Top 20 Best Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Stories

Though it may look pretty dated now, the three-dimensional computer animation in this segment was revolutionary in 1995. In addition to the graphics, the premise of this segment is extremely memorable: it follows Homer as he stumbles upon the fabled third dimension behind his bookshelf. It’s filled with Easter eggs, including the library and pond from the video game “Myst” and a code that spells out “Frink rules.” The final moments, when Bart fails to save Homer and he ends up in our world, is one of the series’ few forays into live-action. But, it’s likely the most clever.

Back in 1990, the very first “Treehouse of Horror” opened with this sendup of haunted house movies. In the segment, the Simpsons move into a new house complete with bleeding walls and a vortex into another dimension. The family initially works with the horror clichés that come with the new digs. But after an evil voice encourages them to attack each other, they decide to confront the disembodied spirit of the house. Once the spirit realizes how annoying the Simpsons are, it chooses to destroy the house rather than spend another moment with the dysfunctional family. The segment’s hilarious and memorable ending was only the beginning of decades worth of TV’s best Halloween specials.

It’s not uncommon for Bart’s mischief to cause trouble for the residents of Springfield, but among his most troublesome moments is the time he accidentally resurrects the town’s dead. The show’s large cast of characters is played to hilarity here, as we see how various Springfield citizens react to the zombies, from Groundskeeper Willie’s apathy to Ned Flanders’ politeness. Kang and Kodos even make a cameo to laugh at the humans’ plight. It’s all about the characters in this segment – even the reanimated corpses of George Washington, Einstein, and Shakespeare. Wait, why would any of them even be buried in Springfield?

“The Simpsons” have been on the air since 1989, so the writers were bound to resort to an evil twin plot twist eventually. As it turns out, Bart was born with a conjoined twin, and Homer and Marge have been keeping him hidden in the attic all these years, subsisting on a diet of fish heads. Hugo’s actually one of the series’ best one-episode characters, thanks to some fine voice work by Nancy Cartwright. In fact, he even took the top spot on WatchMojo’s list of TV evil twins. Ultimately, this “Treehouse of Horror” segment comes to a close with a brilliant twist: turns out that Bart was the evil twin all along. Come to think of it, does that really surprise anyone?

When the Simpsons travel from the quaint town of Springfield to the terrifying state of Pennsylvania, they realize something is off about Mr. Burns. After some digging, Lisa and Bart discover that he’s a vampire. What’s exceptional about this episode is how neatly each character slides into the story. Burns is the villain, Lisa’s the investigator, and Homer is oblivious. This segment is also full of great visual gags. Mr. Burns’ shadow doesn’t match his movement, vampire dentures fall out, and a secret switch reveals a laundry room. Overall, this vampire parody is a great example of how animators and writers can make a classic spooky tale feel fresh.

As 1999 came to a close, everyone was concerned about Y2K, which was an event where computers would supposedly stop working in the new millennium. While this was a nonissue in real life, this segment asks what would happen if Homer caused this worst-case scenario. What ensues is a series of grim but uproarious deaths all over the world caused by malfunctioning machinery. As the Simpsons navigate the apocalyptic hellscape, we’re treated to a handful of late-‘90s cultural references and jokes. Although some of these gags are a bit dated today, they help make the episode into a charming and fun time capsule of the last gasps of the decade.

Bart’s pranks nearly caused the end of the world again in “Treehouse of Horror XIV”. When he and Milhouse buy a time-stopping watch, they’re able to cause chaos all over town. When their misdeeds attract an angry mob, they freeze time and accidentally break the watch. Everyone but the two kids are left frozen. This sci-fi premise is milked for all it’s worth. Bart and Milhouse live with no rules and do whatever they please with their fellow Springfieldians. Fortunately, they learn how to fix the watch by completing eight one-hour lessons. Unfortunately for the kids, it takes them fifteen years to get through them all.

In yet another “Twilight Zone” spoof, this story imbues Bart with godlike powers―a truly terrifying concept. The entire town is forced to bend to his every whim or be horribly punished. Bart’s scary world order is full of great comedic touches. Krusty is on 24 hours a day, the history book is adjusted to reflect Bart’s test answers, and Homer is occasionally turned into a jack-in-the-box who struggles around air conditioning. This episode also features a heartwarming sequence where Homer and Bart bond and mend their relationship. But as soon as the father kisses his son, the entire story is hilariously revealed to be one of Bart’s nightmares.

Although Lisa is the most well-behaved member of the family, her smarts can occasionally get her into hot water. Case in point: this tale, in which she accidentally creates a micro society while trying to ruin soft drinks for everyone. After her small society quickly evolves into a technologically advanced city, tiny scientists shrink her down to their size. They treat Lisa like a god and see Bart as the devil. Unfortunately, the tiny people can’t make their god big again. Lisa may end up trapped in a prison of her own making, but hey, at least she has her worshippers. Although it’s one of most bizarre “Treehouse” tales, its strange premise makes the story stick with you long after the first watch.

Inspired by Ray Bradbury’s short story “A Sound of Thunder”, this segment isn’t the scariest of the series, but it’s filled to the brim with pop culture references and one-liners. Homer just can’t seem to get his hand out of the toaster, which causes him to travel to prehistoric times and alter the course of history, just as his father warned him not to on his wedding day. Once again, painting Flanders as an amiable villain is a dynamic choice, as are Homer’s various reactions to the altered realities. Tragically, he misses out on a world where it rains doughnuts! James Earl Jones returns to cameo as Maggie, but beyond that, there’s just so much to love about this segment.

Homer’s fatal flaw will always be his love of doughnuts. When he sells his soul for one, it’s up to the rest of the family to save him from the devil, who appears in the form of Ned. But just because Flanders is the prince of darkness doesn’t mean he’s any less charm-diddly-arming. “The Devil and Homer Simpson” is certainly one of the more horrific segments in the show’s history, but it actually has a surprisingly sweet ending in which Marge saves Homer with the power of love, sorta. He still pays a hefty – though delicious – price when his head transformed into a doughnut. But fun fact: that can be purchased as a costume in “The Simpsons: Hit and Run” video game.

This segment taps into one of humankind’s most common fears: cursed frozen yogurt. Krusty gives Chucky a run for his money in the evil doll department when the killer Krusty doll comes to life and threatens to murder Homer. This one is full of memorable quotes, like Grandpa shouting that all of Bart’s presents are evil and Homer’s assertion that he’s being mocked by a small appliance. The segment’s resolution epitomizes the show’s brilliant, but simple humor, as the doll’s setting was set to “evil” instead of “good” all along. Hey, it’s a smarter ending than most modern horror movies.

Since “be careful what you wish for” stories have been around forever, it was only a matter of time before “The Simpsons” got around to tackling one. In one segment, Homer purchases a monkey’s paw that grants the family four wishes. But every request backfires terribly. After Lisa wishes for world peace, her good intentions backfire when Kang and Kodos enslave the human race with a club and a slingshot. What makes the episode stand out is Bart’s wish for fame and fortune. The Simpsons become so famous that the public becomes annoyed by their overexposure. This wish serves as the show’s meta-commentary on its insane popularity at the time. The most tragic wish of all though is when Homer asks for a turkey sandwich.

This parody of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” sees Groundskeeper Willie donning Freddy Krueger’s iconic outfit and attacking the students of Springfield Elementary in their dreams. Willie vowed vengeance against the parents of Springfield after he was burned to a crisp during a PTA meeting on one cold day in Smarch. Pairing Lisa and Bart together always proves to be a recipe for a fun episode, and it doesn’t get more fun than watching them take down a hotheaded Scottish serial killer. But, of course, it’s Maggie who ultimately saves the day with her trusty pacifier, but not before Willie can get in one last... scare?

Kang and Kodos are among “The Simpsons’” strangest side characters. The oddball aliens made quite a splash with fans when they debuted in the first “Treehouse of Horror.” After abducting the Simpsons clan, they feed the family and show them immense hospitality…but unfortunately not HBO. The episode builds up a surprising amount of tension as Lisa questions what the aliens’ plans are for her family. But the story all comes to a fittingly comedic ending when Lisa once again ruins the family’s good time. Thirty years later, Kang and Kodos still make an appearance in every “Treehouse of Horror.” To this day, every “Simpsons” fan remembers this episode’s cookbook joke as one of the series’ very finest.

Considering how bad the student body is at Springfield Elementary on a daily basis, we understand why the staff would have a desire to get revenge against the kids. But who would have thought it would be so “delicious”? In response to the overly crowded detentions, Skinner decides the appropriate solution is to kill the students and serve them for lunch. The way the episode doesn’t pull any punches with the subject matter and fully embraces its grim story makes it one of the darkest “Treehouse” tales of all time. Who knew school staff would make such disturbing villains? Well, other than Willie. At least he TRIED to save the kids.

Political satire and Halloween come together perfectly in this smart examination of the 1996 election that still holds weight today. Kang and Kodos decide to take the places of then-president Bill Clinton and Presidential hopeful Bob Dole in the hopes of taking the highest office in the land. The greatest part of this is how easily the two aliens are able to woo voters with their nonsense, but is that really any different than real-life politics? It reaches the height of its satirical excellence when the pair is revealed to be aliens, but Kang is ultimately elected because it’s a two-party system. Seems like that may not have been the right choice, though.

In a parody of the classic “Twilight Zone” episode, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” this segment sees Bart as the only school bus rider who is able to see the gremlin terrorizing the vehicle. Despite taking place almost entirely on a bus, the pace never feels sluggish. The segment also manages to get in several cameos from adult characters to drop a quick joke. Most notable of these is poor Moleman’s awful (but hilarious) demise. While it might not be the most outlandish premise for a “Horror” segment, what brings it this close to the top of the list is that it’s full of gut-busting gags from start to finish.

Edgar Allan Poe is likely the most high-profile guest writer ever to have inadvertently written for “The Simpsons,” and it’s a testament to the show’s comic genius that it can make the work of this dark poet hilarious. With Bart taking on the role of the titular Raven and Homer as the unnamed protagonist, “The Simpsons”’ adaptation of “The Raven” takes a few artistic liberties while still being highly respectful of the source material. A fantastic guest spot from James Earl Jones completes the scene, which has since become a classic and helped get many students interested in poetry. Poe will be funnier than this nevermore.

Before we unveil the top scare, here are a few honorable mentions.

“House of Whacks”, “Treehouse of Horror XII”
Pierce Brosnan Voices a Malicious AI That Wants Marge for Itself

“Desperately Xeeking Xeena”, “Treehouse of Horror X”
A Superpowered Bart & Lisa Try to Save a Kidnapped Lucy Lawless

“The Homega Man”, “Treehouse of Horror VIII”
Homer Tries to Survive on His Own in a Nuclear Apocalypse

“Night of the Dolphin”, “Treehouse of Horror XI”
Dolphins Wage War on Humanity After Lisa Frees Their King

“The Terror of Tiny Toon”, “Treehouse of Horror IX”
Bart & Lisa Become Trapped in an Episode of "Itchy and Scratchy"

No, not “The Shining.” Do you want to get sued? “Treehouse of Horror” has always been one of the best sources of horror parody, and this segment exemplifies that. When the family is isolated in a remote mountain hotel without TV or beer, Homer sums up the situation best: [“No TV and no beer make Homer go crazy.”] The icing on the cake is the first in a series of gags that recur throughout the three segments of “Treehouse of Horror V,” where Willie tries to save the day but is axed in the back. A respectful homage to Stanley Kubrick’s work that’s almost as iconic as its source material, this is “The Simpsons” at its scariest – and smartest.