It is Halloween, and no family on TLC has ever committed to October 31 quite like the Busbys. With six daughters to dress up, Adam and Danielle Busby turned Halloween into a yearly group project — and over a decade of OutDaughtered, the themes went from one little witch to a full superhero universe. So, on Halloween night itself, we are ranking them all, worst to best. No new announcement, no new season news — just the costumes, and the family arguments they are guaranteed to restart.
One ground rule: this ranking judges the costume idea — the theme, the casting, the commitment — not the girls. Every one of these looks was adorable. Some were just more legendary than others.
The Bottom of the Ranking: 2015 and 2020
At No. 7, Halloween 2015. This one barely counts, and that is why it lands last. The quints were only months old for their first official Halloween, so they sat trick-or-treating out while big sister Blayke stole the show in a sweet sparkle witch costume. Cute? Completely. A quint costume year? Not really.
At No. 6, Halloween 2020, the year the theme broke. According to reports, the family usually picked one theme, but in the COVID year every girl picked her own costume instead, and an at-home haunted house replaced the usual night out. We respect the call — but as a group photo, individual choices cannot compete with a matched set, and that is what this ranking rewards.
The Middle: 2016’s Zoo and 2021’s Sugar Skulls
At No. 5, Halloween 2016: the zoo. Adam revealed on the show that Blayke set this theme in motion when she decided she wanted to be a zookeeper, and the result was a menagerie — the quints as a pig, an elephant, a lion, a frog and a monkey, with Blayke keeping order. It showed the formula behind every great Busby Halloween after it: one big idea, six different parts.
At No. 4, Halloween 2021: the Day of the Dead look, which the girls themselves reportedly compared to Disney’s Coco. The flower crowns and skeleton paint were the most ambitious the family had ever attempted. So why only fourth? Because this is the one that split the fandom. According to reports, some fans praised the spooky, fun theme while others criticised it as cultural appropriation, with one comment urging the parents to “do better” liked more than 150 times. Effort: ten out of ten. Consensus: nowhere near it.
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At No. 3, Halloween 2017: the astronauts. Adam and the kids dressed as NASA astronauts — a nod to the #HoustonStrong movement after Hurricane Harvey — while Danielle went full alien. In a year when their city was hurting, the Busbys turned Halloween into a love letter to Houston. The alien mask was, by all accounts, deeply unsettling. The sentiment was perfect.
At No. 2, Halloween 2018: The Greatest Showman. This is where the casting became genius. Riley, obviously, was the ringleader. Blayke was trapeze artist Ann Wheeler. Ava was the bearded woman, Olivia the world’s strongest man, Hazel the tattooed man, and Parker the albino twin. Every girl got a character that actually fit her — the moment Busby Halloween grew up from “matching babies” to “ensemble cast.”
No. 1: 2019, the Superhero Family Portrait
And at No. 1, Halloween 2019: the superheroes. Danielle posted the family portrait to Instagram with a caption explaining why each person was their hero, and the reasoning seals it. Adam was Captain America because he is the “captain and boss of the house.” Danielle was Superwoman, or “super mom.” Blayke was Captain Marvel, ruling over her super sisters. Among the quints, Ava was Spider-Girl because she climbs on everything, Olivia was a girly Flash because she runs everywhere, Hazel was Robin, the trusty sidekick who shows off her strength with handstands, Riley was Batgirl because she keeps an eye on her siblings (and likes to tattle), and Parker was Wonder Woman, the “concerned healer.” Even the dog, Beau, joined in as Superman. A Marvel-DC mashup that should not work — and a portrait that sums up the whole family in one frame. That is why it wins.
Your Turn: Did We Get the Order Wrong?
One honest footnote: the themed era may already be over. By Halloween 2022, according to reports, the night was less about a matching theme and more about the chaos itself — Blayke in a dino costume, the quints trick-or-treating by golf cart, and the cart breaking down so the kids had to push it home. The girls are 11 now, picking their own looks and their own opinions.
So, Team Superheroes, defend your champions. Team Showman, make your case — Riley as ringleader is a strong argument. Team Astronauts, tell us why heart should beat spectacle. And if you think the sugar skulls deserved higher than fourth, say so and say why. Happy Halloween, Busby fans — drop your ranking in the comments.
