Like a mummy, or a vampire, or a ghost, or any number of monsters that rise from the dead at Halloween — WE’RE BACK!!! It’s Chelsea and Andy’s favorite time of year, and we couldn’t resist getting together for an impromptu surprise episode, specially for those of you who forgot to unsubscribe. Join us as we deep-dive into the cursed nonsense that is The Paul Lynde Halloween Special variety show. We’ve got witches, we’ve got truckers, we’ve got disco, we’ve got special guest appearances from everybody from Betty White to KISS. It’s bananapants and we wish it had never happened, but it did. Join us, please, so you can help us prevent this haunting event from ever happening again.

Show: THE PAUL LYNDE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (ABC)

Air Date: October 29, 1976

Special Guest Stars: Margaret Hamilton, Billie Hayes, Billy Barty, Tim Conway, Roz “Pinky Tuscaderoh” Kelly, Betty White, Florence Henderson, KISS, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond

Find it: on Amazon Prime Video ($3.99 to rent)

Snacks:

• Brach's Harvest Corn
• Hershey's Vampire Kisses
• Anela Cookies
• Aloinka Cookies
• Skillet S'mores (recipe)

Further Reading:

We’ve come to the end of the rainbow, friends and colleagues. It’s been a fantastic 101-episode-long ride, and we’re so happy that you came along. Before we ride off into the sunset (jk, it’s a pandemic, we never leave our apartments), we’d like to wrassle one last VSE with you — part two of the accurséd BICYCLE MAN. It’s got all the icky feelings and inappropriate jokes of part one, with 200% more police detectives. Come along.

Show: DIFF’RENT STROKES \\ “The Bicycle Man,” Season 5, Episode 16

Air Date: February 5, 1983

Find it: Hulu or Amazon Prime Video with the Starz add-on

Snack: Maple Walnut Shortbread from Archer Farms

Further Reading:

• A “very special” Diff’rent Strokes that’s terrifying for all the wrong reasons | The AV Club
• Child Sexual Abuse: 6 Stages of Grooming | Oprah.com
• Preventing Sexual Abuse At Summer Camp: Five Tips for Parents

The time has finally come. In this most cursed year of this darkest timeline, we must re-watch and re-evaluate one of the most cursed VSEs of all time. The one that started it all — which is apt, because after 100 episodes, we have nearly come to the end of the Hugging & Learning rainbow. Join Chelsea, Andrew, and Miles for the penultimate episode of our podcast, as we evaluate what, if anything, we have to learn from this bone-chilling tv artifact today.

Show: DIFF’RENT STROKES \\ “The Bicycle Man,” Season 5, Episode 16

Air Date: February 5, 1983

Find it: Hulu or Amazon Prime Video with the Starz add-on

Snack: Camel Balls gum (Thanks, Josh!)

Further Reading:

• A “very special” Diff’rent Strokes that’s terrifying for all the wrong reasons | The AV Club
• Child Sexual Abuse: 6 Stages of Grooming | Oprah.com
• Preventing Sexual Abuse At Summer Camp: Five Tips for Parents