‘The View’ Won’t Entirely Grinch Out On Halloween: No Costumes This Year But Spooky Season Will Find Some Space Among The Politics

On today’s episode of ABC’s The View, a promo for next week’s episodes included a scary-sounding mention that “Boo are you wearing is back!,” which almost seemed to suggest that the show’s whole Halloween-is-canceled announcement earlier this month was more trick than treat.

But, alas, the show is sticking to its decision to bypass the 28-year tradition of elaborate Halloween costumes that has proven so popular with viewers – if not so much the hosts. Last week, on the show’s Behind the Table podcast, producer Brian Teta revealed to co-host Joy Behar that they will not have a Halloween episode for the first time in 28 years.

“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,” he told 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 elaborate costumes have always required pre-taping the special holiday episodes.

Halloween is just to close to the hotly contest and nerve-jangling presidential election this year, with the Thursday, October 31, episode – Halloween day – is just five days before the November 5 election. The View wants to be live and full of hot topics and perhaps a political guest to hash out the big news of the day.

But Deadline hears that the episode won’t entirely ignore Halloween, and that at least one segment might celebrate spooky season in some way. Just expect a more come-as-you-are approach.

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on ABC.