Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes/References

General

References/Trivia

Appearances

Credits

Quotes

	Season 36 Episode References
← 774 "Women in Shorts"	775 "Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes"	"Convenience Airways" 776 →

Cultural references

• The episode title is a reference to the novel Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.
• The episode is based on Ray Bradbury's short stories.
  • The episode's framing device is based on his book The Illustrated Man, where the animated tattoos on the title character tell the stories featured within the book.

Wraparounds

• The circus, R. Bradbury's Traveling Night Circus, is named after Ray Bradbury.
• One of the tattoos is a story of when The Illustrated Man was into the band Sublime. The tattoo being a sun is a reference to the cover of their first album, 40oz. to Freedom.
  • At the end, when Lisa gets trapped in the tattoos, the sun tattoo starts singing the Sublime song "Santeria".

The Screaming Woman

The first segment is based on Ray Bradbury's The Screaming Woman, with Bart taking the role of Margaret Leary and Kirk being the screaming woman

• The segment is based on the short story The Screaming Woman by Ray Bradbury.
  • The character roles include:
    • Bart as Margaret Leary, the 5th grader who heard a screaming woman from beneath the ground.
    • Milhouse as Dippy, Margaret's friend.
    • Homer and Marge are Margaret's father and mother, respectively.
    • Kirk Van Houten as the screaming woman.
    • Luann Van Houten as the screaming woman's husband who, in the real story, buried her wife alive.
  • Several elements from the story are recreated, including Bart knocking door to to door to see if any woman is not present at home, Luann trying to keep Bart in her house as long as she could, and the song Bart sings to Homer, referencing the tune that Margaret hummed which her father recognized and made him finally believe her.
• The story of how Bart told there was a boy in the woods crying wolf is a parody of The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Marionettes, Inc.

• The segment is based on the 1949 short story Marionettes, Inc. by Ray Bradbury.
  • The character roles include:
    • Carl as Braling (with robot Carl as "Braling Two") and Lenny as Braling's wife.
    • Superintendent Chalmers as Smith and Skinner as Nettie, Smith's wife.
• Chalmers calls Skinner a tragic figure, like Hamlet if he was boring, a principal and an idiot.
• The name of the store Ray's Rayguns is a reference to Ray Bradbury.
• The robot version of Carl planned a trip to the Niagara Falls.

Fahrenheit 451

• The segment is based on the 1953 dystopia novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
  • The character roles include:
    • Homer as Guy Montag.
    • Krusty as Faber.
    • Siegfried Blaze as Captain Beatty.
• Books at Lovejoy house include:
  • Fahrenheit 451.
  • The Handmaid's Tale.
  • Brave New World.
  • 1984.

Reverend Lovejoy is watching Wipeout, the TV game show

• Reverend Lovejoy is watching Wipeout, the TV game show that features contestants in an obstacle course.
• The taped TV shows seen at Lovejoy's room include:
  • Love Island.
  • Dance Moms.
  • NCIS: Hawaiʻi.
  • Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
  • King of Queens.
  • According to Jim.
• Robber Barons is based on Succession.
• The fire department took down 32 seasons of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and the last known episode of Last Man Standing.
• At the school, Homer discovers America's Funniest Home Videos.
• Bernice Hibbert mentions Alan Sepinwall, a critic at Rolling Stone.
• Siegfried Blaze sent Homer to watch four seasons of Mozart in the Jungle, an American comedy-drama TV series.
• When Homer enters The Android's Dungeon saying he wants to watch something that isn't very good, Krusty pulls a figurine of Stewie Griffin from Family Guy.
• ALF from the sitcom ALF is seen on the TV in The Android's Dungeon's basement.
• Krusty mentions all that remains of lowbrow entertainment is Real Housewives and The Golden Bachelor.
• Homer tricks Siegfried Blaze into thinking the creator of Breaking Bad was behind him, with Siegfried mentioning him, Vince Gilligan.
• In the final narration, Homer mentions The Masked Singer and The Kardashians.
• One of the refugees mentions The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper saying his catchphrase "Bazinga ".
• Jasper mentions the Vanderpump Rules.

Trivia

• The cast names are red but are their regular names, similar to "Not It".
• Kang and Kodos do not appear in any form, contrary to all other Treehouse of Horror episodes or Halloween specials.
• The regular Gracie Films logo is used instead of the screamer one reserved for Halloween specials.

Continuity

• The Ding-A-Ling Bros. Circus ringmaster fires The Illustrated Man. ("Krusty the Clown")

Goofs

• A videotape of Dance Moms can be seen on a pile of tapes in Reverend Lovejoy's secret room. After he prays the firemen for mercy, the text "Dance Moms" is no longer seen on the videotape.

← Season 35 Season 36 References Upcoming episodes →
Aired
Bart's Birthday • The Yellow Lotus • Desperately Seeking Lisa • Shoddy Heat • Treehouse of Horror XXXV • Women in Shorts • Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes • Convenience Airways • Homer and Her Sisters
Disney+ Specials
O C'mon All Ye Faithful • The Past and the Furious • Yellow Planet
Unscheduled
The Man Who Flew Too Much • The Last Man Expanding • Estranger Things • Men Behaving Manly • Keep Chalm and Gary On • Bad Boys... for Life?
Unknown Production Code
The Beautiful Shame • Marge and Homer and Moe and Maya • Abe League of Their Moe • P.S., I Hate You