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Difference between revisions of "Treehouse of Horror XVII"

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
m (replaced: Treehouse of Horror XVII.jpg → Treehouse of Horror XVII poster.png, THOH XVII Married to the Blob promo image.jpg → Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 1.png, Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 3.jpg → Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 2.png, Treeh...)
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{{EpisodePrevNext|Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em|G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)}}
 
{{EpisodePrevNext|Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em|G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)}}
 
{{THOHPrevNext|Treehouse of Horror XVI|Treehouse of Horror XVIII}}
 
{{THOHPrevNext|Treehouse of Horror XVI|Treehouse of Horror XVIII}}
 
{{Noncanon Episode|THOH}}
 
{{Noncanon Episode|THOH}}
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{{Episode
 
{{Episode
 
|image= Treehouse of Horror XVII poster.png
 
|image= Treehouse of Horror XVII poster.png
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|prodcode= HABF17
 
|prodcode= HABF17
 
|airdate= November 5, [[2006]]
 
|airdate= November 5, [[2006]]
−
|couchgag= A parody of the opening of ''Tales from the Crypt''
+
|guests= [[Fran Drescher]] as the [[Female Golem]]<br>[[Maurice LaMarche]] as [[Orson Welles]]<br>[[Richard Lewis]] as the [[Male Golem]]<br>[[Phil McGraw]] as {{Ch|Phil McGraw|himself}}<br>[[Sir Mix-a-Lot]] as the "[[Baby Likes Fat]]" singer
−
|guests= [[Phil McGraw]] as {{Ch|Phil McGraw|himself}}<br>[[Richard Lewis]] as [[Male Golem|the Golem]]<br>[[Fran Drescher]] as the [[Female Golem]]<br>[[Sir-Mix-A-Lot]] as "[[Baby Likes Fat]]" singer<br>[[Maurice LaMarche]] as [[Orson Welles]]
 
 
|showrunner1= Al Jean
 
|showrunner1= Al Jean
 
|writer= [[Peter Gaffney]]
 
|writer= [[Peter Gaffney]]
Line 18: Line 17:
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
"'''Treehouse of Horror XVII'''" is the fourth episode of [[season 18]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the three-hundred and eighty-second episode overall. It is also the seventeenth installment in the [[Treehouse of Horror series|''Treehouse of Horror'' series]] and consists of three parts. It originally aired on November 5, [[2006]]. The episode was written by [[Peter Gaffney]] and directed by [[David Silverman]] and [[Matthew Faughnan]]. It guest stars [[Phil McGraw]] as {{Ch|Phil McGraw|himself}}, [[Richard Lewis]] as [[Male Golem|the Golem]], [[Fran Drescher]] as the [[Female Golem]], [[Sir-Mix-A-Lot]] as the "[[Baby Likes Fat]]" singer and [[Maurice LaMarche]] as [[Orson Welles]].
+
"'''Treehouse of Horror XVII'''" is the fourth episode of [[season 18]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the three-hundred and eighty-second episode overall. It is also the seventeenth installment in the [[Treehouse of Horror series|''Treehouse of Horror'' series]] and consists of three parts. It originally aired on November 5, [[2006]]. The episode was written by [[Peter Gaffney]] and directed by [[David Silverman]] and [[Matthew Faughnan]]. It guest stars [[Fran Drescher]] as the [[Female Golem]], [[Maurice LaMarche]] as [[Orson Welles]], [[Richard Lewis]] as the [[Male Golem]], [[Phil McGraw]] as {{Ch|Phil McGraw|himself}}, and [[Sir Mix-a-Lot]] as the "[[Baby Likes Fat]]" singer.
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
Line 24: Line 23:
  
 
== Plot ==
 
== Plot ==
 +
=== Opening sequence ===
 +
A zombie [[Mr. Burns]] introduces the show in a parody of ''{{W2|Tales from the Crypt|TV series}}'', with a zombie [[Smithers]] backing him up. [[Moe]], who is in an {{W|iron maiden}}, then complains that their talking is worse torture than the torture itself. Smithers then closes the iron maiden, and Moe's blood pours from his body and spells out "Treehouse of Horror XVII".
 +
 
=== Married to the Blob ===
 
=== Married to the Blob ===
−
As [[Homer]] and [[Marge]] snuggle on the hammock, a meteorite falls nearby, burning off the top of Marge's hair in the process. Cracking open, it reveals a green goo resembling a melted marshmallow. Despite his family's objections, Homer puts it on a stick and eats it (although the goo tries many times to get away and is clearly alive). That night, after saying "Must eat, then poop, then eat some more, then eat while pooping", his stomach rumbling from hunger, Homer eats all the food in the house. He also eats the cat and attempts to eat Bart but is stopped by Marge. After that, he finds teenagers having a BBQ sauce fight, then sees one who fell into the fire, and eats that teen. Then he ends up at the Oktoberfest. He eats 4 fat Germans then says "must eat more fat people, thank god i'm in America". Now seriously fat, he walks around, looking for food. Now a fat green blob, rampaging through the streets of Springfield, eating all the fat people he can find. As Homer samples bus passengers as if they were candies, Dr. Phil McGrawl shows up with the Simpson family. He tells Homer to stop for their sakes. But, Homer doesn't listen to him and eats Dr. Phil. Homer then ends his rampaging for fear of losing Marge and vows to use his insatiable appetite for more constructive purposes. Later, Mayor Quimby dedicates a new homeless shelter. The homeless people enter the shelter, only to find themselves in [[Homer]]'s gut.
+
[[File:Married to the Blob title card.png|thumb|left]]
 +
As [[Homer]] and [[Marge]] make out on the hammock in the backyard, a meteorite starts falling towards them, burning through Marge's hair. It lands in the backyard and hatches to reveal [[Space Marshmallow|a ball of strange, alien goo]]. Homer decides to eat the "space marshmallow," and after some difficulty, he keeps it down. That night, Homer starts sleepwalking and ends up eating through all the food in the kitchen. When [[Bart]] comes in to see what is happening, Homer tries to eat him too. Marge stops Homer from doing so and finds out that Homer has also eaten [[Snowball II|the cat]].
  
−
=== You Gotta Know When To Golem ===
+
Homer leaves the house in search of more food and finds a group of teenagers partying on the beach. After they have a hot sauce fight, Homer starts eating them. As Homer continues eating, he gets bigger and fatter. He then goes to an [[Oktoberfest]] celebration and eats everyone there. Homer then starts going around town eating everyone while "[[Baby Likes Fat]]" plays. On [[Channel 6 News|the news]], [[Kent Brockman]] reports on Homer's rampage, showing that he has become huge and green. The rest of the Simpson family goes to Homer to stop him, getting help from {{Ch|Dr. Phil}}. However, Homer also eats Dr. Phil before he admits he has a problem. He tells Marge that he wants his problem to become a positive for the community, so [[Mayor Quimby]] opens up a homeless shelter, with Homer on the other side of the door. As the homeless people go through the door, they are eaten by the gelatinous Homer.
−
{{quote|Can't you read my writing? I didn't say 'kick Homer's walls'.|Bart Simpson, talking to the Golem}}
 
  
−
At the end of an episode of ''{{Krusty show}}'', Bart, having been invited to the taping, goes backstage to complain about an acid-spraying Krusty brand alarm clock. There he finds the [[Male Golem|Golem of Prague]], a creature from Jewish mythology. Krusty tells Bart that in the seventeenth century, the Golem was sculpted out of clay by a powerful rabbi. The Golem would do anything written on a scroll and placed in his mouth. He had been passed down through many generations and now works for Krusty. Bart steals the Golem by writing a command for him to come to his home at midnight, while Krusty is wearing a mask in preparation for a "Desperate Houseflies" sketch. At midnight, the Golem shows up at the Simpsons' house. From then on, Bart uses him to carry out his commands: swinging Principal Skinner up and down like a yo-yo until he splits in half and kicking Homer in the balls (though he at first thought Bart wrote walls). Lisa thinks the Golem doesn't like doing the biddings of others and feeds him a scroll reading "Speak". The Golem (voiced by [[Richard Lewis]]) reveals that he feels guilty about being used to commit heinous acts. To make him feel better, the Simpsons create a [[Female Golem]] out of Play-Doh. When Homer hears her voice ([[Fran Drescher]]) he tries to chop her up with an axe, but the Golem stops him, saying that she is perfect. The two are married by Rabbi [[Hyman Krustofsky]] and the female Golem convinces [[Chief Wiggum]] not to press charges with the promise of pan-fried latkes, a Jewish delicacy.
+
=== You Gotta Know When to Golem ===
 +
[[File:You Gotta Know When to Golem title card.png|thumb|right]]
 +
During a recording of ''{{Krusty show}}'', [[Krusty]] announces that the show will be broadcast in HDTV. After the recording finishes, [[Bart]] tells [[Milhouse]] that he will stay behind to complain to Krusty about his [[Krusty Brand Alarm Clock]] that sprays acid. Backstage, Bart finds Krusty's prop room and sees a [[Male Golem|Golem]]. Krusty finds Bart and explains that the Golem is created in [[Prague]] in the 1600s by a rabbi. The Golem then does whatever tasks are written on scrolls and inserted into its mouth. Eventually, the Golem ends up in Krusty's possession, where he uses it to scare audience members who do not enjoy his jokes. After telling the story, Krusty leaves, and Bart puts a scroll into its mouth, telling it to come to his room at midnight.
 +
 
 +
That night, Bart waits for the Golem to arrive. After a fake-out with his drunken father, the Golem turns up at Bart's room, and Bart puts a scroll in its mouth, telling it to "kick Homer's balls." The Golem does as it is ordered, and Bart takes the Golem with him to school the next day, ordering it to attack the bullies. [[Lisa]] realizes what Bart has done and puts a scroll in the Golem's mouth, telling it to speak. The Golem starts speaking and feels horrified by the people he has hurt and killed. After using the Golem to kill [[Skinner]], the Simpsons discuss him and decide that he needs to form a friendship with someone. They create a [[Female Golem]] out of [[Play-Doh]] and bring her to life. While Homer does not like his creation and wants to get rid of her, the Male Golem falls in love and decides to marry her, with [[Rabbi Krustofsky]] officiating the ceremony. The police arrive at the wedding to investigate the Golem, but they are persuaded to drop the matter with a free latke bar.
  
 
=== The Day the Earth Looked Stupid ===
 
=== The Day the Earth Looked Stupid ===
−
The population of Springfield on Halloween 1938 (during the Great Depression) are fooled by [[Orson Welles]]' infamous ''{{W2|The War of the Worlds|1938 radio drama}}'' radio broadcast and believe the world has been invaded. A mass panic breaks out, and the citizens begin rioting and destroy the town. Marge suggests they foil the aliens by cavorting in the mud naked like animals. So they do this all day until the next day, Lisa notifies the citizens that it was all a hoax and, angry at being fooled, the citizens of Springfield vow to not fall for such a trick again. Kang and Kodos decide this is the perfect time for a real invasion, and begin destroying what's left of the town. True to their word, the town does not believe that it's a real invasion and ignores it, although Orson Welles comes to Springfield, admits it is not a staged act, and begs them to do something. Unfortunately, they don't, and the segment ends three years later with Kang and Kodos looking over the ruins, mulling on what went wrong and why they weren't greeted as liberators as they rid Earth's weapons of mass disintegration (WMD) during "Operation Enduring Occupation", a parody of the real military operation, "{{W|Operation Enduring Freedom}}". The scene then pans out to reveal the earth has fallen victim to a nuclear fallout. As the credits roll, "{{W|I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire}}" plays in a clear reference to the {{W|Fallout serie|''Fallout'' video games}}.
+
[[File:The Day the Earth Looked Stupid title card.png|thumb|left]]
 +
In 1938 [[Springfield]], during the {{W|Great Depression}}, the people of Springfield line up to receive bread from [[The Salvation Army]]. At home, as Homer and Marge dance to the radio, a broadcast starts announcing that alien cylinders from [[Mars]] have started landing around the country. [[Orson Welles]] then starts describing the invasion in more detail, causing panic and riots in Springfield. This all turns out to be a broadcast of ''[[The War of the Worlds]]'', which is intended to lift spirits. However, the Springfield citizens keep rioting, not realizing it is a work of fiction. Eventually, Marge comes up with an idea and has everyone pretend to be animals since the aliens are only killing humans. The townspeople strip naked and wallow in filth, making animal noises until the next day when Lisa reveals that the radio broadcast is a hoax.
 +
 
 +
After finding out it is a hoax, the people of Springfield decide to go back to their normal lives. However, [[Kang]] and [[Kodos]] choose that moment to invade the town, knowing that the people will just think it is another hoax. Orson Welles shows up in town to tell [[Chief Wiggum]] to call the military, but Wiggum doesn't believe him. Kang and Kodos then come down in their [[UFO]] and kill Wiggum, draining his body. Three years later, the town is a wasteland. Kang and Kodos argue because they think they would be greeted as liberators. Kang says that they are starting to think that Operation: Enduring Occupation was a bad idea, and Kodos says that they had to invade since the people of Earth were working on weapons of mass disintegration.
  
 
== Production ==
 
== Production ==
−
The "The Day the Earth Looked Stupid" segment was originally supposed to end with Kang and Kodos making a direct reference to the War in [[Iraq]] as they observe the ruined remains of 1938 Springfield. While the FOX censors had no objections over the line, the producers and writers felt the reference was too obvious and had it cut to make the joke more subtle.
+
The episode was written by [[Peter Gaffney]], who was someone [[Al Jean]] knew from college as part of ''{{W|The Harvard Lampoon}}''.<ref name="Jean">{{Com|Jean, Al|Treehouse of Horror XVII|Eighteenth|[[2017]]|link=Al Jean}}</ref>
 +
 
 +
The opening of the episode, with the pan through the halls of [[Burns' manor]], was animated by {{W|Multiplane camera|multiplaning}}. This is done by having different levels of artwork which are moved at different rates towards the CG camera to make it appear as though it's moving through 3 dimensional space. Silverman was the director of the episode right until the animatic stage, which is when ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' started production. [[Matthew Faughnan]] then took over directing from Silverman so he could focus on ''The Simpsons Movie''.<ref name="Silverman">{{Com|Silverman, David|Treehouse of Horror XVII|Eighteenth|[[2017]]|link=David Silverman}}</ref>
 +
 
 +
The original ending had Kang and Kodos saying that the post-apocalyptic Springfield was "just like Iraq would be". After the episode was sent to critics, critics said that the line was too "on the head". [[James L. Brooks]] and [[Matt Groening]] decided that the sentence should be changed.<ref name="Jean"/>
  
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
Line 42: Line 55:
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
−
== Promotional images ==
+
== Reception ==
 +
In February [[2012]], Matt Zoller Seitz of ''{{W2|Vulture|website}}'' listed "Treehouse of Horror XVII" in his "Nine Latter-Day Simpsons Episodes That Match Up to the Early Classics", with his favorite segment being "You Gotta Know When to Golem".<ref>[https://www.vulture.com/2012/02/nine-simpsons-episodes-as-good-as-early-classics.html#photo=1x00006 Vulture - "Nine Latter-Day Simpsons Episodes That Match Up to the Early Classics"]</ref>
 +
 
 +
Dan Iverson of {{W|IGN}} gave the episode a 7.6 rating. He said that the episode "is pretty funny no matter when you watch it". However, he also said that it "isn't up to the quality that was started so many years back". He said that although the "dialogue was solid", "the clever stories that helped build the popularity of these episodes is no longer there". He also said that the story of "You Gotta Know When to Golem" "was actually really boring when you get down to it".<ref>[https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/06/the-simpsons-treehouse-of-horror-xvii-review IGN - "The Simpsons: "Treehouse of Horror XVII" Review"]</ref>
 +
 
 +
Kyle Ryan and Erik Adams of ''{{W|The A.V. Club}}'' listed the "The Day the Earth Looked Stupid" segment in their "10 anxiety-reflecting Simpsons Halloween segments". They said that the show had been "awfully quiet" during the [[George W. Bush|Bush]] presidency, and called the segment the "most political—and bleakest—Treehouse segment ever".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131130070807/http://www.avclub.com/article/you-said-wed-be-greeted-as-liberators-10-anxiety-r-104571 The A.V. Club - "'You said we'd be greeted as liberators!': 10 anxiety-reflecting Simpsons Halloween segments"] (archived on {{W|Wayback Machine}})</ref>
 +
 
 +
As of September [[2024]], the episode has a 6.8 rating on {{W|IMDb}}.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0831240/ IMDb - "Treehouse of Horror XVII"]</ref>
 +
 
 +
== In other languages ==
 +
{{LanguageBox
 +
|de=yes
 +
|deName=Krieg der Welten
 +
|deTrans=War of the Worlds
 +
|es=yes
 +
|esName=La casa-árbol del terror XVII
 +
|esTrans=Treehouse of Horror XVII
 +
|la=yes
 +
|laName=La casita del horror XVII
 +
|laTrans=The little house of horror XVII
 +
|fr=yes
 +
|frName=Simpson Horror Show XVII
 +
|frTrans=Simpson's Horror Show XVII
 +
|qu=yes
 +
|quName=Spécial d'Halloween XVII
 +
|quTrans=Halloween Special XVII
 +
|it=yes
 +
|itName=La paura fa novanta XVII
 +
|itTrans=Fear makes ninety XVII
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
== Gallery ==
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
−
File:Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 1.png|Homer, about to eat Ned Flanders.
+
File:Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 1.png
 
File:Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 2.png
 
File:Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 2.png
 
File:Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 3.png
 
File:Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 3.png
 
File:Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 4.png
 
File:Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 4.png
 +
File:Treehouse xvii title.png|Title screen
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 +
 +
== References ==
 +
{{Reflist}}
  
 
{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{Images|ep=yes}}

Latest revision as of 17:25, November 5, 2024

Season 18 Episode
← 381 "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"
382
"Treehouse of Horror XVII"
"G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)" 383 →
← XVI "Treehouse of Horror XVI"
XVII
"Treehouse of Horror XVII"
"Treehouse of Horror XVIII" XVIII →
Treehouse of Horror Episode


Donut Homer.png This THOH is considered non-canon and the events featured do not relate to the series and therefore may not have actually happened/existed.

The reason behind this decision is: The episode is part of the Treehouse of Horror series.

If you dispute this, please bring it up on the episode's talk page.

"Treehouse of Horror XVII"
Treehouse of Horror XVII poster.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 382
Season number: S18 E4
Production code: HABF17
Original airdate: November 5, 2006
Guest star(s): Fran Drescher as the Female Golem
Maurice LaMarche as Orson Welles
Richard Lewis as the Male Golem
Phil McGraw as himself
Sir Mix-a-Lot as the "Baby Likes Fat" singer
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Peter Gaffney
Directed by: David Silverman
Matthew Faughnan


"Treehouse of Horror XVII" is the fourth episode of season 18 of The Simpsons and the three-hundred and eighty-second episode overall. It is also the seventeenth installment in the Treehouse of Horror series and consists of three parts. It originally aired on November 5, 2006. The episode was written by Peter Gaffney and directed by David Silverman and Matthew Faughnan. It guest stars Fran Drescher as the Female Golem, Maurice LaMarche as Orson Welles, Richard Lewis as the Male Golem, Phil McGraw as himself, and Sir Mix-a-Lot as the "Baby Likes Fat" singer.

Synopsis[edit]

"In "Married to the Blob", Homer eats green extraterrestrial goo and morphs into a rampaging blob with an insatiable appetite; in "You Gotta Know When to Golem", Bart uses a golem; and in "The Day the Earth Looked Stupid," the residents of early-1930s Springfield refuse to believe news of an actual alien invasion after being duped by Orson Welles' War of the Worlds radio broadcast."


Plot[edit]

Opening sequence[edit]

A zombie Mr. Burns introduces the show in a parody of Tales from the Crypt, with a zombie Smithers backing him up. Moe, who is in an iron maiden, then complains that their talking is worse torture than the torture itself. Smithers then closes the iron maiden, and Moe's blood pours from his body and spells out "Treehouse of Horror XVII".

Married to the Blob[edit]

Married to the Blob title card.png

As Homer and Marge make out on the hammock in the backyard, a meteorite starts falling towards them, burning through Marge's hair. It lands in the backyard and hatches to reveal a ball of strange, alien goo. Homer decides to eat the "space marshmallow," and after some difficulty, he keeps it down. That night, Homer starts sleepwalking and ends up eating through all the food in the kitchen. When Bart comes in to see what is happening, Homer tries to eat him too. Marge stops Homer from doing so and finds out that Homer has also eaten the cat.

Homer leaves the house in search of more food and finds a group of teenagers partying on the beach. After they have a hot sauce fight, Homer starts eating them. As Homer continues eating, he gets bigger and fatter. He then goes to an Oktoberfest celebration and eats everyone there. Homer then starts going around town eating everyone while "Baby Likes Fat" plays. On the news, Kent Brockman reports on Homer's rampage, showing that he has become huge and green. The rest of the Simpson family goes to Homer to stop him, getting help from Dr. Phil. However, Homer also eats Dr. Phil before he admits he has a problem. He tells Marge that he wants his problem to become a positive for the community, so Mayor Quimby opens up a homeless shelter, with Homer on the other side of the door. As the homeless people go through the door, they are eaten by the gelatinous Homer.

You Gotta Know When to Golem[edit]

You Gotta Know When to Golem title card.png

During a recording of The Krusty the Clown Show, Krusty announces that the show will be broadcast in HDTV. After the recording finishes, Bart tells Milhouse that he will stay behind to complain to Krusty about his Krusty Brand Alarm Clock that sprays acid. Backstage, Bart finds Krusty's prop room and sees a Golem. Krusty finds Bart and explains that the Golem is created in Prague in the 1600s by a rabbi. The Golem then does whatever tasks are written on scrolls and inserted into its mouth. Eventually, the Golem ends up in Krusty's possession, where he uses it to scare audience members who do not enjoy his jokes. After telling the story, Krusty leaves, and Bart puts a scroll into its mouth, telling it to come to his room at midnight.

That night, Bart waits for the Golem to arrive. After a fake-out with his drunken father, the Golem turns up at Bart's room, and Bart puts a scroll in its mouth, telling it to "kick Homer's balls." The Golem does as it is ordered, and Bart takes the Golem with him to school the next day, ordering it to attack the bullies. Lisa realizes what Bart has done and puts a scroll in the Golem's mouth, telling it to speak. The Golem starts speaking and feels horrified by the people he has hurt and killed. After using the Golem to kill Skinner, the Simpsons discuss him and decide that he needs to form a friendship with someone. They create a Female Golem out of Play-Doh and bring her to life. While Homer does not like his creation and wants to get rid of her, the Male Golem falls in love and decides to marry her, with Rabbi Krustofsky officiating the ceremony. The police arrive at the wedding to investigate the Golem, but they are persuaded to drop the matter with a free latke bar.

The Day the Earth Looked Stupid[edit]

The Day the Earth Looked Stupid title card.png

In 1938 Springfield, during the Great Depression, the people of Springfield line up to receive bread from The Salvation Army. At home, as Homer and Marge dance to the radio, a broadcast starts announcing that alien cylinders from Mars have started landing around the country. Orson Welles then starts describing the invasion in more detail, causing panic and riots in Springfield. This all turns out to be a broadcast of The War of the Worlds, which is intended to lift spirits. However, the Springfield citizens keep rioting, not realizing it is a work of fiction. Eventually, Marge comes up with an idea and has everyone pretend to be animals since the aliens are only killing humans. The townspeople strip naked and wallow in filth, making animal noises until the next day when Lisa reveals that the radio broadcast is a hoax.

After finding out it is a hoax, the people of Springfield decide to go back to their normal lives. However, Kang and Kodos choose that moment to invade the town, knowing that the people will just think it is another hoax. Orson Welles shows up in town to tell Chief Wiggum to call the military, but Wiggum doesn't believe him. Kang and Kodos then come down in their UFO and kill Wiggum, draining his body. Three years later, the town is a wasteland. Kang and Kodos argue because they think they would be greeted as liberators. Kang says that they are starting to think that Operation: Enduring Occupation was a bad idea, and Kodos says that they had to invade since the people of Earth were working on weapons of mass disintegration.

Production[edit]

The episode was written by Peter Gaffney, who was someone Al Jean knew from college as part of The Harvard Lampoon.[1]

The opening of the episode, with the pan through the halls of Burns' manor, was animated by multiplaning. This is done by having different levels of artwork which are moved at different rates towards the CG camera to make it appear as though it's moving through 3 dimensional space. Silverman was the director of the episode right until the animatic stage, which is when The Simpsons Movie started production. Matthew Faughnan then took over directing from Silverman so he could focus on The Simpsons Movie.[2]

The original ending had Kang and Kodos saying that the post-apocalyptic Springfield was "just like Iraq would be". After the episode was sent to critics, critics said that the line was too "on the head". James L. Brooks and Matt Groening decided that the sentence should be changed.[1]

  • HABF17 Script.jpg

Reception[edit]

In February 2012, Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture listed "Treehouse of Horror XVII" in his "Nine Latter-Day Simpsons Episodes That Match Up to the Early Classics", with his favorite segment being "You Gotta Know When to Golem".[3]

Dan Iverson of IGN gave the episode a 7.6 rating. He said that the episode "is pretty funny no matter when you watch it". However, he also said that it "isn't up to the quality that was started so many years back". He said that although the "dialogue was solid", "the clever stories that helped build the popularity of these episodes is no longer there". He also said that the story of "You Gotta Know When to Golem" "was actually really boring when you get down to it".[4]

Kyle Ryan and Erik Adams of The A.V. Club listed the "The Day the Earth Looked Stupid" segment in their "10 anxiety-reflecting Simpsons Halloween segments". They said that the show had been "awfully quiet" during the Bush presidency, and called the segment the "most political—and bleakest—Treehouse segment ever".[5]

As of September 2024, the episode has a 6.8 rating on IMDb.[6]

In other languages[edit]

Language Name Translation
Germany.png Deutsch "Krieg der Welten" War of the Worlds
Spain flag.png Español "La casa-árbol del terror XVII" Treehouse of Horror XVII
Hispanic America.gif Español "La casita del horror XVII" The little house of horror XVII
France.png Français "Simpson Horror Show XVII" Simpson's Horror Show XVII
Flag of Quebec.svg.png Français "Spécial d'Halloween XVII" Halloween Special XVII
Italy Flag.png Italiano "La paura fa novanta XVII" Fear makes ninety XVII

Gallery[edit]

  • Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 1.png
  • Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 2.png
  • Treehouse of Horror XVII promo 3.png
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  • Title screen

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jean, Al 2017 Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror XVII", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighteenth Season.
  2. ↑ Silverman, David 2017 Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror XVII", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighteenth Season.
  3. ↑ Vulture - "Nine Latter-Day Simpsons Episodes That Match Up to the Early Classics"
  4. ↑ IGN - "The Simpsons: "Treehouse of Horror XVII" Review"
  5. ↑ The A.V. Club - "'You said we'd be greeted as liberators!': 10 anxiety-reflecting Simpsons Halloween segments" (archived on Wayback Machine)
  6. ↑ IMDb - "Treehouse of Horror XVII"


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Treehouse of Horror XVII".
Season 18 Episodes
The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer • Jazzy and the Pussycats • Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em • Treehouse of Horror XVII • G.I. (Annoyed Grunt) • Moe'N'a Lisa • Ice Cream of Margie (with the Light Blue Hair) • The Haw-Hawed Couple • Kill Gil, Volumes I & II • The Wife Aquatic • Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Three Times • Little Big Girl • Springfield Up • Yokel Chords • Rome-Old and Juli-Eh • Homerazzi • Marge Gamer • The Boys of Bummer • Crook and Ladder • Stop, or My Dog Will Shoot! • 24 Minutes • You Kent Always Say What You Want
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