The end of October is fast approaching and in Strictly word that means Halloween. I have to say I enjoy this 'special' less and less each year. It was fun at first, but now it's a bit like being told the same corny joke year in, year out.

The costumes and make up are inventive but ultimately most people look pretty hideous. And the music is taken from a limited range to fit in with the spooky theme, which is why we've been treated to two jives to Monster Mash - hardly the greatest choice of jive music.

What does everyone else think? Am I just being a miserable old bag about it?

I was in the audience for the Hallowe'en show in 2012, so I have a soft spot for the Hallowe'en show each year.

love it

It's a novelty.
Halloween, originally a British custom that was exported to the USA yonks ago, practically died out here until the retail industry "forced it onto the public as an excuse to sell a lot of tat."

I really don't mind it on Strictly, some of costumes are quite good.
It must be hard thinking up new ones each year.

It's the only theme night I enjoy!

Hate it, for what purpose does it have to do with dance !!!

I enjoy it. Its a great excuse for make up and costume to go as mad as they like. I agree with OP about limited song choices though. Some really of the really great horror style songs might not be appropiate for family audiences. But all in all, I do enjoy it.

Halloween on Strictly always reminds me of Meatloaf.

❤️💜💚💚💙💙

Always loved Halloween as a child too 🎃

Love the whole spectacle of Strictly Halloween Week.

I do think themes and props should be limited to Movie Week (Week 3) and Halloween (Week 6) though. I love Blackpool too but wish they would stop using all the backing dancers and props there.

Its a bit naff, isn't it.

I love all the campy trappings of it. That kind of Rocky Horror Show tribute to bad drive-in B flicks and "horror" that wouldn't so much as spook even a maiden aunt. My only real problem is that effort seems to make it to about 75-80% of the make-up and concept jobs, but you always get one or two that are just like "Janette you are a scary...ant or something".

It is the only night of the year when Brendan looks really, truly, happy.

So I love it

Not keen, pleased when it has passed....

I like the naffness and especially the campness of it all. One of my all time favourites is Patsy and Robins dance which to me embodied both aspects perfectly.

That said, sometimes the costume and themes do sometimes take away from the dancing. Like last year- Jays wolf costume was distracting, but then again that happens a lot in the show anyway.

I always like Halloween night

Love it, but then there's not really anything I loathe on Strictly. Apart from maybe Karen Clifton, but even then she's just a minor annoyance. I wouldn't watch something that got me as angry as some of the posters on here get.

L🎃ve 💀

Hi Ochre

Totally agree. I can just about cope with the props (if we absolutely have to) but the backing dancers add absolutely nothing as far as I am concerned - they are more of a distraction than anything else. Last year's dancing teapot was absurd but the Argentine Tango ones who tripped Jake up were an absolute dis-as-tah darling.

That's so true, possibly the only time in the year he seems to be a bit animated. Probably because they seem to use mostly tracks that were recorded pre 90's, so maybe it's that.

Loathe it. There's too much focus on having the theme incorporated, with costumes and props, and the quality of dancing is always poorer for it.

I hate theme nights at the best of times, but Halloween even more so, As the OP said, the music choices are restrictive and very often inappropriate for the dance, and the costumes and makeup get in the way (often obscuring important facial expressions). And there's too much opportunity for those awful props (which either detract from the dance or literally get in the way.

Can't stand Halloween anyway, silly & childish American export.

We have to accept that the BBC use a "shotgun" technique to attract the maximum number of viewers to the show. There are going to be elements of it that don't please everyone. But without them, we wouldn't have a show.
Come Dancing died a death, as it grew less popular amongst mainstream viewers, helped by the BBC by shifting it around the schedules.

I quite look forward to it. It's mostly fun. The repertoire of songs is a bit limited

I thought Movie Night was very good this year and if that and Halloween were the only theme nights I'd be happy for them to be stuffed full of props and whatever other nonesense. I don't mind if they go a bit 'large' for Blackpool either, but it's what they do the rest of the time that gets up my nose. I don't want themes in 'normal' weeks. Harrumph!

I loathe everything about Halloween with a vengeance and think I will record the show and then only watch the actual dances.