Halloween specials were always less frequent than Christmas specials. I guess because Halloween didn’t have a story like Scrooge that could be used for any sitcom. I mean think about it. How many sitcoms or Saturday Morning cartoons based their Christmas episode around the Dickens classic? I can think of several right now. But I digress. Garfield’s Halloween will always hold a special place in my heart, mainly because it scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. It was around the third time that I watched it that I actually made it through the whole half hour. There was just something about this cartoon that left me crying like a little girl. I guess it was the fact that I liked Garfield so much (watched it every Saturday Morning), but it was scarier than anything I had every watched. I mean really, how many scary movies would I have seen by the age of 4? It was like eating a chocolate laxative. It’s sweet at first, but it all goes South pretty quickly. I recognized Garfield as a show that I liked, but it got scary really fast, so it hit me that much harder. So let’s get started!

The show opens with Garfield in bed. The TV mysteriously comes on, and its Binky the Clown! HEEEEEYYYY Kids! Jumping Jacks! Garfield starts exercising without realizing what he’s doing. He quickly stops, and reveals his hatred for Binky while looking for the remote.

Binky: Remember Kids, if you don’t exercise with Binky, you’ll grow up to be worthless!

While Garfield looks for the remote, Binky explains the importance of being in good shape for tonight. Because tonight, you can get candy! Garfield turns the TV off, but then takes Binky’s words to heart. He frantically turns the TV back on and finds out that tonight is Halloween. And he can get Candy! He turns the TV back off, and breaks into song and dance while the opening credits roll. Truly, this is the night he was made for!

Garfield quickly goes over why Halloween is superior to any other holiday. No pine needles or relatives or rabbits or anything. You go out, you get candy! But, it is still a bit early, so he goes back to bed.

Garfield wakes up later that day, and starts his quest for the candy, candy, candy, candy! I would use that same "candy, candy, candy, candy" chant for many years to come. But first things first, he needs a costume, and a sack. He decides to have some fun by scaring John who happened to be carving a pumpkin at the time. The pumpkin goes up in the air and lands right on Mr. Arbuckle’s head. One in a million shot! We also find out that Halloween is Garfield’s middle name. That’s right, Gar Halloween Field! John offers up some breakfast, but Garfield is saving room for the candy. But that doesn’t last long as he soon takes the whole breakfast.

In the middle of making fun of Odie, Garfield stumbles upon the idea of recruiting Odie for tonight’s trick or treating. That way, he’d get twice the loot! He easily convinces Odie to join in his quest and the two look for costumes in the attic. Just a side note, but did you notice on most TV shows that there is always a large assortment of Halloween costumes? I mean really, who keeps that many around? Anyway, they go through a number of Halloween costumes, singing all the way. They finally decide to go as pirates. Garfield quickly gets into the spirit and seizes John’s pasta in the name of the Queen. John gives them from sacks and they are on their way. And yet John sees no problem in his cat and dog going out trick or treating by themselves. I think I was 13 the first time that I went out without parental supervision. Still, that’s what you have to love about cartoons! On his way out, Garfield takes the rest of the pasta.

The two pirates head out, but Odie gets nervous. Garfield says to relax, and that he’s not a scardy cat. And that brings them to their next song where Garfield goes on about not being scared, and then he gets scared. Classic!

They quickly get started, and Garfield starts threatening people into giving them more candy. Ha! You’d never see that today! Of course he thanks them when they comply, so it balances out. They reach the waterfront and spot a number of houses on the other side. Garfield expects that nobody has been to those houses, so the candy would be all his. He has a brief change of heart, but then quickly changes back. After all, this is Garfield we’re talking about! The Candy is all his! They commandeer a rowboat and quickly head across the river. Odie doesn’t understand Garfield’s Sea captain speech though, and throws the oars overboard, leaving them at the mercy of the current. Odie interrupts Garfield’s self pity and points out a lone house in the distance.

The boys sneak into the house and find this guy!

The first two times I watched the special, the old man set me over the edge. For whatever reason, and don’t get me wrong, he’s scary, I absolutely flipped out when I saw him. He still sends shivers up my spine. Garfield and Odie flip out as well, running in circles. He explains that they picked the wrong night to come and visit. This will be the worst night of their lives. He explains the island’s secret of piracy. It seems that pirates had buried treasure in this very building, 100 years ago. They signed a contract written in blood that stated no matter what, they would return in 100 years for the treasure, even if it meant returning from the grave. By this point, Ma would have to turn the TV off just to calm me down. Anyway, they would return on Halloween night at midnight. It seems that the old man was just a ten year old cabin boy at the time, making him 110 years old! He never took the treasure because he knew they would find them. The dead pirates knew that Garfield and Odie were there. The Pirates knew who they were! Garfield has heard enough and heads for the door. He turns back to invite the Old Man, but he’s gone! They head to the boat, but the Old Man is getting away with it.

Garfield: Rats, he’s getting away with the boat. Rats, there goes my candy!

Suddenly the grandfather clock rang midnight! Garfield, seeing that there were no ghost pirates, assumed that the Old Guy was just a lunatic. I’d say that would be true either way. They look outside, and suddenly, a ghost ship appears. The third time that I saw this, I started to get very nervous. The ghosts emerge from the water, looking more evil than Jason and Freddy combined. Garfield and Odie scramble for a hiding spot, and find one in a cupboard. The ghosts come in, and expunge the treasure from below the floor. And there it is, the treasure, but Odie sneezes the cupboard door open. Garfield closes it, thinking the pirates won’t see them. He was wrong! DEAD WRONG! Out of nowhere the ghost appears in the cupboard, and I start screaming!

For the third year in a row, I couldn’t get through the special! The boys run out of the house and dive into the water.

Garfield: Rats, I forgot. I can’t swim.

Garfield goes under, but Odie quickly comes to his aid. They head back to shore.

Garfield: That Old Man was right. This was the worst night of my life. I’ve had nightmares that seem like Birthday Parties compared to this!

Suddenly Odie spots their boat, and the Candy is still there! I guess the old guy wasn’t into sweets at his age.

Back at their house, Garfield goes against character and gives Odie his share of the candy. Garfield turns on the TV, and its the Old Man! AHHHHHH! TV OFF!

Yeah, so I was about 5 when I was able to get through this entire special. And even then, it was close. I wouldn’t see the special again until 1994, and then I finally made it through the special without my blood pressure going up, and closing my eyes in the really scary parts. It took five tries before I was no longer a scardy cat. Anyway, it is certainly worth a looksee if you have the opportunity to see it. More recently, it was put on DVD with Garfield’s Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sounds like a great deal to me! Those are classics!

Still, after seeing that Old Guy, I may not sleep well tonight. What a great Halloween special!

Note: The pics for this review came from the utterly awesome x-entertainment.com. Check out that website today!