Is there a better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by kicking back and throwing on the most rewatchable comedy of the last decade? NATHAN FOR YOU may not be known for thrills and chills, but two half-episodes fit the season perfectly: S1E5, HAUNTED HOUSE, and S2E1, REALTOR.
As I’ve said before (especially in my reviews of THE REHEARSAL), my favorite NATHAN FOR YOU installments start with a genuinely clever idea that spirals wildly out of control. In HAUNTED HOUSE, Nathan tries to boost business by aiming to get sued for being “too scary.” What follows feels like a comedic riff on the NoEnd House creepypasta: an endlessly escalating haunted attraction that becomes funnier because the underlying concept is actually unsettling. The bit is ridiculous, but the execution is flawless.
In REALTOR, Nathan helps a struggling agent by guaranteeing that every home she sells is certified ghost-free. The episode follows a bizarre chain of experts, including a psychic and an exorcist, as Nathan tries to legitimize the certification process. It’s one of the darker episodes (some of the personal stories are genuinely uncomfortable), but it’s also one of the most memorable. Even better, realtor Sue Stanford actually ended up adopting the gimmick in real life.
If you’re already a NATHAN FOR YOU fan, these Halloween-adjacent gems are worth a revisit. And if you’re new to the show, they’re as good a place as any to start. After all… what’s more terrifying than a struggling small business?
NATHAN FOR YOU is now streaming on HBO Max and Paramount+.
