Honestly, nobody does it like the 30 Rock plaza crew. Every year, we all wake up wondering if Hoda Kotb is going to be an Egyptian goddess or if Al Roker is going to be trapped in a foam suit that makes it impossible for him to read the weather map. The Today Show Halloween 2025 reveal didn't just meet the hype—it kind of blew the roof off the place with a theme that felt weirdly nostalgic yet totally high-tech.
It was a spectacle.
If you missed the live broadcast, you missed Savannah Guthrie navigating four-inch heels while trying to stay in character, which is basically a sport in its own right. The theme this year leaned heavily into "Icons of the 2000s," a sharp pivot from the Broadway and Vegas themes of years past. It felt like a fever dream of Y2K pop culture, but executed with that massive NBC budget that makes sure every sequin is exactly where it needs to be.
Why the Today Show Halloween 2025 Reveal Hit Different
The stakes are actually pretty high for these guys. They are competing with The View, Kelly and Mark, and Good Morning America. If their costumes look cheap, the internet shreds them by 9:15 AM. But for 2025, the production value was through the roof.
Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb led the charge, and their chemistry remains the engine of the whole show. They didn't just wear costumes; they performed. We saw a heavy emphasis on practical effects this year. Instead of just "look-alike" outfits, the wardrobe department integrated wearable tech that allowed for glowing elements and even some minor animatronics in the larger-than-life builds.
It wasn't just about the main anchors, either. The extended Today family, including Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones, leaned into the ensemble vibe. The 2000s theme allowed them to tap into a specific kind of "Greatest Hits" energy. We're talking about the era of peak Britney, the rise of the boy bands, and the early days of reality TV that shaped everything we watch now.
The Breakdown of the Big Reveals
Savannah Guthrie went full "Pop Princess." It was a direct homage to the 2001 VMAs, minus the live snake (mostly for HR reasons, probably). The detail on the denim-heavy ensemble was a masterclass in costume design. She had the hair, the attitude, and the slightly confused look of someone who realizes they have to interview a serious politician later while wearing three pounds of body glitter.
Hoda Kotb, ever the soul of the show, chose an icon that required a lot of physical comedy. She went as a legendary diva from the early millennium, complete with a wig that had its own zip code. What makes Hoda’s Halloween appearances so good is that she never acts "above" the costume. She commits. If the costume is bulky, she leans into the bulk.
Al Roker remains the undisputed king of morning show Halloween. He has this uncanny ability to disappear into a character. For 2025, his costume involved a heavy amount of prosthetic work. It took the makeup team over three hours to get him ready. Watching him try to deliver a serious report about a cold front moving through the Midwest while wearing a face full of silicone is the kind of accidental surrealism that makes live TV worth watching.
Jenna Bush Hager and the Today with Hoda & Jenna crew took a slightly more "editorial" approach. They focused on the fashion icons of the mid-2000s, specifically those "it girl" looks that defined the paparazzi era. It was high-fashion, high-energy, and featured a lot of pink.
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The Secret Sauce: How They Pull This Off
You might think they just pick these out a week before. Nope.
The planning for the Today Show Halloween 2025 event actually started in late spring. This is a massive logistical operation involving dozens of tailors, makeup artists, and set designers. They have to ensure that the costumes are:
- TV-Ready: The colors can't "bleed" on high-definition cameras.
- Functional: Anchors still have to be able to hear their producers in their earpieces.
- Quick-Change: Sometimes they have to swap parts of the outfit during commercial breaks.
The "Plaza" element is also a nightmare to coordinate. You have hundreds of fans screaming in the background, live animals (sometimes), and the unpredictable New York weather. If it rains, those $10,000 costumes are in trouble. This year, the luck held out, and the lighting in the plaza made the metallic fabrics of the Y2K theme pop.
The Most Talked-About Moment
If social media is any indication, the highlight wasn't a single costume but a choreographed dance number. Yes, they did it again. The entire cast participated in a medley of early 2000s hits.
Seeing Craig Melvin try to do "the robot" while dressed as a futuristic R&B star is something you can't unsee. It was awkward. It was hilarious. It was exactly what morning television is supposed to be—a brief escape from the depressing news cycle.
Dylan Dreyer and Sheinelle Jones were the standouts here. They clearly put in the rehearsal time. Their synchronization was actually impressive, proving that the Today show staff probably spends their weekends in a dance studio somewhere in Midtown.
Comparing 2025 to Previous Years
In 2023, they went with "Today’s Broadway," which was elegant but maybe a little too stiff. 2024 took us to the "Today Show Circus," which was chaotic and featured a lot of literal high-wire acts.
But 2025 felt more personal.
The Y2K/2000s theme resonates because that was the era when morning shows really cemented their place in the digital age. It was the transition from "just the news" to "the news plus a viral moment." By leaning into that nostalgia, they captured an audience that grew up watching these icons on TRL and MTV.
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It’s a smart play. It brings in the younger demographic that usually just watches clips on TikTok while keeping the longtime viewers who remember the original fashion disasters of 2005.
Behind the Scenes Logistics
- Wardrobe: Over 15 different designers were consulted for the main cast's looks.
- Makeup: The "glam squad" grew by 200% on the morning of the 31st.
- Safety: Stunt coordinators were on set for some of the more elaborate entrances (like when one anchor descended from a crane).
There’s always a risk of a wardrobe malfunction. Live TV is a tightrope. One misplaced zipper and you're a meme for all the wrong reasons. But the 2025 production was remarkably smooth. Even the guest appearances—which included some actual 2000s pop stars—went off without a hitch.
The Cultural Impact of the Morning Show "Costume Wars"
Why do we care so much? It’s kind of weird, right? Grown adults, some of them respected journalists, dressing up like cartoon characters or pop stars.
But there’s a reason it works.
It humanizes them. When we see Savannah Guthrie struggling to walk in a massive costume, we forget for a second that she’s an intimidatingly sharp interviewer who grills world leaders. We see the person.
The Today Show Halloween 2025 succeeded because it didn't take itself too seriously. It was big, it was loud, and it was unapologetically cheesy. In a world where everything feels increasingly polarized and tense, watching a group of people act like kids for two hours is a legitimate public service.
What Most People Got Wrong About the Theme
Before the reveal, there were rumors that they were going to do "Superheroes" or "Classic Cinema." Some "leaks" on Reddit suggested a "Space" theme.
They were wrong.
The pivot to Y2K was a gamble. Some critics thought it might be too "niche" for the older viewers who tune in every morning. But the execution was so broad and the icons chosen were so recognizable (even if you didn't live through the era) that it landed perfectly.
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Actionable Takeaways for Your Own Halloween Planning
You probably don't have a 30 Rock budget, but the Today show’s 2025 performance offers some solid lessons for your next costume:
- Commit to the Bit: The reason Hoda and Al look so good is because they aren't embarrassed. If you’re going to wear a wig, wear the biggest wig.
- Group Themes Rule: Notice how the cast always looks better together? If you’re going out with friends, pick a cohesive era. It makes for better photos and a bigger impact.
- Comfort is a Lie: If you want to look like a pop star, you're going to be uncomfortable. Accept it. Bring a change of shoes for the after-party.
- Lighting Matters: The Today show uses professional-grade LEDs. For your own party, think about how your costume will look in a dark room versus under a flash. Metallic and reflective fabrics are your best friend.
What to Watch Next
If you want to dive deeper into the making of these costumes, NBC usually releases a "Behind the Scenes" digital exclusive on their website about 48 hours after the broadcast. It shows the fitting sessions and the early sketches, which are often cooler than the final products.
Keep an eye on the Today show's social media channels for the inevitable blooper reel. The moments where the anchors can't stop laughing or trip over their own props are honestly better than the scripted segments.
The legacy of Today Show Halloween 2025 will likely be remembered as the year they finally figured out how to balance high-tech production with old-school physical comedy. It wasn't just a broadcast; it was a vibe.
Check your local listings or the NBC app to see the full replay of the musical numbers—they are definitely worth a second look, if only to see how many times Al Roker almost lost his prosthetic nose during a high-speed dance move.
Next time you're stuck for a costume idea, just ask yourself: what would the Today Show wardrobe department do with a glue gun and a dream? Probably something spectacular.
To recreate the looks at home, focus on thrift store finds from the mid-2000s. Look for low-rise jeans, velour tracksuits, and anything that sparkles. The 2025 show proved that what was once considered a "fashion "crime" is now a legitimate costume classic. Go big or go home. That's the 30 Rock way.
Quick Action Plan for Future Halloween Fans:
- Follow the anchors on Instagram starting in early October; they often drop subtle "Easter egg" hints about the theme in their stories.
- Bookmark the Today Show's official "Halloween History" page to see how the 2025 looks stack up against the legendary "Star Wars" or "Saturday Night Live" years.
- Set a DVR alert for the 7:00 AM EST window on Halloween morning—the best reveals always happen in the first 20 minutes before the chaos of the plaza takes over.