2x03 - Treehouse of Horror

Treehouse of Horror - a tradition unlike any other. For the 16th episode of a series, Treehouse of Horror is a very surprising change of pace. The biggest change that comes from the new format is that nothing in this episode is canon. This allows the writers so much more freedom; they can kill off characters, introduce aliens, or blow up the entire town. The possibilities are almost endless; it quickly becomes clear why this became a yearly event. I think this is another example where The Simpsons lays the groundwork for future shows. Family Guy is essentially always operating in a Treehouse of Horror universe. None of the characters actions have any real consequences, and it allows for the outrageous sequences that show is known for. This may be one of the reasons why the writers have expanded this 3 mini-episode, non-canon format into other genres over the past couple of years. Tall tales and other historical events are seen through the eyes of the Simpson family and it allows for the level of craziness that is seen on other modern cartoons. This seems like the thousandth time I've said this, but this is another huge step in The Simpsons becoming something more than a show about a family. In fact, the family is almost secondary; any characters could be in these stories. The meat of Treehouse of Horror lies in the spoofs and references to other genres.

Bad Dream House is a great first segment for the Treehouse of Horror series because it is generic enough not to be a carbon copy of a story, but still contains many references. It almost throws every haunted house cliche at you - my personal favorites were the walls bleeding and the ancient Indian burial ground (which contained Mahatma Gandhi's grave). This segment also used the characters' personalities well. Each of the family members interact with the house in a way that makes sense. Marge scolds it as if it were a misbehaving child, Bart tries to bully it, and Lisa psychoanalyzes it. A potential problem with the segment is that the plot is fairly thin and nothing really happens. This is a somewhat common problem for Treehouse of Horror segments. There just isn't enough time for a complex plot and all of the jokes and references, and personally, I am happy that they stick with the jokes.

The second segment in these episodes are traditionally the worst, and I think that's true in this episode. The ultimate reveal that Kang and Kodos did not have a sinister plot is pretty great, and the How to Cook for Forty Humans bit is a classic. It's funny that Kang and Kodos become icons of the Treehouse of Horror episodes because I think Sorak the Preparer was the funniest of the aliens. I always feel so bad for that guy.

The Raven is an absolute masterpiece. This is another example of The Simpsons actually teaching me. This segment introduced me to the poem, and it was so well done that I immediately wanted to learn more about it. I distinctly remember my 7th grade teacher offhandedly mentioning The Raven and feeling great about myself for knowing what he was talking about. James Earl Jones does a great job as the narrator, but I think Dan Castellaneta deserves a lot of credit for his work as the protagonist. He is actually able to make some of the lines funny and is a hilarious contrast to the imposing voice of Jones. The segment also allowed for some really creative animation.

Springfield charcters:

There wasn't a singe character outside of the family members in this episode. The Halloween segments only get better as more characters get involved.

Other things I liked:

The opening gravestones are a Treehouse of Horror tradition for a couple of seasons. The best one in this episode was definitely Disco. I think it eventually becomes too hard for the writers to think of new gravestones, so the tradition dies with "Gravestone Jokes" being written on a gravestone in a later season.

There was one Treehouse of Horror tradition that was missing from the episode. I think in all future Halloween episodes, everyone in the credits are given fake "scary" names. For example Matt Groening tends to go with the relatively simple "Bat Groening"

"Its pretty tame by today's standards" is an interesting quote to have in the episode. I wonder if this episode was actually a problem for the network at the time. It's hard for me to tell if Marge's warning to families is a joke or not. I'm sure some families took it to heart and some disappointed kids were sent to bed early.

Homer using an entire bottle of lighter fluid is a joke that is used again later. Although the second time he does it, it surprisingly creates a perfect fire in the grill.

It's hard to rate this episode against a traditional episode. But in terms of a Treehouse of Horror episode, it is one of the better ones, mostly thanks to The Raven. I feel like we've had 3 classic episodes in a row!

8/10