One of TV’s most iconic moments is the anthology horror series known as The Simpsons’ “Treehouse of Horror.” This long-running tradition features a spooky-funny Halloween special every fall, drawing inspiration from Rod Sterling’s legendary series The Twilight Zone. Many of the early segments of The Simpsons’ Halloween specials were parodies of classic Twilight Zone episodes.
Despite the influence from The Twilight Zone, some younger viewers may not realize that certain “Treehouse of Horror” segments are based on the iconic series. The Simpsons’ writing staff picked specific episodes of The Twilight Zone to parody because they are considered some of the best hours of genre television ever to air.
With The Twilight Zone regularly airing on SYFY, it’s a good time to highlight which “Treehouse of Horror” segments emerged from Serling’s classic show.
Which Twilight Zone episodes are parodied in The Simpsons’ “Treehouse of Horror”?
“Hungry Are the Damned” / “To Serve Man”
The first “Treehouse of Horror” episode aired during The Simpsons’ second season and included a parody of “To Serve Man,” an episode from The Twilight Zone’s third season. The segment introduced Kang and Kodos, the mascots of the “Treehouse of Horror” series.
“The Monkey’s Paw” / “A Small Talent for War”
“Treehouse of Horror II” featured two Twilight Zone parodies, including “The Monkey’s Paw” and “A Small Talent for War.”
“The Bart Zone” / “It’s a Good Life”
“Treehouse of Horror II” also included a proper Twilight Zone parody with “The Bart Zone” riffing on “It’s a Good Life.”
“Clown Without Pity” / “Living Doll”
“Treehouse of Horror III” drew inspiration from The Twilight Zone’s “Living Doll” for the leadoff segment.
“Terror at 5 1⁄2 Feet” / “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”
“Treehouse of Horror IV” parodied The Twilight Zone’s “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” for its middle segment.
“Homer³” / “Little Girl Lost”
“Homer³,” the third segment of “Treehouse of Horror V,” riffed on The Twilight Zone’s “Little Girl Lost.”
“The Genesis Tub” / “The Little People”
“The Genesis Tub,” from “Treehouse of Horror VII,” spoofed The Twilight Zone’s “The Little People.”
“Stop the World, I Want to Goof Off” / “A Kind of Stopwatch”
“Treehouse of Horror XIV” featured “Stop the World, I Want to Goof Off” as a parody of The Twilight Zone’s “A Kind of Stopwatch.”
“I’ve Grown a Costume on Your Face” / “The Masks”
“Treehouse of Horror XVI” was the most recent Twilight Zone parody in 2005, with “I’ve Grown a Costume on Your Face” loosely inspired by The Twilight Zone’s “The Masks.”
The Twilight Zone airs regularly on SYFY, so be sure to check out the official schedule for more details.
