Treehouse of Horror V
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"Treehouse of Horror V" is the sixth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'', and the fifth episode in the ''
Treehouse of Horror ''Treehouse of Horror'' is an annual series of special Halloween-themed episodes of the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', with 33 anthology episodes between 1990 and 2022. Also known as ''The Simpsons Halloween Specials'', each episode typica ...
'' series. It originally aired on the
Fox network The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations ...
in the United States on October 30, 1994, and features three short stories titled ''The Shinning'', ''Time and Punishment'', and ''Nightmare Cafeteria''. The episode was written by
Greg Daniels Gregory Martin Daniels (born June 13, 1963) is an American screenwriter, television producer, and director. He has worked on several television series, including writing for ''Saturday Night Live'' and ''The Simpsons'', adapting ''The Office (Am ...
,
Dan McGrath Dan McGrath is an American television writer, educator and stage director. He is known primarily for his work as a writer/producer for several TV series including ''The Simpsons'', ''Saturday Night Live'', ''King of the Hill'', ''Gravity Falls'' ...
, David Cohen and
Bob Kushell Bob Kushell is an American television writer and producer. He has written for network television comedies including ''The Simpsons'', '' 3rd Rock from the Sun'', '' Malcolm in the Middle'', ''Grounded For Life'', '' American Dad!'', ''Samantha Wh ...
, and directed by
Jim Reardon Jim Reardon is an American animator, storyboard artist, television writer, television director, and screenwriter. He is best known for his work on the animated TV series ''The Simpsons''. He has directed over 30 episodes of the series and was cr ...
.. In ''The Shinning'', a spoof of '' The Shining'', the Simpsons are hired as caretakers at
Mr. Burns Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, Monty, or C. Montgomery Burns, is a recurring character and the main antagonist of the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced initially by ...
' mansion. Deprived of television and beer,
Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
becomes insane and attempts to murder the family. In ''Time and Punishment'', Homer repeatedly travels back in time and alters the future. In ''Nightmare Cafeteria'',
Principal Skinner Principal Seymour Skinner (born Armin Tamzarian) is a recurring fictional character in the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', who is voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the principal of Springfield Elementary School, which he struggles to control, an ...
begins using students in detention as cafeteria food. The episode has a running gag where
Groundskeeper Willie William MacMoran MacDougal, better known as Groundskeeper Willie, is a recurring character on ''The Simpsons'', voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is the head groundskeeper and Janitor at Springfield Elementary School. Willie is almost feral in nature ...
tries to help but gets stabbed in the back with an
axe An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has ma ...
, killing him. This is the first ''Treehouse of Horror'' episode not to feature a wraparound segment. In response to longstanding complaints about excessive
graphic violence Graphic violence refers to the depiction of especially vivid, brutal and realistic acts of violence in visual media such as film, television, and video games. It may be real, simulated live action, or animated. Intended limitedly for mature ...
in the show, showrunner
David Mirkin David Mirkin (born ) is an American feature film and television director, writer and producer. Mirkin grew up in Philadelphia and intended to become an electrical engineer, but abandoned this career path in favor of studying film at Loyola Mar ...
mandated that the episode contain as many disturbing and gory elements as possible.
James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...
features as the voice of an alternate-timeline Maggie. The episode was critically acclaimed, with ''The Shinning'' segment receiving the most praise.


Plot


Opening

Marge warns that the episode is frightening and should not be viewed by children. During the warning, she is informed it is so scary that
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
will not allow its broadcast, and that the Western film ''200 Miles to Oregon'' will be shown instead.
Bart Bart is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Bartholomew, sometimes of Barton, Bartolomeo, etc. Bart is a Dutch and Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and derives from the name ''Bartholomäus'', a German form of the biblical name ''Bartho ...
and
Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
interrupt Marge's warning with an '' Outer Limits'' parody and the episode begins.


The Shinning

In a parody of '' The Shining'', the
Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, a ...
are employed as caretakers at
Mr. Burns Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, Monty, or C. Montgomery Burns, is a recurring character and the main antagonist of the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced initially by ...
' haunted lodge while it is closed for the winter. Burns cuts the cable television wire and confiscates the beer, thinking this will ensure the family's hard work. When
Groundskeeper Willie William MacMoran MacDougal, better known as Groundskeeper Willie, is a recurring character on ''The Simpsons'', voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is the head groundskeeper and Janitor at Springfield Elementary School. Willie is almost feral in nature ...
discovers that Bart has the power to read his thoughts, he advises using it to summon him should Homer go insane. The deprivation of his two favorite things — beer and television — causes Homer to go crazy. A phantom Moe informs Homer he must kill his family to get a beer. Marge is attacked by Homer and fends him off with a baseball bat. Homer faints in horror after seeing his reflection in a mirror, so Marge locks him in the pantry to calm him down. Eventually, Homer returns to sanity and eats happily with his favorite foods. Then, he hears Moe demanding to get out of the pantry to kill his family. When Homer refuses, Moe and a gang of ghouls drag him from the pantry. While Marge and the children are enjoying dinner, Homer (after several false starts) begins chasing them with an axe. Bart uses his powers to summon Willie, who abandons his portable TV in the snow to come to the family's rescue. Homer kills him by burying the axe in his back and continues his pursuit of the family. As he is about to kill them,
Lisa Lisa or LISA may refer to: People People with the mononym * Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam * Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer * Lisa Komine (born 1978), J ...
discovers Willie's abandoned television outside in the snow. Homer's insanity abates and the family is frozen stiff by ice and snow while watching TV.


Time and Punishment

Homer breaks the toaster after getting his hand stuck in it twice. While trying to fix it, he accidentally turns it into a
time machine Time travel is the concept of movement between certain points in time, analogous to movement between different points in space by an object or a person, typically with the use of a hypothetical device known as a time machine. Time travel is a w ...
. While testing the toaster, he transports himself to prehistoric times, where he remembers
Grampa Simpson Abraham Jebediah "Abe" Simpson II, better known as Grampa, is a recurring character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He made his first appearance in the episode entitled " Grandpa and the Kids", a one-minute Simpsons short on ...
's advice to be careful not to change anything should one travel back in time. Homer fails to heed this and swats a mosquito, turning the present into a
dystopia A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...
where
Ned Flanders Nedward "Ned" Flanders Jr. is a fictional character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced by Harry Shearer and first appearing in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." He is the good-natured, ch ...
rules the world. Homer time-travels again to set things right, but he accidentally kills a walking fish. Returning to the present, he finds Bart and Lisa are giants and narrowly avoids being crushed by them. Homer sneezes during his next trip and infects a ''
Tyrannosaurus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropoda, theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosa ...
'' with the
common cold The common cold or the cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract that primarily affects the respiratory mucosa of the nose, throat, sinuses, and larynx. Signs and symptoms may appear fewer than two days after exposu ...
, which causes the dinosaurs' extinction. At first he is pleased when he returns to the present — the Simpsons are now extremely wealthy and about to drive their
Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese ...
to
Patty and Selma Patricia Maleficent "Patty" Bouvier and Selma Bouvier-Terwilliger-Hutz-McClure-Discotheque-Simpson-D'Amico () are fictional characters in the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. They are identical Twin, twins and are voiced by Julie Kavne ...
's funeral — but he is horrified to find no one knows what donuts are. He flees this reality, where donuts soon start raining from the sky. In another realm, Groundskeeper Willie tries to help Homer but is again struck in the back with an axe by Maggie, who says, with
James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...
's voice, "This is indeed a disturbing universe". On his next trip back, Homer, at his wit’s end, destroys everything in sight with a
baseball bat A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the sport of baseball to hit the ball after it is thrown by the pitcher. By regulation it may be no more than in diameter at the thickest part and no more than in length. Although histor ...
. He arrives in a present where everything appears normal. When he finds the rest of his family eating a meal with
amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...
tongues, he decides this reality is "close enough".


Nightmare Cafeteria

Principal Skinner Principal Seymour Skinner (born Armin Tamzarian) is a recurring fictional character in the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', who is voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the principal of Springfield Elementary School, which he struggles to control, an ...
worries the detention hall is becoming overcrowded. Due to budget cuts,
Lunchlady Doris The American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' contains a wide range of minor and supporting characters like co-workers, teachers, students, family friends, extended relatives, townspeople, local celebrities, and even animals. The writ ...
is reduced to serving "Grade F" meat in the cafeteria. Skinner discovers a common solution to both problems: eating children.
Jimbo Jones The American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' contains a wide range of minor and supporting characters like co-workers, teachers, students, family friends, extended relatives, townspeople, local celebrities, and even animals. The write ...
is the first student to be killed and served, followed by Üter. Bart and Lisa discover Skinner and Doris' scheme, as one by one their classmates are "sent to detention", where they are caged and butchered. Eventually,
Ralph Wiggum Ralph Wiggum is a recurring character on the animated series, ''The Simpsons.'' He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright. Ralph, The son of Police Chief Wiggum, is a classmate of Lisa Simpson and is noted for his frequent non-sequiturs and humorous beh ...
, Wendell, Bart, Lisa, and
Milhouse Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a recurring character in the Fox animated television series ''The Simpsons'' voiced by Pamela Hayden and created by Matt Groening. Milhouse is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class ...
are among the only students left. After Wendell is sent to detention, Bart, Lisa, and Milhouse try to escape, but Skinner and Doris corner them on a ledge above a giant food processor. Willie tries to help them escape but is once again felled with an axe to the back by Skinner. Milhouse, Bart, and Lisa fall to their grisly deaths. Bart wakes up from the nightmare to find his family near his bed. Marge assures him he has nothing to fear except the "fog that turns people inside out", which seeps in through the window and turns the Simpsons' bodies inside out. The family then perform a parody of ''
A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...
s "''One''" with Willie during the end credits, but near the end of the number,
Santa's Little Helper Santa's Little Helper is a fictional dog in the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He is the pet greyhound of the Simpson family. He was previously voiced by Frank Welker, and is currently voiced by Dan Castellaneta. The dog ...
drags Bart off-screen by his
intestines The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and ...
and eats him alive.


Production

The showrunner
David Mirkin David Mirkin (born ) is an American feature film and television director, writer and producer. Mirkin grew up in Philadelphia and intended to become an electrical engineer, but abandoned this career path in favor of studying film at Loyola Mar ...
attempted to put "as much blood and guts" into the episode as he could. This was because Mirkin was disappointed by complaints from
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
regarding the amount of violence in the show and their attempts for it to be
censored Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...
. He later called it "the most ..disturbing Halloween show ever". The opening sequence, in which Marge states the episode could not be shown and plays some live action stock footage, was also in reaction to this. Mirkin said he thinks Halloween shows can be "scary as well as fun". This episode marked the end of the tradition of featuring humorous tombstones in the title sequence of Halloween episodes. The title sequence of this episode featured a tombstone reading "Amusing Tombstones", which was a sign that the writers could no longer devise ideas to use as humorous tombstone messages. Similar sequences were featured as introductions in all four preceding ''Treehouse of Horror'' episodes, but have not been featured since this episode. The staff also decided against the traditional continuation of featuring wraparound segments that were featured before each story in the preceding ''Treehouse of Horror'' episodes, to allow more time for the main stories. The first segment, ''The Shinning'', is a parody of the film '' The Shining''. The film's director,
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
, had been a big influence on Mirkin, and was "one of the main reason ewanted to be a director". Series creator
Matt Groening Matthew Abram Groening ( ; born February 15, 1954) is an American cartoonist, writer, producer, and animator. He is the creator of the comic strip ''Life in Hell'' (1977–2012) and the television series ''The Simpsons'' (1989–present), ''Fut ...
admitted that he had not seen ''The Shining'' and most of the references to the film were entirely lost on him. Groening originally pitched the idea that Homer would travel through time in ''Time and Punishment''. His original idea was that the time-travel would be the result of Homer simply jamming his hand in the toaster, but it was rejected by the other writers. The first time Homer travels back in time, he was originally supposed to state "I'm the first non- fictional character to travel backwards through time". The line was later changed from "non-fictional" to "non-Brazilian". Groening was confused as to the reason for the change, since he liked the original so much. In fact, he did not even understand what the new line implied. In the scene where the Simpsons' house transforms into numerous objects, one of the original designs included the house made entirely of squirrels. The layout artist who designed it worked on the drawings for more than two days, but ultimately it was cut. To ensure their work did not go to waste, some staff members have used the drawings on Christmas cards and other studio-related notices. In another deleted scene involving an alternate Simpsons future, the family had a teenage son named Roy. Groening said that "somebody from outside the show" originally suggested the idea. The joke was later used as a sub-plot for the episode "
The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" is the fourteenth episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 9, 1997. In the episode, ''T ...
", although Roy was a lodger in that episode, rather than a son. ''Nightmare Cafeteria'' was the first Simpsons story to be written by David X. Cohen. He wrote the final scene where a nightmarish fog turns the family "inside out". This was inspired by a thriller featured on the radio show '' Lights Out'' called "The Dark", which frightened Cohen as a child. A dance number was added immediately afterwards in order to end the show on a lighter note. He also cut two scenes from this segment featuring Sherri and Terri being cooked as "
Teriyaki ''Teriyaki'' (kanji: 照り 焼き) is a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine in which foods are broiled or grilled with a glaze of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Fish – yellowtail, marlin, skipjack tuna, salmon, trout, and ...
" steak with a "
Sherry Sherry ( es, jerez ) is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is produced in a variety of styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versi ...
" sauce and Homer regaling Lisa about his dream of eating Milhouse. Regardless, a book from this scene was featured in this segment. As a result of this scene being cut, Homer does not appear in the third segment (not counting the final scene), something Cohen thought never happened before. The "grade F meat" joke was written by Cohen, inspired by his cousin once seeing a box of
hot dog A hot dog (uncommonly spelled hotdog) is a food consisting of a grilled or steamed sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term hot dog can refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a f ...
s labeled "grade C, approved for human consumption".


Cultural references

The voiceover in the pre-title sequence is a reference to the 1963 television series '' The Outer Limits''. The first segment, ''The Shinning'', is a parody of the
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...
novel '' The Shining'' and the
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
film of the same name. The basic plot of the segment is the same as the novel and there are also many references to specific moments from the film, such as the
blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the c ...
coming out of the
elevator An elevator or lift is a wire rope, cable-assisted, hydraulic cylinder-assisted, or roller-track assisted machine that vertically transports people or freight between floors, levels, or deck (building), decks of a building, watercraft, ...
and Homer breaking through a door with an axe and yelling "Here's Johnny!". The segment also references John Denver Christmas specials. The title of the second segment, ''Time and Punishment'', is a reference to the
Fyodor Dostoyevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
novel ''
Crime and Punishment ''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...
'' and the plot, where Homer causes major changes in the future by killing animals in the past, is a parody of the
Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and r ...
short story "
A Sound of Thunder "A Sound of Thunder" is a science fiction short story by American writer Ray Bradbury, first published in ''Collier's'' magazine in the June 28, 1952, issue and later in Bradbury's collection '' The Golden Apples of the Sun'' in 1953. P ...
". Peabody and Sherman, from the animated series ''
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC te ...
'', make an appearance during Homer's time traveling sequence and when, as a side effect of Homer's antics in the past,
Kang and Kodos Kang and Kodos Johnson are a duo of fictional recurring characters in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. Kang is voiced by Harry Shearer and Kodos by Dan Castellaneta. They are green, perpetually drooling, octopus-like aliens fr ...
' heads are unexpectedly replaced with those of Peabody and Sherman. The dinosaur scenes are reminiscent of '' Jurassic Park'', and the floor morphing into a television screen is a reference to similar scenes in both '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' and ''
Time Bandits ''Time Bandits'' is a 1981 British fantasy adventure film co-written, produced, and directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Sean Connery, John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, Ralph Richardson, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Peter Vaug ...
''. The title of the third segment, ''Nightmare Cafeteria'', is a reference to the
television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
''
Nightmare Cafe ''Nightmare Cafe'' is an American science-fiction television series which aired on NBC for an abridged first season from January to April 1992. While the overall tone of the program was that of a mystical fantasy, it frequently incorporated eleme ...
'', while the plot bears reference to ''
Soylent Green ''Soylent Green'' is a 1973 American ecological dystopian thriller film directed by Richard Fleischer, and starring Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, and Edward G. Robinson in his final film role. It is loosely based on the 1966 science fict ...
''. The song over the end credits is based on the song " One" from the musical ''
A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...
'', while the concept of the family being turned inside out by a mysterious fog comes from an episode of the radio show '' Lights Out'' called "The Dark". "One" can briefly be heard at the end of ''The Shinning'', when an announcer introduces the
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
on Willie's portable TV.


Reception


Critical reception

Since airing, "Treehouse of Horror V" has received critical acclaim. ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' ranked this episode as the ninth best of the entire series; ''The Shinning'' segment was described as "a parody ..with such detail ndcomic timing" and that it "ranks with the great ..spoofs of all time", and the ''Time and Punishment'' segment as "one of the most beautifully random moments in '' heSimpsons'' history", but also said that the ''Nightmare Cafeteria'' segment "doesn't shine as brilliantly". It ranked fifth on AskMen.com's "Top 10: Simpsons Episodes" list. The list stated that the episode "offers three completely different tales, ..boasting a potent combination of wit and humor" that, "the laughs never end", and that it "does a great job of incorporating Halloween-themed stories with the standard ''Simpsons'' charm".
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
called the episode "the funniest ''Treehouse of Horror'' to date". In 2006, they also named it the best episode of the sixth season. Adam Finley of the weblog ''
TV Squad Weblogs, Inc. was a blog network that published content on a variety of subjects, including tech news, video games, automobiles and pop culture. At one point, the network had as many as 90 blogs, although the vast majority of its traffic could be ...
'' called it "possibly one of the best Halloween episodes ever". Michael Passman of ''
Michigan Daily ''The Michigan Daily'' is the weekly student newspaper of the University of Michigan. Its first edition was published on September 29, 1890. The newspaper is financially and editorially independent of the University's administration and other st ...
'' said the episode "is largely regarded as the best, but a weak final third holds it back".
Entertainment.ie ''Entertainment.ie'' is an Irish web company based in Dublin. The company provides news and reviews of programs and films for TV and the cinema. It also provides information on upcoming comedies, festivals, theater shows and music in Ireland, a ...
named it among the 10 greatest ''Simpsons'' episodes of all time.
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
called it the best episode of the sixth season and the greatest Halloween episode of ''The Simpsons''.
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
called it "a true benchmark of the series," ranking it the second greatest "Treehouse of Horror" episode of all time. In 2019, ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' ranked the episode third in its list of 10 best ''Simpsons'' episodes picked by ''Simpsons'' experts. ''The Shinning'' is particularly highly praised. As well as Entertainment Weekly's praise, IGN voted it first on their list of the best segments in the Treehouse of Horror series, with ''Time and Punishment'' coming fourth. It came ninth on the blog Noise to Signal's list of "The Ten Best Treehouse of Horror Vignettes". Adam Finley of ''TV Squad'' opined that it "could ..be the best Treehouse of Horror segment ever" and praised the opening of ''Time and Punishment''. When putting together the perfect ''Treehouse of Horror'' episode, Passman of ''Michigan Daily'' included ''The Shinning'' as "a shoo-in". ''
Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' named "No TV And No Beer Make Homer Go Crazy" the sixth best film parody in the show's history. The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called it "Another fine entry to the Treehouse canon". ''Vulture'' named ''The Shinning'' the best "Treehouse of Horror" segment ever, stating, "When you can’t think of the original without also thinking of the spoof. That’s The Shining and 'The Shinning,' easily the best Treehouse segment of all time." James Earl Jones' guest appearance in this episode, as well as in "
Treehouse of Horror ''Treehouse of Horror'' is an annual series of special Halloween-themed episodes of the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', with 33 anthology episodes between 1990 and 2022. Also known as ''The Simpsons Halloween Specials'', each episode typica ...
" and "
Das Bus "Das Bus" is the fourteenth episode of the ninth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 15, 1998. In an extended parody of ''Lord of the Flies'', Bart, Lisa, ...
", was listed seventh on IGN's "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances" list. Jones ranked 25th on AOL's list of their favorite 25 ''The Simpsons'' guest stars.
Matt Groening Matthew Abram Groening ( ; born February 15, 1954) is an American cartoonist, writer, producer, and animator. He is the creator of the comic strip ''Life in Hell'' (1977–2012) and the television series ''The Simpsons'' (1989–present), ''Fut ...
said that this line is among his favorite lines in the show. David Mirkin said that Homer's line, "Oh I wish, I wish I hadn't killed that fish", is one of his favorites in the show, and that the alternate future in which the family are rich "breaks isheart every time". Homer's line "close enough" from ''Time and Punishment'' was later used in the ''
Stargate SG-1 ''Stargate SG-1'' (often stylized in all caps, or abbreviated ''SG-1'') is a military science fiction adventure television series within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's ''Stargate'' franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, ...
'' episode " Moebius". Alf Clausen's musical score for this episode received an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nomination for "Outstanding Dramatic Underscore — Series" in 1995.


Ratings

In its original broadcast, "Treehouse of Horror V" finished 27th in ratings for the week of October 24–30, 1994, with a
Nielsen rating Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rati ...
of 12.2, equivalent to approximately 11.6 million viewing households. It was the second highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following ''
Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to by its short title, ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for ...
''.


Legacy

''Time and Punishment'' was later referenced in
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
'
Booster Gold Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the character first appeared in ''Booster Gold'' #1 (February 1986) and has been a member of the Justice League. ...
comic book series, where Booster Gold explains the butterfly effect by referencing this episode.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Treehouse Of Horror 05 The Simpsons (season 6) episodes 1994 American television episodes Dystopian television episodes Halloween television episodes Parodies of films Parody television episodes Science fiction comedy Television episodes about cannibalism Television episodes about education Television episodes about ghosts Television episodes about murder Television episodes about nightmares Television episodes about time travel Television episodes written by David X. Cohen Treehouse of Horror it:La paura fa novanta I-X#La paura fa novanta V