Treehouse of Horrors XIII Capsule Submission

Finally, the rerun season is over, and I am back to providing capsule submissions, with the return of reviews, but with a different style of reviewing.

S P O I L E R

S P A C E

Review: When it comes to Treehouse of Horrors, this episode is probably somewhere in the middle. The first story was definitely the best story of the three, with a lot of huge laughs in the tale (Homer gunning down clones who know the way home, the Homer clones all peeing at once). Meanwhile, the second and third stories, while not as good as the first story (I expected some more when it came to the Dr. Moreau parody), the two stories weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be. While not the best THOH episode (and definitely not the worst), like most of these episodes, it is a fun and enjoyable romp that definitely makes you want to endure the Major League Baseball season. Thumbs up.

DYN's

this is the first time the Halloween episode is actually referred to as "Treehouse of Horrors" (the last twelve episodes are referred to as "The Simpsons Halloween Special")? the "Fire Gil, not guns" sign at the rally? bullets going off as Ralph slides down the gun slide?

Refs.

Send in the Clowns -Title of first story

Family Guy -Peter as one of the Homer clones

Apocalypse Now -Donut-carrying Helicopter scene spoofs the helicopter scene from the film

2nd Amendment (The right to reap and bear arms) -Title of second story

Island of Dr. Moreau -Plot of third story (a mad doctor makes man/animal hybrids) -Simpsons arriving on the Island of Lost Souls ("Island of Lost Souls" is the name of a film version of the story) -Marge becoming a cat-like being.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight -Homer's song as he rides Ned

Goofs

FDR died before WWII ended, thus he can't race against Superman after the war. Of course, this is Grandpa Simpson telling the story.

Comments

In another case of "Where is Springfield?", the grave of Billy the Kid is located in Fort Summer, New Mexico.

Joe Klemm

I think that's the right to _keep_ and bear arms.

Sorry, it is the right to keep and arm bears

"Matt Garvey" wrote in message news:[email]...

Like the one Bart might own someday?

James Hammer wrote:

"Joe Klemm" wrote in message

In that case they must be in Prussia with Kaiser Wilhelm

Somebody claiming to be "KerryDown" wrote in news:2Ekx9.146818$[email]:

I thought Kaiser Wilhelm was buried in the Netherlands, where he was exiled after World War I. Of course, it's possible that, because he died after the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, Hitler allowed for the burial of Wilhelm in Germany.

Ted S. wrote:

Maybe Germans immigrants brought his body over to Springfield when they settled there after WW2, establishing "Do As We Say" Day.

On Mon, 04 Nov 2002 04:36:24 -0000, "Ted S." wrote:

http://www.fpp.co.uk/online/00/10/STel151000.html

"Holland is threatening to close the former home of the kaiser who still lies in state on Dutch soil, but Germany is making it clear that it does not want his body or his possessions back. The kaiser fled to Holland after Germany's defeat in the First World War to take up residence in exile at a manor house at Doorn near Utrecht until his death in 1941. The Dutch government confiscated the premises in 1945 claiming it as "war booty". Since the early Fifties it has run the Doorn house and mausoleum containing the kaiser's body as a museum commemorating the last days of the Hohenzollern dynasty."

I very much enjoyed "Send in the Clones" and "Island of Dr. Hibbert" was decent (loved the "Fantasy Island" music). The middle story (guns and zombies) was pretty lame.

I get the sense the writers are no longer taking the same joy in writing these specials as they once did. Remember the connecting stories (nightmares, Halloween party, etc.), and the "spooky" credits like Bat Groening? Gone. These last few specials have had a very mechanical feel to them. I imagine it's very tough coming up with the vignettes at this point.

I miss the spooky credits...if I'm not hideously mistaken this was the first Treehouse of Horror ep that didn't have them other than the very first one.

The last couple of seasons remind me of that Where's Waldo book we saw in one episode which just has a picture of Waldo standing by himself plain as day and Lisa quips, "They're just not trying anymore."

Uniblab wrote:

Actually they faked me out...I thought that the ghost of Maude was going to connect the different vignettes. But nope. Just a fake-out. And no couch gag!! These guys are losing it.

"Joe Klemm" wrote in message news:[email]...

Dr. Strangelove movie reference: "girls are allowed in the war room?"

"ArK" wrote in message news:...

"You can't fight in here, this is the war room!"

Space

"Joe Klemm" wrote in message news:[email]...

the war.

I'd think the point is moot considering Superman is a fictional character.

"spauldingae" wrote in message news:...

We're talking about Grandpa here, so the fact that Superman is a fictional character is moot, too! And now that you mention it, Grandpa is a fictional character, too! WAIT A MINUTE! THE SIMPSONS IS A CARTOON!

Space

smithers. pink flamingo. classic.

--Lurky McLurkerson

(snip)

Nowhere near Kaiser Wilhelm, right? :)

[email] (Joe Klemm) wrote in message news:...

Another one of the Homer clones included a relaitve of Homer's from "Lisa's Brain." Too bad none of them was Jake Morgendorffer. We Daria fans have been debating whether or not he has any similarities to Homer for quite some time now. BTW, did you know the truck that Homer drove all those clones out into the cornfield with was a Mid-1950's Studebaker?

D. T. Dey

[email] (Joe Klemm) wrote in message news:...

snip-meister

In the movie "Cat People" (the remake, not the original), Natassia Kinski turns into a black leopard whenever she has an orgasm. So her boyfriend ties her to the bed in order to have sex with her. For some reason the scratches on Homer's back reminded me of this scene from the movie.

snip-a-rama

The whole map of the USA thing with the clones spreading is a spoof on the movie with Dustin Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, and Morgan Freeman where they are trying to contain a dangerous virus that is spreading across the country. BTW, the Homer heads are first shown on the map at the locations of various Springfields around the country (Oregon, Massachusetts, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, etc.).

I am suprised that the multiple Homer clones all gathered together didn't feature a Mr. Sparkle-like clone.

Space

I loved the gag of seeing old school Homer from the Tracey Ullman Show in the first story. That was great. Unfortunately, the rest of the stories didn't live up to the first one. The writers seemed too preoccupied with packing in a lot of gags, many of which were kind of lame, so the mood of the stories wasn't developed. Some of the episode, such as "Island of Dr. Hibbert," was plain uninspired. I like the THOH from even the last few seasons. The Simpsons acting out Hansel and Gretl was funny and creative. But the episode could have been far worse. It could have been as bad as a regular episode. These THOH episodes are difficult to write, which is why they are they start working on them far in advance. ________________________________________________________________

If love of money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it so badly?

Remove "bination" to reply.

How is this a DYN? How could you not notice? Did you Notice the CLONED Homers? Did you notice that Homer was turned into a Walrus? Did you notice Homer went back in time? Come on... I thought DYN was for the subtle stuff people might have missed. Anyone who missed the guns going off as Ralph went down the slide is not watching the show in the first place.

A good one would be: DYN Fantasy Island music as they pan over the pool area of the island.

M@

Actually, I think that counts - it's a kind of blurry line, but some people may have missed it, especially if they were distracted for a sec (for example, by writing down a note about something that just happened). Anyway, take a look at the capsule submissions guidelines, I believe this is ok.

"M@" wrote:

In the war room scene when they show where the clones are currently in Springfield and where they will be across the US over the coming days - they flash to a scene of the US with Homer heads in six states. These six states - Oregon, Ohio, Vermont, Georgia, Virginia, Illinois all have Springfields. I know there's more Springfield's than this...but this narrows it down a bit.