Polite Dissent

Since I’m feeling a little under the weather, I thought I’d stay way from heavy-duty posting and stick with today’s “television animation” theme. In honor of Halloween, here is the official Polite Dissent list of the five best “Treehouse of Horror” episodes from the Simpsons. It was hard to choose just a few because the Treehouse episodes are almost always some of the best.

1. “Time and Punishment” from Treehouse of Horror V. Homer inadvertently invents a toaster time machine.
   

   HOMER: Aaah! OK, don’t panic. Remember the advice your father gave to you on your wedding day.
   GRANDPA SIMPSON (in a tux): If you ever travel back in time, don’t step on anything, because even the tiniest change can alter the future in ways you can’t imagine!

2. “Citizen Kang” from Treehouse of Horrors VII. Aliens Kang and Kodos impersonate Clinton and Dole during the 1996 Presidential campaign.
   

   KODOS (as Clinton, speaking at a political rally): We must move forward not back, move up not forward, and always turning, turning, turning.

3. “The Shinning” from Treehouse of Horror V. The Simpson family is hired to be caretakers for the isolated estate of Mr. Burns during the winter.
   

   HOMER: No TV and no beer make Homer…something something
   MARGE: Go crazy?
   HOMER: Don’t mind if I do!

4. “Dial ‘Z’ for Zombie” from Treehouse of Horror III. Bart casts a spell that brings the dead back to life.
   

   BART AND LISA: Dad! Dad! We did something horrible!
   HOMER: Did you wreck the car?
   BART AND LISA: No.
   HOMER: Did you raise the dead?
   BART AND LISA: Yes.
   HOMER: But the car’s OK?

5. “Lisa’s Nightmare” from Treehouse of Horror II. A retelling of “The Monkey Paw”, where Lisa’s wish for world-wide peace allows Kang and Kodos to easily conquer the Earth.
   

   KANG: That Board with the nail in it may have defeated us. But the humans won’t stop there. They’ll make bigger boards and bigger nails. Soon they will make a board with a nail so big it will destroy them all!

Runner’s up:
“The Devil and Homer Simpson” from Treehouse of Horror IV.
“King Homer” from Treehouse of Horror III.
“Bad Dream House” from Treehouse of Horror I.