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{{Infobox Simpsons episode |
{{Infobox Simpsons episode |
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| episode_name = Treehouse of Horror IV |
| episode_name = Treehouse of Horror IV |
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| image = [[Image: |
| image = [[Image:Bart Night Gallery.jpg|200px]] |
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| image_caption = Bart introducing the show in the manner of |
| image_caption = Bart introducing the show in the manner of Rod Serling's ''Night Gallery'' |
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| episode_no = 86 |
| episode_no = 86 |
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| prod_code = 1F04 |
| prod_code = 1F04 |
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| airdate = October 28, 1993 |
| airdate = October 28, 1993 |
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| show runner = [[David Mirkin]] |
| show runner = [[David Mirkin]] |
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| writer = [[Conan O'Brien]]<br>[[Bill Oakley]]<br>[[Josh Weinstein]]<br>[[Greg Daniels]]<br>[[Dan McGrath]]<br>Bill Canterbury |
| writer = [[Conan O'Brien]]<br>[[Bill Oakley]]<br>[[Josh Weinstein]]<br>[[Greg Daniels]]<br>[[Dan McGrath]]<br>Bill Canterbury |
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| director = [[David Silverman]] |
| director = [[David Silverman]] |
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| couch_gag = The family (as [[zombies]]) enter through the living room floor before sitting on the couch. |
| couch_gag = The family (as [[zombies]]) enter through the living room floor before sitting on the couch. |
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| guest stars = [[Phil Hartman|Phil Hart-on-the-stick-Man]]<br>[[Frank Welker|Dr. Frankenwelker]] |
| guest stars = [[Phil Hartman|Phil Hart-on-the-stick-Man]]<br>[[Frank Welker|Dr. Frankenwelker]] |
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| commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<BR>[[James L. Brooks]]<BR>[[David Mirkin]]<BR>[[Conan O'Brien]]<BR>[[Greg Daniels]]<BR>[[Bill Oakley]]<BR>[[Josh Weinstein]]<BR>[[David Silverman]] |
| commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<BR>[[James L. Brooks]]<BR>[[David Mirkin]]<BR>[[Conan O'Brien]]<BR>[[Greg Daniels]]<BR>[[Bill Oakley]]<BR>[[Josh Weinstein]]<BR>[[David Silverman]] |
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}} |
}} |
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"'''Treehouse of Horror IV'''" is the fifth episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> [[The Simpsons (season 5)|fifth season]] |
"'''Treehouse of Horror IV'''" is the fifth episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> [[The Simpsons (season 5)|fifth season]], first aired on October 28, 1993. It is the last ''[[Treehouse of Horror (series)|Treehouse of Horror]]'' episode to have an overall theme and wrap-around segments. |
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In "The Devil and Homer Simpson", when [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] announces he would sell his soul for a doughnut, the Devil, disguised as [[Ned Flanders]], shows up to make a deal with Homer. In "Terror at 5½ Feet", while riding the bus to school, [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] believe he sees a [[gremlin]] taking down the bus piece by piece. Nobody sees it except for him, so he tries to get it off on his own. In "Bart Simpson's Dracula", [[Mr. Burns]] is a vampire and Bart falls victim to his bite. [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and the rest of the family go to Burns castle to kill Burns so that Bart can return to normal. |
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The episode makes cultural references to television series such as ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'', ''[[Night Gallery]]'', and ''[[Peanuts]]''. References are also made to films such as ''[[Bram Stoker's Dracula]]'' and ''[[The Lost Boys]]''. Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a [[Nielsen rating]] of 14.5, and was the highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired. |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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In a homage to [[Rod Serling|Rod Serling's]] |
In a homage to [[Rod Serling|Rod Serling's]] ''[[Night Gallery]]'', [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] introduces the show while walking through a gallery of famous paintings, including ''[[Ascending and Descending]]'' and ''[[The Scream]]''. All three segments of the episode are based on paintings in the exhibit. |
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===The Devil and Homer Simpson=== |
===The Devil and Homer Simpson=== |
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[[Image:FeedingonDoughnuts.jpg|left|thumb|full|Homer Simpson being forced into eating all the donuts in the world while spending a day in hell.]] |
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When Homer states that he would sell his soul for a donut, the Devil appears in the disguise of Ned Flanders and offers Homer a contract to seal the deal. However, before Homer finishes the donut given to him, he realizes that the Devil will not be able to claim his soul if he does not eat the last piece, which he decides to keep in his refrigerator. Unfortunately, while half-asleep and looking for a midnight snack, he eats the fateful piece. Instantly, the Devil reappears to take possession of Homer's soul. Marge and Lisa plead with the Devil, finally getting him to agree to hold a trial the next day, but until then, Homer is sent to spend the rest of the day in Hell. At the stroke of midnight, the Devil brings Homer back to the Simpson household for his trial. When the Simpsons' lawyer flees after ruining his case, Marge makes a final effort to save Homer by displaying a photo from their wedding day. On the back, Homer has written that he pledges his soul to Marge; therefore, it was not his property to sell at the time of his deal with the Devil. The jury rules in favor of Homer and the Grim Reaper judge dismisses the case. |
When Homer states that he would sell his [[soul]] for a donut, the [[Devil]] appears in the disguise of [[Ned Flanders]] and offers Homer a contract to seal the deal. However, before Homer finishes the donut given to him, he realizes that the Devil will not be able to claim his soul if he does not eat the last piece, which he decides to keep in his refrigerator. Unfortunately, while half-asleep and looking for a midnight snack, he eats the fateful piece. Instantly, the Devil reappears to take possession of Homer's soul. Marge and Lisa plead with the Devil, finally getting him to agree to hold a trial the next day, but until then, Homer is sent to spend the rest of the day in Hell. At the stroke of midnight, the Devil brings Homer back to the Simpson household for his trial. When the Simpsons' lawyer flees after ruining his case, Marge makes a final effort to save Homer by displaying a photo from their wedding day. On the back, Homer has written that he pledges his soul to Marge; therefore, it was not his property to sell at the time of his deal with the Devil. The jury rules in favor of Homer and the Grim Reaper judge dismisses the case. Furious at his loss, the Devil curses Homer to never be rid of the donut. Homer is shown at breakfast the next morning with a giant donut for a head. |
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===Terror at 5½ Feet=== |
===Terror at 5½ Feet=== |
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[[Image: |
[[Image:Treehouse of Horror IV.jpg|200px|left|thumb|The gremlin tearing into the bus.]] |
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After having a nightmare in which he is killed in a bus crash, Bart rides the bus to school one rainy morning. He panics when he sees a blue [[gremlin]] on the side of the bus loosening the lug nuts on one of the bus's tires. Bart tries to convince the others of the danger, but fails. In desperation, Bart climbs halfway out the window to scare off the gremlin with an emergency flare. The gremlin catches fire and falls from the bus, bouncing off Ned Flanders's car, who decides to adopt the creature. When the bus finally stops, everyone sees the obvious damage, but Bart is still sent away to an [[psychiatric hospital|insane asylum]] for the rest of his life. Bart is relieved at finally being able to rest, but the gremlin appears in the back window of the ambulance |
After having a nightmare in which he is killed in a bus crash, Bart rides the bus to school one rainy morning. He panics when he sees a blue [[gremlin]] on the side of the bus loosening the lug nuts on one of the bus's tires. Bart tries to convince the others of the danger, but fails. In desperation, Bart climbs halfway out the window to scare off the gremlin with an emergency flare. The gremlin catches fire and falls from the bus, bouncing off [[Ned Flanders]]'s car, who decides to adopt the creature. When the bus finally stops, everyone sees the obvious damage, but Bart is still sent away to an [[psychiatric hospital|insane asylum]] for the rest of his life. Bart is relieved at finally being able to rest, but the gremlin appears in the back window of the [[ambulance]] holding Flanders's severed head, making Bart scream in panic. |
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===Bart Simpson's Dracula=== |
===Bart Simpson's Dracula=== |
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[[Image:Treehouse of Horror IV.gif|200px|left|thumb|Promo image for the third segment.]] |
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After a news story about several vampire attacks, Lisa begins to suspect that Mr. Burns is a [[vampire]], but the rest of the family dismisses her concerns. The family are invited to Burns's castle, where Bart and Lisa discover a secret staircase descending to an eerie basement filled with coffins. As they investigate, vampires emerge from the coffins and circle them. Lisa escapes, but Bart gets bitten by Burns. Later that night, Lisa is awakened by Bart and his vampire friends. When Bart is about to bite Lisa, Homer and Marge interrupt and discover that Bart is a vampire. Lisa claims that the only way to restore him is to kill the head vampire, Mr. Burns. The family returns to Burns's mansion, where Homer drives a stake through his heart, but Bart remains a vampire. To her horror, Lisa discovers that everyone in the Simpson family is a vampire, and that Marge is actually the head vampire. With this revelation, the entire family swoops in on Lisa, only to stop and wish everyone a happy [[Halloween]]. The segment |
After a news story about several vampire attacks, Lisa begins to suspect that Mr. Burns is a [[vampire]], but the rest of the family dismisses her concerns. The family are invited to Burns's castle, where Bart and Lisa discover a secret staircase descending to an eerie basement filled with coffins. As they investigate, vampires emerge from the coffins and circle them. Lisa escapes, but Bart gets bitten by Burns. Later that night, Lisa is awakened by Bart and his vampire friends. When Bart is about to bite Lisa, Homer and Marge interrupt and discover that Bart is a vampire. Lisa claims that the only way to restore him is to kill the head vampire, Mr. Burns. The family returns to Burns's mansion, where Homer drives a stake through his heart, but Bart remains a vampire. To her horror, Lisa discovers that everyone in the Simpson family is a vampire, and that Marge is actually the head vampire. With this revelation, the entire family swoops in on Lisa, only to stop and wish everyone a happy [[Halloween]]. The segment immediately transitions into a parody of ''[[A Charlie Brown Christmas]]'', complete with [[Santa's Little Helper]] imitating [[Snoopy|Snoopy's]] dancing and Milhouse playing [[Schroeder (Peanuts)|Schroeder]]'s piano. |
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==Production== |
==Production== |
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[[File:Conan.png|thumb| |
[[File:Conan.png|thumb|170px|[[Conan O'Brien]] was one of the writers of the episode.]] |
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"Treehouse of Horror IV" was co-written by [[Conan O'Brien]], [[Bill Oakley]], [[Josh Weinstein]], [[Greg Daniels]], [[Dan McGrath]], and Bill Canterbury. The episode was directed by [[David Silverman]]. It is the fourth episode in the annual ''[[Treehouse of Horror (series)|Treehouse of Horror]]'' series of Halloween specials.<ref name="book"/> |
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"Treehouse of Horror IV" was co-written by [[Conan O'Brien]], [[Bill Oakley]], [[Josh Weinstein]], [[Greg Daniels]], [[Dan McGrath]], and Bill Canterbury. The episode was directed by [[David Silverman]]. It is the fourth episode of the annual ''[[Treehouse of Horror (series)|Treehouse of Horror]]'' Halloween specials.<ref name="book"/> O'Brien put a lot of work into the "wraparounds" of Bart introducing each segment to make sure that they "pulled" the episode together.<ref name="Conan">{{cite video | people=O'Brien, Conan|year=2004|title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Treehouse of Horror IV"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The wraparounds are based on [[Rod Serling|Rod Serling's]] television series ''[[Night Gallery]]'', in which Serling appears at an art gallery and introduces each episode by unveiling paintings depicting the stories. Executive producer [[James L. Brooks]] loved the show as a child so it was "great fun" for him to do the parody.<ref name="Brooks">{{cite video | people=Brooks L., James|year=2004|title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Treehouse of Horror IV"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> [[Show runner]] [[David Mirkin]] thought the ''Treehouse of Horror'' episodes were the hardest episodes to do because the staff had to fit in all three stories in only 22 minutes. Mirkin explained that "Things had to happen really fast. They're really just crammed with jokes and story beats and everything."<ref name="Mirkin">{{cite video | people=Mirkin, David|year=2004|title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Treehouse of Horror IV"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> |
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In the episode "[[The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular]]", three deleted scenes from "The Devil and Homer Simpson" sequence are shown. In the first scene, Homer is stuck in hell, and a demon uses his head as a bowling ball. When Homer's head strikes the bowling pins, the top of his head pops off and a note flies out reading, "I.O.U. one brain, signed God." The second scene shows Marge looking through the phone book for a lawyer. She points out [[Lionel Hutz]]'s ad which states "Cases won in 30 minutes or your pizza's free." As she does this, Bart summons the devil by saying "I'd sell my soul for a [[formula one]] racing car". When the devil appears with a formula one car, Bart changes his mind. Marge scoldingly tells Bart to "Stop pestering Satan." The third scene shows Lionel Hutz presenting Marge a free pizza due to him not winning the case. When Marge points out that they did win the case, Hutz remarks that the pizza box is empty anyway. |
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The first segment, "The Devil and Homer Simpson", was written by Daniels and McGrath.<ref name="Daniels">{{cite video | people=Daniels, Greg|year=2004|title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Treehouse of Horror IV"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The first time Devil Flanders appears, he looks the same as the Devil at the end of the 1940 [[Walt Disney]] produced film ''[[Fantasia (film)|Fantasia]]''. Silverman thought the animation in that sequence was great.<ref name="Silverman">{{cite video | people=Silverman, David|year=2004|title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Treehouse of Horror IV"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Oakley loved the idea of Flanders being the Devil because he is the one you would least expect. He also thought [[Harry Shearer]] did a "terrific job" of playing Flanders in this "much darker" way, "but yet still very true to the character."<ref name="Oakley"/> Because the segment could not be too long, many scenes had to be cut. One scene from "The Devil and Homer Simpson" that was cut shows Homer's cutoff head being used as a bowling ball by a demon in hell. This scene later appeared in the clip show episode "[[The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular]]" that aired in the show's seventh season.<ref name="Mirkin"/> |
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<!-- Listen to the llustrated commentary. --> |
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The second segment, "Terror at 5½ Feet", was written by Oakley and Weinstein. It was inspired by an episode of ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' called "[[Nightmare at 20,000 Feet]]", in which [[William Shatner]]'s character is inside an airplane watching a gremlin tear apart the wing. Silverman watched the episode to get inspiration for Bart's facial expressions.<ref name="Silverman"/> Oakley said that there was a lot of work put into the design of the gremlin in "Terror at 5½ Feet" to make him scary "within ''The Simpsons'' universe".<ref name="Oakley">{{cite video | people=Oakley, Bill|year=2004|title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Treehouse of Horror IV"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> When Silverman designed the gremlin, he based it on [[The Grinch]].<ref name="Silverman"/> Mirkin thought it was "well-done" because the gremlin is "scary looking" and "yet it looks like a completely organic ''Simpsons'' character". [[Üter]], a character from [[Germany]], also makes his first appearance on the show in this segment. He was made up for a "one-time" joke but "lived on" because he was "such as perfect stereotype".<ref name="Mirkin"/> |
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The third segment, "Bart Simpson's Dracula", was written by Canterbury. It is based on [[Francis Ford Coppola]]'s film ''[[Bram Stoker's Dracula]]''. Mirkin was a big fan of the film and "pushed" for this segment to be about vampires. He thought it worked out "perfectly" and he added that Mr. Burns was "perfect" in the role as Dracula.<ref name="Mirkin"/> Dracula and his castle was designed by Silverman. Mirkin, a "big" ''[[Peanuts]]'' fan, came up with the idea for the ending of "Bart Simpson's Dracula".<ref name="Silverman"/> |
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==Cultural references== |
==Cultural references== |
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"Terror at 5 1/2 Feet" is a parody of ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'' episode "[[Nightmare at 20,000 Feet]]", where a man (played by [[William Shatner]]) is inside an airplane watching a [[gremlin]] tear apart the wing. Nobody believes him until the plane lands and the damage to the airplane is shown.<ref name="book"/> The title and a majority of the plot of "Bart Simpson's Dracula" is a parody of the [[Francis Ford Coppola]] film ''[[Bram Stoker's Dracula]]''.<ref name="book">{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=Harper Collins Publishers|isbn=0-00-638898-1|pages=124–125}}</ref> The wrap-around segments are a reference to [[Rod Serling]]'s ''[[Night Gallery]]'', with Bart in Serling's role.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season5/page6.shtml|title=Treehouse of Horror IV|accessdate=2007-03-21|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> Additionally, the ending segment is a reference to ''A Charlie Brown Christmas''.<!-- With this revelation, the entire family swoops in on Lisa, only to stop and wish everyone a happy [[Halloween]]. The segment immediately transitions into a parody of ''[[A Charlie Brown Christmas]]'', complete with [[Santa's Little Helper]] imitating [[Snoopy|Snoopy's]] dancing and Milhouse playing [[Schroeder (Peanuts)|Schroeder]]'s piano. --><ref name="BBC"/> The jury at the trial consists of [[John Wilkes Booth]], [[Lizzie Borden]], [[John Dillinger]], [[Blackbeard]], [[Benedict Arnold]], the starting lineup of the [[1975–76 Philadelphia Flyers season|1976]] [[Philadelphia Flyers]], and [[Richard Nixon]] who was still living at the time.<ref name="book"/> |
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The jury at Homer's trial consists of [[John Wilkes Booth]], [[Lizzie Borden]], [[John Dillinger]], [[Blackbeard]], [[Benedict Arnold]], the starting lineup of the [[1975–76 Philadelphia Flyers season|1976]] [[Philadelphia Flyers]], and [[Richard Nixon]].<ref name="book"/> The first time the Devil appears, he looks the same as the Devil at the end of the [[Walt Disney]] film ''[[Fantasia (film)|Fantasia]]''.<ref name="Daniels"/> The scene in Hell where Homer is fed all the doughnuts in the world, and asks for more, is a direct parody of the cartoon ''[[Pigs is Pigs (1937 film)|Pigs is Pigs]]'', where a generic pig character known for being a glutton is taken in by a scientist and forced to eat all the food in the world.<ref name="Silverman"/> At Mr. Burns castle, Lisa notices a tome resting on a stand in the basement. She runs over and reads the title: "Yes, I Am a Vampire, by Monty Burns. Foreword by Steve Allen," a reference to American actor [[Steve Allen]].<ref name="Mirkin"/> In "Bart Simpson's Dracula", Bart is seen floating outside Lisa's bedroom window. This is a parody of ''[[The Lost Boys]]'' as well as Stephen King's novel ''[[’Salem's Lot]]''. The family's plan to kill the head vampire is also a reference to both the film and novel. In particular, the twist revelation that Burns is not the head vampire is also a reference to the twist ending of ''The Lost Boys''.<ref name="Silverman"/> The closing credits of the episode features a version of the theme that is a combination of the instruments used in ''[[The Munsters]]'' theme song and the harpsichord and clicking from the ''[[The Addams Family (TV series)|Addams Family]]'' theme song.<ref name="Mirkin"/> |
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==Reception== |
==Reception== |
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In its original American broadcast, "Treehouse of Horror IV" finished 17th in ratings for the week of October 25 to October 31, 1993, with a [[Nielsen Rating]] of 14.5, translating to 13.6 million households. The episode was the highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.<ref>{{cite news |title=Prime-Time TV Ratings|work=Rocky Mountain News|author=Moore, Frazier|page=18D|date=November 4, 1993}}</ref> |
In its original American broadcast, "Treehouse of Horror IV" finished 17th in ratings for the week of October 25 to October 31, 1993, with a [[Nielsen Rating]] of 14.5, translating to 13.6 million households. The episode was the highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.<ref>{{cite news |title=Prime-Time TV Ratings|work=Rocky Mountain News|author=Moore, Frazier|page=18D|date=November 4, 1993}}</ref> |
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Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought it was "probably one of the best" ''Treehouses of Horror'' episodes, with "many notable" sequences. They particularly liked the scenes in |
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought it was "probably one of the best" ''Treehouses of Horror'' episodes, with "many notable" sequences. They particularly liked the scenes in hell in which Homer was punished by the Devil, and [[Chief Wiggum]]'s attempts to deal with Dracula (who he thinks is a [[mummy]]) in the "Bart Simpson's Dracula" segment by ordering the [[Egypt|Egyptian]] wing of the Springfield museum to be destroyed.<ref name="BBC"/> DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson thought "Terror at 5½ Feet" was the best segment of the episode. He thought "Bart Simpson's Dracula" was "easily the least effective", commenting that it "presents some good moments but never quite takes flight". Jacobson praised "The Devil and Homer Simpson" as being "clever" and "funny".<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2009-01-24 |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonfive.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season (1993) |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |date=2004-12-21 |author=Jacobson, Colin }}</ref> Kim Nowacki of ''[[Yakima Herald-Republic]]'' named "Treehouse of Horror IV" his "all-time favorite" episode. Nowacki praised the parodies of ''The Twilight Zone'' and ''A Charlie Brown Christmas''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Howl of Fame - Dedicated to the Younger Set|last=Nowacki|first=Kim|date=October 15, 2004 |work=Yakima Herald-Republic|accessdate=2009-02-06}}</ref> Patrick Bromley of DVD Verdict called the episode "one of the very best" Halloween specials, although he did not think it was as good as "[[Treehouse of Horror V]]". Bromley concluded his review by giving the episode a grade of A.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2009-01-24 |url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason5.php |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season |publisher=DVD Verdict |date=2005-02-23 |author=Bromley, Patrick }}</ref> ''[[Central Michigan Life]]''{{'}}s John Thorpe named it the tenth best episode of the show, and wrote: "The best part comes when Homer decides not to eat the last part of the doughnut, thus saving him from hell. Hilarious."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2000/11/15/EtCetera/Top-10.Simpsons.Episodes.Ever-2475956.shtml|title=Top 10 Simpson's episodes ever|last=Thorpe|first=John|date=November 15, 2000|work=Central Michigan Life|accessdate=2008-12-21}}</ref> DVD Talk's Bill Gibron gave the episode a score of 4 out of 5.<ref>{{cite web |accessdate=2009-01-24 |url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/13784/simpsons-the-complete-fifth-season-the/ |title=The Simpsons - The Complete Fifth Season |publisher=DVD Talk |date=2004-12-21 |author=Gibron, Bill }}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist |
{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{wikiquote|The_Simpsons#Treehouse_of_Horror_IV_.5B5.05.5D|"Treehouse of Horror IV"}} |
{{wikiquote|The_Simpsons#Treehouse_of_Horror_IV_.5B5.05.5D|"Treehouse of Horror IV"}} |
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{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}} |
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}} |
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*[http://www. |
* [http://www.snpp.com/episodes/1F04.html ''Treehouse of Horror IV'' at The Simpsons Archive] |
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*{{snpp capsule|1F04}} |
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*[http://www.tv.com/the-simpsons/treehouse-of-horror-iv/episode/1371/summary.html "Treehouse of Horror IV"] at [[TV.com]] |
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{{Treehouse of Horror}} |
{{Treehouse of Horror}} |
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Revision as of 02:30, 8 February 2009
| "Treehouse of Horror IV" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
 | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 |
| Directed by | David Silverman |
| Written by | Conan O'Brien Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein Greg Daniels Dan McGrath Bill Canterbury |
| Original air date | October 28, 1993 |
| Episode features | |
| Couch gag | The family (as zombies) enter through the living room floor before sitting on the couch. |
| Commentary | Matt Groening James L. Brooks David Mirkin Conan O'Brien Greg Daniels Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein David Silverman |
"Treehouse of Horror IV" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons' fifth season, first aired on October 28, 1993. It is the last Treehouse of Horror episode to have an overall theme and wrap-around segments.
Plot
In a homage to Rod Serling's Night Gallery, Bart introduces the show while walking through a gallery of famous paintings, including Ascending and Descending and The Scream. All three segments of the episode are based on paintings in the exhibit.
The Devil and Homer Simpson
When Homer states that he would sell his soul for a donut, the Devil appears in the disguise of Ned Flanders and offers Homer a contract to seal the deal. However, before Homer finishes the donut given to him, he realizes that the Devil will not be able to claim his soul if he does not eat the last piece, which he decides to keep in his refrigerator. Unfortunately, while half-asleep and looking for a midnight snack, he eats the fateful piece. Instantly, the Devil reappears to take possession of Homer's soul. Marge and Lisa plead with the Devil, finally getting him to agree to hold a trial the next day, but until then, Homer is sent to spend the rest of the day in Hell. At the stroke of midnight, the Devil brings Homer back to the Simpson household for his trial. When the Simpsons' lawyer flees after ruining his case, Marge makes a final effort to save Homer by displaying a photo from their wedding day. On the back, Homer has written that he pledges his soul to Marge; therefore, it was not his property to sell at the time of his deal with the Devil. The jury rules in favor of Homer and the Grim Reaper judge dismisses the case. Furious at his loss, the Devil curses Homer to never be rid of the donut. Homer is shown at breakfast the next morning with a giant donut for a head.
Terror at 5½ Feet
After having a nightmare in which he is killed in a bus crash, Bart rides the bus to school one rainy morning. He panics when he sees a blue gremlin on the side of the bus loosening the lug nuts on one of the bus's tires. Bart tries to convince the others of the danger, but fails. In desperation, Bart climbs halfway out the window to scare off the gremlin with an emergency flare. The gremlin catches fire and falls from the bus, bouncing off Ned Flanders's car, who decides to adopt the creature. When the bus finally stops, everyone sees the obvious damage, but Bart is still sent away to an insane asylum for the rest of his life. Bart is relieved at finally being able to rest, but the gremlin appears in the back window of the ambulance holding Flanders's severed head, making Bart scream in panic.
Bart Simpson's Dracula
After a news story about several vampire attacks, Lisa begins to suspect that Mr. Burns is a vampire, but the rest of the family dismisses her concerns. The family are invited to Burns's castle, where Bart and Lisa discover a secret staircase descending to an eerie basement filled with coffins. As they investigate, vampires emerge from the coffins and circle them. Lisa escapes, but Bart gets bitten by Burns. Later that night, Lisa is awakened by Bart and his vampire friends. When Bart is about to bite Lisa, Homer and Marge interrupt and discover that Bart is a vampire. Lisa claims that the only way to restore him is to kill the head vampire, Mr. Burns. The family returns to Burns's mansion, where Homer drives a stake through his heart, but Bart remains a vampire. To her horror, Lisa discovers that everyone in the Simpson family is a vampire, and that Marge is actually the head vampire. With this revelation, the entire family swoops in on Lisa, only to stop and wish everyone a happy Halloween. The segment immediately transitions into a parody of A Charlie Brown Christmas, complete with Santa's Little Helper imitating Snoopy's dancing and Milhouse playing Schroeder's piano.
Production
"Treehouse of Horror IV" was co-written by Conan O'Brien, Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein, Greg Daniels, Dan McGrath, and Bill Canterbury. The episode was directed by David Silverman. It is the fourth episode in the annual Treehouse of Horror series of Halloween specials.[1]
In the episode "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular", three deleted scenes from "The Devil and Homer Simpson" sequence are shown. In the first scene, Homer is stuck in hell, and a demon uses his head as a bowling ball. When Homer's head strikes the bowling pins, the top of his head pops off and a note flies out reading, "I.O.U. one brain, signed God." The second scene shows Marge looking through the phone book for a lawyer. She points out Lionel Hutz's ad which states "Cases won in 30 minutes or your pizza's free." As she does this, Bart summons the devil by saying "I'd sell my soul for a formula one racing car". When the devil appears with a formula one car, Bart changes his mind. Marge scoldingly tells Bart to "Stop pestering Satan." The third scene shows Lionel Hutz presenting Marge a free pizza due to him not winning the case. When Marge points out that they did win the case, Hutz remarks that the pizza box is empty anyway.
Cultural references
"Terror at 5 1/2 Feet" is a parody of The Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", where a man (played by William Shatner) is inside an airplane watching a gremlin tear apart the wing. Nobody believes him until the plane lands and the damage to the airplane is shown.[1] The title and a majority of the plot of "Bart Simpson's Dracula" is a parody of the Francis Ford Coppola film Bram Stoker's Dracula.[1] The wrap-around segments are a reference to Rod Serling's Night Gallery, with Bart in Serling's role.[2] Additionally, the ending segment is a reference to A Charlie Brown Christmas.[2] The jury at the trial consists of John Wilkes Booth, Lizzie Borden, John Dillinger, Blackbeard, Benedict Arnold, the starting lineup of the 1976 Philadelphia Flyers, and Richard Nixon who was still living at the time.[1]
Reception
In its original American broadcast, "Treehouse of Horror IV" finished 17th in ratings for the week of October 25 to October 31, 1993, with a Nielsen Rating of 14.5, translating to 13.6 million households. The episode was the highest-rated show on the Fox network that week.[3]
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, thought it was "probably one of the best" Treehouses of Horror episodes, with "many notable" sequences. They particularly liked the scenes in hell in which Homer was punished by the Devil, and Chief Wiggum's attempts to deal with Dracula (who he thinks is a mummy) in the "Bart Simpson's Dracula" segment by ordering the Egyptian wing of the Springfield museum to be destroyed.[2] DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson thought "Terror at 5½ Feet" was the best segment of the episode. He thought "Bart Simpson's Dracula" was "easily the least effective", commenting that it "presents some good moments but never quite takes flight". Jacobson praised "The Devil and Homer Simpson" as being "clever" and "funny".[4] Kim Nowacki of Yakima Herald-Republic named "Treehouse of Horror IV" his "all-time favorite" episode. Nowacki praised the parodies of The Twilight Zone and A Charlie Brown Christmas.[5] Patrick Bromley of DVD Verdict called the episode "one of the very best" Halloween specials, although he did not think it was as good as "Treehouse of Horror V". Bromley concluded his review by giving the episode a grade of A.[6] Central Michigan Life's John Thorpe named it the tenth best episode of the show, and wrote: "The best part comes when Homer decides not to eat the last part of the doughnut, thus saving him from hell. Hilarious."[7] DVD Talk's Bill Gibron gave the episode a score of 4 out of 5.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d Richmond, Ray (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers. pp. 124–125. ISBN 0-00-638898-1.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Treehouse of Horror IV". BBC. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Moore, Frazier (November 4, 1993). "Prime-Time TV Ratings". Rocky Mountain News. p. 18D.
- ^ Jacobson, Colin (2004-12-21). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season (1993)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
- ^ Nowacki, Kim (October 15, 2004). "Howl of Fame - Dedicated to the Younger Set". Yakima Herald-Republic.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Bromley, Patrick (2005-02-23). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season". DVD Verdict. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
- ^ Thorpe, John (November 15, 2000). "Top 10 Simpson's episodes ever". Central Michigan Life. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
- ^ Gibron, Bill (2004-12-21). "The Simpsons - The Complete Fifth Season". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
External links
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