). Superstore is a show about people who work together. Matt and Eli used to work together. Coincidence? You decide.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
19 Oct 2026
Episode 9: Community
Matt is joined by his friend Mason Redmon to talk about Community Season 2 Episode 6; "Epidemiology", the zombie episode. Remember when zombies were cool? Not just cool to weirdos like me, but to everyone. People who watched Two and A Half Men and NCIS and Survivor (I guess I could've just said people who watch CBS) liked zombie media for a hot second. Anyway, this is an episode about a show about zombies. Sometimes Mason and I forget to talk because we like the show so much.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
16 Oct 2026
Episode 8: Boy Meets World
This episode has it all; Rob Dianora, Matt, Boy Meets World Season 5 Episode 17; "And Then There Was Shawn", which isn't technically a Halloween episode, but we here at VSHE will watch anything, as long as its spooky. This episode also contains the story of Matt and Rob's secret Halloween connection.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
14 Oct 2026
Episode 7: Jem
This time Matt is joined by Cecile Sison to talk about Season 2 Episode 16 of Jem, a show about selling dolls to children. But that doesn't mean it can't be good... or does it? You'll have to listen to find out whether or not this exercise in shameless capitalism can still function as effective art. Also, Cecile wants to make it very clear that she is not a fan of the movie "Jem and the Holograms". She mentions it during the show, but she really wants to use this platform to its fullest extent to denounce that film and its "reimagining" of Jerrica's story.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
12 Oct 2026
Episode 6: Parks and Recreation
In this episode Matt is joined by Brian Train Mayer, who reveals the surprisingly uninteresting origins of his nickname. They also watch Season 5 episode 5 of Parks and Recreation, which is allegedly a Halloween episode, but Matt isn't buying it.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
9 Oct 2026
Episode 5: Freaks and Geeks
Matt is joined by podcaster and game designer Pete Wissinger to talk about neither of those things (very much). Instead they talk about "Freaks and Geeks - Season 1 Episode 3; Tricks and Treats". Pete schools Matt on the adoption of commercial VCR's and Matt educates Pete on late 90's comedies staring actors with 3 names. A ghoul'd time is had by all.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
7 Oct 2026
Episode 4: Star Trek Enterprise
In this episode, Matt is joined by a Justin Spaeth, a real Trekkie, not one of those posers who only wears Vulcan ears on Easter, Christmas, and Leonard Nimoy's birthday. Together they watch "Enterprise - Season 3 Episode 5; Impulse". Does Matt resist his impulse to constantly dunk on Justin Spaeth, who claims to not know what an opening credits sequence is? There's only one way to find out.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
5 Oct 2026
Episode 3: Home Improvement
In this episode, Matt is joined by Steve Wissinger to talk about "Home Improvement - Season 2 Episode 6; Haunting of Taylor House". Steve claims that Home Improvement isn't one of his favorite TV shows anymore, and yet does a pitch perfect "More Power" grunt. Is he a liar or is he a fool? You decide.
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com
2 Oct 2026
Episode 2: The Simpsons
Matt is joined by friend and filmmaker Chris Sato to talk about "The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror 5 - Season 6, Episode 6". Matt forgot to ask Chris to plug things in this episode, but you should definitely check out his web series "Days of the Living Dead" (https://www.youtube.com/@daysofthelivingdead).
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for use of their song "Come One, Come All" as our theme song. Check out their stuff over here: www.purrplecat.com (https://purrplecat.com/)
1 Oct 2026
Episode 1: The Real Ghostbusters
In this very first episode of A Very Special Halloween Episode, Matt is joined by guest and frequent brother, Ben Essner to talk about "The Real Ghostbusters: S01E08 - When Halloween Was Forever".
Special thanks to Purrple Cat for our theme music "Come One, Come All". Check out their work at https://purrplecat.com
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
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