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Difference between revisions of "Treehouse of Horror XX"

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{{episode
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{{Tab|nogags}}
|image=Treehouse of Horror.jpg
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{{EpisodePrevNext|The Great Wife Hope|The Devil Wears Nada}}
|Episode Number=445
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{{THOHPrevNext|Treehouse of Horror XIX|Treehouse of Horror XXI}}
|productionCode=LABF14
+
{{Noncanon Episode|THOH}}
|originalAirdate=October 18, 2009
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{{Episode
|blackboardText=None, like all Treehouse of Horrors
+
|image= Treehouse of Horror XX promo 1.jpg
|couchGag=None, like most of the later THOH's
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|number= 445
|Written By=Daniel Chun
+
|season=21
|Directed By=Mike B. Anderson and Matthew Schofield
+
|snumber=4
 +
|prodcode= LABF14
 +
|airdate= October 18, [[2009]]
 +
|showrunner1= Al Jean
 +
|writer= [[Daniel Chun]]
 +
|director= [[Mike B. Anderson]]<br>[[Matthew Schofield]]
 
}}
 
}}
  
"'''Treehouse of Horror XX'''" is the fourth episode of ''The Simpsons''' twenty-first season. The episode first aired on October 18, 2009 on Fox. The twentieth ''Treehouse of Horror'' episode, it contains three self-contained segments. An estimated 8.59 million viewers tuned in to watch the episode.
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"''''Treehouse of Horror XX'''" is the fourth episode of [[season 21]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the four-hundred and forty-fifth episode overall. It is also the twentieth installment in the [[Treehouse of Horror series|''Treehouse of Horror'' series]] and consists of three parts. It originally aired on October 18, [[2009]]. The episode was written by [[Daniel Chun]] and directed by [[Mike B. Anderson]] and [[Matthew Schofield]].
  
== Opening Sequence ==
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== Synopsis ==
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{{Desc|In "Dial 'M' for Murder or Press # to Return to Main Menu," [[Lisa]] is forced into a Hitchcockian murder scheme by [[Bart]], in "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind," [[Springfield]] is once again overrun by zombies thanks to [[Krusty Burger]]'s latest sandwich, and in "There's No Business Like Moe Business," [[Moe]] the bartender bleeds [[Homer]] dry to create the perfect microbrewed beer.}}
  
      Monsters come to life, and they're bullied by [[Jimbo]], [[Dolph]], and [[Kearney]]. They buy costumes at a shop and put them on. Then they go to the Simpson house. They meet and fall in love with women at the party. Then their wives come in and they're mad at them. The wives are furious at [[Homer]], so they tear off his head and it falls in the punchbowl.(Unhappy Ending)
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== Plot ==
 +
=== Opening sequence ===
 +
[[File:Treehouse of Horror XX - Monsters dressed.png|thumb|left|The monsters in "modern" Halloween costumes.]]
 +
{{ap|Count Dracula|monster}}, [[Frankenstein's Monster]], the [[Werewolf]] and [[Amenhotep]] all come to life on [[Halloween]]. As they are walking through [[Springfield]], they are mocked by [[Jimbo]], [[Dolph]] and [[Kearney]] for their costumes. The monsters then go to a costume shop and put on character costumes. They then attend the Halloween party at the Simpsons house where they all make out with women at the party. Their wives then turn up and attack their husbands. As Homer says that it's not cheating if it's in costume, the wives attack Homer, decapitating him. The "Treehouse of Horror XX" logo then appears over Homer's head.
  
==Dial 'M' for Murder==
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=== Dial "M" for Murder or Press # To Return To Main Menu ===
 +
[[File:Dial M for Murder.png|thumb|right|Title card for "Dial "M" for Murder"]]
 +
After getting mad at [[Miss Hoover]] for not choosing her to represent the class at a reading roundup, [[Lisa]] gets detention. In detention, Lisa speaks to Bart who wants to get revenge on [[Mrs. Krabappel]]. The two of them decide to "criss-cross", each taking care of the other's teacher since they have no motive. Lisa follows Mrs. Krabappel and "ding-dong-ditches" her. When Lisa tells Bart about it, Bart shows Lisa Miss Hoover's decapitated head, saying that he meant that Lisa needed to kill Krabappel, not just prank her. Bart then tells Lisa that she has to go through with her promise.
  
    [[Lisa]] is mad at [[Miss Hoover]] for not choosing her to represent the class at the reading roundup, and she gives Lisa detention. She sees [[Bart]] there, too. He tells her that he'll get revenge on [[Miss Hoover]] if she gets revenge on [[Mrs. Krabappel]] for putting him in detention. [[Lisa ding-dong-ditches Mrs. Krabappel, but Bart ''kills'' Miss Hoover. Lisa tells Bart she'll tell [[Principal Skinner]], but Bart has killed him, too. So Lisa decides she has to kill.........................BART! She chases him with her knife and when they get on the merry-go-round, Lisa decides not to kill him, so she throws her knife in the air-but it stabs Bart in the head.(Unhappy Ending)
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Lisa gets an opportunity to kill Krabappel but can't go through with it. This leads to Lisa deciding to kill Bart instead. Lisa chases Bart all over before getting him on the merry-go-round in the school playground. Lisa then decides that she can't kill Bart as she's not like him and throws the knife in the air, which lands in Bart's head, killing him. Mrs. Krabappel then praises Lisa for killing Bart and the two of them walk off together.
  
==Don't Have a Cow, Mankind==
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=== Don't Have a Cow, Mankind ===
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[[File:Don't Have a Cow, Mankind.png|thumb|left|Title card for "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind"]]
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[[Kent Brockman]] reports on [[Krusty Burger]]'s new Burger², a burger created from cows that had eaten beef from other cows. Upon trying the burger, Kent Brockman turns into a Muncher zombie and bites [[Krusty]], turning him too. Twenty-eight days later, the town is chaos with zombies running around everywhere. However, the Simpson family are safe indoors, with the exception of [[Grampa]] who is left outside. Bart gets hungry for food that's not fruit and decides to sneak off to a nearby Krusty Burger to get a burger. This turned out to be one of the new Burger²s, but Bart wasn't turned into a zombie from it, with the family realizing that Bart has an immunity.
  
  [[Kent Brockman]] is reporting [[Krusty]]'s new Burger². He tries it, and his eyes lose their pupils and get red underneath and he goes crazy(becomes a muncher). He bites Krusty, who also becomes a muncher. Munchers bite regular people, so they become munchers, too. Later, [[Bart]] is hungry, so he sneaks out and eats a Burger², but he doesn't become a muncher. The rest of the family wonder why. There is everyone who has became a muncher at the Simpson house, and they're trying to turn the Simpsons into munchers, too. [[Ranier Wolfcastle]] tells them if they want to be safe, they should go with him, but he is soon bitten by the munchers. [[Apu]] comes just in time to save them, and he drives them over to the dump. Apu gets out to push them over a heap of garbage. Then the Simpsons drive away, leaving Apu behind, who gets turned into a muncher. The car then runs out of gas, so they have to walk to the safe zone, and protect Bart, so they'll all be immune to muncher bites, since he is. They get there, and everyone has to drink soup that Bart has to bathe in to become immune.(Happy Ending)
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The family calls [[Dr. Hibbert]] who tells them to get to the safe zone outside of town with Bart so that can be used to make a cure. They escape from the house with [[Apu]], who didn't eat the burgers as he's a vegetarian and has weaponry due to being a convenience store owner. Apu drives the family out of town in his car until it gets stuck. Apu gets out to push the car as the Simpsons drive away, leaving Apu behind to die. Eventually, the car runs out of gas and the family starts to walk. Homer then finds the bodies of [[Mr. Burns]] and [[Smithers]] and mocks Burns, only for Burns to bite Homer, turning him into a Muncher. Marge stops Bart from killing Homer and they all go to the safe zone to make the cure. The people there suggest killing Bart to make the cure, but Bart ends up bathing in their food instead. Eventually, society gets restored to normalcy.
  
==There's No Business Like Moe Business==
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=== There's No Business Like Moe Business ===
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[[File:There's No Business Like Moe Business.png|thumb|right|Title card for "There's No Business Like Moe Business"]]
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In a stage musical based on [[Moe]], one of the taps in [[Moe's Tavern]] doesn't work. As Moe goes into the basement to fix it, Homer jumps over the bar to grab a free drink. He then falls into the trap door and gets impaled on one of the machines. Moe is at first concerned for his friend but then realizes that he can use this as an opportunity to win Marge over. He tells Marge that Homer ran away saying that he didn't love her any more. Moe then gives Marge a drink, which Homer's blood gets mixed into. Marge then begins to develop feelings for Moe.
  
    This is a play where [[Homer]] and [[Marge]] are at [[Moe's Tavern]] together. [[Homer]] falls down the door that leads to the boiler room, and [[Moe]] doesn't want Marge to know that this happened, so he tells her that Homer wants to leave her to see what it's like to be gay. They drink beer together(which got mixed with Homer's blood). Marge decides to say yes, but later, Homer appears with what pumps the beer at the bar attached to him. She still likes Homer, even because of that.(Happy Ending)
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A week later, Moe asks Marge again if she would go out with him. Marge still has hope that Homer would return, so Moe reads Marge a letter that he wrote, saying it was from Homer. The letter said that Homer had realized that he was gay so didn't want to be with Marge any more. Moe then goes to pour another drink for Marge but realizes that there's none of Homer's blood in it. Moe then goes to the basement to squeeze more blood out of Homer.  
  
==Closing Sequence==
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As Moe comes up again, he again asks Marge if she will be his. As they start singing, Homer appears, with the machine still through him. Homer tells Marge what had happened and beats Moe up. Homer then asks Marge if she can love a man who's half beer and Marge tells Homer that she always has. The whole cast then comes out and sings "[[Number XX]]".
  
At the end everybody sings the theme song on the stage used in No Business Like Moe Business with these lyrics: "We hope you have enjoyed this years Halloween Show, Treehouse of Horror, number XX!"
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== Production ==
 +
<gallery>
 +
File:LABF14 Script.jpg
 +
</gallery>
  
 +
== Reception ==
 +
In its original airing, the episode was watched by 8.59 million viewers and was the most watched of "Animation Domination".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20091023033621/http://www.simpsonschannel.com/2009/10/ratings-treehouse-of-horror-xx/ Simpsons Channel - "Ratings: Treehouse of Horror XX"] (archived on {{W|Wayback Machine}})</ref>
  
 +
IGN praised the episode by saying "it was a fine addition to the series' Halloween specials". The Sweeney Todd segment was "a nice treat".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120324003133/http://tv.ign.com/articles/103/1036249p1.html IGN - "The Simpsons: "Treehouse of Horror XX" Review"] (archived on {{W|Wayback Machine}})</ref>
  
It is aired on the 3 November in Australia.
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"Treehouse of Horror XX" won a [[2009]] {{W|Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production|Annie Award for Writing in a Television Production}}.<ref name="Annie2009">[https://web.archive.org/web/20100815022604/http://annieawards.org/legacy37th.html The Annie Awards - "37th Annual Annie Nominations and Awards Recipients"] (archived on {{W|Wayback Machine}})</ref>
  
== Cultural References ==
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== Gallery ==
The first segment is a pastiche of numerous Alfred Hitchcock films. The main plot derives from ''Strangers on a Train'', where two men plot to kill off each others' enemies, while other elements of ''North By Northwest'', ''Vertigo'' and other Hitchcock movies are included. Hitchcock himself is shown in a brief cameo stepping out of a bus (as he did in the title sequence of ''North By Northwest'').
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<gallery>
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File:Treehouse of horror xx title.png|Title card
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File:THOHXX logo 1.jpg
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File:THOHXX logo 2.jpg
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File:THOHXX logo 3.png
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File:Treehouse of Horror XX promo 2.jpg
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File:Treehouse of Horror XX promo 3.jpg
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File:Treehouse of Horror XX promo 4.jpg
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File:Treehouse of Horror XX promo 5.jpg
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</gallery>
  
The second segment is a parody of both ''28 Days Later'' and ''Children of Man'', in that a plague of pseudo zombies are ravaging the world, and that a child holds the key to mankind's salvation and must be protected at all costs.
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== References ==
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{{Reflist}}
  
The third segment does not completely&nbsp;parody any existing work, but instead seems to be a diegetic play staged by Marge, Moe and Homer for the consumption fo the denizens of Springfield.
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{{Images|ep=yes}}
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{{Treehouse of Horror}}
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{{season 21}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Treehouse of Horror 20}}
  
== References ==
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[[Category:2009]]
<references/>
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[[Category:Musical episodes]]
the third segment is a parody of the broadway musical/movie Sweeney Todd
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[[Category:Annie Award winning episodes]]
[[Category:Treehouse of Horror]]
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[[Category:Episodes written by Daniel Chun]]
[[Category:Anthology]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Mike B. Anderson]]
[[Category:Season 21]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Matthew Schofield]]
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[[sv:Treehouse of Horror XX]]

Latest revision as of 14:25, March 28, 2024

Season 21 Episode
444 "The Great Wife Hope"
445
"Treehouse of Horror XX"
"The Devil Wears Nada" 446
XIX "Treehouse of Horror XIX"
XX
"Treehouse of Horror XX"
"Treehouse of Horror XXI" XXI
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 XX"
Treehouse of Horror XX promo 1.jpg
Episode Information
Episode number: 445
Season number: S21 E4
Production code: LABF14
Original airdate: October 18, 2009
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Daniel Chun
Directed by: Mike B. Anderson
Matthew Schofield


"'Treehouse of Horror XX" is the fourth episode of season 21 of The Simpsons and the four-hundred and forty-fifth episode overall. It is also the twentieth installment in the Treehouse of Horror series and consists of three parts. It originally aired on October 18, 2009. The episode was written by Daniel Chun and directed by Mike B. Anderson and Matthew Schofield.

Synopsis[edit]

"In "Dial 'M' for Murder or Press # to Return to Main Menu," Lisa is forced into a Hitchcockian murder scheme by Bart, in "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind," Springfield is once again overrun by zombies thanks to Krusty Burger's latest sandwich, and in "There's No Business Like Moe Business," Moe the bartender bleeds Homer dry to create the perfect microbrewed beer."


Plot[edit]

Opening sequence[edit]

The monsters in "modern" Halloween costumes.

Count Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Werewolf and Amenhotep all come to life on Halloween. As they are walking through Springfield, they are mocked by Jimbo, Dolph and Kearney for their costumes. The monsters then go to a costume shop and put on character costumes. They then attend the Halloween party at the Simpsons house where they all make out with women at the party. Their wives then turn up and attack their husbands. As Homer says that it's not cheating if it's in costume, the wives attack Homer, decapitating him. The "Treehouse of Horror XX" logo then appears over Homer's head.

Dial "M" for Murder or Press # To Return To Main Menu[edit]

Title card for "Dial "M" for Murder"

After getting mad at Miss Hoover for not choosing her to represent the class at a reading roundup, Lisa gets detention. In detention, Lisa speaks to Bart who wants to get revenge on Mrs. Krabappel. The two of them decide to "criss-cross", each taking care of the other's teacher since they have no motive. Lisa follows Mrs. Krabappel and "ding-dong-ditches" her. When Lisa tells Bart about it, Bart shows Lisa Miss Hoover's decapitated head, saying that he meant that Lisa needed to kill Krabappel, not just prank her. Bart then tells Lisa that she has to go through with her promise.

Lisa gets an opportunity to kill Krabappel but can't go through with it. This leads to Lisa deciding to kill Bart instead. Lisa chases Bart all over before getting him on the merry-go-round in the school playground. Lisa then decides that she can't kill Bart as she's not like him and throws the knife in the air, which lands in Bart's head, killing him. Mrs. Krabappel then praises Lisa for killing Bart and the two of them walk off together.

Don't Have a Cow, Mankind[edit]

Title card for "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind"

Kent Brockman reports on Krusty Burger's new Burger², a burger created from cows that had eaten beef from other cows. Upon trying the burger, Kent Brockman turns into a Muncher zombie and bites Krusty, turning him too. Twenty-eight days later, the town is chaos with zombies running around everywhere. However, the Simpson family are safe indoors, with the exception of Grampa who is left outside. Bart gets hungry for food that's not fruit and decides to sneak off to a nearby Krusty Burger to get a burger. This turned out to be one of the new Burger²s, but Bart wasn't turned into a zombie from it, with the family realizing that Bart has an immunity.

The family calls Dr. Hibbert who tells them to get to the safe zone outside of town with Bart so that can be used to make a cure. They escape from the house with Apu, who didn't eat the burgers as he's a vegetarian and has weaponry due to being a convenience store owner. Apu drives the family out of town in his car until it gets stuck. Apu gets out to push the car as the Simpsons drive away, leaving Apu behind to die. Eventually, the car runs out of gas and the family starts to walk. Homer then finds the bodies of Mr. Burns and Smithers and mocks Burns, only for Burns to bite Homer, turning him into a Muncher. Marge stops Bart from killing Homer and they all go to the safe zone to make the cure. The people there suggest killing Bart to make the cure, but Bart ends up bathing in their food instead. Eventually, society gets restored to normalcy.

There's No Business Like Moe Business[edit]

Title card for "There's No Business Like Moe Business"

In a stage musical based on Moe, one of the taps in Moe's Tavern doesn't work. As Moe goes into the basement to fix it, Homer jumps over the bar to grab a free drink. He then falls into the trap door and gets impaled on one of the machines. Moe is at first concerned for his friend but then realizes that he can use this as an opportunity to win Marge over. He tells Marge that Homer ran away saying that he didn't love her any more. Moe then gives Marge a drink, which Homer's blood gets mixed into. Marge then begins to develop feelings for Moe.

A week later, Moe asks Marge again if she would go out with him. Marge still has hope that Homer would return, so Moe reads Marge a letter that he wrote, saying it was from Homer. The letter said that Homer had realized that he was gay so didn't want to be with Marge any more. Moe then goes to pour another drink for Marge but realizes that there's none of Homer's blood in it. Moe then goes to the basement to squeeze more blood out of Homer.

As Moe comes up again, he again asks Marge if she will be his. As they start singing, Homer appears, with the machine still through him. Homer tells Marge what had happened and beats Moe up. Homer then asks Marge if she can love a man who's half beer and Marge tells Homer that she always has. The whole cast then comes out and sings "Number XX".

Production[edit]

Reception[edit]

In its original airing, the episode was watched by 8.59 million viewers and was the most watched of "Animation Domination".[1]

IGN praised the episode by saying "it was a fine addition to the series' Halloween specials". The Sweeney Todd segment was "a nice treat".[2]

"Treehouse of Horror XX" won a 2009 Annie Award for Writing in a Television Production.[3]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Treehouse of Horror XX".
Season 21 Episodes
Homer the Whopper Bart Gets a "Z" The Great Wife Hope Treehouse of Horror XX The Devil Wears Nada Pranks and Greens Rednecks and Broomsticks Oh Brother, Where Bart Thou? Thursdays with Abie Once Upon a Time in Springfield Million Dollar Maybe Boy Meets Curl The Color Yellow Postcards from the Wedge Stealing First Base The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed American History X-cellent Chief of Hearts The Squirt and the Whale To Surveil with Love Moe Letter Blues The Bob Next Door Judge Me Tender