A tradition nearly as old as The Simpsons itself, Treehouse of Horror has been an annual event for over twenty-five years. It’s a bit of a love letter to the Halloween scene, chock full of spoofs, spooks, and homage. Each episode consists of 3 stories, typically woven into one main wraparound story. Below is a list of 13 of the best segments from over the entire run of the Treehouse series.
[customfont1]The Raven (Treehouse of Horror I.3) [/customfont1]
It’s missing a few missing stanzas, but the rendition of The Raven that closes out The Simpsons Halloween Special is a remarkably faithful recitation and depiction of the work. James Earl Jones narrates, while Homer and Bart (as the raven) offer up dialogue. The segment could have easily been pretentious, but things are kept light and fun, making it a very enjoyable short.
[customfont1]Clown Without Pity (Treehouse of Horror III.1) [/customfont1]
Spoofing an old Twilight Zone episode, Clown Without Pity is about a deranged, murderous Krusty doll in the Simpson house who has it out for Homer. Plenty of dark humor and violence ensue as Homer tries to stay alive and put an end to the doll and its bloodlust.
[customfont1]Treehouse of Horror V (The Shinning, Time & Punishment, Nightmare Cafeteria)[/customfont1]
It’s a bit of a cheat, but the entirety of Treehouse of Horror V is worth watching. It opens with a great sendup of The Shining, followed by a sci-fi detour that’s all about the butterfly effect, and closing with a full on cannibal story set at Springfield Elementary. It’s a ton of fun, and definitely tips itself more in the horror direction than other episodes.
[customfont1]Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace (Treehouse of Horror VI.2)[/customfont1]
This is what Treehouse of Horror is all about. It’s a cartoonish and inventive reimagining of a beloved horror movie. It stays true to the concept and story of A Nightmare on Elm Street, but puts the expected Simpsons spin on things, leading to a creative and quickly paced short that stands perfectly with one foot in horror and the other in comedy.
[customfont1]Treehouse of Horror VII (The Thing and I, The Genesis Tub, Citizen Kang)[/customfont1]
Just like Treehouse of Horror V, it was too hard to pick a single short from VII. The episode relies more on sci-fi than horror, but still delivers plenty of laughs and even a bit of political commentary. There’s evil twins, miniature civilizations, and presidential nominees replaced with space aliens. It’s just a great episode all around.
[customfont1]Hell Toupee (Treehouse of Horror IX.1)[/customfont1]
When Homer’s hair transplant from an executed criminal takes root in more ways than one, the bodies start to pile up. It’s a really fun spin on possession stories, has a great cast of Springfieldians, and is true to the spirit of the Treehouse tradition.
[customfont1]Night of the Dolphin (Treehouse of Horror XI.3)[/customfont1]
Night of the Dolphin, a parody of the relatively obscure Day of the Dolphin, is absolutely absurd, and perfectly horrific. Lisa, in an act of Free Willy style altruism helps Snorky the dolphin escape from Marine World, not knowing she was unleashing a hate filled dolphin king. Things only get funnier and weirder from there. You just have to see it for yourself.
[customfont1]The Island of Dr. Hibbert (Treehouse of Horror XIII.3)[/customfont1]
The Simpson family takes a vacation to a resort run by the good-natured Dr. Hibbert on the Island of Lost Souls. It’s a neatly done parody of The Island of Dr. Moreau, but as always with a bit of Simpsons humor and story tweaking mixed in. It’s also got some neat character design going on, with a lot of Springfieldians being turned into monstrous creatures.
[customfont1]Reaper Madness (Treehouse of Horror XIV.1)[/customfont1]
What if the Grim Reaper worked the same as The Santa Clause? That’s the fantastic setup for this short. After killing the Grim Reaper to save Bart, Homer dons the black robe, and in doing so signs up for the grisly job. The execution is as excellent as the premise, make a very funny and dark segment.
[customfont1]I’ve Grown a Costume on Your Face (Treehouse of Horror XVI.3) [/customfont1]
In horror some masks get stuck, others transform your face. In I’ve Grown a Costume on Your Face they change your whole being. A witch’s curse turns all of Springfield into their costumes, for better and for worse, and the town has to learn to adjust. Like The Island of Dr. Hibbert, there’s some cool character work here, and while the plot isn’t what it could be, it’s still a good time.
[customfont1]You Gotta Know When to Golem (Treehouse of Horror XVII.2)[/customfont1]
Working off of Jewish mythology and the film The Golem, this segment is a Bart-centric story about a golem found backstage at the Krusty the Clown Show. There’s some depth to the episode not always found in Treehouse, as it toys with things like obedience and morality, but ultimately it’s just a great and goofy story about a kid and his golem.
[customfont1]Dial M for Murder or Press “#” to Return to Main Menu (Treehouse of Horror XX.1)[/customfont1]
Dial M is arguably one of the darkest segments ever done for Treehouse. It’s a parody of Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, but with a lot more brutality. Bart and Lisa make a deal to prank their teachers, but a misunderstanding between the two leads to a lot of decapitation and trouble for the duo. It’s an excellent thriller, chilling and twisted and well worth checking out.
[customfont1]Bart and Homer’s Excellent Adventure (Treehouse of Horror XXIII.3)[/customfont1]
Coming from the sci-fi side of the Treehouse tradition, Bart and Homer’s Excellent Adventure is a real treat. Not only is it full of nods to classic time travel movies, but it breaks the non-canonical form these episodes usually take by visiting The Way We Was, an episode from season 2 that established how Marge and Homer met. It’s definitely a fun short, and doubly so for longtime fans of the show.