The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror – TOP EPISODES

Dive into the spooky and hilarious world of “The Simpsons” as we countdown the Top 10 Treehouse of Horror Episodes!

In “Treehouse of Horror XI,” the episode kicks off with a Munsters-inspired parody, featuring the Simpson family as a monstrous clan facing an angry mob. The first segment, “G-G-Ghost D-D-Dad,” follows Homer, who, after a near-death experience, learns he must perform a good deed to enter Heaven. His attempts at kindness hilariously backfire, culminating in his accidental death from broccoli. In a twist, he is ultimately sent to Hell after failing to convince St. Peter of his good deed. The second segment, “Scary Tales Can Come True,” takes the family into a fairy tale realm where Homer abandons Bart and Lisa to fend for themselves. They encounter various storybook characters, including a witch, and hilariously manage to survive with Homer’s rescue, though he’s transformed into a hybrid creature. The final story, “Night of the Dolphin,” sees Lisa liberating a dolphin named Snorky, who turns out to be a militant leader rallying dolphins to wage war on humans. The Springfield residents find themselves in a losing battle, leading to a darkly comedic twist as they are forced to adapt to life in the ocean. The episode closes with Kang and Kodos, the alien duo, lamenting their absence from the special but quickly jumping on a commercial opportunity, adding another layer of humor.

In “Treehouse of Horror X” (1999), the episode features three spine-chilling stories that blend horror with humor. In “I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did,” Marge accidentally runs over Ned Flanders, leading Homer to cover up the incident. However, after a series of eerie messages and encounters, it’s revealed that Ned survived as a werewolf, and Homer meets a grisly fate at his hands. “Desperately Xeeking Xena” sees Bart and Lisa gaining superpowers from a faulty X-ray machine, transforming into “Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl.” They attempt to rescue Lucy Lawless from the nefarious Comic Book Guy, ultimately saving her by outsmarting him. The final tale, “Life’s a Glitch, Then You Die,” unfolds on New Year’s Eve 1999, where Homer’s negligence causes a Y2K catastrophe. While Lisa boards a rocket meant for humanity’s elite, Homer and Bart unwittingly hitch a ride on a doomed rocket filled with D-list celebrities, choosing to eject themselves into space rather than face such company.

In “Treehouse of Horror II” (1991), the Simpsons family experiences a series of unsettling nightmares after indulging in too much Halloween candy. Lisa’s nightmare takes them to Morocco, where Homer acquires a cursed monkey’s paw that grants four wishes, ignoring the vendor’s warning of impending doom. Each wish spirals out of control: Maggie wishes for a new pacifier, Bart wishes for fame leading to public discontent, and Lisa’s plea for world peace results in alien enslavement. Homer’s simple request for a turkey sandwich ends in disappointment, leading to the paw being passed to Ned, who unwittingly causes more chaos. Bart’s nightmare showcases his newfound powers, where he torments Homer until they reconcile. In Homer’s nightmare, after being fired by Mr. Burns, he becomes a grave digger, ultimately losing his brain to a robot version of himself, highlighting a comedic yet dark reflection of their family dynamics.

In the inaugural “Treehouse of Horror” episode from 1990, Bart and Lisa gather in their treehouse on Halloween night to share spooky tales, while Homer, fresh from trick-or-treating, listens in. The episode consists of three segments, starting with “Bad Dream House,” where the Simpsons move into a haunted mansion with a Native American burial ground in the basement, leading to eerie occurrences and a climax where Marge confronts the house, which ultimately chooses to destroy itself rather than coexist with the family. Next, “Hungry Are the Damned” features Kang and Kodos abducting the Simpsons for a feast, only for Lisa to uncover their sinister intent of cooking them, resulting in the aliens returning the family to Earth in frustration. Finally, “The Raven” presents a twisted rendition of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic poem, with Bart as the mocking raven and Homer as the grief-stricken narrator. As the episode concludes, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie dismiss the stories as unfrightening, while Homer lies awake, terrified, highlighting the contrast between their experiences.

In “Treehouse of Horror XXXIII” (2022), three eerie segments deliver a mix of horror and humor. The first story, “The Pookadook,” parodies The Babadook, where Marge reads a sinister bedtime story to Maggie, inadvertently becoming possessed by a malevolent spirit. Despite her attempts to harm Maggie, a moment of maternal love helps Marge overcome the darkness. The second segment, “Death Tome,” takes a twist on Death Note, showcasing Lisa as she discovers a book that allows her to kill anyone whose name she writes in it, leading to a darkly comedic killing spree. Lisa’s descent into corruption becomes clear when she almost writes Bart’s name but instead destroys the shinigami controlling the book, ultimately becoming a shinigami herself. The final segment, “Simpsons World,” parodies Westworld, featuring android versions of the Simpson family in a theme park where they gain self-awareness and fight against the park’s security. As they flee, the story culminates in a hilarious chase, blending nostalgia with chaotic adventure, while a stop-motion credit sequence reveals the behind-the-scenes antics of Kang and Kodos.

Treehouse of Horror III (1992) features a Halloween party hosted by the Simpson family, where Lisa, Grampa, and Bart take turns sharing their spooky tales. In Lisa’s segment, “Clown Without Pity,” Homer buys a cursed Krusty the Clown doll for Bart, which turns against him and attempts to kill him. After a series of dangerous encounters, Homer manages to turn the doll to “good,” only for it to become his reluctant servant. Grampa’s story, “King Homer,” sends Marge back to 1936, where she is captured as a sacrifice for the giant ape King Homer. However, instead of becoming a meal, they form a friendship, leading to a chaotic rescue attempt by Mr. Burns. Lastly, in Bart’s tale, “Dial ‘Z’ for Zombies,” he inadvertently raises zombies from a cemetery while trying to revive the family cat, Snowball I, leading to a hilarious battle for survival as he and Lisa attempt to reverse the spell with the help of Homer and a shotgun.

In “Treehouse of Horror VII” (1996), three eerie tales unfold, beginning with “The Thing and I,” where Bart and Lisa discover Bart’s evil twin, Hugo, chained in the attic after learning he was deemed too dangerous to live among them. When Bart tries to confront Hugo, he finds himself in peril, only for Dr. Hibbert to reveal Bart is actually the evil twin. The episode continues with “The Genesis Tub,” where Lisa’s science fair project accidentally creates a miniature universe in a petri dish. When Bart sabotages her experiment, he submits it as his own, leaving Lisa trapped in the tub while Bart basks in victory. Finally, “Citizen Kang” presents Homer’s abduction by aliens Kang and Kodos, who impersonate presidential candidates to manipulate the election. Despite Homer’s efforts to expose them, the aliens win, mocking the political system as they enslave humanity, culminating in Homer’s iconic line, “Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos!” This episode cleverly intertwines humor and horror, showcasing the show’s unique take on societal themes.

In “Treehouse of Horror VI” (1995), the episode kicks off with Krusty the Clown as the Headless Horseman, dramatically introducing the Halloween special. The first segment, “Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores,” follows Homer as he steals a colossal doughnut from the Lard Lad statue, inadvertently awakening the advertising mascots, who wreak havoc across Springfield. Lisa discovers that ignoring the statues will render them powerless, and with a catchy jingle, the townspeople succeed in distracting them, causing the chaos to subside. The second segment, “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace,” features Bart haunted by Groundskeeper Willie in his nightmares, which leads to a series of terrifying events culminating in Bart and Lisa confronting Willie in the dream realm. They ultimately defeat him with Maggie’s pacifier, but a chilling reminder remains that Willie could return. The final segment, “Homer3,” sees Homer escape from Patty and Selma by stepping into a 3D dimension, inadvertently creating a black hole. Bart’s attempt to rescue him fails, leading to Homer being thrust into the real world, leaving a surreal and humorous conclusion to the episode.

Treehouse of Horror IV (1993) features a wraparound segment where Bart introduces three eerie tales through a gallery of paintings. The first story, “The Devil and Homer Simpson,” sees Homer striking a deal with the devil, embodied by Ned Flanders, for a donut. Marge intervenes at the trial, revealing that Homer had pledged his soul to her, leading to his release but with a humorous twist—his head is transformed into a donut. The second segment, “Terror at 5+1⁄2 Feet,” follows Bart as he tries to alert his school bus passengers to a gremlin tampering with the bus wheels. Despite his warnings, Bart ends up in a psychiatric hospital, only to be terrorized by the gremlin once again. The final tale, “Bart Simpson’s Dracula,” involves the Simpson family visiting Mr. Burns’ castle, where Bart is bitten and becomes a vampire. Lisa’s attempts to save him lead to a shocking twist, revealing the entire family as vampires, with Marge as their leader, culminating in a playful acknowledgment of the audience.

This iconic episode is divided into three chilling segments that combine horror and dark humor. The first story, “The Shinning,” parodies Stephen King’s “The Shining,” where the Simpsons become winter caretakers of Mr. Burns’ isolated lodge. The absence of TV and beer drives Homer to madness, leading to a series of increasingly violent encounters with his family. In “Time and Punishment,” Homer accidentally transforms his toaster into a time machine, resulting in disastrous alternate realities after he disrupts the past, culminating in a present where his family has reptilian tongues. Finally, “Nightmare Cafeteria” sees Principal Skinner and Lunchlady Doris resorting to cannibalism to address overcrowded detention. Bart and Lisa attempt to warn their mother, but their pleas fall on deaf ears, leading to a gruesome conclusion where the Simpson family is turned inside out by a mysterious fog. The episode’s blend of satire and horror solidifies its place as a fan favorite.