Greetings, Cassie (The Hills Have Eyes) Holguin here to guide you through the best stories from the Treehouse of Horror. The Simpsons have been around for a long time (34 years), and this show has been a staple in my home for as long as I can remember. My brother and I were especially fond of the Treehouse of Horror episodes shown every Halloween.
Each year, we anxiously awaited the next trio of hair-raising yet hilarious tales. Sometimes, if the episode aired on Halloween night, we sacrificed precious trick-or-treating time to watch our favorite show. Now, every October, we watch our favorite Treehouse of Horror episodes for a dose of spooky nostalgia. These are our favorite stories that have stuck with us over the decades, including some new favorites.
The Raven From “Treehouse of Horror I”
“The Raven” is a Simpson-style twist on the Edgar Allan Poe classic. It was the first segment of the first episode in the Treehouse of Horror series. James Earl Jones smoothly narrates the classic poem as Bart (in the form of a raven) terrorizes Homer. The passionate delivery of the dramatic monologue by Homer is hilarious and weirdly moving. Also, the fact that Marge’s hair has its own portrait because it is too tall to fit in the first one always gets a chuckle out of me. This episode was my absolute favorite as a kid and remains so to this day.
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The Shinning From “Treehouse of Horror V”
“The Shinning” puts Homer in the shoes of Jack Torrance from Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of The Shining. The family is hired to look after Mr. Burns’ place, essentially the Overlook Hotel. Without beer and TV, Homer almost immediately loses his mind and tries to murder his family. The scene where he loses it lives rent-free in my head and is one of my all-time favorite Simpson scenes. Homer eventually settles down after a portable TV is found, and the family freezes to death watching it.
Desperately Xeeking Xena From “Treehouse of Horror X”
After an accident, Bart and Lisa acquire superpowers and become Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl. They use their powers to fight crime in true superhero fashion. Later, Lucy Lawless speaks at a nerd convention dressed as Xena. She is kidnapped by a villain called the Collector (comic book guy), who wants to preserve her like a collectible and marry her.
Bart, Lisa, and Lawless encase The Collector in lucite, and Lawless flies the kids home. Xena may not be able to fly, but Lucy Lawless certainly can. This episode is not particularly scary, but it is hilarious. Lucy Lawless delivers funny one-liners along with her famous battle cry. Xena: Warrior Princess is one of my favorite shows of all time, so this one was an easy choice for me.
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Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace From “Treehouse of Horror VI”
Groundskeeper Willy is Springfield’s very own version of Freddy Kreuger in “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace.” Willy catches on fire at a PTA meeting thanks to Homer and a malfunctioning furnace. The parents look on and do nothing as Willy burns to death. The groundskeeper swears he will get revenge on their children in their dreams where they cannot be protected. After picking off Springfield kids one by one, Groundskeeper Willy is confronted by Bart, Lisa, and Maggie in an epic battle. Willy is one of those characters that makes me laugh pretty much every time I see him, and this is no exception. This episode genuinely terrified me as a kid; I still have nightmares about the bagpipe spider.
The Devil and Homer Simpson From “Treehouse of Horror IV”
Based on The Devil and Daniel Webster by Mark Twain, this tale has Homer caught up in a legal battle with the devil (ironically portrayed by Ned Flanders). After selling his soul for a donut, Homer attempts to get out of going to Hell with Flanders. Marge saves the day (and Homer’s soul) by presenting a photo from their wedding day.
On the back of the photo, Homer pledges his soul to Marge for her hand in marriage, which voids the deal with the devil. Flanders takes one last jab at Homer and turns his head into a donut. This is the only Treehouse of Horror that makes me teary-eyed. Marge and Homer’s love and dedication to each other always hits me right in the feels.
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Time and Punishment From “Treehouse of Horror V”
Homer tampers with the timeline and learns the importance of the butterfly effect in “Time and Punishment.” Based on A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury, Homer accidentally creates a time machine from a toaster and can travel to different time periods. The catch is that whenever he comes back, something has gone horribly wrong in his timeline. For example, killing a Jurassic mosquito resulted in a world controlled by Flanders. The dimwitted dad finally settles into a reality where everyone has snake tongues.
Bong Joon-ho’s This Side of Parasite From “Treehouse of Horror XXXII”
This parody of the 2019 film Parasite replaces the Kim family with the Simpsons. The family discusses their dire financial situation and how to escape from it in a run-down and flooded home. I particularly loved the box of Mr. Sparkle detergent in the background. Pretending not to know each other, the family begins working for the wealthy action star Rainier Wolfcastle. Homer accidentally tells Wolfcastle that Lisa has loved art since she was little, which is sweet and funny.
Eventually, the Simpsons discover pretty much everyone in Springfield living in the basement. I laughed way too hard when Lisa suggested socialism, and everyone turned on her. A gory class war breaks out that ends with the Simpsons relaxing in the destroyed mansion as Maggie climbs on a playground made out of bodies. It always amazes me how the writers can effectively tell such a complicated story in such a short segment. This episode perfectly exemplifies this show’s ability to blend humor and wit.
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Bad Dream House From “Treehouse of Horror I”
“Bad Dream House” is the first segment of the first episode in the Treehouse of Horror collection. The one that started it all is a mash-up parody of The Amityville Horror and Poltergeist that does not disappoint. The Simpson family moves into a creepy old house with bleeding walls and some not-so-welcoming guests. Marge gives the house a real talking to when the family eventually tries to kill one another. The house eventually decides to self-destruct rather than spend one more minute with the Simpsons family.
Hungry Are the Damned From “Treehouse of Horror I”
“Hungry Are the Damned” is based on an old episode of The Twilight Zone by Rod Serling. This is the first appearance of Kang and Kodos, everyone’s favorite alien duo. After being abducted by the aliens, the Simpsons suspect they are on the menu. Turns out humans are the true monsters. A silly Simpsons take on a tale of terror that surprisingly makes you think.
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Coralisa From “Treehouse of Horror XXVIII”
“Coralisa” is a parody of one of my favorite spooky movies ever, Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. Lisa’s cat Snowball (voiced by Neil Gaiman himself) shows her the doorway to another life when she wishes for a new family. Through the portal, she finds a “perfect” version of the Simpson family waiting to play some smooth jazz with her. As the other family members discover Lisa’s secret, they also want to join the better family. After an altercation that prompts Marge to turn into the spider version of the other mother, the remaining members of both families decide to live happily together. The creators used a 3D-style animation to imitate the original better and even created their own version of the creepy Coraline theme song. It’s a proper homage to one of my favorite films.
Bits and Pieces
I know we are already at 10, and this is only an introduction, but I would like to mention the opening of “Treehouse of Horror XXIX” quickly. It is based on the Cthulhu mythos by H.P. Lovecraft. The Simpsons are vacationing at a creepy fishing village named Fogburyport (the birthplace of green clam chowder). Marge mentions it was on the list of top 10 places to visit before you mysteriously disappear. Homer is about to participate in an oyster-eating contest when the villagers reveal the contest was a ruse to bring sacrifices to the eternal lord of horror, Cthulhu.
The Eldritch God emerges from the sea, grabs a nearby lighthouse and puffs on it like a cigar. Right before Cthulhu eats him, Homer challenges the elder god to the promised oyster-eating contest. Homer easily wins the contest and, for his prize, wants to eat Cthulhu. The family (except for Lisa) chews on tentacles while Homer boils the head of Cthulhu in a pot. A delightful Homer pokes the ink sac, and purple ink squirts everywhere and spells out “Treehouse of Horror XXIX.” This little introduction has so much potential to be a great episode; I hope they do more Lovecraft in the future.
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From the “Treehouse of Horror XXXII,” “The Tale Tell Bart” is a short poetic interlude in between segments animated in the unsettling style of Edward Gorey. Vincent Price reads Maggie a bedtime story, a poem detailing Bart’s mischievous antics throughout the year. Each month brings a new prank until Price is cut short in December when Maggie strangles him with a toy. The creepy art style matched with the playful poem is what the Treehouse of Horror is all about. It is always fun to see The Simpsons done in a different art style.
What is your favorite Treehouse of Horror story? Let us know in the comments!
All episodes of The Simpsons, including the Treehouse of Horror episodes, are streaming on Disney+.
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