‘The View’ Cancels Halloween Episode Plans — Here’s Why

ABC‘s daytime talk show The View has announced the cancellation of its traditional Halloween episode for 2024, marking a significant break from a 28-year custom of elaborate costume celebrations. The decision comes as the show prioritizes live political coverage ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election, though a recent promo teasing “Boo are you wearing is back!” briefly sparked confusion about the decision.

Producer Brian Teta revealed the news during the show’s Behind the Table podcast, acknowledging the potential disappointment among viewers. “I’m going to announce something today that’s going to upset a portion of the audience, but I think it’s going to make you happy,” Teta told co-host Joy Behar. “This year, because it’s only a few days before the election and we need to be live, the hosts are not going to dress up for Halloween.”

The timing presents a particular challenge, as the Thursday, Oct. 31, episode falls just five days before the crucial presidential election. The show’s producers have determined that maintaining live coverage of political developments takes precedence over pre-taped holiday festivities, as The View wants to be available for hot topics and potential political guests.

Behar acknowledged the show’s long-standing Halloween history while supporting the decision. “We’ve done it every single year for 28 years,” and “it’s always annoying for us” as cohosts, she noted, though she fondly recalled memorable moments, including the late Barbara Walters‘ appearances as various characters such as an alien, Marilyn Monroe, and Audrey Hepburn.

The 2023 Halloween episode showcased some of the show’s most ambitious costume transformations. Alyssa Farah Griffin embodied Princess Jasmine from Aladdin, Ana Navarro portrayed Mirabel from Encanto, Behar transformed into Emma Stone’s Cruella de Vil, Sara Haines underwent extensive prosthetic work to become Carl Fredricksen from Up, Sunny Hostin endured full-body blue makeup as Avatar’s Neytiri and Whoopi Goldberg appeared both as the Headless Horseman and Toy Story’s Barbie.

While this isn’t the first time the show has suspended its Halloween celebrations — with 2020 being the most recent example — Teta expressed hope for the tradition’s return. “They’re iconic, it’s great, I’ll try to bring it back next year,” he assured, explaining that “The problem is, those shows are a huge undertaking, we have to do them on tape. Part of what our show has become and what it is right now, we can’t be on tape three days before the election.”

The decision reflects The View’s commitment to political coverage during this election cycle. The program has recently featured high-profile political guests, including Liz Cheney, Hillary Clinton, Vice President Kamala Harris, and President Joe Biden. Behar emphasized the show’s responsibility to voters, stating, “It’s too important. I don’t mean to be grandiose, but we do have some influence on people’s thinking. We need to use every single minute on this show to inform the public about how dangerous [Trump] is.”

Teta humorously highlighted the practical challenges of mixing serious political discussion with costume play, noting, “It’s hard for you to do that while dressed like Pinocchio” — a reference to Behar’s previous costume as “Pinocchio Trump,” which featured an extending nose correlating with Donald Trump’s false statements.

Despite canceling the full costume spectacular, sources indicate the Oct. 31 episode won’t completely ignore the holiday. Deadline reports that at least one segment might celebrate the spooky season, albeit in a more “come-as-you-are approach.” The View continues to air weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on ABC.