# Best. Simpsons. Halloween. Short. Ever. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 6, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005 "2003-06-06T04:02:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/61 "2003-06-07T06:16:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BrainGlutton \* > \*\*That news cheered up Dr. Chaos, but it flummoxed me. I thought I had seen all the _Twilight Zone_ episodes but I never saw that one. Anybody know more about it? I’ve never read Sturgeon’s “Microcosmic God” – could the TZ episode have been based on it? When was it written? \*\* Don’t know about the TZ, but there’s an episode of _The Outer Limits_ where scientists on Earth, create a minature planet, based on information transmitted to them from aliens on another planet. Life evolves rapidly on this “planet” quickly reaching contemporary Earth technology in a few months or so. The Earth scientist who’s observing this is attacked by weapons developed on the minature planet and is only able to save himself by smashing the glass booth the planet’s in, thus releasing it’s non-oxygen atmosphere and killing the inhabitants. Frankly, after _years_ of being forced to listen to the Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein,” I will _always_ consider the episode where Homer runs 'em down as my all time favorite. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/62 "2003-06-07T06:33:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Emperor Penguin \* > \*\*From **Dial Z for Zombies** > > “Die you pasty faced goons”! > \*\* Actually, I believe it was “chaulk-faced goons” and it wasn’t from **Dial Z for Zombies** , it was from **The Homega Man** , where Springfield was attacked by a nuclear warhead from France. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/63 "2003-06-07T06:38:02Z")
I’ll also go with **Dial Z For Zombies**. The best exchange was an 18th century and a 19th century zombie getting back into their graves at the end. 18th c. zombie: Excuse me, I’m John Smith. 19th c. zombie: John Smith, 1882? 18th c. zombie: My mistake. The way his says “my mistake” just cracks me up. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/64 "2003-06-07T07:01:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*When the Devil introduces the jury of the damned, there’s the entire lineup of that losing sports team on it as well. Gotta love stuff like that. \*\* Actually, the 1975 Philadelphia Flyers were a _winning_ sports team - Stanley Cup champions, in fact. They were on the jury of the damned because they played really, really dirty. (But I don’t think any of them are dead.) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Blunty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Captain\_Blunty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Blunty)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/65 "2003-06-07T07:35:05Z")
I love the Halloween Special where Mr Burns is a vampire (can’t think of the name). Homer: “Oh Lisa, you and your stories. ‘Bart is a vampire. Beer kills brain cells.’ Now let’s go back to that building… thingy… where our beds and tv… is.” Brilliant. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/66 "2003-06-07T10:22:13Z")
In the episode where Mr. Burns hires Grandpa Simpson and his buddies as strikebreakers (they are too old to bust heads anymore, so now they’ll just tell them long pointless stories that don’t go anywhere!), Grandpa notes that he “was carrying an onion on my belt, as was the custom at the time.” Cracks me up every time, although I’m not sure why… ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/67 "2003-06-07T14:24:29Z")
**Sam** , your Kang quote is my complete favorite out of that entire short. His puzzlement as he gropes his way towards the final formulation in his speech is a total scream. Quite the perfect sendup of our pandering politicians. **Tuck** , excellent potential cite for the **Outer Limits** (one of my favorite 60s shows) **Genisis Tub** connection. While I’m rather sure that “Microcosmic God” preceded both of these, it’s just as possible that Groening’s team was working from the television reference. Their prediliction for beatnik and flower power call-backs makes this easy to believe. As to your intense dislike of “Frankenstein,” we’ll have to agree to disagree. That’s some of the finest R&R synth work ever done. I’ve seen Edgar play it live and the guy is phenomenonal. He rotates through alto sax, drums and synth in the course of the song. Yeah, he’s a freak, but he hits the keys pretty d@mn well. Friends of mine were seated above the backstage area at a Johnny Winter concert and swore they could see the footlights shining through parts of his body. Sort of fitting that Groening used one of the Winter brothers for a Zombie episode. Both of them are weird but put on hilacious shows. **Manduck** , not being a sports fan, that particular bit of trivia didn’t embed itself rather well with me. Thanks for the cite and background. I gotta ask; Is your screen name derived from the ancient Mad Magazine paperback spoof on the popular 40s character, **Mandrake the Magician**? **Cadfael** , the “onion” quote may well be one of Abe’s most memorable ramblings. He used it in Lisa’s classroom too. Gets a hoot out of me every time as well. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/68 "2003-06-07T15:02:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marley23 \* > \*\*Do you know why the line was changed, **mobo**? Did they say? \*\* Based on the old Usenet postings I read, the writers didn’t find the line funny enough. And, on the wit and wisdom of Grampa: neither of those occurences appears in a Halloween episode (even though they’re funny). And Grampa didn’t tell the onion story to Lisa’s class. He told a story that took place in nineteen-dickety-two. They had to use “dickety” because the Kaiser had stolen the word “twenty.” He chased the Kaiser to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/69 "2003-06-07T16:24:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Captain Blunty \* > \*\*I love the Halloween Special where Mr Burns is a vampire (can’t think of the name). > \*\* Not surprisingly that one’s called “Bart Simpson’s Dracula.” I always liked “The Shinning” myself. “Television! Sister, mother, secret lover!” “Can’t murder now, eating.” “Urge to kill rising.” ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/70 "2003-06-07T17:22:02Z")
Does anyone know if any of the Halloween shows were ever for sale on VHS, DVD, or whatever? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/71 "2003-06-07T18:13:41Z")
Well the first one is on the Simpsons season 2 DVD set. And years ago they did release a VHS compilation of the first 4 specials. But actually finding that in stores might be difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/72 "2003-06-07T19:16:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*Is your screen name derived from the ancient Mad Magazine paperback spoof on the popular 40s character, **Mandrake the Magician**? yup 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![teemingONE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@teemingONE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teemingONE)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/73 "2003-06-07T19:18:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mobo85 \* > \*\*Based on the old Usenet postings I read, the writers didn’t find the line funny enough. > \*\* I think I do remember Homer saying he was the first cartoon character to travel through time. Maybe my memory is a bit off, but I am pretty positive thats what Homer said the first time the episode was shown. Maybe it was changed for future episodes? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/74 "2003-06-07T19:42:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by teemingONE \* > \*\*I think I do remember Homer saying he was the first cartoon character to travel through time. Maybe my memory is a bit off, but I am pretty positive thats what Homer said the first time the episode was shown. Maybe it was changed for future episodes? \*\* But he was passed by Mr. Peabody and Sherman which proved him wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/75 "2003-06-07T21:10:58Z")
The “non-Brazilian” reference is a reference to Carlos Castaneda, who wrote extensively about his own time travel experiences(induced by halucinogenic chemicals). I thought this was in the Simpson Encyclopedia, but it may not be. I had heard it somewhere official, however. ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c37758/32.png) [@Homer\_J](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/76 "2003-06-07T21:38:36Z")
Kang: We must move forwards, not backwards, upwards not forwards, sideways not upwards, and twirling, ever twirling to our doom(cue spinning) - absolute genius, totally irrelevent but incredibly funny. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/77 "2003-06-07T23:49:46Z")
“Quick! We have to kill the boy!” “Grandpa, how’d you know he was a vampire?” “He’s a vampire? Aaaaaaaahh!” ---
**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/78 "2003-06-08T03:00:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bouv \* > \*\*Actually, I believe it was “chaulk-faced goons” and it wasn’t from **Dial Z for Zombies** , it was from **The Homega Man** , where Springfield was attacked by a nuclear warhead from France. \*\* :smack: Thanks **bouv**. I am an idiot. I should have known that. I stand humbled in the shadow of your voluminous knowledge of the Simpsons. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/79 "2003-06-08T03:18:27Z")
**Emperor Penguin** , maybe you should buy a _book_ about the Simpsons!😉 ---
**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005/80 "2003-06-08T03:35:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baker \* > \*\ ***Emperor Penguin** , maybe you should buy a _book_ about the Simpsons!😉 \*\* :eek: eep! I swear I have not forgotten about your books! Money has been tight, but I just started my new job, and I get paid friday. They are on the top of my to do list now that all of my bills are no longer nipping at my heels. I feel like such a putz… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-simpsons-halloween-short-ever/180005.md?page=5)