THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND CODY

Today I want to talk about the much-maligned, but actually underrated genre of...Halloween episodes of TV shows. For me, the best ones are seared in my brain in a way that’s different than a typical episode. My all time favorites are THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK AND CODY’s “The Ghost in Suite 613” and BOY MEETS WORLD’s “And Then There Was Shawn.” The former (which can be watched in its entirety on YouTube for free—you’re welcome) fully terrified me when I watched it at the ripe old age of 8. It follows Zack, Cody, Maddie, and London when they decide to stay in the rumored-to-be-haunted suite 613 after hearing an intriguing ghost story about the room. What makes the episode so legendary is the shocking twist at the end (I think the statute of limitations is up on spoilers here, but still, I won’t spoil it) and the sheer commitment to the bit by the one and only Esteban Julió Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramírez, played by Adrian R'Mante. I promise you’re not too old to take 22 minutes out of your day and enjoy the nostalgia. 

Speaking of which, the BOY MEETS WORLD slasher episode also scared the heck out of me as a kid. When I was maybe 14, I became obsessed with binging before it was in vogue and watched grainy versions of old TV shows that someone had the decency to upload to YouTube. Anyway, the episode in question didn’t actually premiere around Halloween, it came out on February 27, 1998. The story follows the sitcom’s cast as they’re locked in detention together, and come across a mysterious murderer. Yes, it’s as silly as it sounds, but it was so much fun.. Even through all of the thriller-style drama, the episode retains the one-liners that make the show so funny. The mix of unexpected horror with characters you’ve spent years getting to know makes this episode a true gem. You can watch the whole series on Disney+!

—Darlene Kenney, Digital Strategist 

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