It’s not just because it’s a Halloween special—we’re just glad to have The Venture Bros. back

Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Sunday, October 28. All times are Eastern.

TOP PICK

The Venture Bros. (Cartoon Network, 11:30 p.m.): It’s been more than a year since we last heard from the Ventures—and even then it wasn’t a full-on new adventure, but rather a Behind The Music-style mockumentary about Hank and Dermot’s band Shallow Gravy. “A Very Venture Halloween Special,” meanwhile, goes about setting the stage for the show’s upcoming fifth season and teaching the true meaning of Halloween with zombies, lasers, and Hellraiser, The Crow, and, er, Big Lebowski costumes/visual allusions? Zack Handlen, of course, is The Bat.

The Thick Of It (Hulu, 5 p.m.): This is the last installment of The Thick Of It you’ll ever get. Cherish every last insult, every final profanity, like a precious gem. David Sims certainly will.

Once Upon A Time (ABC, 8 p.m.): Getting into the holiday spirit (get it?), Regina finds herself haunted by g—

a g-g-g—

a g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-ghost!

Revenge (ABC, 9 p.m.): An episode called “Forgiveness”? Revenge is not about forgiveness! Revenge is a dish best served cold, and if you’re expecting Carrie Raisler to enjoy some Revenge that’s been run through the microwave so that it has warmth and compassion, you’ve got another thing coming!

The Walking Dead (AMC, 9 p.m.): A chance encounter with a downed helicopter leads Andrea and Michonne into a seemingly idyllic survivors’ community that may be more confining than the prison. Zack Handlen fires up the Ironic Similarity Detector 5000 as he takes a crack at the season’s second big arc.

The Good Wife (CBS, 9 p.m.): There’s a potential for crazy mixups when Alicia is unsure whether an accountant is being investigated for his on-the-book practices or if he’s being hauled in due to his connection to a drug dealer. No big deal—that kind of thing happens to David Sims all the time.

Boardwalk Empire (HBO, 9 p.m.): Noel Murray doesn’t mean to get your hopes up, but he considers this week’s episode to be an “all-time great.” Sounds like we’re all about to sit down to an exciting Easter dinner with the Thompsons.

Dexter (Showtime, 9:30 p.m.): The show’s main character is being attacked from all sides, trying to solve a murder that took place on his boat while avoiding a vengeance-seeking Isaak. Joshua Alston bets ol’ Dex really regrets killing all those people now, huh?

Treme (HBO, 10 p.m.): Davis needs to cast a recognizable name in his opera to give the show a big boost—and ain’t that a shame? But he doesn’t have to go all the way to Kansas City or Blueberry Hill to find the guy he’s looking for. (What Keith Phipps wants you to know is that Fats Domino is the man for the job.)

Homeland (Showtime, 10 p.m.): And so begins “Brody in custody,” as a major turning point in the series leads to a tense hour where people try their damnedest to keep Jessica in the dark. Todd VanDerWerff has all the faith in the world that this will end well.

Doctor Who (Classic) (11 a.m.): Temporarily companion-less, the Fourth Doctor attempts to stay out of the crosshairs of “The Deadly Assassin.” Word assassin Christopher Bahn keeps an eye trained on the whole enterprise.

The Secret Of Crickley Hall (BBC America, 8 p.m.): Why not pop in for a spooky spot of tea with this very British haunted-house story. You know, in the U.K., they spell it “g-g-g-g-g-g-ghoust,” with a “u,” and only seven “g”s.

The American Scream (Chiller, 8 p.m.): The director of Best Worst Movie (and, yes, the star of Troll 2) trains his camera on the booming at-home haunted house industry—and Nathan Rabin checks it out, despite the fact that Patton Oswalt already recorded the definitive statement on that subject eight years ago. Horrifying displays of murder and gore for all!

Halloween Wars (Food, 9 p.m.): Dearest Martha: Tremendous news from the frontline (which our exceedingly jocular sergeant demands we call the “frontslime”), as these damnable Halloween Wars will end after but four short skirmishes. If for some reason I shan’t make it home, please bury my body in the clearance aisle on All Saints’ Day.

The Mentalist (CBS, 10 p.m.): The Mentalist (Simon Baker) and Detective Mentalist (Robin Tunney) celebrate 100 completely mental hours of mentalling around together. (It is entirely possible we haven’t seen a single one of the previous 99 Mentalist episodes.)

The Muppets (Starz, 7:15 p.m.): Thanks to the big-screen return of Jim Henson’s most famous creations, at least one Halloween party this weekend was interrupted by a shout of “No, I’m Walter! You know, the new Muppet!”…

Reservoir Dogs (Flix, 8 p.m.): …and while we’re at it, happy 20th birthday, Every Guy At The Party Who Didn’t Have A Costume, But Did Have A Black Suit, Skinny Black Tie, And White Shirt And Went As “Generic Tarantino Character.”

NFL Football: Saints at Broncos (NBC, 8:20 p.m.): The Saints try to get over the fact that they’re missing the last-minute addition of Metallica to the Voodoo Music + Art Experience by pounding the stuffing out of Peyton Manning.

Grimm (Friday): Thanks tothe most recent episode of Grimm, children scared into submission by the legend of La Llorona are no longer confined to the American Southwest. Kevin McFarland salutes the show for its service.