Last winter’s limited series The Great Christmas Light Fight was such a hit, ABC has not only decided to bring the show back this year as well, but to also offer a Halloween special as well. The Great Halloween Fright Fight, a one hour special airing tonight at 8:00 p.m., will feature six different families that take the holiday way too seriously.
Like Linus in the pumpkin patch, each family waits to see if their display will be the most sincere. Michael Moloney and Sabrina Soto, from Extreme Makeover Home Edition fame are the Judges looking for the best display that encompasses three things: great overall design, creativity and “awesome Halloween spirit” whatever that is. The winning family wins a $50,000 prize – which can go to purchase a lot more props – and the coveted Greatest Halloween Haunter Award.
Whether you are a fan or not of Halloween, the special is actually very interesting as it explores each of the six displays and gives information on how they did each technique and special effect. Many are surprisingly low-tech. The special also gives a little insight on the people who pour the heart and ahem, soul, into their work. Just like the crazy Christmas decorators, these guys are dedicated. One family even forgoes their vacation in favor of creating these sets. What might surprise you is how plain their own houses are compared to their displays.
For the record, none of the families featured appear to be worshipping anything that they create. It’s all in fun. However, there is a young girl who seems to revel a little too much in the blood, guts and gore featured in her family’s display. It is the most gruesome of the six. The others are a lot “tamer” in comparison.
The six displays competing in tonight’s special are:
“Hollywood Haunter” – Glendale, CA
Husband and wife duo, Chris and Jeana, are professional set decorators who use their Hollywood know-how to construct an entirely new haunted facade in front of their house every Halloween.
“Haunted Overload” – Lee, NH
Eric and his wife Janice built a haunt on a sprawling wooded farm. Using mainly organic materials, giant props are crafted up to four stories high.
“Terror at Tee Lake” – Lewiston, MI
On a lakeside cabin resort, Dave and Andy create a handmade drive-thru haunt spanning their 4 acre property with a variety of unique displays from a Day of The Dead area to a carnival zone with clowns.
“The Pirate Ship” – Celebration, FL
Creators Neil and Julie construct a life size pirate ship inhabited by pillaging pirate skeletons that completely covers their house.
“Mitchell’s Spider Invasion” – Pensacola, FL
Shawn and Lynne got married on Halloween and love creating DIY home haunts from scratch every year. This Halloween, the couple is taking arachnophobia to a whole new level as giant mutant spiders invade their home.
“Haunt for the Hungry” – Wharton, NJ
Horror movie buffs Anthony and Toby, along with their 12 year old daughter Ava, make their gory backyard maze feel frighteningly real.