Treehouse of Horror VII
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"Treehouse of Horror VII" is the first episode of The Simpsons' eighth season, as well as the seventh Halloween episode. The episode aired on October 27th, 1996. Total Runtime: 22:47.
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[edit] Synopsis
[edit] Opening sequence
It's Halloween night, and Homer proceeds to light a jack-o'-lantern. The pumpkin ignites instantly, and the fire spreads to Homer's hand, then to his entire body. He runs back and forth, screaming, as "The Simpsons Halloween Special VII" appears on-screen. While running to the couch with the Grim Reaper sitting on it, the Simpsons die, piling over each other. The Grim Reaper uses them as a footstool.
[edit] The Thing and I
Bart and Lisa think that there is something in the attic. Homer claims not to know what they are talking about, although he feeds the thing fish heads. Bart and Lisa investigate in the attic to find out that there really is a monster. Homer and Marge call Dr. Hibbert about the thing, which appears to be Bart's conjoined twin brother, Hugo (voiced by Nancy Cartwright as well).. Dr. Hibbert says that Hugo and Bart's birth as conjoined twins was an irregularity because one of them was pure evil, and he had to separate them, choosing to take Bart home and let Hugo be chained up in the attic. Bart even sees the scar from the birth. The rest of the family leaves Bart at home, while they look for Hugo. Meanwhile, Hugo is actually home and takes Bart up to the attic and ties him up to a bed. Hugo decides he's going to sew himself and Bart up. When they come home, Dr. Hibbert realizes that Hugo's scar is on the wrong side, meaning that the evil twin is actually Bart, who is locked up in the attic in Hugo's stead and made to eat fish heads, while the rest of the family eats turkey.
[edit] The Genesis Tub
Lisa performs a science experiment to see if cola will dissolve a tooth. Bart shocks Lisa as part of his project to prove that nerds conduct electricity. She accidentally shocks the tooth, and it undergoes an unusual electrical reaction: Lisa finds out she has created life. The people in her universe evolve at a rapid rate, going through the various ages humans have gone through into modern times and eventually, the future. Bart destroys some of the ecosystem in Lisa's tub universe, and the people respond by attacking Bart with spaceships. Lisa is shrunken to fit into the tub, and finds out that she is worshipped as their god, while Bart is feared as the devil. Lisa wants to return to her normal size, but the people in the tub have yet to invent a "re-bigulater" and she is trapped. Bart takes Lisa's project to school, which wins first prize in the science fair.
[edit] Citizen Kang
While fishing, Homer is abducted by the aliens Kang and Kodos. When they demand Homer point them towards Earth's leader, Homer tells them about the then-upcoming election, and that the winner could be either Bill Clinton or Bob Dole. Kang and Kodos kidnap both Dole and Clinton, placing them in suspended animation tubes. Kang and Kodos take on their forms to ensure that one of them will become the next leader. The aliens soak Homer in rum and return him to Earth; naturally, no one believes him despite Dole and Clinton's bizarre new manners of speech. At a debate between the candidates, he attempts to expose them as "alien replicons from beyond the moon." He is thrown out of the debate and accidentally finds the aliens' spaceship. Homer flies the ship into space, where he tries to return the real Dole and Clinton, but instead ejects them nude into space. On the day before the election, Homer succeeds at revealing the candidates' true identities in Washington, D.C. during a major speech; however, the invaders convince the crowd that voting against either of them and for a third-party candidate would be to "throw your vote away," much to Ross Perot's chagrin. Kang is eventually elected President and forces the citizens of America to build a giant ray gun to aim at another planet.
[edit] Trivia
- The phrase "Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos" (said by Homer in response to Marge complaining about President Kang's initiative to use the humans as slave labor) was the inspiration for the name of the Ska band I Voted For Kodos (IV4K).
- The music playing during the bioduplication sequence is the theme from the late-60s television series The Invaders.
- Cartman's storyline in the South Park episode "Simpsons Already Did It" spoofs the "Genesis Tub" segment.
- This is the first "Treehouse of Horror" episode since Treehouse of Horror II to have Kang and Kodos in more than a brief cameo.
- In The Thing and I, Homer's autobiography is called Homer, I Hardly Knew Me.
- At the end of The Genesis Tub, Lisa is barefoot; despite the fact that she was wearing slippers when she was beamed down to the Tub World.
- The rings which shrink Lisa in The Genesis Tub are a reference to the silent film Metropolis.
[edit] Cultural references
- The plot element of the conjoined twins from "The Thing and I" is from the film Basket Case. The attic scene is a nod to The Exorcist. The title is also a play on the movie The King and I.
- The title "Citizen Kang" is a reference to Orson Welles' Citizen Kane.
- "The Genesis Tub" is inspired by the 1962 Twilight Zone episode called "The Little People" and the Outer Limits episode "Wolf 359." The segment also includes a nod to Theodore Sturgeon Microcosmic God.
[edit] Quotes
[edit] The Thing and I
- Dr. Hibbert: Yes, I remember Bart's birth well. You never forget anything like (dramatic tone of voice) Siamese twins!
Lisa: I believe they preferred to be called "conjoined twins."
Dr. Hibbert: And hillbillies preferred to be called "sons of the soil," but it ain't gonna happen! - Homer: We'll search out any place a sick solitary misfit might run to!
Lisa: I'll start with RadioShack!
Homer: Right! - Dr. Hibbert (confronting Hugo): You know, Hugo, all these years you've spent here in the attic, why, you've probably never seen yourself in the mirror.
(Hibbert holds up a mirror and Hugo looks into it. There is nothing but a frame; Hibbert then punches Hugo in the face) - Hugo: Maybe we all are a little insane; I know I am. I went mad when they tore us apart. But, I'll be sane again... once I sew us back together.
Bart: Are you crazy? You'll kill us both!
Hugo: No I won't! I've been practicing. Look, I made a pigeon-rat. (shows Bart the pigeon-rat, which tries to fly out the window, but hits the glass, then tries to enter a hole, but fails because of its size). Now, which side do you want to be on? The right or the left? - Bart (after everyone finds he's the evil one): Oh, don't look so shocked.
[edit] The Genesis Tub
- Bart: (walking into Lisa's room with balloon in his hair) Hey, Lisa! Check out my science project.
Lisa: (getting zapped by Bart) Ow! What's that supposed to prove?
Bart: That nerds conduct electricity. (zaps Lisa again and runs out of her room laughing) - Lisa: (looking at her tooth) Tiny little people?! Oh my God! I've created life!
Marge: Lisa, breakfast! We're having waffles!
Lisa: Ooh, waffles! (goes downstairs) Wait, these aren't waffles! They're just square pancakes!
Marge: Sorry. The waffle iron's still in the shop.
Lisa (returns to her room): Stupid waffle iron. It's been in the shop forever. (looks into microscope) So, how are my little stone age dwellers? Oh my God! They're evolving so fast, they've already reached the Renaissance. Wait, one of them is nailing something to the door of the cathedral. I've created Lutherans! - Mayor-type figure: Welcome to our world, most gracious Lisa.
Lisa: Your world is incredible! You speak English?
Mayor: But of course! We have listened to you since the beginning of time, Oh Creator, (the mayor bows a little) and we have learned to imatoot you exartly. (The audience in front of Lisa's throne bow in homage, revealing a large statue.)
Lisa: You think I'm God?
Mayor: But of course! You look down at us from Heaven, you gave us life, and only your divine wisdom can save us from the Devil.
Lisa: The devil? What devil?
Mayor: (whispering) The one you call Bart.
(Upon hearing the name of the unholy one, the people cover their ears and moan)
Lisa: Oh no, no, no, you don't understand. Bart's just my brother.
Mayor: (shocked) The Devil is your brother? We find this most perplexing! - Lisa: Oh, great. I'm stuck in this lousy tub for the rest of my life. Shouldn't you people be grovelling? (the people do) And bring me some shoes. Nice ones.
Man: She'll want some socks, too. I'll get socks.
[edit] Citizen Kang
- Marge: I still don't understand why we have to build a ray gun to aim at a planet I've never even heard of.
Homer: Don't blame me. I voted for Kodos. (he is whipped by an alien) - President Clinton (getting abducted): Huh? What's happening? Is it noon already?
- Kodos: (as President Clinton) Ladies and gentlemen, when I was a young boy I dreamed of being a baseball. But tonight I say we must move forward, not backward, upward, but forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom! (coincidentally, Tony Blair, a fan of the Simpsons, who appeared in a later Simpsons' episode, made his 2005 election campaign slogan 'Forwards not backwards')
- Homer: Oh, no. Aliens, bio-duplication, nude conspiracies. Oh, my God. Lyndon LaRouche was right!
Kodos/Clinton: What? Are you still here?
Kang/Dole: I'm afraid we must dispose of you!
(he presses a button; a large device emerges which sprays Homer with fluid)
Homer: What are you spraying me with?
Kang/Dole: Rum! So no one will believe your story!
(Kodos kicks Homer out of their flying saucer)
Kodos/Clinton: And don't come back. - (after the aliens have been revealed to the crowd at the White House)
Kang: It's a two-party system. You have to vote for one of us!
Man: Well then, I believe I'll vote for a third party candidate!
Kang: Go ahead! Throw your vote away! Ahahahaha!
(Ross Perot angrily removes his straw "Perot 96" hat and punches it.)
- Homer: Oh no, space aliens! Don't eat me! I have a wife and kids. Eat them!
- Kang: SILENCE! We come from by a near-by ringed planet we prefer not to mention.
- Kang: Abortions for all
(Crowd boos)
Kang: Very well, no abortions for anyone.
(Crowd boos)
Kang: Hmm... Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others!
(Crowd cheers and waves miniature flags)
[edit] External links
| The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror |
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| I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII | XIII | XIV | XV | XVI | XVII |
