"Treehouse of Horror V" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons' sixth season, as well as the fifth Hallowe'en episode. The episode aired on October 30, 1994.
Episode details
Production Number: 2F03
Original Air Date: October 30, 1994
Writers: Count Greg Danula and Dearly Departed Dan McGrath , David Cohen's Severed Hand, and Blob Kushell
Director: Jaundiced Jim Reardon
Couch Gag: Each member of the family enters with a mismatched head and limbs.
Opening Sequence
Marge warns viewers yet again, this time warning them that Congress won't even show it, instead suggesting the 1947 Glenn Ford movie, 200 Miles to Oregon , even showing a clip from the movie. Later, Bart informs viewers when a green line modulated to have his voice sound like an oscilloscope trace that he and Homer are controlling the transmission.
Synopsis
The Shinning
In a spoof of The Shining, the Simpsons drive to Mr. Burns's mansion in the mountains as winter caretakers. Groundskeeper Willie discovers Bart has a mysterious power known as "the Shinning", allowing him to read minds. He warns Bart that Homer may try to go insane and kill the whole family. And, indeed, as Burns leaves, he denies Homer access to two of his favorite things—beer and television—and he cannot have either until he kills his family. Homer goes insane, wielding an axe, and attempting to kill the family. Bart uses his "shinning" to call Willie when the Simpsons are in trouble. Willie races out of his nearby cabin, and in the process throws his portable television into the snow. Homer kills Willie with an axe, and is about to kill Lisa when she spies the TV and throws it at Homer. With TV back again, Homer is cured of his madness. He invites the whole family to sit in the snow and watch it with him, but they stay out too long and the Simpsons freeze.
References to The Shining
There are many references to The Shining in this story. Among them:
- Homer has the role of Jack Torrance, who, like Homer, is a winter caretaker in a lonely lodge who goes insane.
- Blood pours out of the elevator.
- Bart can read peoples' thoughts, just like Danny.
- Groundskeeper Willie portrays the character of Halloran, identifying Bart's gift, calling it "the shin" (as opposed to "the shine") and tells Bart to call if he needs him
- Maggie spells the word "redrum" ("murder" backwards), a'la Danny hearing "redrum".
- Bart uses his "shin" to call Willie.
- Marge (Wendy) leaves Homer in a walk-in cooler until he is insane.
Time and Punishment
When Homer is cooking breakfast, his hand is jammed in the toaster, but when he makes a repair and puts a piece of bread in the toaster, he goes through time. He recalls Grampa's advice from his wedding not to step on anything when he travels back in time, but when he kills a bug, it alters the future. Homer returns to the present world and he is scared to find out that Ned Flanders is master of the world, and the Simpsons have to be "re-Neducated", but he goes back in time again, insisting he will not touch a thing, but he kills a fish, then he returns to the present world, where Bart and Lisa are giants hoping to kill Homer. Homer goes back in time again, but all the dinosaurs collapse, and Homer goes back to the future, where the Simpsons live in a mansion, and he finds out that Patty and Selma have just died, but nobody knows what a donut is. Things go haywire as he switches, until he goes back to the present, where everyone now has long forked tongues. However, Homer just says, "Eh! Close enough!"
Nightmare Cafeteria
Principal Skinner is worried that the detention halls are becoming crowded, and Lunchlady Doris is now serving Grade F meat. After Jimbo Jones gets out of hand and asks to be bit, Principal Skinner makes him into food, serving "Sloppy Joes", and later makes Uter into a food called "Uterbraten". Bart and Lisa are scared that the students are being made into food, and the next day, they are about to be made into food. Principal Skinner is looking forward to eating Bart and Lisa, but they fall into a giant-sized blender. Bart finds out it was only a nightmare, but a fog turns the Simpsons inside out, and they sing the song "A Chorus Line".
Quotes
- Homer: "No TV and no beer make Homer... something something."
Marge: "Go crazy"?
Homer: Don't mind if I do! (He literally goes crazy.)
- Mr. Burns: This house has quite a long and colorful history. It was built on an ancient Indian burial ground and was the setting of satanic rituals, witch burnings, and five John Denver Christmas specials.Homer: (shudder) John Denver...
- Burns: Oh, goody, the Sea-Monkeys I ordered have arrived. Heh heh heh, look at them cavort and caper.
Smithers: Sir, they're the new winter caretakers for the lodge.
Burns: Yes, they work hard and play hard.
- Homer: Heeere's Johnny! (no one hears) D'oh! (he chops through the door again) Daaaaavid Letterman!
Grampa: Hi, David. I'm Grampa.
Homer: D'oh! (he chops through the door again) I'm Mike Wallace, I'm Morley Safer, and I'm Ed Bradley. All this and Andy Rooney tonight on 60 Minutes!
- Homer: Television! Teacher, mother, secret lover.
- Willie: Boy! You read my thoughts! You've got the Shinning!
Bart: It's "Shining".
Willie: Quiet! Do you want to get sued? Now listen. If your dad goes "ga-ga", you just use that...shin...of of your's, and I'll come a-runnen and save ya. But don't be reading my thoughts between four and five! That's "Willie's time"!
- Lisa: Bart, isn't it strange? Uter disappears and then the cafeteria serves up a new food called Uterbraten?
Principal Skinner: Don't worry kids. Uter is right under our noses! (starts laughing) After all, isn't there a little Uter in all of us ? (laughing harder) In fact, you might even say we ate Uter and he's in our stomachs! (stops laughing) Scratch that last one.
- Burns: By cutting cable TV and taking the entire beer supply, I shall ensure a full season's work.
Smithers: Sir, haven't you ever come to think that maybe it was doing this which caused the previous caretakers to go insane and murder their families?
Burns: Good point. Tell you what, we come back and everyone's slaughtered, I owe you a Coke.
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