Treehouse Of Horror XXV sees the Simpsons Halloween Special in celebratory and self-congratulatory mood. The titles are announced over a gallery of clips from previous (and as yet unaired Halloween scenes) while a galaxy of announced celebrity guest stars are dismembered to spell out the name of the show.
School Is Hell
“I want to see boobs in the soup!”
More of a spooky sitcom than the usual parody, this sees Bart and Lisa transported to Hell after reading runes inscribed onto a desk in detention. It’s chock full of witty wordplay, clever puns and cleverer jokes than the series has attempted in a long time. It also has the single best misuse of Superintendent Chalmers’ “Skinner!” catchphrase in the history of “The Simpsons”. Another one for the ‘I wish this was a whole episode’ list.
A Clockwork Yellow
“So I took up the respectable life of a sleazy barkeep.”
You know what the kids are crazy about these days? Kubrik references. Although it’s a smart and well-observed parody, you have to wonder how many of the on-point gags sailed right over the head of the vast majority of the target audience? Especially when it strays from “A Clockwork Orange” and scatterguns into the rest of Kubrik’s back catalogue with such aimlessness that even Comic Book Guy despairs ‘Even I forget what this is a reference to!’ (It’s “Barry Lyndon“). Having written itself into a referential corner, it then breaks its own fourth wall and Kubrik himself appears to decry everything that’s come before.
The Others
“You’re right, Marge. I could never leave you – not even for you.”
Although it plays fast and loose with some dark themes, especially murder and suicide, “The Others” is a fun blast from the past as The Simpsons meet The Simpsons as they appeared in “The Tracey Ullman Show”. Again, it’s full of the kind of wit and clever humour that was a hallmark of the series at the height of its powers. A return appearance from Dr Marvin Monroe mocks the series’ own confused continuity but its the coup de grace of the parade of various alt-Simpsons at the end that really sets it as the jewel in the Treehouse Of Horror XXV crown.
