Since 1989, THE SIMPSONS have been a staple in American culture. Twisting the view of a typical family, we have seen Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie charm their way into our cultural zeitgeist. In Season 2, THE SIMPSONS decided to air their very first Treehouse of Horror, showcasing our beloved characters in alternate, spooky situations. Fun fact: the first chapter of the Treehouse series is the only episode ACTUALLY to take place in a treehouse. These short stories could be original concepts, but are more likely popular horror movies and tropes with a Simpsons twist.
In Season 5, Episode 5 of THE SIMPSONS, we get TREEHOUSE OF HORROR: IV. Three short stories perfect for the Halloween season. The treehouse episodes have always been some of my favorites. I started watching THE SIMPSONS in sixth grade and fell in love with it. I’d say I’ve probably seen every episode from Season 1 to Season 8. After that, I’ve watched sporadic episodes and tried to pick it up with the recent seasons, but it just doesn’t hold the same appeal that the earlier seasons did. I love this episode in particular because the trio of stories during a Treehouse episode can sometimes be hit and miss, but this specific episode features three strong choices.
In our first story, we have “The Devil and Homer Simpson.” Homer sells his soul to the Devil (played by Ned Flanders) in exchange for a donut. It’s funny, the animation is superb, and it stays true to the traits of THE SIMPSONS characters while still being a standalone anthology story. I mean, if this were a full-length Simpsons episode, you could totally make 22 minutes worth of content featuring Homer going on trial for ownership of his soul. It also includes a touching display of affection from Marge, reminding us that even in a fake treehouse story, Marge really does love Homer.
Following that is Terror at 5 1/2 feet, a parody of THE TWILIGHT ZONE. While riding the bus, Bart notices that there is a gremlin on the side of the bus. But when he warns the other passengers, he discovers that no one can see it except for him. This is one of the stories that pops into my head whenever I think of this series, because the animation feels so desperate that it’s almost as if you are going through this situation alongside Bart. I find that the episodes where they are parodying a movie, trope, or series are a lot stronger than the original concepts. I also particularly enjoy the episodes that twist any TWILIGHT ZONE themes, as they are taking an already scary concept and animating it. A perfect combination of that Halloween fear and cartoon humor.
Closing out this episode is BART SIMPSON’S DRACULA, a parody of, you guessed it, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA. The Simpsons travel to Mr Burns’ castle in Pennsylvania, where they suspect Mr. Burns may be a vampire. I absolutely love BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, so of course, this is one of my favorites. There are many Treehouse of Horror character designs that have gained popularity, and Mr. Burns as Dracula is one of the best. The episode reminds me of a story from the first Treehouse chapter, “HUNGRY ARE THE DAMNED”. Similar to sitcoms, misunderstandings and characters being incredibly stupid will always be funny in episodes like this. I find it also points out how silly the original stories are, another example of this being “THE SHINNING” from TREEHOUSE OF HORROR V (my all-time favorite Treehouse short).
Overall, this is a very solid collection and features three stories that have a perfect mix of comedy and fear. The animation is really innovative and plays around with the classic Simpsons styles. We get two fantastic visual gags, Ned as The Devil and Mr. Burns as Dracula, as well as a handful of experiments with THE SIMPSONS’ physical looks. It has some excellent writing from Conan O’Brien, as well as more classics from Matt Groening and James L. Brooks. If you love Halloween animation or THE SIMPSONS during its peak, I recommend turning on TREEHOUSE OF HORROR IV this Halloween season.
It’s available on Disney+.
