About Every Version of You: For fans of The Love of My Afterlife and The Seven Year Slip, Reese’s Book Club LitUp Fellow Natalie Messier’s heartfelt contemporary romance debut follows a woman who gets a second chance at a formative time in her adult life—this time to win the “one that got away.” Releases on July 7th 2026. 

Like many women (most women, perhaps?) I’ve expended a lot of energy trying to make myself as likeable as I can, whittling myself down into the most palatable version of myself. So when I encounter a story where the main character simply hasn’t bothered to do the same, I’m intrigued. As a woman, there’s a million ways to do things wrong and seemingly no way to do things right, so it’s refreshing to see a woman who refuses to play the game.

Or, perhaps, she plays the game wrong. She makes a mess. She works so hard to be likeable that in her attempts, she loops back around and becomes insufferable. She tries to do the right thing, only to make everything worse. Women who care too much what people think, or women who don’t care at all—give me all the messy women. Without further ado, please find some of my favorite messy female leads in books, movies, and TV shows.

Buffy and Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Nothing says messy quite like a vampire slayer falling for a vampire—and Buffy does it twice! To be fair, some mess is to be expected—is earned, even—when you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. But when I say I love messy women, I mean messy, so I’d be remiss not to mention my favorite Buffy character: Faith. Even though Buffy errs on occasion, she always tries to follow the right path and do good. Faith messes up way more, on a bigger scale, and she does so unrepentantly. She looks out for herself, and though she comes back around, she ends up on the side of evil—lured there by a father figure who preyed on all her insecurities and desire for familial love. And you know what, I loved her through it all.

Evangeline Jenner in Devil in Winter

It’s undeniable that Lisa Kleypas writes some of the best MMCs in romance—and her heroines are just as compelling, entertaining, and easy to root for! I have a particular soft spot for all of the ladies in her Wallflowers series. Each one messy in their own way, it was hard to pick who to include on this list. From Lillian’s bold and brash demeanor, to Daisy’s fanciful imagination. I love Annabelle and the way she determinedly schemes to catch a husband—but I’d argue that Evie is the messiest. I mean, propositioning a marriage of convenience to the man who kidnapped one of your closest friends…I never would have guessed Evie would have it in her earlier in the series, and that to me makes her one of the historical queens of mess.

Eleanor Shellstrop in The Good Place

I’ll just say it: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fictional character who loves shrimp as much as Eleanor Shellstrop. I don’t know why I think that adds a tally in her “mess” column, but it does. I won’t ever forget how hard I laughed the first time I saw the pilot episode when Eleanor tells Chidi she doesn’t belong in the Good Place. In life, Eleanor was selfish, callous, and uncaring—but in death, she gets a second chance. Does she nail this second chance right off the bat? She wouldn’t be messy if she did. But Eleanor, like many women on this list, embodies what is to me one of the most important things about messy women—they deserve love too.

Solange Pereira in The Wedding Crasher

I’m a huge fan of Mia Sosa. Her FMCs are strong, sassy, and thoroughly entertaining. Solange in The Wedding Crasher is a perfect example of the fact that sometimes, mess can come well-intentioned. Was she right to crash Dean’s wedding? Absolutely, but that doesn’t make it not messy. Not that I minded, since it led to one of my favorite, messiest tropes—fake dating. I eat it up every time.

Isabel Conklin in The Summer I Turned Pretty

Falling for two brothers is peak messiness as far as romance FMCs go (special shout-out to Percy in Every Summer After for doing the same!), but Belly is such a lovable character. She’s coming of age, she’s torn between two boys who both give mixed signals and have histories with her. And you know what, everything that happened in these books and show was messy of Conrad and Jeremiah too, so I for the record am Team Belly all the way.

Nicole Speyer in The Best Worst Thing

I’m almost hesitant to call Nicole in The Best Worst Thing messy because everything she does is completely justified. Showing up unannounced on the doorstep of her former coworker who she had a will-they-won’t-they thing going on with years ago? Well, why not, considering she walked in on her husband sleeping with their dog walker. Nicole’s story and romance with Logan is undeniably messy, but she does the best with the circumstances she’s given. Still, she’s so undeniably human, and I think she’s earned her place on this list.

Julie in The Worst Person in the World

Julie might be the messiest woman on this list. She’s lost, listless, struggling in her career and in her romantic life. The other day, my partner asked if I remembered the scene where she and Eivind really want to cheat on their partners but are determined not to, so they push the boundaries of what “cheating” is. And you know what, personally, I think they cross that line pretty early on! But watch it and decide for yourself. Regardless, I found Julie easy to root for and empathize with in all her missteps.

June Wood in It’s Different This Time

Joss Richard’s debut was one of my favorite books I read last year. June Wood is my girl. It’s so relatable how she gets in her own way with her avoidant tendencies. She waits for the other shoe to drop, scared that Adam is too good to be true, and haven’t we all been there? But all of June’s insecurities and fears only makes it all the more satisfying when she finally accepts that good things can happen to her and gets her HEA.

Issa Dee in Insecure

Issa in Insecure is a very real kind of messy. Her mess is often driven by her awkwardness and the fact that she’s a young woman in her twenties, trying to find her way in life. Issa can be an unreliable and selfish friend at times, but who among us hasn’t hurt a few people while in crisis? She doesn’t always know what she wants, and she missteps in her pursuit to figure out what it is. Personally, I don’t know what’s more relatable than that.

Angela Gutierrez in Kiss Me, Maybe

You want to talk about messy? Creating a scavenger hunt on TikTok where the winner earns your first kiss. That’s pretty messy—and it’s exactly what Angela does in Gabriella Gamez’s sophomore novel after she goes viral from posting a video about being ace and a late bloomer. Luckily, she needs help pulling off the event. Enter Krystal, the hot bartender Angela’s had a crush on for years. Krystal isn’t ready for romance yet, and Angela is in the process of figuring herself out. It’s swoony, it’s romantic, and yes, it’s a bit messy.

Tashi Donaldson in Challengers

Love triangles are messy by nature, and a love triangle that spans 13 years like the one at the center of Challengers is all the more so. To be fair, everyone in this movie is a bit unhinged—but this is a list of messy women, so forget the guys for a second. Tashi shows that mess can be calculated. It can be intentional. Tashi is such a puppet master in this movie—but everything she does is messy, it’s fantastic to watch. From kissing both men as teenagers and telling them she’ll give her number to the winner of the next day’s tennis match, to everything she does before their match as adults, Tashi knows she has the guys wrapped around her finger, and she utilizes her power to its most chaotic degree.

Fleabag in Fleabag

A list of messy women wouldn’t be complete without Fleabag. She basically rewrote the book. In terms of influential characters, she’s top of the list when it comes to what I write. Every move she makes is questionable, yet thoroughly entertaining and empathetic. Season 2 of Fleabag might be one of the best seasons of television ever written—Hot Priest, anyone?—and so much of it is because of the growth we get to see her go through.

A Few More Messy FMCs Releasing in 2026

If you’re a fan of the aforementioned messy women, there are several books releasing in 2026 whose FMCs should be on your radar!

First up is Kaia Harper in Adrienne Thurman’s Don’t Tell Me How It Ends (out now). Kaia is a floundering twenty-something who has sworn off romance—only to be roped into her meddling sister’s matchmaking business. When Kaia begins falling for Ro, she pushes him away because it’s what’s familiar to her.

Next, Violet Lumani’s Not Good Neighbors (out now) is about Penny Huff, who is so irritated about the tragically thin wall between her apartment and her neighbor’s that she attempts to soundproof it…only to literally blow a hole in it, trapping the two in each other’s spaces.

Commitment-phobic Norah Gold in Rachel Pologe’s Now That We Don’t Talk (out 10/20) is a certified bolter who avoids emotional situations at all costs. So when she returns home for the holidays, her goal is to avoid Henry Cole, the boy who broke her heart back in high school. Easier said than done, since she discovers that their mothers are dating.

Alix Kelinda’s The Christmas Curse (out 10/20) is about Devra, a Christmas-hating recluse convinced her family is cursed due to the catastrophes that have tormented them every December for the past 30 years. So of course, when holiday-obsessed Bradley moves in next door, she’s certain he’s been sent by the curse.

A young adult romance to check out is Angelica Cheng’s The Fast Track (out 8/4) about a 17-year-old up-and-coming young driver Justine Kwong, who is trying to make it to F1 and falls for her biggest rival on-track.

Lastly, Harper Kinsley’s Spikes, Dice and Other Variables (out 9/15) centers on high schooler Riley McMahon, who struggles to keep her grades up and pretends to know how to play D&D to get her love interest to like her enough to tutor her. Sounds like teenage messiness at its finest!

The post Natalie Messier’s Favorite Messy Female Leads appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

October is the spooky season with tricks, treats, and terror filling the air. It’s also when ghosts, ghouls, and supernatural beings make themselves known. Halloween is the perfect time for horror films and TV specials with most TV shows having at least one Halloween themed episode, while others have more and sometimes these episodes are linked. Here are a variety of fun and scary episodes from 31 TV shows, so sit back, relax and enjoy watching your favourite characters on this frightening feast day!

1. Friends: The One with the Halloween Party (Season 8 Episode 6)

Halloween arrives in New York as Monica and Chandler throw a costume party for the gang. Chandler has a costume mishap resulting in him wearing a pink bunny costume, Joey comes as Chandler, Phoebe as Supergirl, Monica as Catwoman and Ross as “Spud-Nik”, Rachel wears a fancy dress before she can no longer fit in it due to her pregnancy. Her maternal feelings cause her to give out all the candy resorting to giving money instead. Sean Penn guest stars as Ursula’s fiancé.

2. Modern Family: Halloween, The Last Halloween (Season 2 Episode 6, Season 11 Episode 5)

Spooky season is a big deal in suburban Los Angeles resulting in seven different Halloween episodes in this series. The first Halloween episode showcases Claire’s love for Halloween as she turns her home into an elaborate haunted house for trick or treaters. Mitchell goes to work dressed up as Spiderman with unexpected results, Cameron repeatedly tells a traumatic childhood story of why he is scared of Halloween. Meanwhile Gloria starts talking with an English accent. This episode marks the 30th episode overall. In the final Halloween episode, the audience sees Phil trying to scare Claire until he eventually succeeds. Alex and Luke both go through a break up and Gloria wins a Drag Queen contest. (See also Season 4 Episode 5, S6 E6, S8 E5, S9 E5, S10 E5)

3. Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Halloween (Season 1 Episode 6)

This episode starts an iconic Halloween tradition in the precinct between Jake and Captain Holt that continues throughout every season. Jake bets Holt he can steal his Medal of Valor from Holt’s locked office before midnight. His efforts are hilarious. Amy and Charles have to go undercover in costume much to her dismay and Terry discovers Rosa’s secret. Although this episode is not particularly scary, it is fun to watch these beloved characters celebrate Halloween. (See also Season 2 Episode 4, S3 E5, S4 E5, S5 E4, S6 E16)

4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Halloween, Fear Itself, All the Way (Season 2 Episode 6, Season 4 Episode 4, Season 6 Episode 6)

Being the chosen one means Buffy fights off Vampires on a day-to-day basis alongside any other demon that decides to rise up over Sunnydale. Therefore, it’s no surprise that there are three Halloween episodes across the seven seasons. The first Halloween episode takes place when the gang are still in high school: the costume shop owner performs a spell that turns everyone who bought their costume from him into their characters, for example, Buffy loses her slaying powers and becomes a weak debutante in her pretty dress. The second episode is at a college haunted house frat party where everyone’s worst fears come to life and the third showcases Buffy’s role as a parent in her sister Dawn’s life. Regardless of Halloween, these three episodes are worth a rewatch as they show Buffy’s character development from high school student, college student and legal guardian.

5. The Vampire Diaries: Haunted, The Five (Season 1 Episode 7, Season 4 Episode 4)

 Mystic Falls is home to vampires, hybrids, doppelgangers, werewolves and witches: everyday is like Halloween. However, there are two specific episodes in the series to note: the first takes place at a Halloween dance at the high school. Vicki, Jeremy’s girlfriend, is a new vampire with an addictive personality but Stefan kills her because she  attacked Elena. Damon compels Jeremy to forget about Vicki. Stefan’s good guy personality and Damon’s bad boy persona are played against each other in both of these episodes and the rest of the series. In Season 4, Damon dressed as Jack the Ripper with Elena and Bonnie as his victims attend a Halloween frat party at Whitmore College. Damon helps Elena master her new bloodlust and she begins to feel things she shouldn’t. *blares feel so close by Calvin Harris* Meanwhile, Klaus acts as a puppeteer controlling Stefan and tortures Connor, a vampire hunter belonging to the group, The Five.

6. Pretty Little Liars: The First Secret, This is a Dark Ride, Grave New World. (Season 2 Episode 13, Season 3 Episode 13, Season 4 Episode 13)

Anonymous texts from a creepy stalker that knows way too much about you and your friends is enough to scare anyone on a regular day. Therefore, these Halloween specials are extra terrifying. It also cannot be a coincidence that each Halloween special falls on the thirteenth episode. This first episode is a prequel to the pilot. The Halloween before Ali goes missing, Alison and the girls get invited to Noel Kahn’s Halloween party until a worrying text from Alison causes the liars to leave and go to an abandoned house. The next episode unfolds on a terrifying ghost train with the girls dressed up as Marilyn Monroe, Daisy Buchanan, Marie Slim Browning and Barbarella with interference from A. The last Halloween episode takes place first in a graveyard, then underground tunnels which leads the girls to a creepy old mansion. The end of the episode confirms that Alison is alive and wants to come home to Rosewood.

7. One Tree Hill: An Attempt to Tip the Scales, Not Afraid (Season 3 Episode 4, Season 8 Episode 6). 

Tric is the perfect setting for Halloween in both of these episodes. In the first, a masquerade ball leads everyone to dress up as who they would like to be rather than who they are. For example, Hayley dresses up as Sandy from Grease. Stolen kisses, practical jokes and commitment issues are at the heart of this episode as Fall Out Boy perform. In the second one, although in their adult life, the gang enjoy an open mic night at Tric on Halloween with some funny costumes as Julian arrives as a Dalmatian with his mother as Cruella and Hayley comes as herself in high school; a pregnant cheerleader.

8. Ugly Betty: The Lyin, the Watch and the Wardrobe  (Season 1 Episode 5) 

The Suarez house is transformed with Halloween decorations by Ignacio. Betty arrives at Mode dressed as a butterfly for the costume contest only to learn that Marc only sent the email to her. She takes it in her stride and decides she has won. Marc finds a new way to make fun of Betty by dressing up as her. Henry, secretly dressed as Superman, grows closer to Betty, much to Walter’s dismay. Amanda tries to get her claws into Daniel by keeping his watch from their night together but Betty figures it out. Meanwhile, Daniel visits Claire in rehab and Wilhelmina’s wicked  witch personality thrives in this episode as she can’t fit into a designer gown and has been slandered for dating a younger man.

9. Sabrina the Teenage Witch: A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It (Season 2 Episode 31)

This tv show has many Halloween themed episodes to choose from due to the realm between living and the dead being at its weakest on All Hallows Eve. Also, it being Hilda and Zelda Spellman’s favourite holiday. Episode 31 shows an unexpected Halloween party being thrown at Sabrina’s enchanted house for all of her fellow, mortal students. Although she was the last to know, Sabrina decides to let the party go ahead. The arrival of talking furniture, Ghouls from the closet, termites, overflowing cauldrons, and an attention seeking, talking cat make this Halloween party one to remember. (See also Season 1 Episode 5, S3 E56, S4 E81, S5 E103, S6 E120, 123)

10. How I Met Your Mother: The Slutty Pumpkin, The Slutty Pumpkin Returns (Season 1 Episode 6, Season 7 Episode 8)

Although there are three Halloween episodes in this series,  the first and the last are the ones to note because they are linked. The first Halloween episode of the series highlights Ted’s hopeless romantic personality trait as he goes to the party on the roof hoping he will meet this girl in a slutty pumpkin costume four years earlier. Marshall and Lily enter the costume contest as a parrot and a Captain Sparrow character at MacLaren’s and win with surprising results. Barney must change his costume multiple times as his pick up lines keep failing him. Robin doesn’t like to share which causes Mike to break up with her. The last Halloween episode is a continuation of the first as the title suggests, The Slutty Pumpkin Returns. Ted discovers the slutty pumpkin costume in a shop window and finds out the identity of the girl, Naomi (guest star Katie Holmes). They begin dating until they both agree they have no chemistry and break up. Barney’s worst nightmare comes through as Robin discovers he is one quarter Canadian. (See also Season 6 Episode 7)

11. New Girl: Halloween (Season 2 Episode 6)

 This Halloween episode marks the 20th episode in the series. Jess goes to work at a haunted house, dressed up as a zombie. She develops feelings for Dr Sam even though their relationship was meant to be just physical. Nick is stressed out because his college crush, Amelia, is coming to visit him. He also faces his fear of haunted houses with entertaining results. Schimdt tries to get close to Cece but realises she’s happy with Robby. Winston and Shelby fight about their costumes. (See also Season 3 episode 6)

12. Desperate Housewives: Now I Know, Don’t be Scared (Season 4 Episode 6)

Halloween arrives on Wisteria Lane with consequences for all. Gaby continues her affair with Carlos while trying to break up with potential governor candidate Victor. Bree forbids Danielle from attending Bob and Lee’s Halloween party because she’s pregnant. In true Danielle fashion, she disobeys and her water breaks at the party. Lynette beats cancer but becomes obsessed with a possum in the garden. Edie’s biggest fear comes through as Carlos ends their relationship. Susan meets a living ghost, Mike’s father, who she thought was dead. Secrets past, present and future come to light on Halloween night. (See also Season 7 episode 6)

13. Sister, Sister: Halloween (Season 3 Episode 7)

In an effort to be different, both Tia and Tamera buy the most outrageous costume they can find only to end up dressed the same as each other. The twins borrow Roger’s brand new Mercedes convertible to drop their friends at a Halloween rave even though they are grounded. The girls end up at the Canada US border and on the late night news leading to a hilarious reaction from a furious Ray in his pink bunny costume.

14. Glee: Rocky Horror Glee Show (Season 2 Episode 5)

Music and holidays go hand in hand. McKinley’s high school Glee club pays tribute to the 1973 Rocky Horror Picture Show Musical. Carl and Emma attend a midnight screening of the film which prompts Will’s decision to make this the school play. Finn and Rachel are cast as the leads but Finn struggles with body image issues due to his role. With the play cancelled, Glee performed it for themselves. Seven cover songs are featured in this episode, ending with the Glee club singing Time Warp.

15. Stranger Things: Trick or Treat, Freak  (Season 2 Episode 2)

There is a clue in the title that ‘strange things’ are always happening in the town of Hawkins. Halloween is no different. The boys dress up as Ghostbusters paying homage to the film at that time while nobody else at school is in costume. That’s a nightmare in itself. The kids continue to fight monsters from the upside down in this spooky episode filled with 80’s references.

16. The Suite Life of Zack and Cody: The Ghost in Suite 613 (Season 1 Episode 19)

Since Stephen King’s The Shining and subsequent film version, hotels can have a creepy element with abandoned rooms, long corridors and basements. In this episode, The Tipton hotel is the perfect setting to discover a haunted room. After Muriel tells a ghost story about suite 613, Zack, Cody, London, Maddie and Esteban decide to spend the night. Esteban holds a séance, Arwin detects paranormal activity while the rest of the gang wait patiently to hear from ghost Irene.

17. Bones: Mummy in the Maze (Season 3 Episode 5)

Bones episodes mainly consist of finding human remains in a strange situation. This episode is like every other one with an added Halloween twist. At a Halloween hay maze, a mummified corpse was found by a lost kid. A second body shows up at Shoreline Amusement Park and Booth and Bones rescue another girl from becoming the third body. There’s a Halloween party for the Jeffersonian Institute which Cam insists everyone must go to because there will be sponsors in attendance. Booth is dressed up as a squint and Bones is Wonder Woman. What a team.

18. Teen Wolf: Illuminated  (Season 3 Episode 16)

Werewolves are the first supernatural species introduced to Beacon Hills although it is home to other mysterious beings. A power outage puts a curfew on the town, however, Danny and Ethan manage to throw a blacklight Halloween party in Derek’s empty loft. The mystery surrounding the hooded figures is still at large as Ethan and Lydia are attacked and marked in the same way Isaac was; with a reverse number 5 as the symbol. This is a good episode to watch before the upcoming film.

19. American Horror Story: Murder House (Season 1 Episode 4, 5)

Each episode of AHS is scary but the two part Halloween special highlights the fine line between the living and the dead: the ghosts of anyone who died in the murder house can finally leave on Halloween night. Five mangled teens from a school shooting haunt Tate to find out why he killed them while he’s on a date with Violet. After seeing an ultrasound of Vivien’s baby, the doctor collapses leading the audience to believe there is something seriously wrong. Ouija boards, the return of the rubber man, and the revelation that Constance is Tate’s mother sums up some of the action.

20. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air: Hex and the Single Guy (Season 4 Episode 7)

Bel Air is bewitched on this scary holiday as the Banks’ family attend a séance with a spiritualist to help Hilary make contact with Trevor, her dead fiancé. Will’s scepticism leads to a hex being put on the whole family as they all experience bouts of bad luck. The next morning, Will wakes up thinking it was a bad nightmare until the day begins to repeat itself.  (See also Season 1 Episode 8,9)

21. Dawson’s Creek: Four Scary Stories (Season 5 Episode 9)

Joey, Jack, and Pacey return to Grams’ house unsatisfied after seeing a horror film. Joey suggests maybe she can’t be scared anymore which is music to Jack and Pacey’s ears as they play a prank on her. To prove she’s not as scared as they think, she tells them a frightening story that happened to her. The boys follow suit and in true Grams fashion, she joins in and tells the scariest story of all, Jennifer’s story. The episode flashbacks to the time of each of their stories. Jen takes over Charlie’s (Chad Michael Murray) radio station on Halloween night and horror ensues. Gram’s retelling leaves Jack, Joey, and Pacey terrified. (See also Season 1 Episode 11, S3 E7, S6 E6)

22. That’s So Raven: Don’t Have A Cow (Season 2 Episode 2)

Raven and Chelsea find an old spell book in grandma Viv’s old trunk. They perform a spell and wish for an invite to Alana’s Halloween party. After the first spell works, they perform another to have the best costumes. However, a mishap during the potion making causes them to start developing cow features. Raven didn’t see this coming as she’s got cow ears and Chelsea’s got a tail. They rush to the party to stop the spell before they turn into livestock. Meanwhile, Cory decides he’s old enough to go trick or treating with his friends rather than his parents.

23. Hannah Montana: Torn Between Two Hannahs (Season 1 Episode 17)

Deception and mistaken identities take over Malibu in this Halloween special. Robby Ray’s niece, Luann, who looks like Miley, comes to visit from Tennessee. At first, she fools everyone (except Miley) with her sweet and innocent act. She ties Miley up and leaves her in the closet then goes to a party dressed as Hannah with an unsuspecting Lola. Terrified she’s going to ruin her secret, Miley escapes and rushes to the party. The two Hannah’s get mixed up and it’s up to Lily and Oliver to determine who’s the real Miley. Meanwhile, Jackson and Bobby Ray are annoying their neighbours with their Halloween decorations. 

24. The Big Bang Theory: The Middle Earth Paradigm (Season 1 Episode 6)

Penny throws a Halloween costume party and invites the gang which is a test of their social skills. After The Flash costume disaster, they must change outfits: Leonard is Frodo, Raj is a Norse God Thor, Sheldon is The Doppler Effect and Howard is Robin Hood. Penny kisses Leonard for the first time. Although this Halloween episode is not scary, it is fun to watch. (See also S2 E6, S6 E5, S12 E6).

25. This is Us: The 20’s (Season 2 Episode 6)

Halloween is here and the Pearson family are back in this fun filled flashback episode. It shows the big three at aged ten and then again in their twenties. Jack and Rebecca take the kids trick or treating dressed as Sonny and Cher while Kate is Sandy from Grease, Kevin is a cigar-smoking bum and Randall is Michael Jackson. The big three struggle in their twenties: Beth and Randall are awaiting the birth of baby Tess not long after Randall’s nervous breakdown; Kate is working as a waitress and involved with a married man and Kevin attempts to steal an acting role from his roommate and friend. Miguel reaches out to Rebecca for the first time in years. There are no present day scenes as this episode offers an insightful journey into the past lives of Kate, Kevin and Randall on Halloween.

26. Supernatural: Family Remains (Season 4 Episode 11)

Having already discussed the Salvatore brothers, it’s time to talk about the Winchester brothers: monster hunting duo Dean and Sam. In this episode, they investigate the appearance of a ghost girl after a man called Bill Gibson was murdered in a locked room in an abandoned house. His wife died in childbirth, and his daughter hung herself in this attic. The boys try to warn the Carter family who are going to move into the house but they don’t pay any attention until their son, Danny,  is kidnapped through the walls. Disturbing facts about the Gibson family makes this a horrifying episode.

27. Once Upon A Time: The Doctor (Season 2 Episode 5)

Storybrooke becomes home to a new monster, Frankenstein, otherwise known as Dr Whale, in this episode. Frankenstein is the first character to appear from literature that is not for children. The scene in the lab is a reference to the 1931 film, Frankenstein. In the present day, Dr Whale wants Regina’s help in bringing his brother back but she refuses because she’s trying not to use magic for Henry’s sake. Dr Whale revives Regina’s first love Daniel Colter by giving him an enchanted heart with disastrous results. Torn Limbs, hearts inserted and removed and an ogre massacre is just a  part of the action in this episode.

28. 13 Reasons Why: Tape 2 Side B (Season 1 Episode 4)

The ghost of Hannah haunts every episode of this show as the audience are brought through her thought process before her death. This episode takes place on Halloween. It focuses on the character Tyler Down who is on the fourth tape which documents the reasons Hannah committed suicide. He was stalking Hannah and taking unwanted pictures of her. He took a picture of her and Courtney Crimsen kissing and showed everyone at school which ended the girls’ friendship. Clay helps to clean the outside of Hannah’s house as it has been toilet papered and chats with her mom. He delivers his own form of revenge by sending a naked picture of Tyler to the whole school.

29. Heartland: The Haunting of Hanley Barn (Season 3 Episode 4)

Hooded figures, thunder crashing and a power cut make this episode a spooky one. Hudson’s favourite ghost story takes place at Hanley barn. Mr Hanley’s horses are being spooked at night by the supposed ghost that’s been haunting the place. During a thunderstorm, Ty and Amy spend the night keeping an eye on the horses while Caleb, Soraya and Ashley try to frighten them. A tragic love story from years ago comes to light at the end.

30. That 70’s Show: Too Old to Trick or Treat, Too Young to Die (Season 3 Episode 4)

Hitchcock’s horror influence infiltrates Point Place Wisconsin as the gang fall victim to different comic spoofs from the films.  Laurie attacks Kelso in the shower while her red shampoo goes down the drain. Fez thinks Bob killed Midge and disposed of her body. Eric has vertigo after falling from the garage roof and Kitty is left in charge of birds which does not end well. (See also Season 2 Episode 5)

31. Dynasty : Wild Ghost Chase (Season 3 Episode 3)

The Carringtons have a flair for the dramatics and this Halloween spectacle lives up to their reputation. What better way to celebrate the scary season than with a party at the manor. Fallon is dressed as Marie Antoinette and Adam is Louis XVI and ironically they both end up in Halloween cake following their fight. After his sister’s body is found in the Carrington Lake a few episodes back, Evan destroys Fallon’s garden which is part of her community service to try and ensure she goes to jail but later apologises.

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 31 Spooky Halloween TV Episodes To Watch appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the show that forever changed the horror genre, is one of the most-loved shows of all time. The series premiered on March 10th 1997, and immediately went on to become a cult favourite. Now there are several reasons for the success of the show; one of them being is that the show will absolutely change your life. Well, even if it doesn’t actually change your life, you still get 144 episodes of great television!

Here’s the 411 on the show that defined a decade.

Remember those old horror movies in which the pretty blond girl is attacked in the alley by the big scary monsters? Well, this scenario is a little different. The pretty blond girl, aka the slayer (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar), is the one stalking the dark alleys or ‘patrolling’ them, and she well, she does more than just attack the big scary monsters, she turns them to dust.

The series originally aired on The WB as a replacement for Savannah and the series was created by Joss Whedon with this particular idea in mind.  And needless to say, it was revolutionary.

The Plot

In every generation, there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.

In the generation we are looking at, it’s Buffy. Buffy moves to Sunnydale, Califonia after a series of unfortunate events at her old town and begins high school at Sunnydale High. Desperate to have a normal life, she tries hard to deny her role as the slayer, but that’s pretty hard to do with all the vampires and evil teachers and evil computer boyfriends. This is where she meets Willow and Xander, who later on form the ‘Scooby Gang’. The slayer is mentored by a watcher, Giles, the school librarian or as you’ll come to know the personification of everything British. Add to this a cryptic brooding stranger named Angel as Buffy’s love interest and we’ve got an unforgettable watch that none of us will be able to get over any time soon.

Every season features a big bad and the first one is The Master, a vampire who is trapped underground as a result of an earthquake caused by his previous attempt at opening the Hellmouth. Buffy is the only one standing in the way of him turning Sunnydale into a town overrun with even more vampires and creatures of the night. The show doesn’t stop there, it goes on to feature many more ‘big bads’, each more formidable than the previous one.

While each episode has its own story, there is an overarching plot that spans the entire season which finally gets tied up in the finale. The show has seven seasons with a total of 144 episodes, plus there was also a Buffy the Vampire Slayer film in 1992 with the same characters and an eighth season in the form of comic books.

Now that you have an idea of what you are signing up for, let’s look at why this show has to be at the very top of your ‘to be binged list’ (I know, it’s probably endless, but this totally deserves to be your next watch or re-watch).

The Incredible Characters

The characters in this series are ALL well developed with nuance and care. They all have their individual storylines and it ties up beautifully together. Apart from the original Scooby gang, there are several characters who join later on in the series, like the demon turned human Anya or the Vampire who turns good, Spike or….um the cosmic key which turns into a sister. This ensures you will have a character you can completely relate with!

All of The Emotions!

The show handles a multitude of emotions starting with friendship, loyalty, heartbreak, fear, and everything in-between, and it does this masterfully. YES, it’ll probably result in you rolled up in a ball and crying on the ground, but……what good show doesn’t?

Humour and Drama

The series is also equally funny, thanks to its amazing writing and characters. Buffy also features one of the best human-vampire relationships, and then there’s Angel and Buffy delivering that ‘we shouldn’t be together but we can’t stay away from each other’ drama.

The Show Is Steeped In Subtext

The monsters in most cases are metaphors for people or situations we face in real life. It employs myths and legends combined with real-life monsters to take the horror element to the next level. It’s quite unique in this aspect and unmatched by any other show and hits you differently with every re-watch, completely eliminating the chance of boredom.

It Is Relatable Even Though It’s A Paranormal Series

This has to be the most important aspect of the show. It mostly deals with issues faced by teenagers, along with a number of valid fears like what the future has in store, relationships, and so on. I mean, the show basically draws a parallel between high school and hell. Need I say more? Let’s also mention the fact that this series features one of the best queer relationships onscreen!

In an age when young girls are still not given the respect and opportunities that are due to them, a series celebrating the power and potential of women will always be relevant. Go on, give it a watch, a fifth rewatch, you know you want to…

Do you love Buffy? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Are You Due For Another ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Binge-Watch? appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The new year has come and gone and we already find ourselves in February, so what better way to keep track of 2020 speeding by than this selection of nerdy calendars; for every procrastinator who meant to buy one in November!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 2020 Calendar | Amazon

Even though the TV series finished in 2003, it’s still as popular as ever, especially after five seasons of comics after the show. This calendar has an image of a character from the show each month, as well as three small images below of awesome scenes from the show. There’s even comic art every month!

Origami Calendar | Amazon

Love origami? This desk calendar gives you the instructions and paper to make a different paper creation every day. The only issue is once you’ve made the origami, the instruction sheet will be made into the next day’s creation, meaning you can’t make it again.

Rise of Skywalker Calendar | Amazon

This Star Wars calendar is awesome; there are Rise of Skywalker characters portraits on every month, resplendent in all their glory. And lightsabers.

Fractal Cosmos 2020 Calendar | Amazon

For something a little different, this psychedelic calendar has bright, multicoloured computer generated images each month. Warning: if you look into it for too long, you might end up in another dimension…

Harry Potter Calendar | Amazon

Who can say no to a magical calendar? While it doesn’t flip the pages for you or write all your arrangements in automatically, at least it has all your favourite characters!!

365 Days To Spanish / French 2020 | Amazon

If you’ve always had a hankering to learn a language, this calendar will teach you 700 words of French or Spanish, with pretty pictures of France and Spain to add to it. As this year is a leap year, it is actually 366 days, so maybe you get a break from language learning on February 29th!

Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth | Amazon

If your fandom is science, then this is the best calendar for you. Arty cartoons of animals and plants in their natural biomes decorate each month.

Deadpool Calendar | Amazon

The Merc with a Mouth will be on your wall, with Deadpool’s classic humour on each month’s comic panel or Deadpool centred image.

Donald Trump Out of Office Countdown Calendar | Amazon

In a purely jokey manner, this Donald Trump calendar showcases his best and funniest quotes.

Lonely Planet Toilets Calendar | Amazon

To end on something very, very weird, the Lonely Planet’s toilet calendar shows views from various random… toilets? Whatever floats your…er… bowl, I suppose. If toilets don’t strike your fancy, Lonely Planet do another calendar, the Travel Book.

Any other suggestions? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 10 Nerdy 2020 Calendars If You Still Don’t Have One  appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

There are so many amazing television shows out there that are loved by many, but sadly, all good things must come to an end. Luckily, we can relive these series over and over on streaming services now, but it’s still sad to not see new episodes and stories featuring our favourite characters!

Our list features television series that were either cancelled or it was time for it to come to a close, but all in all, this is a list of great television series from the last two decades that we dearly miss.

Read on to discover some of our favourite shows and tell us in the comments what shows you miss!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Vampires. Slaying. Teenagers. This TV show was action packed and incredibly addictive! It follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a teenage girl who by day a normal high school student, but by night she is a vampire slayer. With the help of her friends and instructor she makes it through all the up and downs that this series has to offer, and that’s quite a lot. Joss Whedon created the series and he did a wonderful job, as this show is still deeply missed today. Plus there’s even a spin-off series titled Angel that you can watch.

Dexter (2006-2013)

Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) is a blood-splatter expert with the police force, but little do they know, he’s also a serial killer. However, he’s not your average serial killer, since he only kills the guilty. He lives a double life, and many of the people closest to him don’t know. This series is a true thriller and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole show. Dexter lasted 8 seasons and holds the record for Showtime’s most popular show in history.

Firefly (2002-2003)

Firefly is probably the cancelled show on this list that makes us the saddest. It only lasted 13 episodes, but actually became more popular after the series ended. It is set in the future where the western and sci-fi meet. The show follows a small ship by the name of Serenity with a small crew led by Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) that sails across the sky just trying to get by. This show was again created by Joss Whedon, and many don’t like this show, but so many others do. Firefly had a sequel movie, Serenity, which is a great movie to watch!

Friends (1994-2004)

To this day, this show is constantly watched and talked about. Friends follows a group of six close friends throughout their everyday lives. Relationships. Work. All things funny. Starring actors like David Schwimmer, Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston, every episode makes you laugh out loud, and just makes you want to binge-watch it!

Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

This TV show is incredibly down to earth, and many loved this one because of the female leads. Following Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), through their lives in a small Connecticut town, this show does a great job pulling at the audience’s heartstrings. With friendships, romance, education and family, we see all the sides that life has to offer through these heartfelt characters. Then you can even watch the revival episodes on Netflix!

Heroes (2006-2010)

In a world where ordinary people develop superpowers, Heroes follows many characters who all have different abilities, as their lives start to intertwine with each other. This show follows many characters, including Peter Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia) who can obtain other people’s abilities. This story is a very interesting one and is one that wasn’t overly popular in it’s time, but definitely is now.

House (2004-2012)

Many say this one is a great show, and others say it’s so weird, however, both are very much true. The series follows genius Dr. Gregory House as he tackles all the health mysteries he can get his hands on like a Sherlock Holmes of medicine. He also plays mind games on his colleagues just to pass the time. This show is very intriguing, makes you laugh, and keeps you hooked.

How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)

During its time, this show was a very popular sitcom and still is to many dedicated fans. This show uses flashbacks to tell the story of how Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) met his children’s mother. Surprisingly, throughout the whole show there were only four directors, Pamela Fryman, Rob Greenberg, Michael Shea and Neil Patrick Harris. You can watch all 208 episodes on Netflix.

One Tree Hill (2003-2012)

One Tree Hill starts off by following a young teenager who has daddy-issues and loves basketball, little does he know that his problems are about to get worse. As the show progresses we start to see more main characters and follow their paths and problems too. This show does very well at pulling at your heartstrings and then shattering it all over again, bu it will make you want to savour every moment of every episode.

Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014)

Sons of Anarchy follows a single father, Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) who is loyal to his motorcycle club who does good legal acts, but is also involved in illegal arms business. Even though this show only appealed to a certain audience it was still widely and constantly talked about.

What is your favourite show that is not airing anymore? Tell us in the comments below!

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