Here's the best of the Treehouse of Horrors segments, which are only slightly more terrifying than the abject poverty of the last 15 series of The Simpsons (boom!).
1. The Shinning (Treehouse of Horrors V)
Willy: (gasps) Boy...you read my thoughts! You've got the Shinning.
Bart: You mean "Shining"?
Willy: Shh! You want to get sued? Now look, boy: if your Da goes gaga, you just use that... "Shin" of yours to call me and I'll come a running. But don't be reading my mind between four and five. That's Willy's time!
The Simpsons parody of The Shining is not just the best Treehouse of Horror segment but one of the best Simpsons episodes (not a full episode I know) full stop. Maybe that's because Homer is so often close to madness that a full 'don't mind if I do!' breakdown suits him so well. It's a pitch perfect parody from Moe as the hotel bartender to the blood in the elevator getting off on the wrong floor.
2. Dial Z for Zombies (Treehouse of Horrors III)
Ned Flanders:[incarnated into a zombie] Hey, Simpson. I'm feeling a mite peckish. Mind if I chew your ear!?[Homer shoots him dead with his shotgun. Marge and Lisa gasp]
Bart: Dad, you killed the zombie Flanders!
Homer:[confused] He was a zombie?
A fantastic parody of Night of the Living Dead, Dial Z for Zombie, rises to greatness by repeated gags and the classic line in the above quote. Bart and Lisa accidentally raise the dead as they try to reanimate their pets and a gracious Homer sacrifices himself to let his family to escape only to be passed over by the zombies who are clearly looking for brains!
3. Bart Simpson’s Dracula (Treehouse of Horrors IV)
Homer: Ooh! Super Fun Happy Slide!
Lisa: No, Dad!
Homer: Ohh…I guess killing will be fun enough.
Bart Simpson's Dracula, an easy enough title and parody material but again The Simpson's (and I refer to The Simpsons and not the writers because I believe they are real) out do themselves again. Of course Mr. Burns is a bloody vampire! OF COURSE HE IS! This segments hits a good gag after good gag, and too many to spoil here but the amount of time I spend thinking about Chief Wiggum putting the vampire attacks down to a supernatural Mummy is incomprehensible.
4. Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace (Treehouse of Horrors VI)
Lisa: Bart! Do you realize what this means? The next time we fall asleep, we could die!
Grampa: Heh! Welcome to my world!(falls asleep and snores)
Well used throughout The Treehouse of Horrors episodes, Willy, the most sinister Simpon's character even in regular episodes, take centre stage as the great demon of dreaming, Freddy Kruger.
5. I Know What You Did-Iddly-Did (Treehouse of Horros X)
Homer: Hello?
Mysterious Voice: I know you're alone!
Homer: Uh... who is this?
Mysterious Voice: Is this... Maude Flanders?
Homer: No it's Homer...
Moe: Oh! Hey Homer, it's Moe! I must have dialled the wrong number.
A late and not particularly acclaimed addition to the 90s slasher flick genre, I Know what you did last summer, really found its feet in this Simpson's parody with the inclusion of Werewolves (everything's better with more Werewolves). Ned Flanders, on one of his 'fog walks', falls victim to some fatal Homer Simpson driving but after successfully covering up the accident things start to catch up with them... (just like the film obviously). Neddy finally gets his own sweet (fatty) revenge back as he devourers Homer.
