S2E3: Treehouse of Horror
Quoth the Raven, Eat My Shorts
A lot has been going on with me lately. Work’s been hard, long hours, stressful weekends. I’m struggling. But I’ve persisted. I’ve watched 15 Simpson episodes.
No memory of The Simpsons is so distinct as the memory of Treehouse of Horror. They’re spooky, and I watched them when I was young and spookable.
I didn’t understand that these weren’t original stories, I thought John Swartzwelder had come up with the exact plot of The Amityville Horror in isolation.
Bad Dream House
The Simpsons move into a new house! It’s haunted! Makes them do spooky stuff!
HOMER: Mr. Plott? Homer Simpson here. When you sold me the house you didn't mention one thing. You didn't tell me it was built on an lndian burial ground!
No, you didn't!
That's not my recollection!
Yeah? Well, all right. Goodbye.
He says he mentioned it five or six times.
In the face of surreal horror, the Simpsons respond with sincerity. Marge asks the house to behave, Bart asks the house to perform, Lisa asks the house why it does what it does. Faced with the reality of living with the Simpsons, the house implodes into a portal, like at the end of Poltergeist.
Also the house if voiced by James Earl Jones.
Hungry are the Damned
The Simpsons are abducted by Kang & Kudos, and Shiroc the Preparer. The aliens are pretty intent on making sure The Simpsons eat plenty.
If you’re like Lisa, you’d be suspicious. You’d be especially suspicious if you found a copy of ‘How to Cook Humans’.
Fortunately, removing some dust would be your mind at ease.
Removing more dust would reveal the title is actually ‘How to cook forty humans’
…And removing more space dust would reveal the real title:
‘How to cook for forty humans'.
Fun fact: Groening wanted the gag to keep going. ‘How to cook for forty humans. And then eat them’.
It’s a great take on a classic Twilight Zone episode.
Also Shiroc the Preparer is voiced by James Earl Jones.
The Raven
There’s something lovely about The Raven. Its modesty. It’s a reading of a classic poem, set to the animation of The Simpsons, with a gorgeous gothic orchestral soundtrack. Marge is Lenore, Homer is the widow (and Dan Castellaneta gives an inspired performance). Maggie and Lisa are the Seraphim.
Also the narrator is voiced by James Earl Jones.