The Simpsons #6.6 “Treehouse of Horror V”
Originally aired October 30, 1994
Derek B. Gayle: As much as I wanted to pick something relatively obscure like our other choices, I can’t deny that the one thing I have consistently watched and rewatched from childhood to adulthood each Halloween is The Simpsons’s “Treehouse of Horror” series. My personal favorite, and the one that’s stuck with me the most over the years, is “Treehouse of Horror V,” which consists of: “The Shinning,” “Time and Punishment,” and “Nightmare Cafeteria.” While there are segments from other seasons that are arguably better, “V” is the most cohesive whole, and the best representation of “Treehouse of Horror.” While Marge’s introduction to the episode–noting that the episode is so scary, Congress wouldn’t let them broadcast it–is obviously a joke, there are points in the episode that are so gory and violent that it’s shocking this was allowed in the 8pm slot in 1994.
“The Shinning” is my favorite segment of all time, with a perfect performance from Dan Castelanetta and some stunningly fluid animation, allowing for disturbing visuals during Homer’s rampage. It pays a really dignified homage The Shining, matching the frightening ambiance perfectly, and it’s packed with so many hilarious and quotable jokes—too many to even begin to list here, but all of them land—that you don’t have to be familiar with the original film to enjoy it. Then, in the dozens (hundreds?) of times I’ve seen it, I’ve never not laughed at the hand-in-toaster opening gag of “Time and Punishment,” my favorite Simpsons joke of all time. That segment is more imaginative than creepy, what with its Flanders-ruled dystopia, a Peabody and Sherman reference, or the hilarious Twilight Zone-esque “It’s raining again” twist. “Nightmare Cafeteria” is the weakest of the three, but deals the heaviest dose of the creepiness factor; it’s quite terrifying for any kids watching (as I was when it first aired) to have the children facing a school of cannibal staff on their own, not to mention being violently pureed in a giant blender.
It all comes together in a tag that has the family viscerally and violently ripped inside out…followed by a musical number from A Chorus Line. That, coupled with a brilliant recurrent gag of Willie attempting to save the family, only to be axed in the back (“Ack! I’m bad at this…”), is what makes Treehouse of Horror V work so well. The segments together provide both a steady balance and heaping helping of laughter and gore, encapsulating the spirit, humor, and darkness of The Simpsons and Halloween.
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