Beware of spoilers!
You may remember seeing a vivid retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” in your middle school English class, where Homer Simpson plays a disturbed and lost lover haunted by Bart the raven. What you may not know is that this very episode is what ignited the tradition of annual “The Simpsons” Halloween episodes that parody classic horror films and supernatural spooky tales.
These “Treehouse of Horror” episodes have occurred at least once per season, beginning in the second season. From parodies of “The Shining” and “The Silence of the Lambs” to “Coraline” and “Stranger Things,” “The Simpsons” never fail to put on an entertaining Halloween show.
The first “Treehouse of Horror” episode, Season 2 Episode 3, begins with Marge Simpson appearing from behind a red curtain. She warns viewers that they may find the next half hour extremely disturbing and that it may be in their best interest to put their children to bed.
The episode pattern of Bart and Lisa Simpson trying to scare each other shows them exchanging scary stories, each more frightening than the last. The episode ends with Bart and Lisa deciding they won’t be able to scare each other, so they might as well just go to bed. This leaves Homer shivering in shock, frozen with fear in the backyard treehouse. The episode sets the format for all the Halloween shows, splitting each into three spine-chilling stories.
“Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace” is a parody of “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” the 1984 slasher film where tortured killer Freddie Krueger hunts and murders children in their dreams. In the Season 7 Episode 6 segment, this is translated to Groundskeeper Willie hunting the Springfield Elementary students in their dreams to seek revenge on the parent-teacher association who let him burn alive. Bart and Lisa fight to survive Groundskeeper Willie’s murderous rampage while their classmates are brutally killed in front of them. The episode closely follows the plot of the slasher but still manages to keep you on the edge of your seat. “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace” is widely regarded among superfans as one of the best “Treehouse of Horror” segments.
Another episode titled, “Citizen Kang,” features “The Simpsons” aliens, Kang and Kodos, and is based on the 1996 U.S. presidential election, arguably the scariest story we face every four years around Halloween time. This episode pokes fun at the American political climate of the mid-‘90s.
In the episode, Kang and Kodos abduct Homer to gather information about American politics. The aliens then abduct presidential candidates Bill Clinton and Bob Dole to imprison them in their spacecraft. Using cloning technology, Kang and Kodos enter society disguised as the two opposing candidates.
“The Simpsons” diffuse the situation with their classic humor, of course; when the disguised aliens hold hands while walking up and down the street and they lead everyone to believe that Clinton and Dole are involved in a romantic relationship. When asked, the apparent presidential candidates claim they are “merely exchanging long protein strands.” The episode takes a turn after the election when the human population finds itself enslaved by the aliens. Homer scoffs, “Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos.”
So, whether you’re looking for a spook, thrill, trick or treat, “The Simpsons” can provide. “Treehouse of Horror XXXV,” the Season 36 edition, is set to air on Nov. 3, which will include more politically influenced stories along with a ghostly haunting of one of Springfield’s most prolific residents.
