There are two types of Simpsons fans: those who think the program hasn’t been good since the turn of the century and those who continue to watch it regardless of their opinions.
Regardless of whatever camp you fall into, every season usually has at least one episode that is worth seeing. Both devoted watchers and diehard fans are enthusiastic about this year’s “Treehouse of Horror,” the program’s annual Halloween special. The new episode of “Treehouse of Horror XXXIII,” which debuted Sunday night, is among the greatest ever, if not the most enjoyable in a long time.
a significant portion of that enjoyment? the third and final portion of the episode’s serious level of Simpsons fan service. Starting off with a memorable line from one of the show’s most cherished episodes, “Marge vs. the Monorail” from Season 4, the outing initially appeared to gratify our uncontrollable longing for the good ol’ days. But “Treehouse of Horror” invariably deviates into something more stranger; this wasn’t the beginning of some greatest hits section. And as a result, this episode is even better.
The show unexpectedly switches from its hand-drawn animation to a more contemporary computerized look. Things immediately become meta as it emerges that we are viewing a Simpsons World experience, a theme park where fans can step inside all their favorite Simpsons moments. It’s a robot designed to look, sound, and act like Homer that is pointing at the possum dangling from the monorail’s motor, not the actual Homer.
The robotic Homer shorts out when two park visitors compel him to drink a lot of beer at once; park staff then drag him to the back room for repairs. We get to participate in an Easter egg hunt while watching a truck escort Homer-bot and a number of other Simpsons android characters through the park, including two distinct Nelsons and the relatively minor character Disco Stu.
- Other robots and scenery that we briefly glimpse in Simpsons World include:
- The “Old Man Yells at Cloud” meme, which has Grandpa Simpson screaming at a cloud
- Weather balloon reading “Hi I’m Big Butt Skinner”
- A Kamp Krusty sign and totem pole can be seen there.
- riding Lisa’s pony
- Bart in his elephant tusks
- Driving “The Homer,” often known as “the car made for Homer,” is Homer
- Homer using his snowplow vehicle, Mr. Plow
- chasing intelligent chocolate bunnies, Homer
- Nelson is being pulled by General Bart and his companions in a cart.
- Utilizing his flamethrower, Hank Scorpio
- This little 10-second tour of Simpsons World includes all of these classic
jokes and more jokes. And that’s just one tiny scene; after the truck enters its covert control center, the newly awakened Homer robot encounters a bevy of hilarious sight gags. The non-yellow, five-fingered workers who are supposed to fix the robots are the scariest of all.
