Summary

• The Treehouse of Horror episodes of The Simpsons are among the best the show has produced, with innovative horror-movie parodies and satirical takes on pop culture's favorite scary stories.
• These episodes abandon the normal continuity of the show, killing off characters and breaking the fourth wall with introductions and warnings.
• While the later Halloween specials are consistently high-quality, the earliest ones are still considered the best, standing out with their clever satire and fresh perspective on horror tropes.

Since its second season, The Simpsons has released it's annual Halloween special Treehouse of Horror, and the best of these horror-movie-parodying anthologies rank among the best episodes the show has produced. Each episode involves three tales of satirical terror inspired by horror, science fiction, and the supernatural. Over the decades, the residents of Springfield have morphed into recognizable monsters, been tempted by the devil, and parodied pop culture's favorite scary stories. Beyond mere homage, these segments innovate within the genres they mimic, providing fans with a fresh yet frighteningly fun perspective on the tropes the world knows and fears.

The Treehouse of Horror segments gleefully abandon all the normal continuity in The Simpsons, killing off characters left and right. In many, the characters also break the fourth wall with introductions and warnings, which pays homage to classic anthology series like The Twilight Zone. This narrative device serves as both a tribute and a technique for the writers to be as creative as they like without worrying about having to adhere to the show's verisimilitude. However, over thirty specials later, the earliest Halloween specials are still considered the better ones, and the best Treehouse of Horror episodes stand out despite the specials being consistently high-quality.

20 Treehouse Of Horror XXI (2010)

The Simpsons Takes On Jumanji And Twilight

"Treehouse of Horror XXI" delivers a triad of tales that blend horror and humor with The Simpsons' signature style. The episode parodies the movie Jumanji with a cursed board game that unleashes real perils, while the second segment humorously tackles Twilight, introducing a lovelorn vampire. The final act is an homage to Dead Calm, where the Simpsons face off against a mariner with murderous intent. Its pop culture riffing is sharp, and the Twilight parody stands out for cleverly lampooning the vampire craze of the 2000s, capturing the essence of what makes these episodes fan favorites- satire with a Simpsons twist.

19 Treehouse Of Horror XVI (2005)

Mr Burn's Goes Hunting And Bart's Replaced By A.I.

In "Treehouse of Horror XVI," the show presents a brilliant blend of classic and contemporary. The episode opens with a "B.I.: Bartificial Intelligence" segment, exploring artificial intelligence with a Simpsonian spin. This is followed by "Survival of the Fattest," a macabre take on reality television where Mr. Burns hunts Springfield's men for sport. "I've Grown a Costume on Your Face" displays the show's whimsical side as a witch turns everyone into their Halloween costumes. Its standout feature is the clever satire on the then-emerging reality TV phenomenon, offering both a critique of society and a plethora of laughs.

18 Treehouse Of Horror XXIII (2012)

Black Holes And Time Travel Make For A Great Simpsons Halloween Episode

The 23rd installment in the "Treehouse of Horror" series makes a remarkable splash with its segments. The episode kicks off with an apocalyptic vision in "The Greatest Story Ever Holed," which sees Springfield succumbing to a black hole. "UNnormal Activity" parodies the found-footage horror genre, and the final story, "Bart & Homer's Excellent Adventure," riffs on time-travel tropes. What makes this episode great is its contemporary take on modern fears - from black holes to surveillance - while maintaining the show's characteristic levity and irreverence. The episode is a testament to the series' ability to remain topical and engaging even after two decades.

17 Treehouse Of Horror XIX (2008)

A Heavy Dose Of Social Commentary Makes This Halloween Special Stand Out

"Treehouse of Horror XIX" strikes with its usual wit and a touch of the macabre. The episode takes a stab at the Transformers movie series with "Untitled Robot Parody." The episode becomes more insightful with "How to Get Ahead in Dead-vertising," skewering the world of advertising by killing celebrities to use their likenesses for free, which is an eerily prescient segment given current concerns about studios using A.I. Lastly, "It's the Grand Pumpkin, Milhouse" satirizes the classic Peanuts Halloween special, giving it a dark twist. The keen social commentary wrapped in fantastical horror-comedy makes "Treehouse of Horror XIX" particularly memorable.

16 Treehouse Of Horror XX (2009)

The 20th Treehouse Of Horror Marks An Important Milestone

Marking the 20th Anniversary of the "Treehouse of Horror" specials, this episode combines homage with innovation. The opening act, "Dial 'M' for Murder or Press '#' to Return to Main Menu," takes a swing at Hitchcockian tropes with a twist-filled black-and-white segment. In "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind," a spoof of zombie films, Krusty Burger's new burger turns the town into a horde of zombies. The final tale, There's No Business Like Moe Business," is a musical that cleverly unfolds on stage. What makes this episode stand out is the theatrical flair and classic horror homage, encapsulating the creativity that has kept the series fresh over the years.

15 Treehouse of Horror XV (2004)

Ned Flanders Gains Prescience And Lisa Stalks A Killer Across 19th Century London

One of many Stephen King adaptations on the show, The Simpsons tackles The Dead Zone in season 16. The hilarious story finds Ned Flanders experiencing visions of the future, including one in which Homer causes a devastating disaster — which is not very surprising. One of the episode's other stories includes a murder mystery set in the early 1900s with Lisa as a detective tracking a Jack the Ripper-like killer through the streets of London. There is also a fun sci-fi adventure in which Maggie is shrunk down and accidentally swallowed by Mr. Burns.

14 Treehouse of Horror XII (2001)

Pierce Brosnan's Cameo As A Homicidal A.I. Home

Another great Simpsons guest star playing themselves is Pierce Brosnan, who appears in a segment as the celebrity A.I. voice for the family's smart home. However, things get weird when the supercomputer develops a fixation on Marge. Other stories include Homer getting a curse put on him that punishes those around him, as well as a Harry Potter-inspired adventure with Lisa and Bart at a magic school where Bart takes extreme measures to beat his top-student sister.

13 Treehouse of Horror XIV (2003)

Home Becomes The Grim Reaper

While Homer Simpson has had a number of jobs over the course of the series, this episode finds Homer taking up the mantle of the Grim Reaper himself. As with all of his responsibilities, Homer doesn't take the position as seriously as he should. There is also a fun misadventure with Bart and Millhouse as they get their hands on a watch that can stop time. Professor Frink takes center stage in another story as he seeks to raise his father from the dead. In a fun bit of The Simpsons casting, Frink's father is voiced by Jerry Lewis, who the animated character is based on.

12 Treehouse of Horror XI (2000)

Humanity Is Ousted By Dolphins

Homer has met a grisly end in many of these episodes, but season 12 sees him having to contend with the afterlife. After dying from eating broccoli, Homer is told he must complete one good deed in order to get into heaven — but it is not as easy for him as it sounds. There is also a retelling of Hansel and Gretel in which Bart and Lisa are confronted with a witch living in a gingerbread house. But the episode's highlight is a hilarious spoof of animal attack horror movies with super-intelligent dolphins taking revenge on humanity.

11 Treehouse of Horror XIII (2002)

The Simpsons Unleashes Multiple Homers

Homer Simpson can be destructive enough on his own, and this Simpsons Halloween special imagines the trouble that is caused when there are endless duplicates of him. That is the dilemma in the first segment of this season 14 episode, as Homer clones himself using a magic hammock, and it's expectedly hilarious. There is also a story in which the people of Springfield decide to give up their firearms with unexpected consequences as an army of gun-toting zombies descends on the town. Lastly, there is a creepy tale of Dr. Hibbert owning an island where he turns people into animals.

10 Treehouse Of Horror X (1999)

Y2K And Movie Parodies Make The 1990s Final Treehouse Of Horror A Classic

The 11th season Halloween episode is when Treehouse Of Horror reached some of its greatest movie-parodying moments. It starts with "I Know What You Diddily-Iddly-Did," a spoof of the 90s teen slasher, I Know What You Did Last Summer. Like the film, the Simpsons accidentally run over Ned Flanders with their car on a foggy night, only to discover he may not be dead after all. The second segment, "Desperately Xeeking Xena," follows Bart and Lisa as they develop superpowers. Finally, in "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die," Y2K comes to Springfield. This is a classic special that introduced the world to the superhero parody of Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl.

9 Treehouse Of Horror VIII (1997)

The Simpsons Explores The Apocalypse And Cronenberg

For season 9, The Simpsons brought the scares with witches, humanoid flies, and apocalyptic mutants. In "The HΩmega Man," inspired by Richard Matheson's book The Omega Man, Homer ventures into a Springfield destroyed by a neutron bomb. "Fly Vs. Fly" is a take on David Cronenberg's The Fly, starring Bart as a half-boy/half-bug. The third part, "Easy-Bake Coven," goes way to colonial Springfield, where Marge and her sisters live as a coven of broom-riding witches.

8 Treehouse Of Horror IX (1998)

Maggie Loses Her Baby Legs

The highlight of season 10's Treehouse of Horror is the segment "Starship Poopers," where Homer and Marge discover their darling baby Maggie is actually an alien. The title is a spoof of the Paul Verhoeven monster movie, Starship Troopers. "Starship Poopers" is preceded by "The Terror of Tiny Toon," a parody of the film Stay Tuned, which sees Bart and Lisa sucked into their TV during an episode of The Itchy and Scratchy Show. Another one of the best Treehouse of Horror segments, "Hell Toupée," involves Homer donning a possessed wig and going on a killing spree.

7 Treehouse Of Horror (1990)

The First Simpsons Halloween Special Starts The Tradition Strongly

The very first "Treehouse of Horror" begins with a spoof on The Amityville Horror: "Bad Dream House." It then gives fans the first appearance of Kang and Kodos in "Hungry are the Damned," wherein a backyard barbeque for the Simpsons turns into a ride on an alien spaceship. The episode ends on a gothic and literary note with an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven." Bart plays the titular bird, while Homer plays the neurotic narrator taunted by the raven that keeps chanting, "Eat my shorts!"

6 Treehouse Of Horror II (1991)

Bart Becomes God In This Series Of Disturbing Tales

The second Treehouse of Horror is still one of the best and full of classic The Simpsons moments. After overindulging in Halloween candy, Lisa, Bart, and Homer are each haunted by disturbing nightmares. Lisa's dream, based on the classic short story "The Monkey's Paw," explores what happens when the Simpsons obtain a magic monkey's paw that grants them three wishes. Bart's dream, "The Bart Zone," transpires in an alternate Springfield, where everyone must obey Bart or suffer severe consequences. Finally, Homer dreams Mr. Burns uses his brain to create the ultimate sentient robot a la Frankenstein in "If I Only Had a Brain."

5 Treehouse Of Horror III (1992)

The Simpsons Take On King Kong, Child's Play, And Night Of The Living Dead

The third Simpsons Halloween special remains one of its most heavily rooted in movie parody. A killer Krusty doll torments Homer like Chucky from Child's Play in "Clown Without Pity". The segment is followed by "King Homer," a hilarious Homer-filled parody of King Kong. Zombies take up the final third of the episode with "Dial 'Z' for Zombies." Thanks to Bart, a horde of zombies terrorizes Springfield, turning its residents into the undead. The episode's genius lies in its ability to seamlessly blend iconic horror elements with the quirky Simpson universe, delivering a balance of spine-tingling thrills and taking the idea of an anthology episode to its limits with the black-and-white King Kong parody.

4 Treehouse Of Horror VII (1996)

Bart Meets His Evil Twin And Homer Votes For Kodos

The Simpsons tackles the bizarre cult horror film Basket Case in season 8's Halloween special with its first segment, "The Thing and I." In the bit, Bart discovers he has a deformed twin living in the attic, and it gets much more gruesome from there. "The Genesis Tub" follows Lisa's journey from science fair winner to an egotistical god-like deity. For "Citizen Kang," the show's beloved alien odd couple Kang and Kodos plot to conquer planet Earth by infiltrating the US political system. The episode excels by offering a mix of horror, sci-fi, and political satire, ensuring its place in the pantheon of the best "Treehouse of Horror" episodes.

3 Treehouse Of Horror VI (1995)

Groundskeeper Willie Becomes Freddy Kreuger And The Simpson's Goes CGI

Groundskeeper Willie makes one convincing Freddy Krueger for season 7's Treehouse of Horror. In "Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace," Willie haunts all of Springfield's school children in their dreams, competing with some of Freddy Krueger's most memorable kills. The Simpsons parody the old B-horror movie Attack of the 50 Foot Woman with "Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores," which involves a giant statue of Lard Lad Donuts mascot coming to life. Lastly, Bart follows Homer into a 3-dimensional world in "Homer³." The episode's sharp parody is some of the most absurd The Simpsons has ever gotten, providing a perfect example of how the series pushed the boundaries of animation and storytelling.

2 Treehouse Of Horror IV (1993)

Ned Flanders Is The Devil

Homer sells his soul for a donut in "The Devil and Homer Simpson," but a legal dispute about his contract with Flanders the Devil saves him from eternal damnation. The fourth installment also includes another parody of one of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone with "Terror at 5½ Feet." In the segment, a terrified Bart tries to convince everyone else on his school bus there's a gremlin clinging to the side of it. The episode ends with "Bart Simpson's Dracula," which harkens back to Bram Stoker's novel about an ancient bloodsucking vampire.

1 Treehouse Of Horror V (1994)

The Halloween Special The Raised The Bar For Movie Parody

The best Treehouse of Horror episode begins on a high note with a take on The Shining. Homer gets a devastating case of cabin fever while spending the summer taking care of Mr. Burns's summer estate. The second segment, "Time and Punishment," is based on the Ray Bradbury story "A Sound of Thunder." It ends with "Nightmare Cafeteria," where Bart discovers people are being served up in the Springfield Elementary kitchen – a tribute to the Charlton Heston sci-fi film Soylent Green. The episode is hailed as a masterpiece for its exquisite fusion of literary and cinematic references, masterfully reinterpreted through the lens of The Simpsons' humor and horror.