[The long of it]
"No one will be seated after the first fifteen minutes!" So goes the promotional line to who-knows-how-many 50s B-movies. The idea, I guess, was to get audiences in the theater promptly, so they wouldn't miss something important in the film's set-up. Nobody was enforcing this rule when I watched this year's Halloween special, but it would have been good advice to follow, anyway. Most of the best bits in the show happen by the time the first sketch is over.
The fun starts with the opening sequence, which is one of the best of recent years. Kang and Kodos eavesdrop on the World Series, and reach the same conclusion as a lot of "Simpson" viewers: This is the most boring game in existence. (The real-life Series actually did pull in relatively low Neilsen ratings this year, so maybe Kang and Kodos aren't alone in their opinion.) There are a lot of nice digs at baseball's slow pace, and Harry Shearer's Vin Scully impersonation is always fun to listen to. The aliens do what most of us would in the same situation -- they use an "accele-ray" to warp the fabric of space-time, and "TOH XVI" is off to a good start.
"Bartificial Intelligence" may not be the most inspired title, but the first sketch is a good send-up of "A. I." Here, Bart's horseplay lands him in the hospital, in an apparently irreversible coma. The rest of the family replaces him with David, a robotic son whom they are at first hesitant to adopt, but quickly embrace as one of their own. Unlike the film, this story focused more on Bart's point of view. His "demise" and comeback are well-handled, as is the rivalry between Bart and David. I liked the scenes with Bart and the castaway robots. In the movies, this would have been the cue for some sort of "bonding," where Bart teaches is mechanical pals to be more human. But that's not the way things work in the "Simpsons" universe: When one of the robots mourns the fact he cannot love, Bart just says, "Yeah, yeah, I get it. It sucks to be you." The ending has the curious qualities of being both tacked-on and funny, with the latter being the more important one.
The rest of the show is worth watching, but doesn't reach the bar set by the first sketch (a rarity for a "TOH" show). "Survival of the Fattest" allows the show to reach its blood-and-guts quota. Mr. Burns invites what looks like half the town to a "hunting party." Surprise! The party being hunted is the party-goers themselves! Most of the segment is spent on finding clever ways for Mr. Burns to shoot his prey, which isn't bad although the humor on the other two stories struck me as being more original. That's not to say there aren't some unexpected twists. Terry Bradshaw chips in with some good anti- showboating commentary, and "Survival" had the best ending of the three sketches.
"I've Grown a Costume on Your Face" had the most creative premise. A witch, steamed at losing a costume contest, curses everyone in town with becoming the person or creature their costume represents. The results work better for some of the townspeople than for others. Bart enjoys his new life as a wolfman, and Lisa seems to be doing well as Albert Einstein, but Marge doesn't isn't that enthusiastic about being a skeleton, while Homer, as a headless man, finds it hard to enjoy that wonderful Duff. Nelson's predicament is especially tough: He meant to dress as the Lone Ranger, but everyone, including the witch, thinks he's supposed to be a raccoon. This sketch reminded me of "The Island of Dr. Hibbert" (from "Treehouse of Horror XIII (DABF19)"), where most of the fun was in watching the characters take on their alter-egos. "Hibbert" had an edge, though, in that many of the characters' animal incarnations reflected some aspect of their real personas. That didn't happen as often in this sketch. Some of the costumes, like Lisa's Einstein getup and Moe's Hugh Hefner outfit, made "sense" from a humor standpoint. The rest townspeople just dressed as classic Halloween characters (Carl was a mummy, for example, and Jasper was a scarecrow), so you missed the fun of seeing Smithers become, say, Malibu Stacey. This sketch also had the weirdest ending, which reminded me of why the characters so infrequently address the audience. The Dennis Rodman cameo helped it out, though.
So, "Treehouse of Horror XVI" could stand to scare up some improved endings, but it's nonetheless a fine chapter in the "TOH" canon. It may not be entirely appropriate to say this for a Halloween special, but it's a sweet XVI. Just, as the B-movie slogan advises, "Don't reveal the amazing ending to your friends!"
Also, this theater is not responsible for heart attacks, night sweats, and other conditions. And turn your cell phones off.
[The short of it]
In the opposite of the usual "TOH" experience, the highlights of the sixteenth installment tend to cluster around the beginning. The opening sequence was a terrific send-up of baseball in general and the World Series in particular. "Bartificial Intelligence" works well recasting "A. I." from the *real* boy's point of view and was may favorite of the three stories. "Survival of the Fattest" does okay with a tried-and-true (i.e., I've seen it a lot) premise and a good Terry Bradshaw cameo. "I've Grown a Costume on Your Face" was more original, although "The Island of Dr. Hibbert" did the alter-ego thing a little better. (Plus, the ending was rather odd.) Although this show could stand to scare up some improved endings, it's nonetheless a fine chapter in the "TOH" canon. (B+)
[DYNs]
... one of Burns' trophies is a Golden Retriever? (or maybe a Labrador?) ... the "TV Guide" with Homer on the cover is the "old" small-format version? ... at the end of the second sketch, we can see Marge isn't wearing a bra?
[References]
~ "Yellow Submarine" (movie) - one of the creatures in the Sea of Monsters sucks up the "universe," leaving behind a white screen, just like the Accele- Ray in the opening scene
"A. I." (movie) - "Bartificial Intelligence" spoofs title - the title sequence -- Bart's silhouette stepping out of the "B" to become the "I" -- mirrors the one in the movie - general premise similar; a family "adopts" a robot boy to replace one in a coma - when the real son makes a miracle recovery, the family needs to get rid of one (but in the movie, it's the robot who has to go) - robots around the campfire are similar to the one Haley Joel Osment's character meets in the movie - this may be a tenuous connection, but the full moon in this sketch reminds me of the movie's full moon balloon
Charles Manson (mass murderer) - Ian Maxtone-Graham billed as, "Ian Manson-Graham"
"Andy Warhol's Frankenstein" (movie) - John Frink (I assume that's him) billed as, "Andy Warhol's Frinkenstein"
"Star Wars" (movie) - one of the writers is "Darth Pain" - Apu, who dressed as R2-D2, calls himself "Apu-D2"
Coppertone (suntan lotion) - Robo-tots ad plays off the classic ad with the little girl
"Apocalypse Now" (movie) - wasn't Col. Kurtz the guy played by Marlon Brando? one of the writers is, "Col. Kurtz Adamson"
"Dawn of the Dead" (movie) - another writer is, "Ron of the Dead"
Toys 'R' Us (toy store chain) - David delivered by Boys 'R' Us
Stephen King (author) - has a lot of books titled, "Stephen King's [fill in the blank]"; two writers billed as, "Stephen King's Tom Gammill & Max Pross"
"War of the Worlds" (novel) - there's a "Warb or the Worlds" in the credits
"Mr. Roboto" (song) - Homer calls David, "Mr. Roboto"
"Rockit" (song) - two of the robots similar to ones seen in the video for this Herbie Hancock song
survival of the fittest - title of second sketch is, "Survival of the Fattest"
"Must See" TV (NBC advertising slogan) - Homer on cover of TV guide, with the slogan "Must Flee TV"
Fox's NFL coverage - Terry Bradshaw does commentary on the on-field action, as he does for Fox's game-day coverage
"North by Northwest" (movie) - Burns' biplane attack staged similarly to the crop-duster attack from the film
"I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" (song[?]) - title of third sketch is, "I've Grown a Costume on Your Face"
McDonald's (fast-food chain) - Mayor Quimby appropriately dresses as Mayor McCheese, one of the cartoon spokes-characters for the restaurant - later he says he isn't a "happy meal"; McDonald's sells burger- and-toy combos to children called "Happy Meals"
"Subway" (sub sandwich stop) - Wiggum dresses as Jared, their spokesperson
"Bewitched" (TV series) - Maggie's silhouette against the moon resembles this show's logo - as she flies away, the show's theme music is heard
"Touched by an Angel" (TV series) - one of the voice actors is "Touched by an Anvil"
~"The Lone Ranger" (radio and TV series) - Assistant Co-producer "The Lone Graysian"
Bone Thugs 'N' Harmony (hip-hop group [?]) - Casting Director Bonita Pietila
The Birdman of Alcatraz - Post Production lead "The Birdman of 729-Catraz"
"Psycho" (movie) - Dialogue Sound person "Norman 'Bates' MacLeod"
[Previous Episode References]
[3F10] Homer makes a "Mr. Roboto" reference [5F22] Bart mentions shooting a bird in the past [9F11] Lisa calls herself the "Lizard Queen" at Duff Gardens; this was Yeardley Smith's "Halloween handle" in the credits
[FFF]
World Series show promotions:
BAKED IN A PIE
FOX
TUESDAYS ON P o m o n a
FOX
Wednesdays at 9Lisa's reading material:
ROBERT A. CARO
M A S T E R
O F T H E
S E N A T EAd for robot children:
ROBO-TOTS
NOW
SASS-
FREERobo-boy delivery truck:
BOYS
"R" <- the R should be backward, of course
USPeacock pen sign:
MUTANT
PEACOCK
HABITATHomer's party invitation:
DEAR HOMER SIMPSON
MR. BURNS INVITES
YOU TO A Hunting Party <- in a calligraphic script
------------- AT HIS PRIVATE ESTATE
(SINISTER LAUGH)"TV Guide" cover:
MUST FLEE TV
Program logo:
THE
WORLD SERIES
OF
MANSLAUGHTERHalloween party sign:
SPRINGFIELD SEMI-ANNUAL
HALLOWEEN PARTYGuess who's (or what's) coming to dinner:
The people of Springfield, and their Halloween alter-egos:
- Homer (headless man)
- Marge (skeleton)
- Bart (werewolf)
- Lisa (Albert Einstein)
- Maggie (witch)
- Geeky-voiced teen (tin woodsman)
- Hibbert (Dracula (and *not* Blackula))
- Cletus (Colonial-era man)
- Lenny (convict)
- Carl (mummy)
- Sherri & Terri (Tweedledum & Tweedledee?)
- Jasper (scarecrow)
- Luigi (a cake)
- Abe (gorilla)
- Willie (can of bug spray)
- [?] (Frankenstein's monster)
- Flanders (flower)
- Cap'n McAllister (Neptune [the Greco-Roman god, not the planet])
- Gil (ghost)
- Sideshow Mel (Spider-Man)
- Apu (R2-D2)
- Kirk (circus strongman)
- Frink (caveman)
- Milhouse (bulldozer)
- Patty and Selma (horse front and horse rear, respectively)
- Nelson (raccoon/Lone Ranger)
- Wiggum (Jared)
- Bumblebee Man (bumblebee)
- Moe (Hugh Hefner)[Personal Comments & Observations]
At the costume party, Mayor Quimby wants to know which "of our regulars" is under the witch's costume. "Of our regulars" is primarily a way of talking about the regularly-appearing characters on a TV show of course. Quimby follows up by naming a few of the shows recurring minor characters.
"Administrative Professionals' Day" is what used to be called "Secretaries' Day" before secretaries decided that wasn't dignified enough. It falls on the fourth Wednesday of April, so Kang and Kodos were afraid this episode wouldn't air before April 26, 2006.
tried yet!
As our alien friends allude to, it's been 97 years since the Chicago Cubs have won the World Series, which I believe is the longest "streak" in Major League Baseball. On the other hand, now that the Red Sox and White Sox have both racked up World Series wins -- the last time either team did so, Woodrow Wilson was in office -- maybe the Cubbies are about due.
Tonight's episode draws up on the sporting world for both its guest voices. Before he was a commentator on Fox's raucous NFL show, Bradshaw was the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he won three Super Bowl rings. Dennis Rodman picked up a few championship rings playing basketball for the Chicago Bulls, but he's arguably more famous for his wild behavior and elaborate tattoos. Although retired, he's presumably still up to his bad-boy tricks; he mentions he's in the show's "public service announcement" ending to work off a speeding ticket. (I assume this means he's filling a community-service penalty.)