The Scariest Simpsons Episode Isn’t A Treehouse Of Horror Special

“Halloween of Horror” begins like any other episode of The Simpsons, but offers some meta-humor to get things going. When Ned Flanders asks Homer if he’s going to “head up to the tree house to tell three horrifying tales,” Homer immediately snaps back and says “we’re doing it next week,” acknowledging how this episode is going to be something different. Homer then quickly gives Flanders an unenthusiastic rundown of what sounds like a number of Treehouse of Horror plots for the following week, shrugs, and says “Eh. People love it.”

This clear sign of boredom coming from Homer Simpson lets the audience know that The Simpsons aren’t going to deviate from their tried-and-true formula, but also suggests that the writers are getting bored and want to try something new.

As for the plot of “Halloween of Horror,” we’re introduced to a disturbing home-invasion plot that is a far cry from anything The Simpsons has ever done in the past. There are obviously elements of humor, but what truly makes this episode stand out is the bonding between Homer and Lisa as they hide from three intruders who are seeking revenge after Homer accidentally gets them fired from their jobs working for Apu at his Halloween pop-up shop.

In “Halloween of Horror,” Lisa develops an irrational fear of Halloween decorations after being spooked by the costumed actors at Springfield’s annual Halloween Horror Night. This new phobia that quickly spirals out of control leads to Marge forcing Homer to take down the “Everscream Terrors” decorations that he was so proud of setting up while talking to Flanders at the beginning of the episode. Upset about having to wrap up the festivities early, Homer reluctantly stays home with Lisa while Marge takes Bart and Maggie to a Halloween party.

Taking a page out of the Funny Games playbook, The Simpsons wastes no time showing us what’s at stake in “Halloween of Horror.” Homer and Lisa realize they’re being stalked by the three workers Homer had a run-in with earlier, but by the time they realize what’s going on, they have already entered the house. Lisa, who is often the voice of reason in the series, is so shook by what’s happening that she falls to pieces because her fear gets the best of her, clouding her critical thinking.

In one of the most heartfelt moments found in the entire series, Homer sits down with Lisa while they’re hiding from the intruders, lets her know that he needs her help, and apologizes for downplaying her insecurities before the invasion took place.

“Halloween of Horror” is different from the rest of The Simpsons Halloween specials because it’s not a parody, but rather plays it straight. The episode is clearly influenced by the horror tropes found in the home invasion sub-genre, and there are moments where I actually felt genuine concern for Homer and Lisa’s well-being as they try to escape their captors.

While watching this episode is a confusing experience if you’re expecting a straight-up comedy episode, it has the same kind of heart that die-hard fans celebrate when talking about the show’s golden era.

Like many of you, I started to give up on The Simpsons when the golden era ended. I completely tapped out by season 12, and stopped watching the series all together. When I started showing my daughter the episodes I loved when I was her age, she became obsessed with the Treehouse of Horror episodes, and we watched all of them within a couple of weeks.

To my surprise, “Halloween of Horror” caught me off guard and made me reconsider my stance on some of the later episodes of The Simpsons because it has a sharp sense of humor and a strong emotional through line that tugs at your heart-strings. While I find myself bonding with my daughter over what used to be my favorite show of all time, I can’t help but thank Homer and Lisa for giving me faith that The Simpsons still sometimes do things right.