# I want my Treehouse of Horror!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 29, 2002, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443 "2002-10-29T20:29:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/1 "2002-10-29T20:29:55Z")

</div>

Aargh! Why is Fox waiting until AFTER Halloween to show the new Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror 13? Waiting for the next Halloween special is my only reason for living! Well, that and The Two Towers and the final duel AT THE EDGE OF A LAVA PIT between Aanakin and Obi Wan in Episode III, and the first Cassini pictures from Saturn in 2005…OK, I’ve got a few things to live for.

But that’s not the point! I want my Treehouse of Horror either the Sunday before All Hallows Eve or on the Unholy Day itself, not in November! For me, all the juju is shot on Halloween. Afterwards, I just don’t feel spooky any more. It’s not like Christmas, where you can stretch out the season until New Year’s.

Just another example of how ungrateful Fox is towards the show that made them what they are today. You get the feeling that the boys in the suits at that cursed network absolutely have it in for old Matt G. Must suck to be confronted with such genius when you’re a sniveling weasel with an MBA and the brain the size of a racquetball.

Who’s with me on this?

(on a positive note, Futurama has been picked up by the Cartoon Network and will be shown four nights a week along with Home Movies and Cowboy BeBop as part of an expanded Adult Swim lineup. Huzzah!)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/2 "2002-10-29T20:56:03Z")

</div>

Yeah!

Stupid baseball. Get your priorities straight, FOX!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/3 "2002-10-29T20:56:04Z")

</div>

Hey! I have an MBA, and I’m not a sniveling weasel! Now excuse me while I go dine on Foie Gras and Chilean Sea bass for lunch.  
Oh, and I agree completely. Fox should show the TOH episode on Halloween dammit! I’m sure the 3 or 4 people who were going to watch [Funny wedding outtakes](http://www.fox.com/schedule/) would be upset, but I can live with that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/4 "2002-10-29T21:19:39Z")

</div>

As long as we’re talking Simpsons, let me just say I hate it when I’m watching the 10:00 P.M. syndicated rerun and suddenly a scene is cut. Why? I’m sure it’s to make more room for commercials. How dare they? This is the Simpsons we’re talking about here.

And who cares about stupid baseball anyway?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/5 "2002-10-29T21:34:13Z")

</div>

My local syndication station showed TOH marathon on Saturday–all of 'em in chronological order. The tapes will relieve the tedium until Sunday. 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/6 "2002-10-29T21:36:46Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by jsc1953 \*  
> \*\*My local syndication station showed TOH marathon on Saturday–all of 'em in chronological order. The tapes will relieve the tedium until Sunday. 🙂 \*\*

I hate you. Did they show the Monkey’s Paw episode? The one that I’ve only seen once? If so, I hate you more.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/7 "2002-10-29T21:45:37Z")

</div>

Baseball and TOH aren’t mutually exclusive. They showed a rerun of last year’s excellent Peirce Brosnan as a house episode before Game 7. Why not just show the new one then and call the first new episode of November the Season Premier? or…

JUST FUCKING SHOW IT ON HALLOWEEN! Christ on his throne, people, how hard is that?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/8 "2002-10-29T22:57:17Z")

</div>

Let’s use Homer’s toaster from THOH V to look at the airdates of the programs in the past. (Note that until 1994, The Simpsons aired on Thursday.)

THOH I: Thurs., Oct 25, 1990  
THOH II: Thurs, Oct 31, 1991  
THOH III: Thurs, Oct 29, 1992  
THOH IV: Thurs, Oct 28, 1993  
THOH V: Sun, Oct 30, 1994 (the show moved to Sunday)  
THOH VI: Sun, Oct 29, 1995  
THOH VII: Sun, Oct 27, 1996  
THOH VIII: Sun, Oct 26, 1997  
THOH IX: Sun, Oct 25, 1998  
THOH X: Sun, Oct 31, 1999  
THOH XI: Wed, Nov 1, 2000  
THOH XII: Tues, Nov 6, 2001  
THOH XIII: Sun, Nov 3, 2002

So, as you can see, in most cases, the THOHs have aired as close to Halloween as possible in the normal day the show airs, except in 2000 and 2001, which were different days, and 2002, which will be November. Halloween fell on the exact date only twice, in 1991 and 1999, and if the Simpsons stay on Sunday, it won’t happen again until 2004. I can’t find a list of what network aired the World Series in certain years, but I guess baseball’s to blame for the last three years.

Sorry if Flanders rules the world now. I might have stepped on something…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/9 "2002-10-29T22:59:05Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by vibrotronica \*  
> **Baseball and TOH aren’t mutually exclusive. They showed a rerun of last year’s excellent Peirce Brosnan as a house episode before Game 7. Why not just show the new one then and call the first new episode of November the Season Premier?**

Because not all of America could get to see it. Here on the East Coast, the Cardinals/49ers game was still on.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/10 "2002-10-29T23:14:29Z")

</div>

I found the series Fox aired. (“Simpsons Sunday” refers to the last Sunday in October, when the THOH typically aired in the past.)

'96 World Series  
Ended Sat, Oct. 26  
Simpsons Sunday: next night  
THOH aired on: that Sunday, Oct 27

'98 World Series  
Series ended: Mon, Oct 21  
Simpsons Sunday: four days from then  
THOH aired on: that Sunday, Oct 25

2000 World Series  
Series ended: Thurs, Oct 26  
Simpsons Sunday: Oct 29  
THOH aired on: Nov 1???

2001 World Series  
Series ended: Sunday, Nov 4 (blame 9-11)  
Simpsons Sunday: too late  
THOH aired on Nov 6

2002 World Series  
Series ended: Sun, Oct 27  
Simpsons Sunday: that very same night  
THOH will air on Nov 3

So, besides the inexplicable 2000, Fox has had an excuse.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/11 "2002-10-29T23:31:11Z")

</div>

Does anyone else feel like the endless commercials for the net T.O.H. have pretty much given away the entire story for the episode? Homer clones self in hammock, terror ensues, helicopters drag homer-horde over cliff using donuts as a lure. Also a bit on genetically splicing the characters with animals. Sheesh.

> [@](#):
>
> the final duel AT THE EDGE OF A LAVA PIT between Aanakin and Obi Wan in Episode III

Be more careful with spoiler information. I don’t care how widely known that is in fan-boy-land, I would rather go in to the movie spoiler free.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/12 "2002-10-29T23:50:19Z")

</div>

If you watched the World Series, you saw enough of the THOH in commercials that you can skip watching it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/13 "2002-10-30T01:20:39Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by RadioWave_
> 
> **Be more careful with spoiler information. I don’t care how widely known that is in fan-boy-land, I would rather go in to the movie spoiler free.**

Be safe in the knowledge that the script for EpIII is not even finished and that the aforementioned duel is speculation based on information that’s almost twenty years old.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/14 "2002-10-30T01:47:37Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> jk1245 Hey! I have an MBA, and I’m not a sniveling weasel! Now excuse me while I go dine on Foie Gras and Chilean Sea bass for lunch.

Yeah seriously! I’m so upset that I just spent an hour wiping the tears away with my Brooks Brother shirt. Now where is that take-out guy with my Sushi!?

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by RadioWave \*  
> Be more careful with spoiler information. I don’t care how widely known that is in fan-boy-land, I would rather go in to the movie spoiler free. \*\*

I thought everyone knew that Obi Wan kicked Vadars ass into a lava pit since Star Wars A New Hope…back in '76.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/15 "2002-10-30T15:59:15Z")

</div>

I’m sorry if I hijacked my own thread (auto-hijack?) with the Darth Vader thing. I’m just scared to death Lucas is going to screw the whole thing up by a) not having Vader’s suit-donning wounds inflicted by Obi Wan and b) not having said wounds inflicted via lava pit. Like msmith said, this is the assumption I’ve been working under since I was six years old. And no, it’s not truly spoiler information. At this point I would call it “lore.”

My MBA crack was not meant as a slight on champagne-swilling Masters of the Universe everywhere, only at the slimeballs running Fox. I hold no malice toward my Cadillac Escalade-driving, home in the Hamptons-having, asset-leveraging, stock swindling brothers and sisters.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/16 "2002-10-30T18:18:18Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> _From vibrotronica_  
> Like msmith said, this is the assumption I’ve been working under since I was six years old. And no, it’s not truly spoiler information. At this point I would call it “lore.”

Thanks for the clarification. It sounded a lot like the information that was leaked before Ep II. The you-know-who swordfight was a fun scene but it would have been much better if the entire audience hadn’t known it was coming. It’s kind of like how jokes aren’t quite as funny when you see them for the 431st time (hint, hint Fox).

Does anyone know if the regular season starts the following Sunday?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/17 "2002-10-30T18:57:35Z")

</div>

So Fox actually cancelled _Futurama_? Gee, maybe if they’d shown it every week instead of every two months it would have gotten better ratings.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/18 "2002-10-30T22:13:05Z")

</div>

IIRC, the deal with Futurama was that they (Fox) stopped ordering new episodes. There were something like 20 (!) episodes in the can that had not yet aired. Now the Cartoon Network has Futurama, although it is not clear if it will be airing just the old shows in syndication or if they will be able to order new shows or what. I have every confidence that Futurama will finally find the audience it deserves on Adult Swim. It’s a great show.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/19 "2002-10-30T22:57:10Z")

</div>

I really, _really_ hope new episodes of Futurama are ordered. Futurama is just as good as The Simpsons, but it has a freshness that The Simpsons now lacks. As big a fan of The Simpsons as I am, I think Fox should have put all its efforts into securing an audience for Futurama so that when The Simpsons inevitably finished, they’d still have a good quality Simpsons-esque show running.

It’s unfortunate, however, that the previous Futurama writing staff will now be impossible to reassemble if new episodes _are_ ordered.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2002, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443/20 "2002-10-31T00:54:43Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SpazCat \*  
> \*\*
> 
> I hate you. Did they show the Monkey’s Paw episode? The one that I’ve only seen once? If so, I hate you more. \*\*

I repeat, all episodes.

Kodos: “Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons.”  
Bart: “Great, now we’re slaves. This paw bites.”

Hee hee…

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-treehouse-of-horror/134443.md?page=2)
