Weekend TV Halloween Shows Ride the Airwaves

Halloween night is filled with several weird and scary shows for those who’d rather not brave the ghosts and goblins parading the streets outside.

On “The Search for Houdini,” a two-hour program from the Orpheum Theatre beginning at 8 p.m. on Channels 5 and 51, psychics will try to communicate with the legendary magician and escape artist, Harry Houdini. Hosted by William Shatner, the show will be highlighted by an unrehearsed seance in which several parapsychologists will try to bring the spirit of Houdini back from the grave.

Later tonight, KCET Channel 28 airs an all-night horror festival that includes “Die! Die! My Darling,” starring Tallulah Bankhead, at 11:45 p.m., “Berserk” with Joan Crawford at 1:25 a.m., “Brotherhood of Satan” at 3 a.m. and, finally, Tom Poston in “The Old Dark House,” beginning at 4:35 a.m.

On Sunday, television gets more serious as the 1988 presidential campaign continues. “Candidates ‘88,” a series of one-on-one conversations with top presidential contenders, features journalist Marvin Kalb questioning the Rev. Jesse Jackson at noon on Channel 28. At 2 p.m., KCET will rebroadcast last Wednesday’s debate among all six Republican presidential candidates on “Firing Line.” Reporters who attended the two-hour debate in Houston will discuss what happened on “The Day After the Big Republican Debate” at 4 p.m.