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A guide to notable programs by BRUCE FRETTS. (Times are Eastern standard and are subject to change.)
SERIES Halloween means The X-Files isn't the only Fox show with supernatural themes this week. THE SIMPSONS (Fox, Oct. 29, 8-8:30 p.m.) offers its sixth annual ''Treehouse of Horror'' trilogy. This year's tales: Big Boy-like statues come to life -- and only Paul Anka can save Springfield from their onslaught; Groundskeeper Willie haunts the dreams of schoolkids in ''Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace''; and Homer slips into the third dimension (thanks to computer animation) and glimpses the true magnitude of his own rear end. BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 (Fox, Nov. 1, 8-9 p.m.) gets into the holiday spirit with a costume ball at the Peach Pit, complete with a fortune teller, Madame Raven (Cynthia Szigeti). Someone better keep Luke Perry away from her crystal ball -- he might not want to see what his future looks like after he leaves 90210.
Always one of the season's highlights, the annual Halloween bash on ROSEANNE (ABC, Oct. 31, 8-8:30 p.m.) features a surprise guest -- Roseanne's baby, who arrives during the episode. In fact, this episode is Roseanne's baby: She cowrote and directed it. And watch for a cameo by her real-life newborn son, Buck. HOME IMPROVEMENT (ABC, Oct. 31, 9-9:30 p.m.) hosts a holiday shindig as well, only Tim (Tim Allen) and Jill (Patricia Richardson) don't attend. Oldest brat Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan) throws an unauthorized party while his parents are away at a cable-TV awards ceremony. Given Allen's luck with the Emmys, this may be one of the few trophies he ever takes home.
Corporate synergy at its finest: MTV VJ Kennedy beams up in an episode of another Viacom property, STAR TREK: VOYAGER (UPN, Oct. 30, 8-9 p.m.). The self-proclaimed ''Trekker'' (why are we not surprised?) plays a crew member on the starship, and she sure does look snappy in that uniform. Over on STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE (syndicated, check local listings), Avery Brooks has taken command. He recently shaved his head, so Capt. Sisko now resembles his old Spenser: For Hire character, Hawk, and he's begun directing episodes. There's yet another Trekker treat in store for viewers of BROTHERLY LOVE (NBC, Oct. 25, 8-8:30 p.m.), when George ''Sulu'' Takei guest- stars as a George Takei impersonator at a comic-book convention. If Joey ''Whoa!'' Lawrence's new sitcom doesn't find more viewers in this Wednesday airing than it has in its Sunday slot, he could soon be working the convention circuit too.
What a difference two decades make. On Saturday nights in the '70s, Betty White and Cloris Leachman were part of the peerless ensemble on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Now they're back together on Marie Osmond's antiseptic Saturday-night sitcom, MAYBE THIS TIME (ABC, Oct. 28, 8:30-9 p.m.). White plays Osmond's mom, and Leachman guest-stars as the Scottish grandmother of one of Osmond's pals. There's another sort of reunion on TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL (CBS, Oct. 28, 9-10 p.m.) as Eight Is Enough dad Dick Van Patten materializes in an episode directed by his son Tim Van Patten (a.k.a. ''Salami'' on The White Shadow). Once on the verge of death, Angel has risen as high as 25th in the ratings, and CBS has resurrected it for the full season. It's a miracle!
