Over the years Treehouse of Horrors has gone from being clever horror parody and gory good times to episodes completely devoid of horror. There have been, however, 13 truly amazing segments that will forever remain some of my favorite moments in Halloween history. Let's take a look...
13.) King Homer (Treehouse of Horrors III)
King Homer is the Simpsonized version of King Kong in which Mr. Burns mounts an expedition to find and capture King Homer. This is a pretty straight forward parody with some really great one liners and sight gags and features a hilarious ending.
BEST MOMENT- King Homer eats Shirley Temple
BEST LINE- Mr. Burns:What do you think Smithers?
Smithers: I think Ladies and Sea-men don't mix
Mr. Burns: We know what you think.
12.) The HOMega Man (Treehouse of Horror VIII)
After Springfield is bombed by France (thanks Quimby) Homer emerges from a bomb shelter to find that everyone is dead...mostly. While dancing naked in the church Homer is discovered by a group of townspeople who have survived and become mutants and want to erase the past and start fresh. Meaning? Homer must die!
HOMega man is a great mix of classic twilight zone, Omega Man and I Am Legend and delivers a classic punch out ending.
BEST MOMENT- Homer knocks a dead, skeletal citizens head off and feels remorse
BEST LINE- Comic Book Guy: ooh...I've wasted my life.
11.) The Thing and I (Treehouse of Horror VII)
The Thing and I finds Homer and Marge acting suspiciously around the house which makes Bart and Lisa curious. Their curiosity leads them to the attic where they discover Hugo, Bart's conjoined twin brother who was separated from birth.
Dr. Hibbard and Hugo steal the show here and the segment definitely leaves you wanting to see more of the new family dynamic.
BEST MOMENT- Hugo sews a rat and pigeon together
BEST LINE-Homer Simpson: We think we saw Hugo at the airport, he was boarding a plane to Switzerland and...
[sees Hugo]
Homer Simpson: Oh.
10.) Clown Without Pity (Treehouse of Horror III)
Homer, forgetting Bart's Birthday, buys a cursed Krusty doll. Once home, the doll goes to great lengths to try and kill Homer.
This segment is a parody of the classic Twilight Zone episode, Living Doll and it improves on the source material in every way (no easy feat).
BEST MOMENT- Patti and Selma's expressions as Homer runs naked through the house
BEST LINE-Shopkeeper: [Homer has agreed to purchase a Krusty doll for Bart's birthday] Take this object, but beware it carries a terrible curse!
Homer: Ooh, that's bad.
Shopkeeper: But it comes with a free frogurt!
Homer: That's good.
Shopkeeper: The frogurt is also cursed.
Homer: That's bad.
Shopkeeper: But you get your choice of toppings.
Homer: That's good!
Shopkeeper: The toppings contain potassium benzoate.
[Homer looks puzzled]
Shopkeeper: ...That's bad.
Homer: Can I go now?
09.) Nightmare Cafeteria (Treehouse of Horror V)
After learning of the overpopulation within the school and the use of Grade F meat in the Cafeteria, Principal Skinner comes up with a solution...make tasty meals out of trouble students.
This segment stands out as being surprisingly gory and out there. Definitely a must see for any gore hound.
BEST MOMENT: Sloppy Jimbos
BEST LINE: Many dancing people, covered in blood, gore, and glop!/Just one sniff of that fog and you're inside out!/It's worse than that flesh-eating virus you've read about!/Vital organs, they are what we're dressed in, the family dog is eyeing Bart's intestine!/Happy Halloween!
08-06.) Treehouse of Horrors IV
Treehouse IV is brilliant. Each segment stands alone as exactly what the series should be and the only reason these aren't the top three, is because the don't gel well as a complete episode (even with the Bart Night Gallery interludes)
The Devil and Homer simpson has Homer looking to sell is soul for a donut. And who should show up? Well, Devil Flanders of course!
This episode is surprisingly complex and features some of the best Simpson's jokes period. Not to mention the plethora of cameo's from hell.
BEST MOMENT: See Frame
BEST LINE:Homer: Mmmm... forbidden donut.
Nightmare at 5 1/2 feet is another Twilight Zone re-do where Bart, after dreaming he dies in a bus crash, boards the bus for his daily ride to school. Once on, he sees a blue skinned Gremlin trying to wreck the bus on the outside. I love this episode because of the source material and it takes it one step further by riffing on the Twilight Zone movie in the final scenes.
BEST MOMENT- See frame
BEST LINE- Principal Skinner: Pull, Willie!
Groundskeeper Willie: I'm doin' all the pullin', you blouse-wearing poodle-walker!
Bart Simpson's Dracula capitalized on the then topical Copolla film. Springfield is besieged by apparent vampire attacks and Lisa suspects Mr. Burns. Upon being invited to Burns Castle for dinner, Lisa's fears are confirmed.
This episode deserves props for the design of Burns as Dracula and the out of left field ending
BEST MOMENT- The inexplicable Charlie Brown Chirstmas ending
BEST LINE-Lisa Simpson: Dad, this is blood!
Homer Simpson: Correction: FREE blood.
5.) The Raven (Treehouse of Horror)
The only segment on the countdown from the first episode, The Raven is a modern animated classic. The story follows Lisa reading the poem "The Raven" aloud with Homer in the roll of the narrator and Bart as the Raven.
This segment is classic slap stick and is surprising that such a riff on the raven hadn't happened before.
BEST MOMENT: tiny ravens flying around Homers head after a spill
BEST LINE: Quote the Raven: Eat my shorts
04.) Fly Vs. Fly (Treehouse of Horror VIII)
This classic take on both the original and remake of the Fly is spot on. Homer buys a set of telepods at a yard sale and Bart thinks he can cross breed himself with a fly becoming a super strong, flying, fly-boy. Instead what emerges is two Barts: One with Bart's head on the flys body and the other the reverse.
This episode features direct lifts from the source films (see moment) and is a really superb tribute. it also marks the end of the strictly horror themed Treehouses.
BEST MOMENT: Homer kisses the top of fly head Bart's head ala Geena Davis in The Fly, complete with slime trail (Gross!)
BEST LINE: Homer Simpson: Well, we were lucky this time. But it's all too clear that some things in this universe... aren't meant to be trifled with.
[Homer pulls up an axe]
Marge Simpson: Homer, what are you doing?
Homer Simpson: Something I should have done a long time ago.
[now turns on Bart with his axe]
Homer Simpson: I'll teach you to mess with my machine!
[Bart begins screaming and running while Homer chase him]
Homer Simpson: I'm gonna chop you good! That cost me 35 cents! You're just making it worse! I promise I won't hurt you!
3.) Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace (Treehouse of Horror VI)
A take on A Nightmare on Elm Street, we see Groundskeeper Willie seek revenge on the Springfield Elementary in true Freddy Fashion.
This segment is awesome due to the level of detail minded to pay tribute to the source material. From Willie's costume to the dream gags this segment rivals some of the later nightmare sequels...and certainly the remake.
BEST MOMENT: Willie's spirit sweeping up his own ashes
BEST LINE: Groundskeeper Willie: Glad to rake your acquaintance.
2.) The Shinning (Treehouse of Horror V)
The Simpsons find themselves going to the mountains to take care of Mr. Burns mansion during the winter. The rest that follows is very close to the Kubrick version of Shining (cleverly called the shinning here as "not to get sued!"). This episode hits every joke and has impeccable timing. The closing moments almost make you wish Kubrick had done the same thing.
BEST MOMENT: No T.V. and No Beer make Homer go something, something...
BEST LINE: Mr. Burns: Hmmm...that's odd. Usually the blood gets off at the second floor.
1.) Dial "Z" for Zombie (Treehouse of Horror III)
Dial Z for Zombie follows Bart and Lisa who go to the public library to find a spell to bring one of the snowballs back from the dead. What happens instead is Springfield's dead (which includes Shakespeare and Washington for some reason) back to life.
This episode is number one because it did a zombie story before it was cool to do zombie stories again. Not to mention it is one of the funniest Simpson's episodes ever.
BEST MOMENT/LINE: Bart: Dad! You Killed Zombie Flanders!
Homer: He was a zombie?
Well that's all folks! Check back tomorrow for day number 12!
No comments:
Post a Comment