Treehouse of Horror XII
Three Halloween segments parodying horror, sci-fi, and Harry Potter.
"Treehouse of Horror XII" is the first episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, airing on Fox on November 6, 2001. It is the twelfth annual Treehouse of Horror episode, consisting of three self-contained segments, including a parody of the Harry Potter franchise titled "Wiz Kids." The episode was written by Joel H. Cohen, John Frink, Don Payne, and Carolyn Omine, and directed by Jim Reardon.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Jim Reardon
- Writer
- "Hex and the City":
- Joel H. Cohen
- "House of Whacks":
- John Frink
- Don Payne
- "Wiz Kids":
- Carolyn Omine
- Airdate
- 6 November 2001
- Commentary
- Mike Scully
- Al Jean
- Ian Maxtone-Graham
- Matt Selman
- Carolyn Omine
- John Frink
- Don Payne
- Joel H. Cohen
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Outside Mr. Burns' manor, Smithers falls from a ladder while hanging a bat decoration, causing a tower to break and open four caskets containing three skeleton versions of Mr. Burns. The Simpsons, dressed as the Flintstones, conjoined twins, and a hobo, arrive and flee in terror as the gate slices them into pieces. Mr. Burns pats the bat, which flies into the screen to reveal the title. In "Hex and the City," Homer destroys a Gypsy fortune teller's shop and is cursed to bring misfortune to his loved ones. The curse transforms Marge into a blue-haired figure, Lisa into a centaur, Bart into a long-necked creature, Maggie into a ladybug with a human head, and kills Lenny, Carl, and Moe. Homer catches a hyperactive leprechaun with Lucky Charms and sets it on the Gypsy; they fight, then kiss and marry in a ceremony led by Yoda. Homer refuses to apologize to revive Bart, who drowned in his cereal.
Production
The episode was directed by Jim Reardon and co-written by Joel H. Cohen, John Frink, Don Payne, and Carolyn Omine. It aired on November 6, 2001, due to Fox's contract with Major League Baseball's World Series, and is considered non-canon. It was the first Halloween special without "scary names" in the credits; producer Ian Maxtone-Graham attributed this to the September 11 attacks, while showrunner Al Jean said the names were dropped because they were too difficult to create. Mike Scully, the showrunner for the episode, stated the names had become "shameless plugs" for side projects. The leprechaun in "Hex and the City" was voiced by Dan Castellaneta and became one of few characters to appear in regular episodes after Halloween shows.
Cultural references
"Hex and the City" references the television series Sex and the City. A background character resembles the main character from the children's book Caps For Sale. Among the creatures in the pit are Bongo from Matt Groening's comic Life in Hell and journalist Katie Couric. The wedding is officiated by Yoda from Star Wars. "House of Whacks" parodies 2001: A Space Odyssey and Demon Seed, with the Ultrahouse referencing HAL 9000 and wearing Mickey Mouse-like gloves. The voice options include Pierce Brosnan, whom Marge associates with Remington Steele. The Ultrahouse uses an automatic hammer similar to one Homer invented in "The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace." "Wiz Kids" bases its plot on the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling.
Release and reception
The episode aired on November 6, 2001, and along with a new episode of That '70s Show, made Fox the highest-rated channel among adults 18–49 that night, with a 7.6 rating/11 share. Media Life Magazine called The Simpsons' performance "superb." The episode was released on DVD in 2003 as part of The Simpsons – Treehouse of Horror set and again in 2010 on The Simpsons: The Thirteenth Season DVD and Blu-ray. Critical reception was mixed: Casey Broadwater of Blu-ray.com called it a "so-so entry," while Colin Jacobsson of DVD Movie Guide wrote it "doesn't ever really shine" and is "mediocre." Matt Wheeldon of Good Film Guide described it as "average quality" and "fairly memorable, but far from the best." Ron Martin of 411Mania considered it one of the weakest Treehouse of Horror episodes.
More in Television Shows About Wizards
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced