Treehouse of Horror II
Treehouse of Horror II Written by Atrocious Al Jean & Morbid Mike Reiss
also known as ``The Simpsons Halloween Special 2'' Jittery Jeff Martin
Gasping George Meyer
Slithering Sam Simon
Spooky John Swartzwelder
Directed by Jim Rondo Reardon
Title sequence: See scene summary
A word from your editor
They're baaaaaaack!
For reference, the three dreams will be called `The Monkey's Paw', `The
Bart Zone', and `If I Only Had a Brain'. (Thanks to Ron Carter {rc} for
suggesting the first two titles.)
And a spelling note: I belong to the old school of English orthography,
so I spell Hallowe'en with an apostrophe. I have tried to resist the
temptation to enforce this spelling rule on other people's text.
Didja notice...
The Monkey's Paw
... the guy walking behind the family was carrying a bag weighing what
look like a good few hundred pounds over one shoulder? {dh}
... Homer was wearing a fez which still had the price tag attached?
... Marge exclaimed, ``Oh, my land!'' instead of ``Oh, my Lord'',
in keeping with her opening disclaimer?
... there was money coming out of Marge's hair?
... the aliens were basically the same aliens from last year's
Hallowe'en episode?
... the alien Kodos was wearing a ``King of the earth'' sash?
... The `F' on Flander's castle? {dh} (Hey, at least it wasn't a
``Welcome to Flanders Country'' mat.)
The Bart Zone
... there are three apples and a dead rat on Ms. Krabappel's desk? {dh}
... sitting behind Bart is a student that has been turned into some
animal, with a long (6 feet?) tail standing up, and looking something
like a cross between a lion and a monkey. ``Thou shalt not piss off
Bart.'' {bps}
... in Moe's tavern, Barney and the guys are drunkenly mumbling,
``Happy thoughts... Happy thoughts...''?
... there was a woman in Moe's Tavern? She was the only one who didn't
laugh at Bart's prank phone call. {dh}
... Mrs. Winfield was on the roller coaster? {dh}
... Bart was wearing Krusty pajamas?
If I Only Had a Brain
... how the images of Burns and Smithers changed as they walked
behind various pieces of glassware in the lab?
... the robot has an N-shaped antenna on the side of its head?
(cf. Homer's M-shaped tuft of hair.) {bps}
Dave Hall {dh}:
... when Burns says, ``To the laboratory!'', he disappears for two
frames (while the lightning flashes)?
... the `Watch Your Step' sign on the stairs leading into the lab?
[Apparently, the lab was designed according to OSHA specs. --rjc]
... the skulls and brains in a shelf in Burn's laboratory?
... when Homer became a robot, a little oil was dripping down his
steel cheek while he was sleeping at the console?
(Just like old times :-) )
Rave reviews
I loved the self-referential complaints about Simpsons merchandising.
The Hallowe'en episodes are the best because they can do totally bizarre
things. Not only can they ignore continuity, but they are no longer
constrained by the laws of physics.
Ron Carter {rc}: Great episode! Favorite quote:
Dammit, Smithers, this isn't rocket science, it's brain surgery!
David Hyatt (dhyatt@leland.Stanford.EDU): I personally thought this was by
far the best episode of the season -- the wildest, most creative, and with
best handling of characters.
David Moery's favorite line: Look at me! I'm Davey Crockett!
John De Carlo's {jdc} favorites: Bad corpse! Stop scaring Smithers!
A Warren Pratten {awp}: Oh good! The curtains are on fire!
``I just started laughing uncontrollably. I actually
had to pause the VCR for about 5 minutes to recover.''
Shane P. Faulkner {spf}: The quick shot of Burns and Smithers chowing down
on a pizza right after performing the brain surgery. Sheer comic Genius!!!
Movie (and other) References
+ It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
- The kids in front of the Simpsons' house at the beginning. {rc}
+ The Monkey's Paw
- the play is about a monkey's paw which grants wishes, though
the wishes always carry with them undesireable side-effects.
The New Twilight Zone (TV)
- the episode where some boys have several wishes which backfire.
One is a wish for X-ray specs which ends up working too well,
enabling them to see all the way to the bones. {msb}
A Small Talent For War (Twilight Zone)
- aliens threaten earth with destruction. In haste, the humans
arrange universal peace. This humors the aliens, who created earth
in order to breed warriors. Earth, with its `small talent for war',
is thus doomed to destruction as a failure. This has <some>
similarities to Lisa's nightmare. {las}
+ Midnight Express
- the Moroccan airport {rc}
[I haven't seen the movie, but I suspect the music from that scene
is taken from the movie as well. --rjc]
- The kid (Brad Davis) tries to smuggle heroin out of Turkey by
taping it under his shirt, like Homer did. Everything was the same,
the appearance of the plane, the way the guard searches him and
finds the stuff, and the way the ring of armed guards point their
guns at him. The ONLY difference was that the kid got a stiffer
penalty than `two American dollars'. {jt2} {bdm}
~ Star Trek, ``The Conscience of the King''
- Kodos was the name of the bad guy in the episode. {rb2}
+ It's a GOOD Life (Twilight Zone, from a short story by Jerome Bixby)
- young boy (Billy Mumy from Lost in Space) alters things with his
mind. The plot was quite true to the original, including turning
an offending man into a jack-in-the-box. {wb}
- people constantly saying, ``It's very good that you did that.'' {rb2}
- the music during Bart's dream was very TZish.
- the story was remade in ``The Twilight Zone: The Movie'' with
Kathleen Quinlan and ... Nancy Cartwright! {rb} No doubt this
influenced the writers' decision to re-remake the story.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the remake)
- Jasper the dog. {dh}
+ One Froggy Evening (Chuck Jones cartoon)
- in the cartoon, a frog dances and sings ``Hello, My Baby''.
- {ej} claims the song was original for the cartoon.
- {wb} disagrees. It came from a '20s musical.
- {nw} refers to the book `That's All, Folks!' by Steve
Schneider, which says that it was the other song,
the Michigan Rag, which was written by Chuck Jones and
Michael Maltese. `Hello, My Baby' had an independent life.
The name of the frog (not given in the cartoon) was
Michigan J. Frog, another cartoon character with `J' as
a middle initial.
- Principal Skinner sings the same song over the P.A.
You can also hear his feet thumping.
+ Duck Amuck
- Snowball II looks a lot like Daffy Duck in the cartoon. That's the
one where the illustrator has fun with Daffy. If I remember right,
Daffy even breathes flames just like the cat. {elm}
+ Frankenstein
- Homer's dream is an obvious take-off of any of the various
Frankenstein movies, esp. the search for a brain.
~ Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- bashing somebody who's supposed to be dead {jk}
RoboCop 2
- the brain surgery scene {bk} {evl}
+ The Wizard of Oz
- Burns hums, ``If I Only Had a Brain'' when removing Homer's brain.
- ``You clinking, clattering, cacaphony of colligenous cogs and
camshifts!'' {wb}, cf the original script:
You dare to come to me for a heart, do you? You clinking,
clanking, clattering collection of calig- . . .
[Hickory trembles with fear] . . . inous junk!
The script calls the Tin Woodsman `Hickory'. {nw}
Robocop
- Robo-Homer's line-graphics view of the world {bk}
the movie in which a mad scientist's body is grafted onto Rosie Grier
- The Thing with Two Heads {ml}
- The Incredible Two Headed Transplant {rb2} {tjf}
But in the movie, the scientist's head was on the left shoulder.
- The Man with Two Heads {ji}
``Best viewed late at night after a few too many.''
Freeze Frame Fun
The credits
All in a ghoulish font, courtesy of Will Bell {wb}.
Created by Malevolent Matt Groening
Developed by James Hell Brooks
Mad Matt Groening
Sort Of Frightening Sam Simon
Co-Exec Producers Awful Al Jean &
Mirthless Mike Reiss
Supervising Producers Kreepy Jack Kogen
Weird Wally Wolodarsky
Producer Ghastly George Meyer
Produced by Ruthless Richard Sakai
Loathsome Larina Jean Adamson
Demonic David Silverman
Co-Producer Vicious Jack Vitti
Co-Producer Scary John Swartzwelder
Written by Atrocious Al Jean & Morbid Mike Reiss
Jittery Jeff Martin
Gasping George Meyer
Slithering Sam Simon
Spooky John Swartzwelder
Directed by Jim Rondo Reardon
---
Executive Producers James Hell Brooks
Mad Matt Groening
Sort of Frightening Sam Simon
Starring Diabolical Dan Castellaneta
Ghoulie Julie Kavner
Nefarious Nancy Cartwright
Yowling Yeardley Smith
Hellacious Hank Azaria
and Howlific Harry Shearer
Also Starring Mummified Maggie Roswell
Special Guest Voice Macabre Marcia Wallace
Executive Consultant Bloody Bradley Bird
Exec Story Editor Jittery Jeff Martin
Creative Consultant David Bloody Knuckles Stern
Associate Producers J. Maniacal Mendel
Butcher Joe Boucher
Theme by Red-Wolf Elfman
Music by Sheer Terror Clausen
Casting by Bludgeoning Bonita Pietila
Editors Murderous Mark McJimsey
Deadly Don Barrozo
Anim Prod Manager Killer Ken Tsumura
Post Prod Coords Grave Jeff Goldstein
Colon Cramps Lewis
(etc)
Animation Exec Prod Gabor the Ghost Csupo
Animation Producer Shrieking Sherry Gunther
Overseas Anim Directors Mike the Maggot Girard
J. C. Park
Anim Prod Manager Mean Maria Rodriguez
(etc)
Special Halloween
Credits Sonny "The Thing" King, Laser-Pacific
Exec in charge of
Anim Production Wretched Richard Raynis
Exec in charge of
Prod for Gracie Miserly Mike Schonbrun
Creative Supervisor Sort of Frightening Sam Simon
Exec Creat Consultant James Hell Brooks
The opening sequence, courtesy of Ron Carter {rc}
The tombstones
Bambi's Mom
Jim Morrison (with graffiti and two true believers)
Someone had scribbled `(lives)' on Jim Morrison's tombstone.
Jim Morrison fans have, in real life, been known to camp out at
(actually it's near) his grave. The Jim Morrison fans don't seem
to mind the weather. (I'm surprised the fire didn't go out.) {dh}
Cajun Cooking
Walt Disney (with mouse ear carving on headstone and frozen (!!!) tomb)
The frozen tomb is a reference to the story that Walt's dead body
is cryogenically preserved.
Lose Weight Now Ask Me How
The trick or treaters in front of the house in the opening sequence are...
the gang from <It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown>! You can make out
Pigpen (dirty sheet) and Charlie Brown (sheet full of eye holes). Really!
Returning from trick-or-treating
Observations by Dave Hall {dh}:
It's a nice effect, but I don't think Homer would normally watch the news
with the lights turned off.
Whatever Homer was eating, it sure didn't look like candy.
The costumes:
Bart: A hooded executioner, complete with severed head (his candy bag)
and axe.
Lisa: An Indian totem pole so tall that Lisa has trouble fitting through
the doorway. She also has trouble keeping her balance,
it's so top-heavy.
Maggie: Wearing a witch's hat and mask. she's sucking a pacifier through
the mask. (Also falls down as they come home.)
Marge: A white streak through her hair, as the Bride of Frankenstein.
The Monkey's Paw
Lisa's T-shirt: I Kissed the Balmoweloud
Ron Carter {rc} reports:
The spelling (my viewing) is questionable; I did a complete search on
Groliers (online edition, local access) with no joy on -any- Ba* word.
I would assume(?) that this is some Marrakesh stone(?) landmark making
this a reference to the I Kissed the Blarney Stone T-shirts people get
in Ireland.
Anybody been to Morocco?
At the airport, courtesy of Ron Carter {rc}
Homer is smuggling a camel bank, a pack of Camel cigs, a I (heart)
Marrakesh mug, and a Honk if You're Moroccan bumper sticker.
When the Simpsons become famous, courtesy of Ron Carter {rc}
Krusty is at the restaurant with some blonde.
At the store it is a Simpsons Overstock 2 for 1 sale.
Simpsons marketing
$18 T-shirts. (``What a ripoff!'')
``Simpsons Go Calypso!'' on CD and 8-track.
Note the flower in Marge's hair.
[Homer: Men smart!
Marge: The woman is smarter.]
Complains Otto, ``Man, this thing is really getting out of hand.''
Bart's image says, ``Get a mammogram, man!'' on a billboard.
Helen complains, ``Is there anything they won't do!''
The Peace Dividend
Soldiers toss guns into a furnace
A policeman throws away his gun, but keeps his billy club and
handcuffs. (Old habits are hard to break?) {dh}
Moe tosses in a gun.
Krusty throws away some brass knuckles and two ninja stars {rc}
and a gun. {jdc}
Either the weapons were empty, or I would be rather surprised that they
didn't explode when people were tossing them into the foundry. {dh}
The Pentagon becomes Five Corners Mall
A child anagrams the sign `DANGER' into `GARDEN'.
People hold hands and sing, forming a giant peace sign across the American
Midwest. Included in the crowd is a Jew holding hands with an Arab. {dh}
The stores in downtown Springfield, courtesy of Ron Carter {rc}
Candy Most Dandy
Rags For Less
The Horseradishery
Semi-Painless Dentistry
The Bart Zone
The school bus
Otto's headphones aren't connected to anything. {dh}
[Maybe he just wants to block out the sounds of the screaming brats? --rjc]
When the bus passes the two cops:
The back of the school bus says something like `stop when red lights
flashing'. {ajr}
The bus has no licence plates, and one of its lights is broken.
Note the kids on the bus. {dh}
Bart's history test, courtesy of Steve VanDevender {sv}
Bart Simpson
(A+)
When was our country discovered? _1942_
Who discovered our country? _some_guy_
What do we call our country? _bonerLand_
What was our country's first president? __Eat___
When did the Civil war begin? __My____
??? _SHORTS_
Props on the Krusty the Klown show
a barrel of gunpowder
Dr. Marvin Monroe's door, courtesy of Ron Carter {rc}
Dr. Marvin Monroe Child Psychologist
Member of the Bonerland Medical Association
If I Only Had a Brain
Reports Alan J. Rosenthal {ajr}:
There's a Grim Reaper standing over a grave in the graveyard, just after
Burns and Smithers pass the tree on their way to Homer's grave.
{discovered by eas, my co-worker}
There's (carefully) no evidence of the lack of Burns's head being sewn on
to Homer after he wakes up, until he sees it in the mirror. This requires
Homer to be oddly to the side of the TV screen in a way which is quite
well done; after I saw it the first time, I was sure that we had seen that
Burns's head wasn't on Homer when he was in bed.
Homer's stitches are gone when he goes to the bathroom, though Burns still
has his. {msb}
Animation Goofs
The Monkey's Paw
The price tag on Homer's fez disappears for one scene. {dh}
The Bart Zone
Bart is sipping on a drink whose straw stopped short at the bottle's neck.
(Also, the sipping is the wrong sound.) {dh}
If I Only Had a Brain
The items on the fireplace disappear and reappear when the fireplace
rotated. {dh}
In the ``Next week on The Simpsons'' scene, Maggie is moved from one side
of the table to the other. {msb} The close-up of Lisa and Maggie comes
from `Homer Defined'. {dh}
Assorted observations and comments
Marge, the Bride of Frankenstein
The 17 October 1990 TV Guide listed Marge Simpson as one of the ten
worst-dressed TV personalities. They said that Marge bore a resemblance
to the Bride of Frankenstein. No doubt the writers bore this in mind
when writing the 1991 Hallowe'en episode.
Johnny Carson's Karnak sketch
You can catch a glimpse of Johnny with his giant turban on the TV set
when Marge comes in.
First, note that in Homer's dream the kids are up late watching The Tonight
Show. We've already seen [8F05] that Lisa has trouble staying up until
midnight. This could mean that Homer doesn't know much about his kids
(since it was his dream), or the Simpsons live in the Central/Mountain
time zone, where Carson is on at 10:30 instead of 11:30, or perhaps it was
one of Johnny's prime-time anniversary shows.
As for what the question in the envelope was, here are some ideas...
Give three examples of bad news/gnus. {rjc}
Name three AMA-approved substitutes for ipecac. {bdm}
Name three animals that really need to shave. {cs}
Mike Berman {msb} notes that whenever Johnny makes a list, the question
has to rhyme, so he proposes
Name a spic, a chick, and something sick. {msb}
Apologies if this offended anyone, but it <does> have to rhyme.
Yes, I know that the writers probably didn't have any question in mind,
but it's fun to play along.
Homer's nap
John De Carlo {jdc} notes:
Some nap. The sun is high in the sky when he goes to sleep (around noon?)
and the moon is high in the sky when they come by (I don't know what time,
but classically they wait until midnight to grave rob). I guess he was
missing his sleep in the nuclear plant.
Quotes and scene summary
NOTE: The quotes aren't really all that funny when taken out of context,
so you might want to be selective about which you include in your
fortune cookie program.
Marge comes out on stage and issues her disclaimer.
Ahem. Hello, everyone. Before last year's Hallowe'en show, I warned you
not to let your children watch. But you did anyway. Mm. Well, this
year's episode is even worse. It's scarier, more violent, and I think
they snuck in some bad language, too. So please, tuck in your children
and... [sighs] Well, if you didn't listen to me last time, you're not
going to now. Enjoy the show.
-- Marge's second disclaimer, ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Under the title, ``The Simpsons Halloween Special 2'', we take another
pan over Springfield Cemetary.
[End of title sequence. Time: 0:55]
In the living room, Homer watches TV.
And to conclude this Hallowe'en newscast on a scary note... Remember, the
Presidential primaries are only a few months away. [chuckles]
-- Kent Brockman, ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Kerny and Dolph ring the bell. ``Trick or treat, man.'' They aren't
costumed, but threaten to egg the house if Homer doesn't pay up.
Homer hands them candy, but they egg the house anyway.
Marge and the kids return from trick-or-treating. Bart is a hooded
executioner, Maggie a witch, Lisa a totem pole (in honor of the noble
native Americans of the Pacific Northwest), and Marge the Bride of
Frankenstein (what else could she possibly be?). Marge tells the kids
they can have one piece of candy before bed, but before she finishes
her sentence, everybody (including Homer and Maggie) has begun gorging
themselves on candy.
Marge: If you eat too much, you'll have nightmares.
Bart: [mouth full of candy] [sarcasm] Oh yeah, everybody in the family
is going to have bad nightmares tonight, ha!
Lisa: [more sarcasm] Oh yeah, three bad nightmares.
Homer: [yet more sarcasm] I'd like to see that! Heh heh heh!
-- Little do they know... ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Lisa eats a candy bar in bed, then turns off the light. (Her bedcovers
are still strewn with candy wrappers.)
The place: Marrakesh, Morocco.
Homer: What a dump! Why would Princess Grace live in a place like this?
Lisa: [annoyed] Dad, that's Monaco.
-- A visit to Morocco, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
They watch a contortionist do his thing. (Says Bart, ``I can do that,
but I don't want to.'') At a market, Homer inquires after a monkey's
paw, which the vendor claims will grant wishes to its owner.
Vendor: Sir, I must strongly advise you: Do not purchase this.
Behind every wish lurks grave misfortune.
I, myself, was once president of Algeria.
Homer: Come on, pal, I don't want to hear your life story. Paw me!
-- A visit to Morocco, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Marge is not pleased by Homer's purchase.
Marge: Ew, Homer, where did you get that ugly thing?
Homer: Why, at that little shop right over... there?
[all that's left is a gust of wind] [gasp!]
Oh, no, wait, it was over there.
[points at the shop]
-- Sleight of hand, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Warns the vendor, ``You'll be sari!''
Boarding the plane, Homer is caught by customs. He is fined $2.
At home, the paw sits on the coffee table. Bart wants to wish for
X-Ray specs that really work. Lisa would rather wish for peace on
earth. While they're arguing, Maggie grabs the paw and makes her wish.
A limo pulls up outside, and Homer is pleased. (``Good baby!'') The
driver brings Maggie a shiny new pacifier, then speeds off. (``D'oh!'')
Bart decides he's waited long enough and wishes for the Simpsons to be
rich and famous. (``Now, you're talking!'' agrees Homer.) Immediately,
they are showered with money. Homer takes the family to the fanciest
restaurant in town, the Gilded Truffle. The maitre d' shows them to
their table...
Marge: Homer, maybe fame and fortune aren't as bad as they say.
Woman 1: If I hear one more thing about the Simpsons, I swear, I'm going
to scream.
Woman 2: At first they were cute and funny, but now they are just annoying.
-- Dame Fortune frowns, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
The sentiment is echoed around town as Our Favorite Family becomes heavily
merchandised. In the living room...
Come to think of it, the guy that sold me this thing did say the wishes
would bring grave misfortune. I thought he was just being colorful.
-- Homer, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Lisa: [takes the paw] I wish for world peace.
[the second finger on the paw closes]
Homer: Lisa, that was very selfish of you!
-- `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
At the U.N....
British ambassador: Eh, sorry about the Falklands, old boy.
Argentine ambassador: Oh, forget it. We kind of knew they were yours.
-- The peace dividend, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Weapons are destroyed the world over, etc. In space, two aliens
laugh diabolically for quite a long time. They land in Springfield...
People of earth! We come to you in the spirit of hostility and menace!
-- The green aliens, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Diamond Jim Quimby tries to reason with them, but is merely bonked on
the head with a club. (The other alien wields a slingshot.)
Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!
-- The green aliens, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Len: They're conking us with a club!
Man: Wish we'd saved an A-bomb or two...
-- Green aliens invade, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
The townsfolk blame it all on the Simpsons.
Back in the living room, Homer decides to wish for something completely
harmless.
I'll make a wish that can't backfire. I wish for a turkey sandwich, on
rye bread, with lettuce and mustard, and, <and> I don't want any zombie
turkeys, I don't want to turn into a turkey myself, and I don't want any
other weird surprises. You got it?
[the monkey's paw closes its finger in understanding]
[a turkey sandwich materializes]
[Homer takes it] Hey! [digs in]
Not bad. Nice, hot mustard. Good bread. The turkey's a little dry.
[in realization] The turkey's a little dry!
Oh, foe, the cursed teeth! [huh?]
What demon from the depths of hell created thee!
-- Homer deals with... `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Homer tosses the paw into the trash, where Ned inquires after it.
Homer decides to let Ned have it, in both senses of the phrase.
Okily dokily!
-- Ned Flanders, `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Ned sees Moe being chased by an alien. (``Kneel before my slingshot,
puny earthling!'') So Ned wishes that the aliens would be gone. Moe
chases the alien with a board with a nail in it. The aliens flee.
Alien 1: It seems the earthlings won.
Alien 2: Did they? That board with a nail in it may have defeated us.
But the humans won't stop there. They'll make bigger boards
and bigger nails, and soon, they will make a board with a nail
so big, it will destroy them all!
[both aliens laugh evilly, for quite some time]
-- `The Monkey's Paw' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
The townfolk carries Ned on their shoulders. He goes into his house,
which transforms into a majestic castle, dwarfing the Simpsons' residence.
Grumbles Homer, ``I wish <I> had a monkey's paw...''
[End of Act One. Time: 8:40]
Lisa wakes Bart and asks if she can sleep in his bed. She pays him with
candy necklace, which Bart ingests in five seconds. (``Climb aboard.'')
Bart drifts off to dream-land...
Presented for your consideration: Springfield. An average little town,
with a not-so-average monster.
[townsfolk wander around with nervous smiles, saying, `Happy happy!']
The people of Springfield have to make sure they think happy thoughts
and say happy things. Because this particular monster can read minds,
and if displeased, can turn people into grotesque walking terrors.
-- Welcome to... `The Bart Zone' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Jasper grumbles, ``Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Boy, I'm getting
mighty sick of this.'' His body promptly turns into that of a dog.
And did I mention to you that the monster is a ten-year-old boy?
[zoom in on Bart]
Quite a twist, huh? Bet you didn't see that one coming.
-- Welcome to... `The Bart Zone' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Bart comes down to breakfast, where the family spit out their mouthfuls
and force smiles all around. (Even Maggie smiles through her pacifier.)
They're all sickeningly (and nervously) nice to Bart.
Bart: [sees Snowball 2] Every day, same old cat. I'll make it more
interesting. [furrows his brow, turning the cat into a
multi-colored fire-breathing whatever]
Snowball: Meow. [fire breath singes the breakfast table. The cereal
box is on fire]
Bart: Ah, there. That's better.
Marge: Much better. Oh, good! The curtains are on fire.
Homer: [nervously] It's good that you made that.. awful thing, Bart.
It's real good.
[Marge hoses down the fire with the fire extinguisher]
-- `The Bart Zone' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
He gets it from your side of the family, you know. No monsters on <my> side.
-- Homer to Marge, on Bart's impish powers,
`The Bart Zone' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Bart gets on the school bus and decides he's going to drive it.
The bus careens down the road with Bart at the wheel, as the kids
on the bus scream in panic. Otto is on the floor manning the pedals.
(``Quit riding the brake, Otto. Give it some gas, man!'') The
bus whizzes past the two cops, who say, ``Hiya, Bart!''
At school, we see an overturned school bus `parked' in front. Inside...
Well, class the history of our country has been changed again, to correspond
with Bart's answers on yesterday's test. [groans from the class]
America was now discovered in 1942 by ... [consults] `Some Guy'.
And our country isn't called America any more. It's Bonerland.
-- Ms. Krabappel, `The Bart Zone' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Principal Skinner sings over the P.A. for Bart. Bart meanwhile sits
in his throne, attended to by the twins. He calls for the phone.
Moe: [answers the phone]
Moe's Tavern. ... Hold on, I'll check. Uh, hey, everybody! I'm a stupid
moron with an ugly face and big butt and my butt smells and I like to
kiss my own butt.
All: [laugh]
Barney: Ho ho, that's a good one.
Moe: Wait a minute... [picks up the receiver]
Bart: [hangs up and laughs]
Ms.K: [holding the phone, forces a laugh]
-- `The Bart Zone' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Principal Skinner continues his singing and dancing. Notes Bart,
``I love school.''
At home, the transformed Snowball meows, singeing SLH who was lying nearby.
Homer is watching the football game, and a field goal attempt is in
progress. Bart wants to watch Krusty. When Homer refuses, Bart
furrows his brow, and poof! Homer disappears.
The kick is up! It's looking good! The ball is turning into a fat bald
guy! [Homer sails through the air (`Aaaaaaaaagh!') and collides with the
goal post. (Twanggggg!)] And it's no good! And you know what we say
every time something strange happens! It's good that Bart did that! It's
<very> good!
-- Football announcer, `The Bart Zone' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
[laughs sickly] Well, we're still on. Three hundred and forty-six
consecutive hours, and all because of one little boy who... who WON'T LET
ME STOP!!! [delirious] Anyway, now let's go over and see if Sideshow Mel
has any more of those legal over-the-counter wake-up drugs of his!
-- Krusty's marathon, `The Bart Zone' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Homer arrives home, his head bandaged. He grabs a chair and is about to
bash Bart's head in, when he suddenly turns into a jack-in-the-box.
Marge comes in, and Bart says, ``Lisa did it.'' Marge says, ``That's it!
You're coming with me! ... [big smile] Please?'' Bart is taken to see
Dr. Marvin Monroe, who suggests that Bart just needs to get more attention
from his father. So Homer (still a jack-in-the-box) takes Bart to the
ballgame, goes fishing with him, watches him shoot a BB gun, and takes him
on a roller coaster ride. Homer then tries to tuck Bart in (though it's
hard since he's still a jack-in-the-box). Bart appreciates the past few
days and wishes there were some way he could repay Homer. Homer asks for
his body back, and Bart returns it. ``I love you, Dad.'' Homer responds,
``I love you, son.''
Bart wakes from his nightmare, screaming.
[End of Act Two. Time: 14:51]
Bart and Lisa rush into Homer and Marge's bed...
Marge: Goodness, what's wrong?
Bart: We both had nightmares.
Lisa: Can we sleep with you?
Homer: You both toilet trained?
Bart and Lisa: [indignantly] Yes!
-- ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Homer sees that it's 4am and realizes he's going to have to go to work
in a few hours. He nods off...
Burns and Smithers review the security monitors and see Homer sleeping
on the job, and the other workers being equally nonproductive. Smithers
suggests they fire one of them, and Burns selects Homer.
Smithers: [over P.A.] Attention Homer Simpson. Attention Homer Simpson.
Homer: [still dozing at his post]
Smithers: Wake up, Homer.
Homer: [startles awake]
Smithers: You're fired.
Homer: For what?
Smithers: For sleeping on the job.
Homer: How'd you know I was sleeping?
Smithers: We've been watching you on the surveillance camera.
Homer: Camera? [spots the camera] D'oh!
-- `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Burns and Smithers pull an oil lamp, and they vanish behind the
fireplace in Burns' office into a dungeon laboratory. Burns has
come to the conclusion that the problem with the common worker is
that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. His solution:
to replace the flesh with steel.
Behold! The greatest breakthrough in labor relations since the cat o' nine
tails! [unveils his Frankenstein monster]
-- `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Smithers asks how long before it's ready (``Keep your pants on, Smithers''),
and Burns says they first need a human brain.
Lisa: [reading the classifieds] Hey, here's a good job, Dad!
Oh, wait, you have to know how to operate an ultrasonic
lithotriptor.
Homer: How hard can it be?
Bart: Hey Dad, here's one! $28/hr, plenty of fresh air, and you
get to meet lots of interesting people.
Homer: Ooh, what job is that?
Bart: Grave digger. [laughs evilly]
-- `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Homer is digging a grave, being supervised by Groundskeeper Willie.
When Willie leaves, Homer takes a nap in the grave. That evening,
Smithers and Burns pay a visit to the cemetery in search of a brain.
They find an open grave (Homer) and cart him away.
Smithers, get him out quickly. The stench is overpowering.
-- Burns finds Homer's ``dead'' body,
`If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Smithers: That's Homer Simpson. He wasn't exactly a model employee.
Burns: Well, who <is> a model [sees Smithers sans skull, just brain]
employee....
Smithers: [panicking] Uh, Simpson will do just fine, sir.
-- `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
As they drag Homer away in a bag, he wakes up and struggles.
Smithers: You hear that, sir?
Burns: No, I didn't. Who is it? Frankenstein? The Booooger Man?
-- Me and my shadow, `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Smithers: It's the man in the bag, sir. I think he's alive.
Burns: Oh. [walks over to it, and thwacks it with a shovel]
Bad corpse. [thwack] Bad corpse. [thwack]
Stop [thwack] scaring [thwack] Smithers! [thwack]
-- `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
In the lab...
Burns: [saws off the top of Homer's head. No blood, very clean.
The top of Homer's head rolls away.]
Smithers, hand me that ice-cream scoop.
Smithers: Ice-cream scoop?!
Burns: Dammit, Smithers, this isn't rocket science, it's brain surgery!
-- `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
He plucks out Homer's brain and puts it atop his own head. (``Look at me!
I'm Davey Crockett!'') They install the brain in the robot, then eat
some pepperoni pizza, then power it up (with your standard horror movie
Big Switch, accompanied by lightning and sparks).
It's alive! Oh, that fellow at Radio Shack said I was mad. Well, who's
mad now! [laughs diabolically]
-- Mad Scientist Burns, `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
``Hi there. I'm your daddy.'' The robot looks around and spots a box of
donuts with its X-Ray vision. (Accompanied by the now-familiar servo
sounds.) It crashes through walls to get to it. (``Mm.. Sprinkles.'')
Johnny Carson: [as Karnak] Geraldo Rivera, Madonna, and a diseased yak.
Ed McMahon: Ho ho ho ho.
-- Watching TV, `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Lisa: Mom, what's wrong?
Marge: It's your father. He's missing.
Bart: Dad's missing? Get outta here.
Marge: He's been gone for two days.
Lisa: Whaddya know. She's right.
-- Familial concern, `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Burns, in tears, cries, ``It wasn't supposed to be this way...''
as he sees the robot asleep at the console, just like Homer was.
I was wrong to play God. Life is precious, not a thing to be toyed with.
Now take out that brain and flush it down the toilet.
-- Mad Scientist Burns, `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
But Smithers prevails on Burns to return the brain. Burns sews Homer's
head shut, as Homer mutters, ``Ow. Ow.''
Smithers: You know what this means? He <is> alive!
Burns: Oh, you're right, Smithers. I guess I owe you a Coke.
-- `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
And as for you, you clinking, clattering cacophany of colligenous
cog and camshifts, take that! [feebly kicks it]
-- Mad Scientist Burns, `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
The robot falls on Burns, trapping him.
Every bone ... shattered, organs ... leaking vital fluids ...
a slight headache ... loss of appetite. Smithers, I'm going to die.
-- Mad Scientist Burns, `If I Only Had a Brain' in ``Treehouse of Horror II''
He asks Smithers to go up to his office and fetch surgical tools,
and some ether...
Homer: [wakes up and screams]
Marge: Did you have a nightmare, Homey?
Homer: No, Bart bit me.
Bart: Hey, man, you were crushing me. I tried to scream, but my mouth
was full of flab.
-- ``Treehouse of Horror II''
Homer goes to the bathroom and looks in the mirror, when what does he
see but Burns' head sewn onto his right shoulder.
Burns: Perhaps you're wondering why you have two heads. Well, my body was
crushed, so I had my head grafted onto your, shall we say, ample frame.
Homer: [trying to stay calm] I can wake up. It's all a dream.
It's just a dream.
Burns: Oh, that's right. It's all a dream... Or is it? [laughs diabolically]
[Executive Producer credit appears]
Announcer: Next week, on `The Simpsons'...
[the breakfast table]
Lisa: [puts down the newspaper] Don't forget, Dad, tonight my class is having
an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner.
Homer: Mmm... Spaghetti.
Burns: [his head attached to Homer's shoulder] But Homer, tonight's our
reception for Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands!
Homer: Oh, I hate having two heads.
-- ``Treehouse of Horror II''
[End of Act Three. Time: 21:38]
Closing theme is with harpsichord and eerie electronic slide thing.
The Gracie Films theme is played on a pipe organ. (In harmonic minor.)
The Twentieth Century Fox fanfare is unchanged.
For this episode, timings include the opening title sequence. (I normally
don't include it.)
Episode summaries Copyright 1991 by Raymond Chen. Not to be redistributed
in a public forum without permission. (The quotes themselves, of course,
remain the property of The Simpsons, and the reproduced articles remain
the property of the original authors. I'm just taking credit for the
compilation.)
HTML conversion by
Howard Jones(ha.jones@ic.ac.uk) on Sat 10 Sept 1994