The "Treehouse of Horror" franchise has been a staple of The Simpsons since 1990. Each episode references pop culture or history in a macabre direction envisioned by showrunner Al Jean and his brilliant team of writers. It's no easy job to create stories that both capture our souls and scare us yearly, but whatever magic potion those people are using, it's working magnificently.
Each "Treehouse of Horror" episode is divided into three segments, resulting in your mix of good and bad. Not that there was ever a bad "Treehouse of Horror" episode, but some were better than others. The fun notion about the episodes is that the rules applying to TV standards are twisted, and the writers can have as much violence and gore as much as they want, setting them apart from traditional Simpsons installments.
As such, season 36 will give dedicated fans two installments, with both airing in November. "Who celebrates Halloween in November?" as Kang the Alien would say, but to answer his question, mid to late October is when the 2024 MLB World Series takes place, and Fox will be doing its coverage. It'll be a long wait until then, but to keep you busy, here are five "Treehouse of Horror" to rewatch.
5 of the best "Treehouse of Horror" episodes from The Simpsons
"Treehouse of Horror I" (1990)
Segments: "Hungry Are the Damned," "Mad Dream House" and "The Raven"
In the first "Treehouse of Horror," Bart and Lisa share scary stories inside their treehouse on Halloween, and an interested Homer takes a listen. The selected works for the tale include parodies of 1950s sci-fi comics, The Amityville Horror, and Tales From The Crypt, with Edgar Allan Poe paged in. For the latter, the late James Earl Jones supplied his voice as the narrator in "The Raven," giving "Treehouse of Horror" its rocketing success.
And who can forget that it was Bart taking shape into the Raven? A symbol of the subject's (Homer) spiraling into madness.
"Treehouse of Horror XIX" (2008)
Segment:: "It's the Grand Pumpkin Milhouse"
If you guessed that "It's the Grand Pumpkin Milhouse" is a spoof of the Peanuts comics and TV specials, mostly referencing It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Christmas, you're right. In the Simpsons version, Milhouse channels his childhood belief to summon the Grand Pumpkin, and once he does, the oversized Jack O'Latern with vines for limbs wreaks havoc at Springfield Elementary. He's only stopped by Tom Turkey, another of Milhouse's childhood manifestations.
While there were two other segments included in the episode, "It's the Grand Pumpkin, Milhouse" stood out as many felt nostalgic for it.
"Treehouse of Horror XII" (2001)
Segment: "Wiz Kids"
In this Harry Potter parody, Lisa's a talented sorceress who can turn frogs into handsome princes, while Bart's magic is just so-so. In a magic show, Lisa's wand is replaced with a licorice whip, done by Bart and pitched by Mr. Burns, who's the evil Montymort. Bart realizes the errors of his ways and stops Montymort from harming his sister.
As the Harry Potter actress Maggie Smith passed away on September 26, 2024, we thought it was only right to include "Wiz Kids."
"Treehouse of Horror" XXIV (2013)
Segment: "Freaks No Geeks"
Set at a traveling circus in the 1930s, "Freaks No Geeks" redesigned Homer, Marge, Moe, and other beloved characters as sideshow performers, with Homer being Strongman. If you have seen the 1932 movie Freaks, the plot's rooted from there but less graphic and more humor-based. Of course, "Freaks No Geeks" still follows the "Treehouse of Horror" guidelines with violence and added horror, but as a fan of Old Hollywood, I love how the writing and animation in the episode are crafted, giving it that special Halloween touch.
"Treehouse of Horror IV" (1993)
Segment: "The Devil and Homer Simpson"
When Homer eats the last of the "Forbidden Donut," the Devil, who eerily resembles Flanders, sends him to hell before his trial of who owns his soul. What was supposed to be a day of eternal pain and suffering was paradise for Homer since he got to eat all the donuts in the world, much to the confusion of his assigned heathen. The trial's conclusion and the provided evidence proved that Homer's soul was the property of Marge. Yet, Devil Flanders got his due by turning Homer's head into his favorite sweet treat.
The donut binge-eating scene was another 1930s productions, Pigs Is Pigs from Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies shorts, where a gluttonous piglet eats all the food in the world. Moreover, "The Devil and Homer Simpson" guest starred Phil Hartman in his role as attorney, Lionel Hutz, which added an extra element of humor.