There’s something amazing about huge, unwieldy movie franchises. Series that go north of five or six installments have staying power, even if they abandon all pretense of having “canon,” story continuity, or logic. Each has a certain something that helps it stand out and sustain so many films over so many years.

In the spirit of the season, we’re going back and taking a look at the ridiculously strong Halloween franchise that survived 11 movies, 40 years, 5 reboots/separate timelines, and more “dead” Michael Myerseses than you can count.

I’m joined by Shiri Sondheimer to watch all 11 films in the franchise. Neither of us has seen them before, and we watch together and comment on the film in a private Slack channel.

For the curious, our reactions to the first six installments in the franchise are here. What follows is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation (with Preston Burt, who joined us for this one) while watching Halloween H20 from 1998.

This one is our first true reboot of the franchise (forgetting the anomaly that is Season of the Witch), as H20 ignores all of the movies except the first two. Laurie and Michael are siblings, but Michael hasn’t been seen in 20 years (since that 1978 Halloween night detailed in the first two installments). The events of 4, 5, and 6 never happened. There is no Jamie Lloyd. Or Tina. Or Bud the paramedic. Or Paul Rudd.

Hang tight as we dive in…

Shiri: This little project of ours is SERIOUSLY fucking up my Amazon movie recommendations.

Jamie: Tell me about it. It’s recommending Twilight to me now.

Shiri: Gah. I got Child’s Play. Is everyone wearing their pants?

Jamie: I just took ’em off. I’m living on the edge tonight. So, Amazon says that Janet Leigh is in this one?? Odds on her being in the shower?

Shiri: I’m surprised she did another horror movie after Psycho. I learned in a film class that she never took a shower again for the rest of her life, just baths. I don’t know if that’s actually true.

Jamie: I mean, it would make sense. This is the underwater Halloween, right? That’s why it’s called H2O?

Shiri: The knife does make the same sound as it did in Psycho. Huh. Maybe Norman Bates was Loomis all along. I can’t say I’m sorry we’re undoing the Satanists. The robes were terrible.

Jamie: More Miramax! Arty!

Preston: Miramax! Alright, high class . . . oh wait . . .

Shiri: Yes! “Mr Sandman.”

Jamie: Ooh, “Mr. Sandman” callback.

Shiri: And a pumpkin. We’re BACK, BABY!

Jamie: I can’t wait to see how they explain the new timeline. Smoking nurse. Check.

Shiri: Yeah, but she was in a Datsun this time.

Preston: Please, someone clue me in. How does this fit into the series? Total reboot?

Shiri: Follows II.

Jamie: I and II happened. But that’s it.

Preston: Ok, great! Is Loomis still dead?

Jamie: Well,Donald Pleasence is dead, so I’m gonna go with yes. Also, this nurse is smart. Open door? No lights? Don’t go inside!

Preston: Joseph Gordon Levitt!!!

Jamie: HOLY SHIT! JGL!! He’s like 11 years old!

Preston: I had no idea he was in this.

Shiri: This is totally like, a cameo, because he’s about to get dead.

Preston: This is mid-3rd Rock from the Sun, so this was a big get. I would love to be an early kill in a horror movie franchise. Then I could just ride that horror convention gravy train for the rest of my life.

Shiri: Right? Timmy #3 who got a hockey stick through the neck 10 minutes into Halloween 27.

Preston: I think Drew Barrymore was the best first kill in horror franchise history, though.

Jamie: Those movies are so good.

Preston: Raiding the beer fridge. Teenage priorities. And our first jump scare!!!

Jamie: How did it get so dark so fast?

Shiri: They messed up her office. I was going to wonder if that was the nurse from the end of the last one. Or from the first one. Cut the power. Check.

Preston: What’s with all the Halloween decorations? Oh . . .

Shiri: Damn, she had a shrine to St. Loomis.

Jamie: Oh no! Her Loomis shrine! At this point, I’d be in the next county. What is wrong with her?

Preston: Ok, the visuals on this one don’t feel so dated. I may actually get scared during this. Good girl! Just bolt!

Jamie: I actually turned off the lights for this one since it’s so dark. I might get scared, too.

Shiri: Aw man. Skate to the face and we didn’t get the sploosh?

Preston: He was a skater boi, I said see you later boi.

Shiri: WHY ARE PEOPLE STILL BUYING THAT KNIFE?

Jamie: Deaths 1 and 2. JGL and his friend.

Shiri: YOU GUYS. SHE IS THE NURSE FROM THE FIRST ONE.

Jamie: Death 3. Nurse from the first one, apparently. Good to know Illinois still has useless cops.

Preston: Ohhhh . . . the slow slice to the throat. What a way to go. One of my least favorite horror movie means of death. Now, the skate to the face? That’s up my alley.

Shiri: Doctor Loomis’s nurse. Like EVERYONE would know who that is.

Jamie: There was a 60 Minutes special on Loomis? Dear god why?

Preston: Nice exposition about not finding the body 20 years ago.

Shiri: Cop JR is goin’ next.

Jamie: Ooh, delayed credit sequence. This IS arty!

Preston: We’re at the next level, folks. We’ve come a long way since mustache daddy.

Shiri: Excellent exposition montage. The VO is the one from when Loomis was British, I guess?

Jamie: I mean, we don’t have Loomis, but we still get the “pure evil” speech. Introducing Josh Harnett! With LL Cool J! This is SO 90s!!

Shiri: Wow. INTRODUCING Josh Harnett. Ahahahaha. Jamie, clearly we have been doing this too long. Oh no. Are we psychically linked now?

Jamie: I hear you when I’m sleeping. Is that weird?

Shiri: Wait . . . Laurie DID die? Oh, it’s going to be a fake-her-death-to-get-away-from-Michael thing, isn’t it?

Jamie: Oh man, Harvey Weinstein’s name in the credits. That’s a bummer.

Shiri: Let’s pretend we didn’t see Weinstein. That’s like, way worse than a skate to the face.

Preston: That just makes it even scarier, Jamie. Early theory: Maybe they just said she died and she got a new identity.

Shiri: So, I guess this means Laurie abandoned her kid to be slaughtered by her deranged brother. You can take the girl out of Haddonfield . . .

Jamie: No, Shiri. Jamie never existed. Stay with the current timeline. We’ve traded Jamie Lloyd for Josh Hartnett. I’m not sure that was a step up.

Preston: Swinging medicine cabinet mirror in a horror movie? Check.

Jamie: What’s up with the fallen leaves on the ground? There are no dead leaves in California.

Preston: Just dead dreams.

Shiri: We do NOT go camping in this family, Josh.

Preston: I hear Crystal Lake is good this time of year.

Shiri: Puka shell necklace. Check. She married the sheriff?

Jamie: Why am I not surprised that Laurie Strode would get together with “an abusive, chain smoking, methadone addict”?

Preston: “We’re through with all that, mom.” THEN WHY ARE WE WATCHING THIS MOVIE, JOSH?!!

Shiri: See, that chick has the right idea. You do NOT go out into the country. That is where the serial killers are. There are barns and farming equipment and serial killers.

Jamie: Michelle Williams!

Preston: Whoa. This is some Grade-A level talent.

Jamie: And LL Cool J’s not even here yet!

Shiri: See. Private school. Lots of boning. Everyone’s gonna die. Dude. It’s the weird evangelical guy’s pickup.

Preston: What a weird Jalopy.

Shiri: Nope. Nope. Nope. Pee. In. The. Woods.

Jamie: Seriously. Teach your kid to pee outside.

Shiri: I can smell that men’s room from here.

Preston: Lady, if you gotta go potty, I’m pretty sure there’s a McDonald’s somewhere nearby. Do NOT go into the random rest stop.

Shiri: She totally didn’t pull up her skirt.

Jamie: Ew. She sat down and didn’t even wipe OR look at the seat.

Shiri: EW EW EW. She put her purse on the floor. NO.

Preston: Nope can’t watch.

Shiri: Now she’s going to put it on a table the next time she eats!

Preston: OK, yeah this one is creepin’ me out.

Shiri: Not me, this is why I learned to pee in the woods.

Jamie: You leave that kid alone, Mr. Myers. Oh thank god.

Preston: Oh good. Kiddo is safe (for now).

Shiri: Wait, the Yosemite camping thing is a school trip she wouldn’t let him go on?

Jamie: She knows it’s just going to be an orgy.

Shiri: No candles. Candles are a death sentence when combined with lack of pants and visible nipples.

Preston: Oh, what’s that guy’s name? I’ve seen him in stuff. Adam something.

Jamie: Adam Arkin. And he’s totally going to die. Because he’s hooking up with Laurie.

Shiri: Oh my god, Laurie’s boning the guidance counselor? They’re gonna do it on the desk, and he’s going to get shivved with a letter opener.

Jamie: LL COOL J!!!

Shiri: . . . is a romance writer?

Preston: LL!  Mama gonna knock you out!

Jamie: This is our drinking game: drink every time LL licks his lips sexily. Drink! DRINK! We’re gonna get so drunk. Is this before or after Deep Blue Sea?

Preston: Those are the acting chops I’ve been waiting for since Anaconda.

Shiri: Why is Harnett breathing heavy while talking to the security guard?

Jamie: Because it’s LL Cool J. DRINK!

Shiri: These boys are just as creepy as the Haddonfield ones. Gross.

Preston: Do you think we’ll get the last-minute costume buyers trope? Those kids look prepared at least.

Shiri: Day-drinking principal. Check.

Jamie: I think it’s water. Or vodka.

Shiri: Oh, he’ll “counsel” you, Laurie. All. Night. Long.

Preston: Have you tried alcoholism, Laurie?

Shiri: Drugs. Try allllll the drugs. With the meditation and the therapy.

Preston: How about self-loathing? That’s a favorite of mine?

Jamie: It’ll be interesting to compare her PTSD and trauma here to what we see in the new one.

Shiri: He’s going to get massacred in the bathroom, isn’t he? There you go, Preston. She’s going for the alcoholism.

Jamie: Oh, it is wine. Clear chardonnay must be a CA thing.

Preston: Glad to see she’s taken my advice. Glug. glug. Mama’s thirsty.

Shiri: John is worried that shoplifting a bottle of wine is illegal, but a “roving orgy” is okay?

Jamie: Roving orgies are always OK.

Preston: Laurie said a bad word.

Jamie: Damn. No-bullshit Laurie is my favorite Laurie.

Shiri: Michael’s so not dead, John. Clearly you have no understanding of your franchise.

Jamie: This was his “introduction.” He’s still fresh. He’ll learn.

Preston: Do you think when Michael Myers shows up, she’ll just look at her son as she’s dying and mock his words? “Michael Myers is DEAD, huh?

Shiri: He was prisoner of the Thorn cult, you douche canoe. Come on.

Jamie: Nope. That doesn’t exist. Uh oh. Jalopy carrying The Evil!

Shiri: The Shape, Jamie. The Shape.

Jamie: That car kind of sticks out. They don’t notice it?

Shiri: Outside of a gated California private school? i mean, why would they notice that any more than a cop car hanging out outside an abandoned house all night.

Jamie: Shiri, you’ve gotta let that one go.

Preston: Those slow-closing gates to the school aren’t going to cause an issue later. At. All.

Jamie: I can’t see how.

Shiri: I really wanted there to be head in that dumbwaiter.

Preston: And that dumbwaiter isn’t going to be used later in the story. At. All.

Jamie: Preston, stop backseat writing!

Preston: Shhhhh.

Shiri: A Very Spacious Basement. Check.

Jamie: What’s with the dripping sounds in every basement? Shouldn’t they call a plumber?

Preston: Jump scare #5.

Jamie: LOTS of false jump scares in this one.

Shiri: “Celebrating Halloween.” Like, trick or treating? Or having 5-second sex in a barn “celebrating”? I wonder if HIS full concentration will last more than 5 seconds.

Preston: Basement hand job incoming.

Jamie: Michelle Williams has THE THINNEST eyebrows I’ve ever seen.

Preston: Rihanna says Hi.

Jamie: So, Laurie is the headmaster AND an English teacher? Her teaching Frankenstein is a BIT TOO on the nose for me.

Shiri: Literary analogy. So arty.

Preston: His undone tie just screams “rebel.” Looks like the 32nd annual short bus convention over there.

Jamie: How hard was it for Michael to drive cross country to California and NOT kill anyone?

Preston: 6th jump scare.

Jamie: Maternal pep talk. She gonna die. We’re supposed to care about her now.

Shiri: Thanks, Betty White!

Preston: Guys, when we write our own horror movie (because we’re experts now, duh), “Jump Scare” would be the perfect title.

Jamie: I like it.

Preston: Jump scares throughout, but here’s the twist: The main character just dies a natural death of old age.

Shiri: So, The Shining scared me more than any movie ever, and I think it’s because you keep thinking the jump scare is going to happen and it takes like, hours. So you keep getting adrenaline spikes and there’s nothing do to with it.

Preston: That car looks like the Jeepers Creepers van.

Jamie: Michael has gotten A LOT more subtle in his old age.

Shiri: I wonder if he’s still fastidious.

Jamie: It’s his hallmark. He better be.

Preston: Anyone know if the same actor plays The Shape through all of these. Cause those creepy stares are perfection.

Jamie: Different actor. Not sure how many there have been, though.

Preston: Wonder what the audition process for that is like.

Jamie: At least he’s not sauntering in this one. That really pissed me off in the last one. His stalk is much better here.

Shiri: This guidance counselor guy is as useful as Loomis.

Jamie: PTSD has really fucked her up. She can’t tell fantasy from reality. I wonder if Adam Arkin even exists.

Shiri: Okay, but y’all better know how to bone with your pants on.

Preston: He seems like a nice guy. I bet he at least gets a noble death.

Shiri: Oh, I don’t know. He just walked into a room with two teenage girls alone.

Preston: Ha! Scream reference on the TV.

Jamie: Buffy as Drew Barrymore! Excellent Sarah Michelle Gellar cameo.

Shiri: Also, he mentioned nipples.

Preston: Man, If I’ve used the “I’m having my nipples pierced” excuse to get out of something once, I’ve used it 100 times.

Shiri: Do you think pierced nipples save you from the murdering? Because we found out last time that real boobs don’t.

Jamie: It’d be good to test that out. For science.

Preston: “I love food” is such a great conversation starter.

Jamie: Shitton of candles. Check.

Preston: Where did they get all those candles? Jeez!

Shiri: It’s the perfect amount for slaughter.

Preston: 1 candle = hot. 1,000 candles = awkward, JOSH.

Jamie: 1,000 lit candles is like a hallmark of these movies. It’s not a Halloween movie without them.

Shiri: Laurie and the guidance counselor better not start with the licking. I hate the licking.

Preston: Do I get to say “I told you so” about the name change yet or nah?

Jamie: Laurie telling him her real-life story is not hot foreplay talk. “My brother killed my sister.”

Preston: Laurie, your pillow talk is gonna need some work, hon.

Shiri: He killed a lot of my friends. Slutty babysitter friend. Slutty other friend. Bud the paramedic. Ripley. Tina.

Jamie: No! No Tina! She’s been retconned away.

Preston: “She faked her death.” NOW I get to say I told you so.

Jamie: Good job, Preston. Go back to your own horror script now.

Preston: See, there’s this jump scare . . .

Jamie: NOW you can start to panic, Laurie.

Shiri: Do you think she’s a better shot than Loomis? Firearms and alcohol are a fantastic combination. Did he just tell her to “calm down”? Oh, he is so getting dead.

Preston: “See if you can get the phones working,” she says. That’s rich. Hey, Jamie. See if you can get those phones working, mmmkay?

Jamie: By the way, this is the LONGEST we’ve gone with only 3 deaths.

Shiri: People had cell phones in 1998. NOW there’s going to be a head in the dumbwaiter.

Jamie: Drawer full of knives. Check.

Shiri: Oh no.

Preston: Nope.

Jamie: Oh no.

Shiri: Not the garbage disposal.

Jamie: nononononono

Preston: Cover your eyes, guys!

Shiri: That is the cleanest damn garbage disposal I’ve ever seen.

Jamie: The new Michael Myers mask looks totally doofy.

Preston: They don’t make ’em like they used to.

Shiri: Do you really have to clarify “kinks” with “sex”?

Jamie: “No sex games until I’ve eaten.” Man, I’ve heard that one a million times. Death 4. Charlie in the dumbwaiter. And score 1 point for Preston.

Shiri: Again with the enclosed spaces!

Preston: Whoa. That was tense!

Shiri: Listen, whatever your name is. I can ASSURE you Charlie is no great loss.

Preston: I love that he actually got a piece of her instead of her conveniently just closing the door in time.

Shiri: Is the music actually Pearl Jam this time?

Jamie: Doubtful. They couldn’t afford Pearl Jam. They blew the budget with JGL.

Preston: Pearl jam or Creed? Creed would be the most violent death in this movie for sure.

Jamie: Death 5. Charlie’s girlfriend. I never knew her name.

Preston: Goodbye little high school vixen, we hardly knew ye.

Shiri: Michael needs a new MO. The stabby thing is getting stale.

Jamie: To be fair, Shiri, most people don’t watch these movies all in a row.

Shiri: Lol

Preston: I think the problem with the new mask is definitely the hair.

Jamie: “What’s this river of blood? This is weird.”

Preston: Le’ts follow it.

Shiri: Let’s follow it.

Preston: Jinx!

Jamie: Right now, Josh Hartnett is all like, “Oh shit. Mom was right. I’m never going to hear the end of this.”

Shiri: “Actually, COULD you kill me, Uncle Michael, because if I live, mom is never going to shut up about it.” His aim is going.

Jamie: I mean, Michael’s pushing 40 at this point. I don’t think I could keep up with these teenagers.

Preston: Josh can run pretty well for just getting the shit stabbed out of his thigh.

Shiri: He used to go right for the carotid, but now he’s all stabbing people in the leg.

Jamie: Michael Myers – stymied by keys.

Shiri: He’s super good at the creepy head tilt.

Jamie: OK, that staredown between Laurie and Michael was awesome.

Preston: Yes. That was good. I couldn’t even think about typing. That scene was intense and great.

Shiri: “Listen, you little shit. I got stabbed and pushed down the stairs and stabbed again, so I don’t want to hear you bitch about ONE little stab wound.” I love that she’s such a badass even though she’s fucking terrified.

Jamie: Guidance counselor just killed LL Cool J, didn’t he?

Preston: OK, I’ve decided that Adam Arkin’s character is a little too milquetoast for my tastes.

Shiri: Wow. Guidance counselor is a good shot. Better than Loomis ever was.

Preston: LL!!!!!!! DAMN!

Shiri: That’s the best hanging from a knife death we’ve seen though.

Jamie: Death 6, Adam Arkin with the patented lift-up stabbing.

Preston: That was harsh. Poor Adam Arkin.

Shiri: Did she just look at the closet and say “Aw, Fuck”? That’s amazing.

Preston: But LL’s death was just a throwaway. Yep. Its the hair. Weird as hell.

Jamie: The eyes are also too big on this mask. Both are problems.

Shiri: Do you think that’s the same jumpsuit he stole from the mechanic? Oh my god. John is such a wuss. You just got stabbed a tiny bit, jeez. Drama much?

Preston: Dude! Just roll through that gate!

Shiri: She is fucking Lynda Carter in this one, I love it.

Preston: Wonder Woman!!!!

Shiri: Nope, that’s not who I meant.

Jamie: She’s fucking Lynda Carter? Did I miss that scene?

Shiri: I meant Linda Hamilton. Migraines make me stupid.

Preston: MUSIC!!!

Jamie: Laurie with the axe gets the Halloween theme!

Shiri: No one has actually tried beheading him yet.

Jamie: Oh, just wait.

Preston: Dude’s been doing a lot of pull ups in the sanitarium I guess.

Shiri: Jamie, did you cheat?

Jamie: No spoilers. Those tables would NOT hold his weight.

Preston: I’ve gotta say they’ve really upped the intensity of this one. Nice work.

Jamie: Well, now we know that a knee to the balls won’t stop him.

Preston: “That’s not a knife. THIS IS A KNIFE!!!!”

Jamie: GODDAMN! Laurie Strode is a fucking badass!!

Shiri: Laurie. Come on.

Preston: Now go cut his head off!!!

Jamie: But why would she drop the knife?

Shiri: You have to know better than to turn your back on him. Laurie, why?

Preston: Seriously.

Shiri: There were 57 other knives, do you really need that one back?

Preston: Just bash his head in with a stick or something.

Shiri: He is 10/10 not dead.

Preston: LL!!!!

Jamie: Fucking LL Cool J. LL is remarkably animated for just having been shot like 6 times.

Shiri: Those ambulance guys are going to end up in a river with piranhas.

Jamie: Why didn’t they take off his mask in the body bag?

Preston: I love that she stole the van with his body, instead of, like, just shooting him in the head right there.

Shiri: “Look. I’m getting older. It takes me longer to resurrect. It happens to everyone, Laurie. EVERYONE.”

Preston: Oh no. You mean he’s NOT dead? WHAT? Unbelievable.

Shiri: LAURIE IS NOT FUCKING AROUND.

Preston: Yes! Now run his ass over!!!

Jamie: How many times have we seen this scene?

Preston: Don’t wait. Just do it!!

Jamie: Oh man, the grin she gives him as they drive off the cliff. Priceless.

Preston: I thought she was going to ram him into a tree, but nope. Let’s just drive off this cliff together.

Shiri: I’m glad he’s on fire again. Nice sense of the circle of life.

Jamie: Convenient axe in the bushes.

Preston: Bush axe. Chop his head off with the bush axe!!!

Jamie: Why is she so emotional for him? She never knew him as a brother.

Preston: YES!!!!!!!! She did it! No bullshit! Off with his head!!!

Shiri: NICE. Is he like a starfish? If you cut off his head, does he grow a new body?

Jamie: Nicely done.

Shiri: Wait, that’s the end? That was . . . abrupt.

Preston: Now THAT’s how you end a Halloween movie. 5 stars.

Jamie: I kind of want to stop here and NOT watch Resurrection since I’ve been spoiled about how he comes back.

Shiri: I dunno, dude. We’ve come this far.

Jamie: Oh no, we’re going. There’s no stopping us now. This credits music is Creed, isn’t it?

Shiri: Yeah it is.

Preston: This movie had everything: dumbwaiters, jump scares, bush axes, and beheadings. Oh, and Creed!

Jamie: OK, not gonna lie. This was good. 1, H20, and 4 are my Top 3 so far.

Preston: Oooh. Does Josh get to turn into The Shape in the next one like Jamie turned? This one is perfect because there’s just enough to yell at the TV about, but there’s an excellent amount of tension, rewarding deaths, and LL Cool J. I think this is my 2nd favorite.

Jamie: It’s so disheartening to go from THIS to Resurrection, which is supposed to be the awfullest. BUT. it has Tyra Banks and Busta Rhymes.

Shiri: Wow. That’s . . . bad.

Jamie: You shut your mouth. Oh! Janet Leigh was the old maternal figure who gave Laurie the pep talk! I totally forgot about her. And she’s Jamie Lee Curtis’s ACTUAL mother!

Shiri: That seems appropriate.

Jamie: That speech makes so much more sense now.