‘The Simpsons’: The 15 Best ‘Treehouse of Horror’ Episodes, Ranked
For over 30 years, The Simpsons has offered up a trilogy of yellow-tinged terror known as “Treehouse of Horror,” an annual Halloween treat that takes Springfield’s first family — along with their friends, neighbors, and enemies — and drops them into some truly horrific situations. From original tales of terror to fright-filled parodies of classic horror movies, TV shows, books, and modern pop culture, nothing is off limits once Halloween rolls around.
But of the 30-plus bite-sized anthologies of horror that have arrived each spooky season, which ones stand out from the rest?
We’re looking back at the very best 15 “Treehouse of Horror” episodes, from early classics that helped define the tradition to modern installments that proved The Simpsons can still deliver a few tricks along with its treats.
The Simpsons, Sundays, 8/7c, Fox
15. "Treehouse of Horror XXIV"
Season 25 Episode 2
Segments: “Oh, the Places You’ll D’oh!,” “Dead and Shoulders,” “Freaks No Geeks”
Particularly memorable for Guillermo del Toro‘s elaborate opening sequence packed with references to classic horror movies, monsters, and del Toro’s own films. The episode works because it tackles three wildly different kinds of horror: A surprisingly dark Dr. Seuss parody, gruesome body horror with Bart’s (Nancy Cartwright) head attached to Lisa (Yeardley Smith), parodying 1972’s The Thing with Two Heads. The episode also includes an old-school circus nightmare inspired by Tod Browning’s Freaks. The episode mixes clever literary and movie references with some genuinely disturbing imagery, while still feeling unmistakably like The Simpsons.
14. "Treehouse of Horror XX"
Season 21 Episode 4
Segments: “Dial ‘M’ for Murder or Press ‘#’ to Return to Main Menu,” “Don’t Have a Cow, Mankind,” “There’s No Business Like Moe Business”
“Treehouse of Horror XX” stands out for how dramatically different all three stories feel: a stylish black-and-white Hitchcock murder mystery, a surprisingly gruesome zombie apocalypse, and a bloody Sweeney Todd-inspired musical. The episode commits fully to each genre, making it one of the more ambitious and visually distinctive later “Treehouse of Horror” installments.
13. "Treehouse of Horror I"
Season 2 Episode 3
Segments: “Bad Dream House,” “Hungry are the Damned,” “The Raven”
The one that started it all and established the “Treehouse of Horror” formula. The Simpsons move into a murderous haunted house, Kang and Kodos make their series debut in a wonderfully paranoid alien-abduction story that parodies The Twilight Zone episode “To Serve Man,” and the episode closes with a surprisingly faithful adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe‘s “The Raven.”
12. "Treehouse of Horror XV"
Season 16 Episode 1
Segments: “The Ned Zone,” “Four Beheadings and a Funeral,” “In the Belly of the Boss”
The Simpsons shines when it comes to Stephen King parodies, and this episode is no exception. Ned Flanders (Harry Shearer) gains the ability to predict people’s deaths in a send-up of King’s beloved The Dead Zone. Meanwhile, Jack the Ripper gets Simpson-ed when Lisa and Bart hunt a serial killer in Victorian London, and the family gets shrunk down and sent inside Mr. Burns’ (Shearer) body.
11. "Treehouse of Horror XI"
Season 12 Episode 1
Segments: “G-G-Ghost D-D-Dad, ”Scary Tales Can Come True,” “Night of the Dolphin”
A strong mix of supernatural horror, twisted fairy tales, and outright absurdity. Homer (Dan Castellaneta) dies and desperately tries to earn his way into Heaven, Bart and Lisa find themselves trapped in a gruesome storybook world, and Lisa’s attempt to free a captive dolphin leads to an all-out war between humans and dolphins. It’s especially memorable for taking something as harmless as dolphins and turning them into murderous overlords bent on reclaiming the land.
10. "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII"
Season 34, Episode 6
Segments: “The Pookadook,” “Death Tome,” “Simpsons World”
The Simpsons go anime, horror, and meta, all in one episode. One of the best modern “Treehouse of Horror” episodes, proving the series could still deliver more than 30 years later. It transforms Marge (Julie Kavner) into a genuinely unsettling threat in its Babadook parody, completely reinvents the show’s animation for its anime-style Death Note spoof, and finishes with a meta Westworld parody that pokes fun at The Simpsons itself, its history, and its seemingly endless run.
9. "Treehouse of Horror IX"
Season 10 Episode 4
Segments: “Hell Toupée,” “The Terror of Tiny Toon,” “Starship Poopers”
Homer is possessed by Snake’s (Hank Azaria) murderous transplanted hair, Bart and Lisa are hunted by Itchy and Scratchy inside their own cartoon, and Maggie is revealed to have a special connection to Kang (Shearer). It’s over-the-top toon violence, bizarre, packed with pop-culture references, and very much peak-era Simpsons humor.
8. "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII"
Season 29, Episode 4
Segments: “The Exor-Sis,” “Coralisa,” “Mmm…Homer”
Perhaps one of the darkest and most twisted “Treehouse” episodes ever, largely thanks to the genuinely disturbing autosarcophagy storyline in which Homer develops a taste for his own flesh. Add Maggie becoming possessed in an Exorcist parody and the eerie stop-motion-inspired world of Coraline, and the episode pushes the Halloween special much further into actual horror than usual.
7. "Treehouse of Horror VIII"
Season 9 Episode 4
Segments: “The HΩmega Man,” “Fly vs. Fly,” “Easy-Bake Coven”
“Treehouse of Horror VIII” stands the test of time thanks to three very different horror stories added to the pop culture lexicon: Homer wandering a post-apocalyptic Springfield, Bart accidentally merging with a fly, and Marge being accused of witchcraft in 1649. The mix of nuclear horror, body horror, and classic Halloween witchcraft gives the episode plenty of variety while keeping the comedy front and center.
6. "Treehouse of Horror VII"
Season 8 Episode 1
Segments: “The Thing and I,” “The Genesis Tub,” “Citizen Kang”
“Treehouse of Horror VII” stands out for the disturbing reveal that Bart has a secret conjoined twin, Lisa accidentally creating an entire microscopic civilization that worships her, and Kang and Kodos (Dan Castellaneta) impersonating Bill Clinton and Bob Dole in which gave the show one of its most enduring lines: “Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos” is still seen today on the bumper stickers of fans throughout the nation. Particularly during elections.
5. "Treehouse of Horror VI"
Season 7 Episode 6
Segments: “Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores,” “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace,” “Homer³”
Treehouse of Horror VI stands out for taking some big creative swings. “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace” turns Groundskeeper Willie (Dan Castellaneta) into a hilarious Nightmare on Elm Street-style Freddy Krueger, while the groundbreaking “Homer³” sends Homer into a then-cutting-edge 3D computer-animated world before dropping him into the real world for the memorable ending. But the episode will always be remembered for the Lard Lad mascot destroying Springfield with his donut.
4. "Treehouse of Horror III"
Season 4 Episode 5
Segments: “Clown Without Pity,” “King Homer,” “Dial ‘Z’ for Zombies”
This episode introduces the terrifying, knife-wielding Krusty (Dan Castellaneta) doll in “Clown Without Pity,” parodies King Kong with Homer as the giant ape in “King Homer,” and sends Bart and Lisa up against the undead in “Dial ‘Z’ for Zombies.” Packed with memorable one-liners, horror references, and some genuinely creepy moments, it helped cement Treehouse of Horror as an annual Halloween tradition.
3. "Treehouse of Horror IV"
Season 5 Episode 5
Segments: “The Devil and Homer Simpson,” “Terror at 5½ Feet,” “Bart Simpson’s Dracula”
“Treehouse of Horror IV” is a classic thanks to three consistently strong horror parodies and its clever Night Gallery-inspired framing device. From Homer selling his soul to Devil Flanders (a nod to The Devil and Daniel Webster) and Bart battling a gremlin (The Twilight Zone episode “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”) to the spooky fun of “Bart Simpson’s Dracula” (Bram Stoker’s Dracula), the episode perfectly balances horror references, atmosphere, and some of the show’s sharpest comedy.
2. "Treehouse of Horror II"
Season 3, Episode 7
Segments: “The Monkey’s Paw,” “The Bart Zone,” “The Thing With Two Heads”
An absolute classic that is still referenced today, “Treehouse of Horror II” has all the hallmarks needed for an iconic “Treehouse” episode: A memorable opening from Marge, plenty of great Homer comedy, Bart taking on an iconic horror role inspired by The Twilight Zone, and three segments that balance genuine creepiness with some of the show’s best early humor. From the cursed monkey’s paw wreaking havoc on the Simpsons to Bart terrifying Springfield with his psychic powers and Mr. Burns putting his head on Homer’s body, it helped establish the formula that would define Treehouse of Horror for decades.
1. "Treehouse of Horror V"
Season 6 Episode 6
Segments: “The Shinning,” “Time and Punishment,” “Nightmare Cafeteria”
“Treehouse of Horror V” is widely considered the gold standard of The Simpsons’ Halloween episodes, with three standout segments from the show’s golden era. “The Shinning” parodies The Shining, as a TV- and beer-deprived Homer loses his mind in an isolated hotel; “Time and Punishment” sends him through increasingly bizarre alternate realities after he breaks a toaster; and the darkly funny “Nightmare Cafeteria” finds Principal Skinner turning troublesome students into school lunches. Together, the three stories are “Treehouse of Horror” at its funniest, strangest, and most memorable.
D’oh!
Get absolutely everything about The Simpsons in your inbox!
Where to Stream
Latest Headlines
- Worth Watching: Whodunits in ‘Lanterns’ Finale & ‘Marble Hall,’ ‘Marshals’ to the Rescue, Cringe Time on ‘Youth’
- Worth Watching: Video Music Awards, 'SNL' Premiere, Emma Thompson on 'Simpsons,' More 'Marble Hall' Murders
- 'The Simpsons' Season 38 Premiere Is Like a 'High-Concept Movie'
Conversation
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Register or sign in to join the conversation.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services