Today Show Halloween 2026: Anchors Bring NBC History to Life
The Today show turned its annual Halloween special into a birthday party for NBC. The morning team celebrated the network’s 100th anniversary by dressing as famous NBC characters. The result was a funny and nostalgic show that gave fans plenty to talk about.
Halloween is always a big day for morning television. The Today show has a long tradition of dressing up its hosts in elaborate costumes. This year, the stakes were higher. NBC is marking a century on the air, so the show used the holiday to honor the network’s most memorable faces and shows.
Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager Go Back to Friends
The biggest moment came from Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager. The two hosts dressed as characters from Friends, one of NBC’s most beloved sitcoms. They performed together on air, which delighted the studio audience and viewers at home.
Friends ran on NBC from 1994 to 2004 and remains one of the most watched shows in television history. Its characters are instantly recognizable, which made the costume choice a safe bet for a laugh. The pair leaned into the bit with a short performance, turning a simple costume into a full comedy sketch.
Al Roker as Gumby Steals the Show
Al Roker took a different path. The weather anchor dressed as Gumby, the famous green clay character. The costume was playful and a little silly, which fits Roker’s style. Gumby began as a stop-motion character in the 1950s and later became a pop culture icon, so the choice fit the retro theme of the special.
Other anchors also took on iconic NBC personalities. The show spread the tributes across the whole cast, so no single costume carried the morning. That approach kept the energy high from start to finish.
Surprise Guests Add Extra Fun
The hosts were not the only ones having fun. Special guests dropped by to surprise them. Martha Stewart and Jack McBrayer both made appearances, adding star power to the celebration.
Martha Stewart is a household name in cooking and lifestyle. Jack McBrayer is known for his comedy work, including his role on the NBC series 30 Rock. Their surprise visits gave the hosts genuine reactions, which is often the best part of live television.
Why This Halloween Special Mattered
The special was more than a costume parade. It was a clever way to mark NBC’s 100th anniversary. Instead of a serious retrospective, the show used humor and familiar characters to celebrate the network’s history.
For investors, the moment is a small but useful signal. Morning shows like Today are valuable brands for a network. They build daily habits with viewers and attract advertisers. A well-received special can generate social media buzz, clips that travel online, and goodwill with audiences. All of that supports the broader media business.
The Halloween special also shows how networks use their own archives as content. Nostalgia is cheap to produce and easy to market. Familiar shows like Friends still draw attention years after they ended. That makes them useful tools for promotion.
What Comes Next
NBC’s anniversary celebrations are likely to continue through the year. Expect more tributes, retrospectives, and cross-show events. The Today show has already set a light and entertaining tone for the milestone.
For fans, the takeaway is simple. The hosts had fun, the costumes landed, and the surprises worked. For the network, the special was a reminder that its history is one of its strongest assets.
