Halloween of Horror

The day before Halloween, the Simpsons decorate their house, calling it "Everscream Terrors". Homer, having accidentally melted the plastic skeletons, goes to replace them at the Halloween pop-up store. On the way, Lisa sees a sign advertising the Krustyland Halloween Horror Night and is excited to be old enough to go. At the store, Apu gets angry at three sleeping employees. One of them gives Homer a deal where if he buys one "Señor Skeletino", he will get three more for free. Homer accepts but tells Apu, who fires the workers. They vow revenge on Homer. Later, Homer takes the children to Halloween Horror Night. Lisa gets scared by the costumed people and tells Homer she wants to go home. Although Homer tells her the park is not scary, Lisa gets scared when she gets separated from Homer, requiring the event to be reset.

At school, Lisa develops a fear of Halloween decorations. In terror, she hides inside a locker until Marge retrieves her. Marge tells Homer to shut down Everscream Terrors, upsetting Homer and Bart. As Marge takes Bart and Maggie to a Halloween block party, Homer tries to bond with Lisa at home, but the three workers arrive. Homer locks up the house, but they are already inside. Meanwhile, Marge, Bart, and Maggie arrive at the block party, but they leave because it is for residents only.

Marge tries to take Bart and Maggie trick-or-treating, but it is too late, leading to the adults coming outside in their suggestive costumes. Meanwhile, Homer tries to take Lisa to the Flanders house, but she runs back to get Tailee, her comfort toy raccoon tail. Homer rushes to save her, but they encounter the invaders. The two run and hide in the attic. With Lisa afraid, Homer admits he is also scared but encourages her to not let her fears prevent her from thinking. They use holiday decorations to signal for help, but they accidentally activate the Señor Skeletinos, giving away their location. Homer climbs onto the roof to light fireworks, but the wind extinguishes the matches. Lisa, remembering that Tailee is flammable, sacrifices Tailee to light the fireworks. They wake the neighborhood, and the invaders are arrested. Homer rebuilds Everscream Terrors. Lisa, now unafraid, scares Marge while wearing her Frida Kahlo costume as she arrives home with Bart, who is delighted to see the house decorated again.

Later, Maggie finds and magically restores the half-burnt Tailee.

This is the first Halloween-themed episode outside of the Treehouse of Horror series.{{cite web|title=The Simpsons Sneak Peek: Watch Homer Pay Homage to Halloween|url=https://tvline.com/2015/10/16/the-simpsons-halloween-video-season-27-preview/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017195516/http://tvline.com/2015/10/16/the-simpsons-halloween-video-season-27-preview/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2015|last=Swift|first=Andy|access-date=July 10, 2023|work=TVLine|date=October 16, 2015}} Because it is the first Halloween episode to take place in the canonical Simpsons world, the producers wanted to include as many Halloween themes as possible. Writer Carolyn Omine based Lisa's fear on her own childhood experiences and those of her son and niece. She also incorporated her parental behavior into Homer's ability to protect Lisa. Tailee is based on a doll that director Mike B. Anderson's daughter used as a security blanket. Executive producer Matt Selman liked the episode's idea of showing the difference between the fear of what is real and the fear of what is not real.{{cite web|title=Alumna talks human side of 'Halloween of Horror' episode of 'The Simpsons'|url=https://dailybruin.com/2016/10/13/alumna-talks-human-side-of-halloween-of-horror-episode-of-the-simpsons|last=Khalid|first=Sadia |access-date=August 27, 2023|work=Daily Bruin|date=October 13, 2016}}

Nick Kroll and Blake Anderson were cast as Halloween store employees who lose their jobs because of Homer. Kroll called the appearance a "lifelong dream."{{cite web|title=EXCLUSIVE: Behind-the-Scenes With Nick Kroll and Blake Anderson on 'The Simpsons' Halloween Special!|url=https://www.etonline.com/news/174077_exclusive_behind_the_scenes_with_nick_kroll_and_blake_anderson_on_the_simpsons_halloween_special|last=Aguilera|first=Leanne|access-date=July 10, 2023|work=Entertainment Tonight|date=October 15, 2015|archive-date=July 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711031545/https://www.etonline.com/news/174077_exclusive_behind_the_scenes_with_nick_kroll_and_blake_anderson_on_the_simpsons_halloween_special|url-status=live}}

Homer whistles the main theme from the 1978 film Halloween. It also plays over the end credits. The musical number, "NC-17 Halloween", performed by the costumed adults, is a parody of the ones performed in the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In the third act, Kent Brockman wears a Ziggy Stardust costume.{{cite magazine|title=The Simpsons: Alan Rickman, David Bowie tribute episode features music, Professor Snape, and more|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/01/16/simpsons-alan-rickman-david-bowie-tribute/|last=Romano|first=Nick|access-date=August 27, 2023|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=January 16, 2016|archive-date=August 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820193455/https://ew.com/article/2016/01/16/simpsons-alan-rickman-david-bowie-tribute/|url-status=live}}

The episode received a 1.7 rating and was watched by a total of 3.69 million people, making it the most watched show on Fox that night.{{cite web|title=Sunday final ratings: 'The Good Wife', 'Madam Secretary' and 'The Simpsons' adjusted up, plus Final NFL Numbers|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/10/20/sunday-final-ratings-oct-18-2015/479263/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151021162811/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/10/20/sunday-final-ratings-oct-18-2015/479263/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 21, 2015|last=Porter|first=Rick|access-date=October 20, 2015|work=TV by the Numbers|date=October 20, 2015}}

Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode an A−, stating "An impeccably directed, character-driven story about children's fears and grown-up responsibility, the episode, credited to writer Carolyn Omine, is one of the most assured, human, and outright best Simpsons episodes in years."{{cite news|last=Perkins|first=Dennis|title=It's a scary, outstanding Simpsons Halloween episode—no, not that one|url=https://www.avclub.com/it-s-a-scary-outstanding-simpsons-halloween-episode-no-1798185533|newspaper=The A.V. Club|date=October 18, 2015|access-date=October 19, 2015|archive-date=October 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151021223253/http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/its-scary-outstanding-simpsons-halloween-episodeno-227031|url-status=live}}

Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave the episode 4 out of 5 stars. He called the episode a return to form and highlighted the scene of Homer being brave for Lisa.{{cite web|title=The Simpsons: Halloween of Horror Review|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-simpsons-halloween-of-horror-review/|last=Sokol|first=Tony|author-link=Tony Sokol|access-date=July 10, 2023|work=Den of Geek|date=October 19, 2015|archive-date=July 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711031545/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-simpsons-halloween-of-horror-review/|url-status=live}}

In 2019, Vulture named the episode the 56th best episode of the series to stream.{{cite web|first1=Matt Zoller|last1=Seitz|author-link1=Matt Zoller Seitz|first2=Jesse David|last2=Fox|first3=Josh|last3=Kurp|first4=Melody|last4=Lau|first5=Gilbert|last5=Cruz|first6=Margaret|last6=Lyons|date=November 19, 2019|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-the-simpsons-episodes.html|title=The 100 Best Simpsons Episodes to Stream|website=Vulture|access-date=August 27, 2023|archive-date=August 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812040021/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-the-simpsons-episodes.html|url-status=dead}} In 2024, an updated ranking named it the 59th best episode of the series.{{cite web|first1=Jesse David|last1=Fox|first2=Jen|last2=Chaney|first3=Rebecca|last3=Alter|first4=Melody|last4=Lau|first5=Gilbert|last5=Cruz|first6=Margaret|last6=Lyons|first7=Matt Zoller|last7=Seitz|author-link7=Matt Zoller Seitz|first8=Josh|last8=Kurp|date=December 17, 2024|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-the-simpsons-episodes.html|title=The 100 Best Simpsons Episodes|website=Vulture|access-date=January 18, 2025|archive-date=December 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219022515/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-the-simpsons-episodes.html}}

The episode received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Animated Program at the 68th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. In addition, Re-Recording mixers Mark Linden and Tara Paul were nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation for this episode at the same Emmy Awards ceremony.{{cite web |url= http://www.emmys.com/sites/default/files/Downloads/68th-nominations-list-v2.pdf |title= 68th Emmy Awards Nominations For Programs Airing June 1, 2015 – May 31, 2016 |publisher= The Television Academy |date= July 14, 2016 |access-date= July 14, 2016 |archive-date= September 9, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160909203232/http://www.emmys.com/sites/default/files/Downloads/68th-nominations-list-v2.pdf |url-status= live }}

Writer Carolyn Omine was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation at the 68th Writers Guild of America Awards for her script to this episode.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/awards/wga-awards-winners-writers-guild-america-1201705269/|title=WGA Honors 'Big Short,' 'Spotlight,' 'Mad Men' at 68th Awards|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=13 February 2016|website=Variety|access-date=23 February 2019|archive-date=December 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221024244/https://variety.com/2016/film/awards/wga-awards-winners-writers-guild-america-1201705269/|url-status=live}}

The episode won the Annie Award for Best General Audience Animated Television Broadcast Production at the 43rd Annie Awards.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/02/07/annie-awards-2016-winners-list/|title=Annie Awards 2016 winners list: Inside Out takes top prizes|last=Coggan|first=Devan|date=February 7, 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=August 27, 2023|archive-date=August 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812213823/https://ew.com/article/2016/02/07/annie-awards-2016-winners-list/|url-status=live}}

{{reflist}}

{{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_27#Halloween of Horror|"Halloween of Horror"}}

{{Portal|The Simpsons}}

• {{IMDb episode|4480454}}

{{The Simpsons episodes|27}}

{{Treehouse of Horror}}

Category:2015 American television episodes

Category:Halloween television episodes

Category:Treehouse of Horror

Category:The Simpsons season 27 episodes

Category:Television episodes written by Carolyn Omine

Category:Television episodes directed by Mike B. Anderson