The Best Halloween-Themed 'Simpsons' Episode Is a Must-Watch Actorsvaultpro

Halloween episodes might be slowly dying, but that’s no reason to avoid the classics. Take a break from the trick-or-treating and parties by celebrating with one of the greatest Halloween-themed episodes of TV, “Treehouse of Horror VI.” The Simpsons episode — Season 7, Episode 6, to be exact — continues the show’s tradition of Halloween horror anthologies, featuring three segments that retain its signature humor and animated charm.

The 1995 episode, streaming on Disney+, references popular films of the time, such as Tron and A Nightmare on Elm Street (which had seven films in the series by the time the episode aired). Thankfully, the episode’s jokes remain enjoyable even today. In fact, the most dated part of the episode is the fact that it’s a Halloween special, which hardly seems to exist anymore.

“Treehouse of Horror VI” Combines Humor and Animated Horror

Fox

“Treehouse of Horror VI” starts with a chilly opening. The headless body of Krusty the Clown rides on a horse, carrying Krusty’s head in its hand while the clown laughs. The body throws the head at the screen, creating a bloody splatter before the Simpsons family members are seen hanging from nooses in front of their television. This is just the start of an episode filled with gruesome imagery referencing famous horror tales, combined with the twisted humor characteristic of a typical Simpsons episode.

The episode contains three segments. The first segment, titled “Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores,” is like a monster movie where all the creatures are advertisements. Giant statues placed in front of buildings come to life during a storm and can only be calmed with jingles, sung by Lisa and guest star Paul Anka. Although not the most memorable segment, it offers unique humor about advertisements, particularly when Kent Brockman warns viewers about ads right before commercials — a joke that may be lost in the streaming era.

The second segment is ripped straight from a horror movie, with A Nightmare on Elm Street transforming into the segment “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace.” After Groundskeeper Willie dies in a school-related accident, he begins to haunt the children’s dreams. In these dreams, Willie can be whatever he wants, allowing for some creative designs. The children end up having to work together in their dreams to stop Willie before they die in real life.

The episode saves the best for last with the final segment, “Homer Cubed,” in which Homer enters the third dimension. When Marge’s sisters come to visit, Homer wants to hide from them and goes behind a bookcase. He’s transported to a strange reality with a visual style created by computer graphics. Members of Springfield, including Chief Wiggum, Professor Frink, and Dr. Hibbert, all come to their house to try to rescue Homer, but seeing as this is a “Treehouse of Horror” short, things don’t go well for him.

What Makes ‘The Simpsons’ “Treehouse of Horror VI” the Best?

A CGI Homer Simpson in "Treehouse of Horror VI" on The Simpsons

“Treehouse of Horror VI” is filled with everything that made the early seasons of The Simpsons so memorable. It has beautiful cel animations, witty humor, and pop culture references. What makes “Treehouse of Horror VI” stand out as the best Halloween episode, however, is how it differs from regular Simpsons episodes. It’s not afraid to get horrifying with its imagery, as seen in the first few minutes of the episode, particularly the “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace” segment.

“Treehouse of Horror VI” is also rich with originality. Even the segment that’s based on A Nightmare on Elm Street doesn’t dwell on the existing work for so long. It takes freedom with its interpretation, creating a segment that’s even better than The Shining parody that showed up in “Treehouse of Horror V.” The other two segments feel like they could have been episodes of The Twilight Zone. The final segment might be the most original of them all, using a 3D animation process that was relatively new at the time. Homer entered the world of 3D the same year Pixar Animation released its first film, Toy Story. It’s even better to see the 3D-animated Homer walking around in the real world by the end of the episode.

“Treehouse of Horror VI” Is Part of a Dwindling Trend

The Pep Boys come to life in The Simpsons' "Treehouse of Horror VI"

Halloween episodes like “Treehouse of Horror VI” possess a unique charm. In the case of the “Treehouse of Horror” episodes and Halloween-themed episodes of other shows, they delay plotlines and character development for a week to share in the holiday celebration. And it’s not just Halloween that gets this treatment. Shows have been doing episodes based around other holidays, like Christmas and Thanksgiving, for decades. People devote many years to following the seasons of a show and get to know the characters quite well. The least these shows can do is make a holiday episode once in a while, so audiences can feel like they’re celebrating a holiday with these characters.

Unfortunately, these holiday-themed episodes are slowly becoming part of the past. Sure, they still exist. The Simpsons did another “Treehouse of Horror” this year, and network shows, including Abbott Elementary and Shifting Gears, also aired Halloween episodes. These series made Halloween episodes because they’re network shows with weekly episodes that run through these holidays. Streaming shows, on the other hand, typically don’t have holiday episodes for many reasons. They have short seasons, they’re designed to be watched year-round, and they’re typically released all at once on streaming platforms.

Holiday episodes are like rare gems nowadays, and streaming services don’t realize how dangerous that is. Holiday episodes help shows feel enduring and memorable. They’re more rewatchable than most episodes because they’re tied to a specific holiday that comes every year. That allows the show to feel much more memorable to viewers, which is needed to help balance the shorter seasons of streaming shows. These episodes also help ground the characters in reality, showing that they follow the same yearly schedule as audiences.

Take a minute and enjoy the past with “Treehouse of Horror VI,” now streaming on Disney+.

Release Date: December 17, 1989
Network: FOX
Directors: Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Rich Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller
Writers: J. Stewart Burns, Michael Price, Brian Kelley, Bill Odenkirk, Dan Vebber, Kevin Curran, Stephanie Gillis, Dan Castellaneta, Deb Lacusta, Billy Kimball, Jessica Conrad, Cesar Mazariegos, Daniel Chun, Jennifer Crittenden, Conan O’Brien, Valentina Garza, Elisabeth Kiernan Averick, Christine Nangle, Broti Gupta, Loni Steele Sosthand, Megan Amram, Bob Kushell, David Isaacs, David Mandel
Franchise(s): The Simpsons