THE SIMPSONS - TREEHOUSE OF HORROR

If you’re a Simpsons-phile like me who tapes all the episodes as well as collect the current DVD box sets being released (I know: it’s rather pathetic and sad) then there wouldn’t be much sense in buying this collection of four Simpsons so-called “Halloween Special” episodes. Chances are you’d probably own one or a few of them already.

Also, if you’re buying the DVD box sets as they’re being released each year then you’ll end up with duplicate episodes on DVD as well. That is, if you’re the patient type: with only one season being released per year on DVD it means that, well, the episodes currently being aired on TV would only hit the DVD shelves in a decade or so!

Yup, so this collection is for impatient folks who can’t wait that long or anyone who isn’t that seriously into the show (implausible as it sounds such people do indeed exist) and just want a sampler.

The episodes are:

Treehouse of Horror V
"The Shinning," a tribute to the horror classic. "Time and Punishment," where Homer time travels via a toaster. "Nightmare Cafeteria," where school staff perfects the art of serving the student body.

Treehouse of Horror VI
"Attack of the 50 Foot Eyesores," where advertisements have their revenge. "Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace" finds Groundskeeper Willie as a Freddie-type. "Homer3" has Homer visiting the mysterious third dimension.

Treehouse of Horror VII
"The Thing and I" introduces us to Bart's long lost evil twin. "The Genesis Tub" casts Lisa as a creator of a tiny little world. "Mr. Kang Goes to Washington" has aliens taking on the form of Bob Dole and Bill Clinton, just in time for elections!

Treehouse of Horror XII
"Hex and the City" has a gypsy cursing Homer and everyone he loves. "House of Whacks" puts the Simpsons in a computerized home. "Wiz Kids" is a tribute to the first Harry Potter movie.

These aren’t quite the best Simpsons episodes there are, but some of them are hilariously funny. Also, some episodes contain some rather classic SF elements (such as Homer travelling back in time and killing all the dinosaurs when he infest them with the flu — it is a spoof of a Ray Bradbury short story titled A Sound of Thunder which has recently been made into a movie by the director of Timecop and 2010, slated for an early 2005 release.)

THE DISC: I’m sure they could have fitted in another episode. Instead we get a “special featurette with Kang and Kodos” which is a senseless segment consisting of segments from other episodes. Without the context of the episodes in which they aired, the bits are just meaningless and unfunny.

WORTH IT? Buy it if you don’t already own these episodes.

RECOMMENDATION: Your money would be better spent on the box sets instead.